When Death in Paradise introduced DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) in the 2024 Christmas special, it's safe to say that he didn't make the best of first impressions on his new colleagues.
Mervin, who worked as a detective in London, was originally just visiting the Caribbean island of Saint Marie to find out more about his estranged mother, who lived there, but was seconded to the local police force when they needed his help to solve a serial murder of Santas. Mervin's brusque demeanor and frustration with the pace of island life didn't endear him to DS Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) or the rest of the team, so there weren't many tears shed on either side when the case was resolved and Mervin prepared to return to the UK.
As Death in Paradise season 14 begins, Mervin is on his way back to the airport when he passes Naomi and Officer Darlene Curtis (Ginny Holder) investigating a crime scene at the roadside — and a suspicious detail about the body grabs his attention to the extent that he decides to delay his return by a few more days, much to Naomi and Darlene's dismay!
We caught up with Don and Shantol to find out more about the upcoming series — and whether Mervin and Naomi will ever see eye-to-eye on their work...
Don Gilet and Shantol Jackson interview for Death in Paradise season 14
Mervin still isn't keen on life in Saint Marie — but will we see him warming to the idea as the season goes on?
Don: "That's a thing thats going to unfold: how much, or even if, he actually starts to relax in that environment. He's not a bad person, he just doesn't want to be there! At the start of the series, he's heading out of there, it's a done deal, but there's something quite profound that's keeping him there, and over time you'll find that out. He just works at a different tempo, so of course they're going to lock horns — he's from this metropolis called London where things happen just like that, and they don't in Saint Marie. It doesn't mean they don't happen at all, they just don't happen to his pace! So until he gets to a point where he's relaxed with that, there's always going to be some kickback from his colleagues. We'll see how long they put up with that, because he is quite annoying!"
What's it like for the rest of the cast when a new DI joins? Does it feel like the show is evolving?
Shantol: "There was an Inspector already in place when I joined the show [DI Neville Parker, played by Ralf Little], so this is my first time welcoming an Inspector into the show! I'm sure I can speak on behalf of everybody that it's definitely refreshing, because it's new and exciting. I think that the relationships that we've created this season, or developed even more, play very well; there are a lot more human stories. Mervin comes to the island as an outsider, as all the Inspectors have, but the fact that he has an attachment to the island piques your interest; you want to know what's going to happen. What was most exciting for us was the opportunity to try new things, and Don happily played along with that — he understands that this is an established show with a formula that has worked for so long, so his intention was 'how can I make this better for myself and for the benefit and the growth of the show'. We had a great time, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the audience reacts!"
What can you tell us about the first case that they're solving in this season?
Don: "What I like about this particular series is that it can get very personal. In this episode, someone close to us dies, so it hits in a different way: it's not just a job then, you get to see how the team come together when it affects them personally. Without giving too much away, it's one of the things that starts to incrementally bring them together, and makes them realise they're all here doing the same thing; nobody is doing it wrong, but some people might do it differently. It's a dark one to start with, for sure, but I think what's clever about this script is that they can somehow still weave a light touch through it as well. The Wire it is not, and it's not trying to be that, and I think it's a very difficult formula to pull off, straddling the light touches with the morbidity of death. Hopefully it will be intriguing and enjoyable to see how they come together from this particular start."
We'll also find out a little bit more about Mervin's mother during the series. Will that show us a more vulnerable side to him?
Don: "This is what I love about this particular story arc — there's a lot weaved through the series about the death of his mother and how it affects him. Mervin doesn't show vulnerability, that's not his thing; he doesn't trust people in that way. He's got a brilliant mind for detail and for puzzling, for sleuthing generally — and he likes to do that stuff by himself, because if you share that energy with somebody, at some point you have to share some of yourself, and he doesn't want to do that. This is why he and Naomi bump heads at the start, because he's like, 'I don't want to connect with you people; I want to finish this and then go back home where I'm more comfortable'. But yes, I'm hoping that throughout the series you'll see beyond how good he is as a detective, you'll see beyond the quirky comedy moments — you'll see actual human beings getting on, and see a beating heart to the show."
Shantol: "The human stories are something I enjoyed a lot this series. In the Christmas special, we saw the first hint of some kind of vulnerability, but only the Commissioner [Selwyn Patterson, played by Don Warrington] saw it, when Mervin had to explain that his mother 'lives in that house', because he thought she was possibly still there. Throughout the season, you'll definitely see growth in all of these characters, but especially in Mervin. We'll see if he eventually adapts to the island and the way we work, and even tries to understand what's going on with him. It's definitely going to be something juicy for the audience, I think, because we're no longer just solving crimes — there are a lot more layers to it."
Mervin and Naomi are already starting to understand each other a little better by the end of the first episode. Was it fun for you to play the development of their relationship across the whole season?
Don: "Absolutely! Human nature is complex, and they're really going for that in this series: how do these individuals really connect with each other, why don't they connect, and what are the qualities that bring them together? I love the points in the script where our characters don't get on, but have to get on in spite of themselves. It's been fun exploring that — and resisting getting on too well too soon, because the audience likes to see that antagonism. It's playful, and we are playful with it!"
Shantol: "I've loved to hate him as the character! We had fun all the time — I had to remind myself, 'you actually despite this character, the way he works and the way he treats you and the island — you are not having fun right now, this is not a good time!' It made the job really fun, but also challenging because sometimes you have to remember that we aren't friends in that moment. But that made us work well together, because we understood each other, and we were always willing to try new things. We had a good time — and Mervin and Naomi's relationship is a rollercoaster!"
Don: "I was thinking, people might tune in just to see how this relationship develops — they don't even care about the deaths in paradise, they want to know about these two!"
- Death in Paradise season 14 begins on Friday, January 31 at 9 pm on BBC One. All of the previous episodes are currently available to stream for UK viewers on BBC iPlayer. In the US, Death in Paradise season 14 lands on BritBox on Wednesday, February 19.
