Viewers voice outrage over workplace romance twist in Death in Paradise

A passionate follower of the BBC’s long-running crime drama Death in Paradise has sparked debate by expressing discomfort with the show’s recurring romantic subplots between detectives of different ranks. The hit series, set on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie, has built its reputation on intricate murder mysteries, but over its 14 seasons, love stories have become a significant thread, often intertwining with the main investigations.
Before the arrival of Don Gilet’s Mervin Wilson, the character of Neville Parker, played by Ralf Little, led the island’s investigations and experienced a turbulent romance with DS Florence Cassell, portrayed by Josephine Jobert. Their relationship, which resonated with some viewers, ultimately concluded with both characters leaving the island to start afresh. This was not the first time the show explored workplace romance; earlier seasons featured DI Richard Poole and DS Camille Bordey, as well as Humphrey Goodman and Martha Lloyd, navigating personal connections alongside their detective work.
Despite the popularity of these romantic arcs, not all fans are on board. One viewer took to Reddit to voice their concerns: “Controversially speaking I don’t like the romances between the DIs and the DS’s! The power imbalance makes me squicky, for example when Humphrey almost stopped Camille from leaving because he had the power to! Too realistic and too horrifying for my light-hearted murder show imo,” reports the Express. Another echoed this sentiment, stating, “YES YES YES YOU ARE SO RIGHT. Even without the power imbalance I think it would be way better if the DIs and the DSs stay friends, but this specific situation with Camille and Humphrey was really scary, I hated it.” A third commenter added, “I really don’t like it when the DI has any sort of relationship.”
The show’s approach to accents has also drawn criticism, particularly from viewers with Caribbean heritage. One fan remarked, “Being from the Caribbean, the exaggerated accents can be distracting. Jamaicans have a distinct accent and other islands don’t sound like that at all. So it’s odd that Saint Marie having a French background has everyone sounding Jamaican. There was an episode where they claimed a guy was from Dominica yet he sounded Jamaican.”
The conclusion of Death in Paradise’s 14th series last month saw DI Mervin Wilson solving his final case. While the BBC has yet to officially confirm another season, Don Warrington, who plays Commissioner Selwyn Patterson, revealed that the cast and crew are scheduled to return to Guadeloupe to film season 15 later this month. This news comes as the series continues to captivate audiences, with recent storylines including a potential romance between Naomi Thomas and Marlon Pryce, which has left both fans and cast members speculating about the future of their relationship. As Shantol Jackson, who plays Naomi, explained, “We know we love each other, but we’re not sure if we want to be in love with each other. It’s us trying to figure out what that is, but still staying focused on the task at hand, we’re here to do a job first.” The ongoing discussion among fans and the evolving dynamics on screen reflect the show’s ability to spark conversation while maintaining its core appeal as a light-hearted yet engaging detective drama.