BBC/RED PLANET PICTURES/DENIS GUYENON

As BBC One faded to black following the final episode of season 8 of Death in Paradise last Thursday, word came down from Britain’s public broadcaster that the popular crime comedy/drama/mystery series has been commissioned for an additional two seasons.

Returning for the two new seasons will be:

• Saint Marie Police Department’s lead detective Jack Mooney (Ardal O’Hanlon)
• Tobi Bakare (JP Hooper)
• Shyko Amos (Ruby Patterson)
• Don Warrington (Commissioner Selwyn Patterson)
• Elizabeth Bourgine (Catherine Bordey)

Thankfully, the picturesque fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, the home of the Honoré Police Department, will return also.

Joining the squad full-time for season 9 will be Aude Legastelois as new recruit DS Madeleine Dumas. For those American audiences who haven’t seen the current season as of yet, Madeleine joined the Honoré Police team for the final two episodes of season 8.

For me, Death in Paradise represents what I find most amazing about British drama. The writing, casting and acting is generally so spot-on that any number of successful series can withstand the departure of a main character and still maintain the quality audiences have expected over the years.

Probably the best example of this has been Death in Paradise. In eight seasons, the series has weathered the storm of losing DI Richard Poole (Ben Miller), DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall), Sergeant Fidel Best (Gary Carr), DS Camille Bordey (Sara Martins) and Officer Dwayne Myers (Danny John-Jules) while still maintaining its original gold standard.

Photo courtesy: BBC/RED PLANET PICTURES

Death in Paradise seasons 9 and 10 have been commissioned by the BBC as season 8 hits public television in the coming months.