Ludwig

I've only ever seen David Mitchell on Would I lie to you, but saw a trailer for this and it looked good so my husband and I settled in to try the first episode. Before we knew it, it was almost midnight and we had watched 3 episodes. All whilst laughing our socks off, giggling away and coming up with crazy theories to try and solve the case.

The characters are all endearing and the idea that you don't know who you can trust had us looking for the slightest hint and clue as to who was the dodgy party. Each episode has a different central murder to solve to keep you intrigued, whilst still having the main mystery of John's' brothers' disappearance.

We have now watched the remaining 3 episodes the next morning- desperate to get back to it and we think this is one of the best series we have watched in a long time. But there is still so much left unsolved- we are in dire need of a second series!!!

Just binged this on iPlayer and loved it.

Nothing particularly original about it but was good fun throughout and kept you guessing throughout every episode.

It's a kind of mix of many different detectives/mystery programmes - Holmes , Poirot , Professor T , Jonathon Creek etc but done with a David Mitchel style.

The beauty is that it is not padded out with filler just to drag out each episode - it's the perfect 60 minute mystery so it chugs along nicely and sticks to the plot - with no annoying subplots that go nowhere. Its attraction is its simplicity and humour.

It's a very family oriented show with no violence , bad language , nudity , sexual content - it's just wholesome great TV viewing !!

I wish there was more like this being commissioned by the BBC that was as good a quality as this is. I'm not usually one for overcooking an idea into endless seasons until it becomes a parody of itself - but I do hope they make at least a second series.

Lucy turns to her brother in law John, when her husband, John's twin brother James disappears. John, a puzzle designer by profession has to step into the shoes of his brother, a DCI in Cambridge.

It's a wonderful series, if I had to compare it to a show, it would be Jonathan Creek, you have complex mysteries, a wry humour, and a somewhat underrated, genius central character. It's light viewing, devoid of bad language and violence, it's intriguing family entertainment.

It's possibly the best new show to come out of The Beeb for years, I'm so glad to see it's been a ratings winner, and that a second series is in the pipeline. It has winner all over it, beautifully written, wonderfully produced and wonderfully acted.

David Mitchell is superb, perhaps the best thing I've seen him do, Anna Maxwell Martin, Dorothy Atkinson and Ralph Ineson are great. Sir Derek Jacobi gives a great guest performance.

Roll on Series 2, I can't wait for it.

9/10.

Ludwig is a new BBC series that brings a fresh and quirky twist to the detective genre. Starring David Mitchell, it follows John Taylor, a socially awkward puzzle lover who is reluctantly pulled into solving crimes when his police detective twin brother, James, mysteriously disappears. To find out what happened to James, John must impersonate his brother and use his unique puzzle-solving skills to crack the cases.

The show blends light-hearted humour with mystery, offering a cosy, entertaining experience. Each episode features a new crime for John to solve, while the central mystery of James's disappearance ties the story together. John's logical approach to crime-solving, combined with his nervous and introverted personality, creates a fun contrast as he stumbles through police work, often solving the cases in unconventional ways.

David Mitchell shines as John, bringing his signature wit and awkward charm to the role. His interactions with Anna Maxwell Martin, who plays Lucy, his determined and sharp sister-in-law, add emotional depth to the series. Lucy drives the investigation forward, motivating John to keep up the ruse while they search for James. Their relationship forms the heart of the show, balancing the comedic elements with moments of genuine concern and urgency.

While Ludwig doesn't offer intense drama or complex plots, it thrives as a light and enjoyable watch. The crimes are simple, and the stakes never feel too high, making it perfect for those who enjoy a laid-back mystery series. Its cosy atmosphere, combined with Mitchell's dry humour and the fun puzzle-solving aspect, makes it a charming addition to the detective genre.

In short, Ludwig is a pleasant, entertaining series with a unique puzzle-based approach to crime-solving, perfect for fans looking for something witty and easy going.

It's a pretty much comfort viewing where a socially awkward and brilliant puzzle maker is replacing his twin brother in the police, since he disappeared. It is basically a procedural with a main current plot about the brother's disappearance, but I actually was pretty happy that there is one crime per episode. It is really fun to just watch him solve the crimes without any police knowledgemente envolved. It reminds me "monk" a bit, a show that I really love, but with a different flavour and perhaps wittier.

For sure it will have a US remake sooner or later, since it's the type of premise that can have endless seasons and money due to a future syndication after 456 episodes. But let's all be happy because for sure we will have more "ludwig" in the future and I'm glad this was made. Emphatic characters, nicely written misteries and mostly a strong protagonist. Extremely entertaining.