Beyond Paradise Christmas special spoilers follow.
Beyond Paradise's debut Christmas special is everything we've come to expect from the quirky, off-beat police drama.
From the opening scene – a cosy narration of A Christmas Carol acting as the backdrop to several home break-ins – to a child's deduction that the perpetrator must be Santa, the episode is a charmer.
Humphrey (Kris Marshall) and his Shipton Abbott team were on the case trying to figure out who was responsible for the home invasions and why, instead of stealing goods, the person left gifts along with a small mound of ash.
It was hardly a tense mystery, especially with Father Christmas shaping up to be their best lead, but it was able to hold our interest thanks to the eccentricity of it all.
In the midst of the opposite-burglary madness, Humphrey and Martha (Sally Bretton) crossed paths with little boy Ryan, who had run away from home.
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He spent much of his time in the precinct driving Kelby (Dylan Llewellyn) bonkers with his cheekiness, but Martha and Humphrey couldn't help but fall in love with his sweet nature.
One afternoon in Martha's cafe, and Ryan had set the wheels in motion for a new path for Martha and Humphrey.
After speaking to the social worker who helped to reunite Ryan with his mother, Martha was pleasantly surprised to learn that she and Humphrey had had a positive impact on him.
When the social worker suggested she consider foster care, Martha didn't display the hesitation she had felt in the past over growing their family following their struggles to conceive. Instead, she was intrigued and, dare we say it, hopeful.
This could be a new beginning for the pair, who had just settled into the idea of being enough for one another. The only thing that could possibly rock the boat is Martha's ex-flame Archie (Jamie Bamber).
Martha and Humphrey shippers thought they'd seen the last of Archie at the end of season one with Martha rebuffing his advances, but if that were true, why even mention him?
The topic circled around to Archie when Martha's mother, Anne (Barbra Flynn), blurted out: "So Archie's definitely gone?"
Martha confirmed that he was still at the vineyard (ie in Shipton Abbott), but that they were not partners anymore.
Anne didn't let things lie. Instead, she insisted it was for the best, "Always best to remove temptation."
Though Martha affirmed that there was no temptation on her part – and she did seem kissably loved-up with Humphrey this special, more so than last season – Anne didn't appear to buy it, and nor did we. We remember the sparks.
"[Archie] genuinely thinks the only mistake he's ever made in his life was letting that relationship [with Martha] end," Bamber previously told Digital Spy during an exclusive interview.
"She ended it, but he allowed that to happen in his mind. Archie is not someone who thinks of himself as reactive in life – he's someone who creates his life every day.
"The fact that that relationship was allowed to end, even though that was her decision, he regrets, and he regrets it as soon as he sees her."
It's possible Archie could have retreated back to his vineyard to lick his wounds during the show's hiatus, but he could very well be back to try again.
That's not the only threat looming ahead, as Chief Superintendent Charlie Woods (Jade Harrison) is still threatening to shut Shipton Abbott's police station if they don't prove their worth – though she allowed them some reprieve during the holiday season for their handling of the break-ins.
There's a beautiful, full-circle moment connecting the revealed criminal to the narrator at the beginning that is just a delightful note to end on – as is the thought that, at least for now, Martha and Humphrey are absorbed in yuletide joy, unaware of what's to come.
Beyond Paradise's Christmas special is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer. Beyond Paradise season 2 will debut in the new year.
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TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
