I'm alternating between two very different crime dramas: "Longmire" and "Death in Paradise". At the moment I'm still reeling from the shocker of episode 1 season/series 3 of "Death in Paradise". I don't think an American series would do that.
Other than both involving murders and have a main character who is eccentric, these two shows have little in common.
Longmire is an American series set in a fictional county of the state of Wyoming, not far from the border of Montana and a Cheyenne reservation.
Death in Paradise is a British series set on a fictional Caribbean island.
Longmire is a modern day western.
Death in Paradise is a fish out of water story.
Longmire has a dark backstory that slowly unfolds over the course of the show.
Death in Paradise has comic overtones (though season 3 episode 1 isn't funny at all)
Longmire ran for 4 seasons (the 4th on Netflix)
Death in Paradise for 5 seasons/series. Netflix has the first 3 online.
Longmire main cast:
Robert Taylor as Walt Longmire: sheriff of Absaroka County
Katee Sackhoff as Victoria "Vic" Moretti: a sheriff's deputy and former Philadelphia Police Department homicide detective
Lou Diamond Phillips as Henry Standing Bear: a Cheyenne who is Walt's life long friend, owns a local tavern/restaurant
Cassidy Freeman as Cady Longmire, Walt's daughter, a lawyer
Bailey Chase as Branch Connally, a deputy sheriff who wants Walt's job
Adam Bartley as deptuty Ferg(uson)
Death in Paradise main cast:
Ben Miller as DI Richard Poole (seasons 1, 2, season 3 episode 1)
Sara Martins as DS Camille Bordey
Danny John-Jules as Officer Dwayne Myers (was Cat in "Red Dwarf")
Gary Carr as Officer/Sergent Fidel Best (seasons 1-4)
Don Warrington as Police Commissioner Selwyn Patterson
Élizabeth Bourgine as Catherine Bordey, Camille's mother and restaurant owner
Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman (seasons 3, 4, 5)
Joséphine Jobert as DS Florence Cassell (season 5)
Harry the Lizard (CGI)
Longmire begins one year after the death of Sheriff Walter Longmire's wife, supposedly from cancer while she was in Denver getting treatments. The true story slowly unfolds across the seasons. Walter is nearly killed in an automobile crash when he sees a billboard advertising his deputy's run for sheriff, the shock of which causes him to run off the road to avoid hitting a truck.
After a British police inspector assigned to the police station on St Marie island is murdered, the local police commissioner brings in another British inspector, who's told the assignment is temporary. After Detective Inspector Richard Poole solves the murder the commissioner informs him he made a deal with his superiors in the UK to keep him on permanently.
Sheriff Walter Longmire does not like technology. He refuses to buy a cell phone so his deputies can only reach him by radio or land line. If someone else wants to talk to him they have to phone his deputies to find out which one he is with and get them to hand Walter their phone.
Detective Inspector Richard Poole is hard to get to know, except for anger he pretty well hides his feelings. He hates the Caribbean. Its too hot. He insists on always wearing his 3 piece suit so of course he's hot. Except at night when he sleeps in pajamas, long sleeved and long legged so again he's hot. At every murder scene its small oddities no one else notices that he focuses on. Despite his inability to adapt to his new surroundings his coworkers come to love and respect him. He would never admit he cares for them too.
All I can say about DI Humphrey Goodman, Richard's replacement, at this point, only having seen him in one episode. is he's a klutz. Unlike the loner Richard, Humphrey is married and expecting his wife to join him on the island. Unfortunately, he receives a message from her on an outdated answering machine, telling him she is not coming, never planned to and no longer loves him.
If you haven't seen Death in Paradise but think you might like to do NOT read the following spoiler. After having the lead in the first two series/seasons Ben Miller decided to depart for personal reasons.
Instead of allowing Richard to return home to London, the writters made him the murder victim in the first episode of the third series/season. I'm still shocked.
In his final episode Bill Miller is still given the first spot in the opening credits. His replacement, Kris Marshal, is listed last as if a guest star. The second episode of the thired series/season will give Kris Marshall top billing.