Amidst sandy beaches caressed by lapping waves, the sun casts its rays over a fresh new murder.
In the centre of it all is Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson), our franchise-standard uncomfortable detective. Sharp of mind and a fish out of water, but this corner of paradise isn't the Caribbean and this certainly isn't Death in Paradise.
This is Return to Paradise and Detective Inspector Clarke is coming home whether she likes it or not.
In this corner of the Paraverse, Australia's fictional Dolphin Cove, Mackenzie has been forced back to her home turf after problems arise in London. There she receives an icy-cold welcome from the residents who still remember what she did six years ago and aren't willing to forgive.
Return to Paradise marks the second spin-off in the franchise and has already catapulted itself to the number one spot for one reason: Mackenzie Clarke, the best lead detective the franchise has had thus far.
From one Paraverse fan to another, the instinct to become instantly defensive of [insert favourite detective here] is strong and valid. There isn't a single weak link in the chain. How do you not revere Ben Miller's Richard Poole, whose spectacular performance set the bar high? Then Kris Marshall's Humphrey Goodman really stole the show. His seemingly scatter-brained mind was in fact a thing of wonder. He captivated audiences, drawing those fragmented pieces together to de-mystify the murders and he did it with such whimsical charm.
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These – and Ardal O'Hanlan's Jack Mooney, and Ralf Little's Neville Parker – are big acts to follow but if this were a race, Anna Samson pips ahead.
Her interpretation of Mackenzie Clarke is rich, intriguing and meticulously thought through. The last seems like an intentional reflection of Mackenzie, who is orderly to a fault.
Her single-minded personality is not without charm, but so too are the other facets of her characterisation, especially when she's working a case.
It's the piercing stare that gives way to eyes wandering over every inch of every new situation, gathering information like a magpie does jewels. It's utterly alluring to watch in a way that instantly draws you to the character.
Her aloof approach to the role of detective does mean that others find it difficult to relate to her but there are certain people that bring out her vulnerability, and it's in those moments – when she is disarmed – that a softness sheepishly creeps forward.
Mackenzie's ex Glenn (Tai Hara) is one of those people, and their unfinished story has something of a Humphrey and Martha (Sally Bretton), or Neville (Ralf Little) and Florence (Joséphine Jobert) feel to it.
Experiencing paradise through Mackenzie's fragile, analytical eyes adds a different dimension of depth but there is still room for that silly, physical comedy that lends itself so well to the Paraverse's cosy crime show. In fact, some of those comedic beats land even harder because of how serious she is.
Samson isn't the only draw of Return to Paradise. It may be the second spin-off but it is much truer to the original than its sister show Beyond Paradise.
Unlike Return to Paradise, the Kris-Marshall-led spin-off had the luxury of feeling wildly different, right down to Shipton Abbott's fresher, windier Devonshire feel. After all, who needs Saint Marie when you have the strength of Marshall – a fan-favourite DiP lead – to lean on?
Marshall's charismatically quirky Humphrey was the thread through to DiP that allowed Beyond Paradise to shape the Paraverse in its own image.
It would have been a big gamble for Return to Paradise to have done the same, so instead of straying too far from the blueprint it slots neatly into the puzzle-piece, but Anna Samson is right to say it's "no carbon copy".
While it may not re-write the script, the formula of the show is embellished in its own idiosyncratic ways that honour the need for individuality whilst maintaining familiarity.
Mackenzie's initial desire to consciously reject the team and push away connections is one marked difference. Unlike the other detectives that came before who sought to bond with their co-workers and fit in, Mackenzie's past hurts mean that her approach is different, which creates a different dynamic that's interesting to see play out.
It wouldn't be a Paraverse drama without a mysterious murder case and much like Beyond Paradise, Return to Paradise sticks to the formulaic script for the better. There is the 'penny drop' moment that precedes the gathering of suspects for the big reveal and with that Return to Paradise gives it a Mackenzie gloss that feels fresh, fun and appropriate, while the rest follows a comfortingly familiar trajectory.
Another thread which is bound to please fans of the franchise is the Paraverse mascot. Like witches need their familiar, Paraverse detective inspectors need their animal sidekicks. Harry the lizard and Selwyn the duck now pass the baton on to Frankie the dog, who can often be seen wagging her tail by Mackenzie's side.
However, there's another animal that needs to be addressed and that's the elephant in the room. After over a decade on air, Samson being the first female lead detective (much like Don Gilet becoming Death in Paradise's first Black lead detective) is incredibly overdue and yet – like Samson states – it doesn't change the DNA of the show from a storytelling perspective at all. What it does off screen has much more importance in reshaping systemically ingrained beliefs about women's roles, especially as leaders.
Mackenzie is intelligent, assured and takes charge without doubt or self-deprecation and not from the sidelines either, which helps to inform the narrative surrounding women's capabilities.
When it comes to the ensemble cast, there's room to grow. While characters like Miss Rocco (Celia Ireland) with her bold cheerfulness are fun and anchor Mackenzie to her childhood, she, like some other cast members, feel more like bodies to fill the space than characters with depth.
Colin's (Lloyd Griffith) search for identity and battles with inferiority now that Mackenzie has muscled in on his territory, feel relevant and valid to explore; however, it also feels like a plot device to tell Mackenzie's story.
Still, we're quite early into the season and so there's time for B-stories and characterisations to take shape and go deeper. In the meantime Felix (Aaron L McGrath) and Miss Rocco's dynamic becomes more entertaining and heartwarming as the season develops.
Return to Paradise airs Fridays 8pm on BBC One. Beyond Paradise and Death in Paradise both air on BBC One and stream on BBC iPlayer.
Read more Death in Paradise news on our dedicated homepage
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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.
