Death in Paradise fans have been catching up with new episodes of its new spin-off show, Return to Paradise, since it began airing on Australia’s ABC channel earlier this month.
The series takes viewers away from the original show’s Caribbean setting and the Devon-based home of Beyond Paradise, following female detective Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson) as she returns home to Australia after leaving her fiancé at the altar years before.
Warning! Cameo spoiler in episode one ahead.
Fans praised the opening episode, which featured a surprise cameo from Ardal O’Hanlon, who played lead detective Jack Mooney for three years between 2017 to 2020, before handing the reins to Ralf Little’s DI Neville Parker.
Taking to social media, one viewer expressed their shock, writing: “JACK MOONEY?! IM SCREAMING #returntoparadise,” while another added: “I already love this show! And seeing DI Jack Mooney again? Thank you for bringing him back even if it was just a cameo! #returntoparadise.”
A third person penned: “Loved this cameo.”
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Others shared their approval of the spin-off, praising the storylines and pointing out the parallels between the Australia-set show and the original drama. One person wrote: “Watched the first episode of #returntoparadise on ABCiview. Good cast. Storyline moves along nicely. Catherine McClements is a favourite,” while another added: “OMG caught the first episode of #ReturnToParadise on ABC and it was great. Anna Samson is perfect. #returntoparadise.”
A third fan commented: “Watched #ReturnToParadise, sooo many parallels, I’d say [OK hand sign emoji]And that was only the first ep, but already cooking.”
The show, which is produced by BBC Studios Productions Australia with Red Planet Pictures for ABC in association with the BBC, is expected to air in the UK later this year, with the BBC yet to set an exact release date.
The show sees Met Police officer DI Mackenzie Clarke leave London for Australia after being accused of tampering with evidence. When she returns to her hometown of Dolphin Cove, she’s met with a frosty reception having left her ex-fiancée Glenn (Tai Hara) at the altar years before.
The synopsis continues: “But with no other job options, and a unique talent for solving a mystery, no matter how challenging, a reluctant Mack joins the team at Dolphin Cove Police Station. Once a case lands on her desk, she can’t rest until she’s figured it out, and the killer is in handcuffs. It’s that tenacity and work ethic that might just, over time, help Mackenzie win over her new colleagues, and the people of Dolphin Cove.”