Death in Paradise... problematic?
- Thread starter nightowl
- Start date
T & P
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Agreed. I seem to remember making a similar observation in some thread in this forum a while back. Apart from problematic and condescending, it is a breathtakingly stupid and non-believable premise. Even more so as the island is meant to be a French protectorate, and the police officers wear (as far as I can see) emblems on their uniforms bearing the French flag.
So not only are the locals incapable of producing a single police officer intelligent enough to fill the chief inspector's role, but the French are similarly lacking. Very gallant of the UK to step in and show them how it's done even though it has no territorial or judicial connections with the island
SpookyFrank
Float like a caterpillar, sting like a tree
Watched one episode once. Didn't think much of Danny John-Jules' Caribbean accent.
I think it was Ardal O'Hanlon as the detective bloke. So at least it wasn't Kris Marshall.
I think it was Ardal O'Hanlon as the detective bloke. So at least it wasn't Kris Marshall.
mx wcfc
Well-Known Member
I found it vaguely entertaining at first, then all of what you say gradually dawned on me, and now I find it unwatchable for all the reasons you list.Agreed. I seem to remember making a similar observation in some thread in this forum a while back. Apart from problematic and condescending, it is a breathtakingly stupid and non-believable premise. Even more so as the island is meant to be a French protectorate, and the police officers wear (as far as I can see) emblems on their uniforms bearing the French flag.
So not only are the locals incapable of producing a single police officer intelligent enough to fill the chief inspector's role, but the French are similarly lacking. Very gallant of the UK to step in and show them how it's done even though it has no territorial or judicial connections with the island
mx wcfc
Well-Known Member
Even ignoring the points made by nightowl and T&P, it's laughable from the procedurals pov. Calling the suspects together, telling them about the evidence you have gathered, then naming the culprit? Really?
Serge Forward
Just enjoyin' my coffee.
When I visit my mam, she has the Drama channel on most of the time and this programme seems to be on Drama a fair bit.
The "white saviour" thing is about right, although to be fair, the black cops are not numbskulls in any way. But it is invariably the white guy who finally pieces all the clues together (with the help of his capable black sidekicks). It has a very colonial feel about it.
On the bright side, the police chief is played by the guy who played the African student in Rising Damp. Also, the guy who was Cat in Red Dwarf is in it as well.
Eta mx wcfc it's very Agatha Christie (gets all the suspects in a room at the end till he reveals the baddie). In other words, childish.
The "white saviour" thing is about right, although to be fair, the black cops are not numbskulls in any way. But it is invariably the white guy who finally pieces all the clues together (with the help of his capable black sidekicks). It has a very colonial feel about it.
On the bright side, the police chief is played by the guy who played the African student in Rising Damp. Also, the guy who was Cat in Red Dwarf is in it as well.
Eta mx wcfc it's very Agatha Christie (gets all the suspects in a room at the end till he reveals the baddie). In other words, childish.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Oh I hadn't even got that far! Yeah sounds ludicrous.
mx wcfc
Well-Known Member
Certainly, for me, the initial attraction was based based on "ooo - that's the bloke out of Rising Damp, and "hey, isn't that the Cat out of Red Dwarf? (I'm rubbish at all actors names).
mrs mx loves it.
Silas Loom
Advanced. Forthright. Signifficant.
Daniel Craig did that on both of the Knives Out true crime docudramas.
Serge Forward
Just enjoyin' my coffee.
To be fair, it's enjoyable drivel. My mam likes it because it (and much of the stuff on Drama) is not too taxing for her with her dementia.
mx wcfc
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I get that. Not that I'm a fan of hers. It might be "good" in historical stuff, but it really grates in stuff set in modern times. Any of the rich white visitors who get accused would be able to hire a fancy european lawyer to get them off on a technicality.
Serge Forward
Just enjoyin' my coffee.
As my mam is in her 90s and I'm in my 60s, we're the perfect viewers
More because not many people watch TV live these days…As my mam is in her 90s and I'm in my 60s, we're the perfect viewers
mx wcfc
Well-Known Member
I was going to object to that assertion, then I realised how old me and mrs mx are.
Throbbing Angel
uncivilly servile
^^^this^^^
T & P
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And in literally every fucking episode, half way through when they have a pool of suspects and are veering towards one of them being the murderer, they interview them and the suspect declares with intense passion that whereas they might have disliked or rowed with the victim, they REALLY didn’t kill then and could NEVER murder anyone. Upon which the coppers stop interviewing the suspect, look dejected and give each other a ‘Well, there goes our theory’ look.
cupid_stunt
Chief seagull hater & farmerbarleymow's nemesis.
It's a light-hearted, somewhat corny/comical cop show, for family viewing, hence its fairly early transmission time of 8pm.
It's based on a fictional Caribbean island that is an 'British Overseas Territory', the UK remains responsible for internal security for BOTs, even ones closer to us (isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, and Gibraltar) will ask for assistance from Scotland Yard from time-to-time, when there's a serious and difficult crime that needs solving.
Under the circumstances it's hardly surprising there's a permanently based senior UK cop on the tiny island of Saint Marie, what with their shockingly high murder rate.
It's based on a fictional Caribbean island that is an 'British Overseas Territory', the UK remains responsible for internal security for BOTs, even ones closer to us (isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, and Gibraltar) will ask for assistance from Scotland Yard from time-to-time, when there's a serious and difficult crime that needs solving.
Under the circumstances it's hardly surprising there's a permanently based senior UK cop on the tiny island of Saint Marie, what with their shockingly high murder rate.
T & P
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It would certainly would with me if I were big standard supporting actor and got a part in an episode. Certainly beats filming in an inner city UK town.
cupid_stunt
Chief seagull hater & farmerbarleymow's nemesis.
Ditto with the county of Midsomer.
I believe the Caribbean British overseas territories also interact via the Miami consul generals office.
My missus loves that. I'm always asking her if there's anyone left to kill there.
scifisam
feck! arse! girls! drink!
It's always looked like one of those low quality Heartbeat/Midsummer Murders style cop shows, but although I can sort of stomach those, the blatant racism makes this one unwatchable for me.
Agatha Christie isn't in the slightest bit childish.
Agatha Christie isn't in the slightest bit childish.
ElizabethofYork
Old Crone
It's a harmless gentle comedy. I like how the entire police force (4 people) attend every crime on the island, leaving the police station unmanned.
tim
EXPLODED TIM! (Help me!!!)
Isn't it problematic that people can remember the names of the interchangeable white guys who play Ace Detective but don't know the great Don Warrington's name and can't be bothered to check?
Danny John-Jules is also has more screen presence than his costars.
