Gilet\u2019s casting <\/span>shakes up the series in the best possible way, with the show hopefully moving away from the same old trope <\/span>of the Saint Marie police department welcoming a white detective into the\u00a0<\/span>mix,<\/span> who has no idea what\u2019s going on and is unable to<\/span> fully understand the cultural landscape he is in \u2013 but wait, he\u2019s the missing link they never knew they needed!<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The series has no doubt evolved since 2013, and with Gilet\u2019s casting, it is moving in the right direction.<\/p>\n Gilet will play DI Mervin Wilson, a Londoner who arrives in Saint Marie and \u201cisn\u2019t overly pleased with his new surroundings\u201d, with executive producer Tim Key teasing they have \u201chuge plans for the new series and beyond\u201d \u2013 which feels like a\u00a0<\/span>major<\/span>\u00a0turning point.<\/span><\/p>\n While, <\/span>of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>course,<\/span> 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, \u201cThat could be me,\u201d 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.<\/span><\/p>\n But Gilet\u2019s casting isn\u2019t just about the new flavour and talent it will bring to Death in Paradise<\/span>, it\u2019s<\/span> also a wake-up call to others in the industry who, for far too long, have sidelined Black actors into being the stereotypical \u201cfunny friend\u201d or an addition to the cast to <\/span>simply<\/span>\u00a0tick a box. <\/span><\/p>\n While it may not seem\u00a0<\/span>glaringly<\/span> 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. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that this isn\u2019t to knock his predecessors at all, with plenty proving to be fan favourites \u2013 whether you\u2019re 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) \u2013 but it is a delight to see a new, fresh face added to the mix.<\/span><\/p>\n As well as bringing fresh energy and talent to the show, as the former DIs have done, Gilet\u2019s casting will offer audiences a brand new insight into Saint Marie and cultural nuances that previous actors haven\u2019t tapped into.<\/span><\/p>\n But, of course, Gilet isn\u2019t 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.<\/span><\/p>\n There’s a new detective in Saint Marie!![\"Selwyn](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/03\/468057-72e7699.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413\" "\\"Selwyn")
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