Return to Paradise

With the first series of 'Return To Paradise' just finished on the ABC, the question most viewers will be asking is "When will series 2 arrive?".

As amiable and entertaining as the British 'Death in Paradise' from which it sprouted, this six part series has been a delight. The setting of Dolphin Cove (cousin of Porpoise Spit?) is quintessential Aussie coastline, with a perfect surf break and touches of Byron Bay.

The Police team have a few sit com quirks -- slightly stilted dialogue on occasions, regular moments when all they have to do is stand around listening to the main characters talk -- yet they became endearing, especially Lloyd Griffith as Det SC Colin Cartwright.

Anna Samson's DI Mackenzie Clarke did what some might consider impossible: create a new detective who has her own voice and unique character. She is the backbone of the series and eminently watchable throughout.

Plots were solid and well constructed, especially the final episode which cleverly tied the police procedural to the simmering connection still charging the atmosphere between Mackenzie and her ex.

There were few surprises across the half dozen eps, but the writing was certainly good enough to keep fans of the genre guessing (and happy!).

We approached this series with a little trepidation. Would it be simply a half-hearted re-hash of the original? But it was much more than that. Fresh as an ocean breeze and entertaining throughout. We really hope to see DI Mackenzie Clarke back in Dolphin Cover soon.

The main attraction of the main series and its spin-offs is always nature. As an Australia and nature fan, you will of course get your money's worth. The plots have not been reinvented. It's the old "Death in Paradise" concept with a little "Beyond Paradise" sprinkled in. For me personally, it was nice entertainment to watch the team getting together and solving cases. What I personally could have done without is the love triangle. This concept is outdated and boring for me. I was annoyed that it was used again for the series. It would have worked well without it. The stylistic device "will they or won't they" rather annoyed me. I don't think it's still appropriate for people of that age, who have learned to communicate better and are better able to self-assess their actions than previous generations.

Used a VPN to watch and it exceeded my expectations. I thought it would be a fun watch but not live up to the main show and Beyond Paradise. But I would have to say that I'm impressed by EP 1. Mackenzie is very strong as a lead character and I'm really liking the dynamics, especially between her and Philomena. I really like the nods and ties to Death in Paradise.

I'm really excited to see more and for it to eventually be aired on BBC One so more people will see it. Very strong spin off and I'm glad it's a part of the paraverse, I've seen that it had a strong debut in Australian which gives me hope they'll want to produce more in the future (if the rest go well as well of course).

I saw some people say Mackenzie is female Richard, I would have to disagree, but that's just me.

The formula is the same as Death in Paradise (which I have enjoyed over the years). The first episode was a little slow but after just watching the second episode I think the show is starting to come into its own and it too is enjoyable. The characters are starting to be fleshed out and their individuality and quirkiness is nice to see. I do think Anna Samson is probably the weak link in the cast however I've only seen a couple of episodes and she may soon shine. The rest of the cast seems great. The scenery is also great and typical of NSW. I'm looking forward to future episodes. I recommend watching!

I did look forward to this series and loving the scenery of the South Coast of NSW. One of my favourite holiday destinations. Going into the story I was struck that it had the familiar elements of "Sea Change", the lead even looked like Sigrid Thornton, but the vet was no Diver Dan. They maybe over doing the "quirky", however, I'm willing to keep going, if only for the scenery. The other characters are what you might expect from the original series, the gruff but likeable commander, a ditzy pc. Somehow, this might have more of a personal story attached other than catching the crook. Australians are good at detective drama/comedy so let's hope this turns into a gem.