Death in Paradise (TV Series) Now You See Him, Now You Don't (2020) User Reviews

Episode 9.8

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 3 March 2020]

Olivia Reeves is a prestigious actress who has retired to Saint Marie after going blind.

We see her acting suspiciously and soon her husband is found, shot dead. There is even a man who claims to have seen Olivia shooting her husband.

DI Neville Parker gets the all clear to return back to Britain once he solves the latest murder. However despite his various ailments, Saint Marie seems to be more enticing than Manchester.

With Olivia Reeves being a very obvious suspect, it is a case of how and why she did it. DI Parker has other ideas though after looking at the forensic report.

Saying this was an over elaborate murder plot was an understatement. It does play to Parker's strength who loves solving puzzles.

I liked how Commissioner Patterson was keen to attend Parker's leaving party.

A very good, clever finale.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 29 February 2020]

Archie Garwood is dead on a nearby beach, seemingly the only suspect is Olivia his wife, who is totally blind, a former actress, and trapped in a loveless marriage.

This was a very good series finale, I enjoyed the story, characters, and the rather different way that the story played out.

I was very glad they had tones Neville down a bit, his quirks were somewhat muted compared to last week's. He had a great scene with Madeline, where he discussed his past and the state of his life back home in England.

I'm glad he's sticking around, even if Selwyn isn't. 8/10

Back to solid!

[harrykivi · 7/10 · 27 December 2020]

The ninth season has been a very good one so far with only "Death in the Salon" being a huge let down and easily the worst episode of the series so far. Thankfully, "Now You See Him, Now You Don't" is a much better episode than the previous one. It's not a great entry in my mind, but is a very enjoyable finale to the season.

So let's start with the good aspects of the episode.

. The production values of "Now You See Him.." are great as usual. The episode looks and sounds incredible. After being let down by the acting in "Death in the Salon", it was nice to see that the acting is pretty good in this entry with Frances Tomelty and especially Ukwelli Roach being good in their roles.

. The murder mystery did compell and the episode also had a nice amount of quirky humor. The scene with Madeleine and Neville on the beach was, agreed,superb. The solution was also semi-satisfying.

But...

.There are indeed aspects of this episode that have been done previously (like the subplot regarding JP's sergeant exam and the main detective not getting to leave Saint-Marie), which have been written more well in the previous times.

. The murder mystery lacked surprises for me and that's why the solution (Archie killed his father) did not come as a twist at all. To be honest, I do not think it is surprising for anyone....

Overall, "a good, but not great" one.

7/10 HK

Now you see them, now you don't

[safenoe · 7/10 · 2 November 2020]

Much is written about Ralf Little's over-the-top allergies. One thing we know for sure, he returns in season 10.

Unfortunately, following the broadcast of this episode, we learn Aude Legastelois (DS Madeleine Dumas) and Shyko Amos (Officer Ruby Patterson) won't. That's a shame. That means Aude is the shortest serving regular cast member of Death in Paradise, having only appeared in 10 episodes. Remarkably, Aude is being replaced in season 10 by Joséphine Jobert who previously played Detective Sergeant Florence Cassell. I don't think Aude has made any public statement on her departure.

That's better

[leafyas · 8/10 · 1 August 2021]

This episode picked up a bit as DI Parker wasn't quite so annoying. Am sad to see that Ruby is leaving, I quite liked her character, she was fun. Hope I can get past all the new characters next season.

"A large rum, thank you Catherine"

[ygwerin1 · 7/10 · 25 May 2020]

The Episode as a Detective Mystery is not bad the story line is reasonable, and flows well.

I like this Team they have developed as a Unit, and each member brings something to the whole. I find Officer Ruby has grown on me she is a good character, and her being a relative of the Commissioner is a fun element.

I have been a fan of this show from the beginning and have grown used, to the foibles and ideosyncracies. Of all of the British DI's, inflicted on the tropical island of Saint Marie. But I have to say that I am seriously struggling, with this new Brit DI Neville Parker. As a Brit myself I find him all too painfully true to type, of a particular character. Parkers medical problems or rather the way he handles them borders on hypochondria. Frankly taken all together he is intensely irritating, exasperating and incredibly annoying. Indeed the more I see of him the nearer I get, to agreeing with the Commissioner in his assessment.

Adding to this increasing frustration is his complete change of attitude, to being on the island at all. Right through to the end of Episode 8 he is on his way home but then, "I drank rum and sat on a beach". And he's now decided to stay permanently, I'll join the Commissioner in downing "a large rum, thank you Catherine".

Bang

[bevo-13678 · 10/10 · 28 March 2021]

The main take away from this episode is don't cook the shrimp for more than 2 minutes.

Please get rid of Neville!

[chrisbalfour-44698 · 7/10 · 2 June 2020]

I like Ralf Little...but I hate the character he is playing on DiP. The various allergies and stuff are making the show hard to watch for me. Understand the need to change it up a bit but they could have done something else. Madeline hasn't really gone down well in our household either but she's ok. Ruby is fabulous as ever and JP too. Get a lady detective in maybe?

Sadly DI Neville Parker's endless medical issues are just being done to 'death'.

[LongDistanceDuck · 4/10 · 28 February 2020]

I understand that the series producers and writers need to give each new Detective Inspector their own individual character but DI Neville Parker's endless stream of medical issues are just being overplayed to the point that they are no longer funny and are just becoming an irritation that is spoiling the show. When Commissioner Selwyn Patterson said he would be glad to see him on the plane and to hope he doesn't return, I too was hoping the same thing.

As for the rest of this episode, I can only say that there have been much better, more intricate and well thought out plots than this one.

Weak ending

[prolifik5 · 4/10 · 29 February 2020]

I've noticed that the last two episodes featured a great deal of padding to compensate for the thinness of the mysteries. This time it was the recycling of the "young officer is nervous about the Sergeant's* exam but passes with flying colours" storyline from the second season, with JP taking the place of the now-departed Fidel, as well as the oh so predictable decision by DI Parker to stay on the island after weeks of wanting to leave.

As for the murder itself, the "how" was fairly farfetched (reliant as it is on the mythical TV/movie "silencer" that can apparently render a revolver blast inaudible, and on an action by the victim's wife that could hardly be predicted with enough certainty to plan around) but the "why" was utterly ludicrous. The husband's initial plot had more holes than a cheese grater - both in terms of the execution and of the potential results if successful - and the motivation for his son's decision to murder himwas tenuous at best.

I'm not sure what's more irritating: the numerous medical issues that the writers have inflicted on DI Parker in lieu of a personality, or the fact that his colleagues are always so exasperated with him when they can literally see the evidence that said issues are legitimate.

All in all, a fairly weak handful of episodes to close out the season.

* One day someone will have to explain the significance of becoming a sergeant when the police force consists of five people and you're still fourth in the pecking order. I guess a nice pay bump is in order...

Please, God, Nooooo!

[krisroberson-02835 · 1/10 · 15 September 2020]

The only way to rescue this show is to have a single season premier episode where Neville suddenly leaves or dies.

The character is HORRIBLE. Please do NOT bring him back.

Weasly, wimpy, whiny, grating... grab a thesaurus and the list goes on.

Actor or the character?

[Girlyq · 4/10 · 9 August 2020]

I watched through to the end of the season hoping Neville would get less annoying. I can't even watch reruns of those episodes. I was already struggling with the character Ruby. I will revisit earlier episodes from time to time, but the combination of two such irritating characters means no more Death in Paradise for me.