Longmire and Death In Paradise

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. 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.

Sounds Interesting.

Ana

I watched them both Guy. The cliff hanger in the last episode of Longmire on regular TV - where the shot rings out and "you know who" has a gun aimed at his son - was the last one I saw. I don't get Netflix so it was a big disappointment not to see what happened in that final scene of Season 3.

for the info Guybrush.

Seems an American series can do it too - Person of Interest did when Joss was killed ,and Lomgmire also. Granted ,tweren't the main character ,but still. Kind of risky since the flavor of the show changes ,but they have no choice when actors want off to do something else.

My favorite character in Death in Paradise is the Gecko. I wonder if he has a 'stunt double' for his parts?

I've watched and enjoyed both, too

However, I didn't like the "replacement" Inspector in Death in Paradise

The only American TV series I can think off that replaced the lead character was "Mission: Impossible". Impossible Missions Force team leader Steven Briggs was replaced by team leader Jim Phelps without one word of explanation. That became normal for that show. They never explained the depature of Rollin Hands (Martin Landau) and Cinnamon Carter (Barbra Baines) or Rollins's replacement magican Paris (Leonard Nimoy). The characters were just disappeared. The remake series actually killed off an agent when the actress quit, the original they just came and went with nothing said.

I can think of 3 off the top of my head where it was a lead or major character changed - the Honeymooners ,Audrey Meadows wasn't the first Alice. Bewitched - 2 different husbands for Samantha ,and Cagney and Lacey - Sharon Gless wasn't the original Cagney.
It's always interesting when this happens ,because you never know whether it will be better or lose the chemistry .
Sometimes it takes awhile and sometimes it's just never the same.Such as the Transporter movies compared to the tv show.

Have you read any of the Longmire books ?

I forgot about Honeymooners and Bewitched. Didn't know about the other.

No. I haven't read the Longmire books.

Disappointed that an episode of Longmire tried to perpetrate the myth of the US military giving the Indians small pox infected blankets. First off smallpox dies outside a living host, it cannot be spread that way. And second it was a British Lord who mistakenly tried that, once, not any US officials. And it didn't work, because it couldn't.

So far in Death in Paradise I've seen the 5th Doctor (Peter Davison), Dayana from Blakes 7 and Clara's dead boyfriend, but none of the other cast members from Red Dwarf.

I wish Netflix would change the background image. Its depressing to see Richard standing there when he's gone.

I completed first 3 seasons/series of both shows. Netflix doesn't have any more Death in Paradise. The new guy is so different, its almost a new show. Longmire season 3 ending and season 4 start was almost as shocking at Death series 3 episode 1. Clearly, insanity runs in Branch's family.

I like Longmire but like all police dramas it doesn't handle search warrants properly. And that former head of the Cheyenne police is on parole, it should be fairly simple to catch him violating parole and send him back to prison but they'll wont let it be that simple, I'm sure.

Aw,Guybrush, what fun would it be if it was simple?

I never liked the replacement on Bewitched. He seemed whiny and prissy.

I am still unsure of the switch on Death in Paradise, he's a decent actor but he is so different it changes the whole tone of the show. I have not watched the last season of Longmire on Netflix, though I love the show.

Great topic BTW

Three episodes to go in season 4. I was surprised by how soon the two related murders (one old, one new) were resolved. Looks like Standing Bear is going vigilante and rejected deputy candidate (not the local) is up to something shady, not surre what yet.

Season 5 coming on Netflix next year sometime.

We have to get back to Longmire, when time permits

Well that was a strange ending. Now I wait.

Yuk, I hate waiting!

The good news is Longmire has been renewed for another season for 2017 on Netflix streaming. The bad news is its being promoted as the final season.

Well, at least you get another season.

I finished Death in Paradise....then Agatha Raisin, and just started a new one today.

Yeah Netflix saved it after it was canceled after 3 seasons. They gave it another 3.

I like Longmire !!

Still waiting for Netflix to get Death in Paradise 5. Also Ripper Street 4. Netflix doesn't have Vera streaming so I'm getting the discs. Also waiting on last The Bridge DVD.

Edit: turns out they have Ripper Street on DVD just not streaming 4 yet. They have place holder for DIP.

Ripper Street had a shocker of and ending in the last episode! Great show!

I stopped watching Death in Paradise after the original cast was changed. Didn't enjoy it half as much

I was supposed to get 2 DVDs yesterday. Only one arrived. Hopefully The Bridge final episodes will arrive today.

Mad, I was shocked when that happened.

Fingers crossed it gets there, Guybrush.

I was shocked out how the original lead detective was written out of Death In Paradise. But I still gave it a chance after he left. But now only "Cat" from Red Dwarf is left of the original cast.

I just started Ripper Street series/season 4.

Death In Paradise season 5 is scheduled for release on DVD in USA on December 13th. It appeared on my Netflix queue with that date.

Woohoo, thanks Guybrush

Just started Death in Paradise 5. Its been renewed for a 6th series which is nice to know.