There is a new detective coming to town!
After plenty of speculation and theories galore, Don Gilet was announced as the new detective inspector on Death in Paradise – and for me, it’s been a long time coming for the show to welcome a Black actor into the lead detective role.
Gilet’s casting shakes up the series in the best possible way, with the show hopefully moving away from the same old trope of the Saint Marie police department welcoming a white detective into the mix, who has no idea what’s going on and is unable to fully understand the cultural landscape he is in – but wait, he’s the missing link they never knew they needed!
For the last 13 years, there has been a side of the show that has always been off-putting. At its core, each episode follows a new crime that has been committed on the island, and for the next hour it goes back and forth with the police department investigation before the newly-appointed white detective proves to be the brains behind solving the crimes.
The series has no doubt evolved since 2013, and with Gilet’s casting, it is moving in the right direction.
Gilet will play DI Mervin Wilson, a Londoner who arrives in Saint Marie and “isn’t overly pleased with his new surroundings”, with executive producer Tim Key teasing they have “huge plans for the new series and beyond” – which feels like a major turning point.
While, of course, there are Black characters in Death in Paradise, from Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) to Dwayne Myers (Danny John-Jules), there will no doubt be plenty more budding actors tuning into Death in Paradise and seeing a Black-led ensemble cast, thinking, “That could be me,” marking a significant turning point in the detective series that will continue to prove diversity matters in storytelling, especially in such a successful show as this one.
But Gilet’s casting isn’t just about the new flavour and talent it will bring to Death in Paradise, it’s also a wake-up call to others in the industry who, for far too long, have sidelined Black actors into being the stereotypical “funny friend” or an addition to the cast to simply tick a box.
While it may not seem glaringly obvious to some, Gilet as the new DI will mean a lot to many, and could very well generate a larger audience than it already has.
It’s important to note that this isn’t to knock his predecessors at all, with plenty proving to be fan favourites – whether you’re a lover of the quirky DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) or are still getting over the heartbreak of the death of DI Richard Poole (Ben Miller) – but it is a delight to see a new, fresh face added to the mix.
As well as bringing fresh energy and talent to the show, as the former DIs have done, Gilet’s casting will offer audiences a brand new insight into Saint Marie and cultural nuances that previous actors haven’t tapped into.
But, of course, Gilet isn’t holding down the show by himself and is part of a completely diverse ensemble cast, something Death in Paradise has always excelled at. Seeing other Black actors alongside him on screen is just as important, and it will show that they too can have significant roles in meaningful ways.
There’s a new detective in Saint Marie!
— Death in Paradise (@deathinparadise) May 2, 2024
Please give a very warm welcome to Don Gilet who will play DI Mervin Wilson!☀️ pic.twitter.com/MRMU9ydKNo
Kris Marshall previously told The Telegraph: “What I think would be really brilliant for the show now is that they have a person – whether guy or girl – of Caribbean heritage who has grown up in Britain, is completely, for want of a better word, anglicised, has never been to the Caribbean and finds it really hard.
“Because obviously we’ve had lots of middle-aged white guys, and that’s been great and the show’s been a success, but I think it would really give it another angle.”
This change in casting isn’t just about providing entertainment to audiences, either, which the talented Gilet will no doubt excel at, it’s about challenging outdated tropes and stereotypes that will hopefully push the television industry further towards celebrating more diverse stories.
Death in Paradise season 1-13 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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