Return to Paradise season 1 episode 1 spoilers follow.
Return to Paradise‘s debut season is already off to a strong start. Anna Samson’s Mackenzie Clarke is the centre of this exciting new addition to the franchise and it is buzzing with a mix of individuality, personality and familiarity.
Speaking of familiarity, a Paraverse alum made their way to Dolphin Cove to boost the show’s sense of grounding in the universe and no, we don’t mean Harry (although he did make an appearance… sort of).
We’re of course talking about Death in Paradise‘s Jack Mooney (Arlan O’Hanlon), who crops up overseas in grey and dreary London. It seems Mooney had been something of a mentor to Mackenzie Clarke over the years.
The disgraced DI – who fled back to her home in Australia after being accused of tampering with evidence – is now set on clearing her name and so calls one of the few people she trusts.
Enter Mooney. It’s a special moment.
“[Mackenzie] doesn’t have a lot of people that she really cares for, or many friends,” Samson shared during an interview with Digital Spy and other journalists. “He is one of them and you can tell that just with a few scenes that we have which are on the phone.”
The scene does what it’s intended to do: reawakens the flurry of excitement that already began to form when the clues leading to his arrival cropped up. We’re talking the London skyline and that suspicious-looking paperweight lizard bearing a striking resemblance to Harry perched on a desk.
The exchange doesn’t last long and O’Hanlon only features once more in the episode for the briefest of moments but it’s enough to impress upon the viewers the link between the shows. But honestly, Mooney’s presence wasn’t necessary.
This is no slight against the character. His departure, like all Death in Paradise detectives’, hit the franchise hard and was bittersweet, knowing that Saint Marie would welcome another DI who would no doubt infuse the show with a different excitement.
On the one hand seeing him again in the Paraverse does feel like a joyful moment but on the other it takes something away from the spin-off with him appearing so early on.
This is Return to Paradise‘s (and equally as importantly Mackenzie’s) time to take centre stage in this corner of the Paraverse and neither needs their hand holding.
During the same interview, Return to Paradise star Lloyd Griffith referred to Mooney’s cameo as something that “really anchors” the show, with Samson also affirming the importance of acknowledging the history of the show “and all the joy and fan base that’s in the original.”
Both points are valid but the timing of this was way off.
Return to Paradise is already an interesting spin-off with great foundations, one whose roots are deep and evident in the legacy of Death in Paradise. Its homage shines through in the comedic tone of the show, that unique brand of detective sleuthing and in the formation of the Dolphin Cove police force (a detective learning to assimilate into a new team while struggling in an uncomfortable environment feels very on brand).
Still, Return to Paradise finds a way to put its own stamp on it.
Dolphin Cove being Mackenzie’s home turf offers a new way of approaching the Paraverse formula. Her baggage is absolutely bursting, which creates instant intrigue as do her scenes with ex-fiancé Glenn (Tai Hara).
The inclusion of Jack Mooney at this stage feels like the franchise’s way of giving credibility to the spin-off, to add weight to its connection to the brand as a way of reassuring any sceptics of its validity when it never needed too.
The Death in Paradise-ness is baked into the layers and even if it wasn’t, Mackenzie and the team can stand confidently on their own.
Mackenzie’s connection to Jack does feel very natural and authentic given that O’Hanlon’s character left Saint Marie to be closer to his daughter in London.
However, seeing Mooney later on down the line in the season – once the show had its chance to impress viewers on its own merit – would have been a more impactful treat that put a little more faith in the strength of the show instead.
Return to Paradise airs Fridays 8pm on BBC One. Beyond Paradise and Death in Paradise both air on BBC One and stream on BBC iPlayer.
Read more Death in Paradise news on our dedicated homepage
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.