Ludwig star David Mitchell breaks down show’s Agatha Christie influences

As a long-time admirer of British television, I can confidently say that David Mitchell’s new series, Ludwig, is a must-watch for any fan of murder mysteries and comedy. The series, which will air on BBC One and iPlayer, promises to be a delightful blend of the two genres that I hold dear – the classic whodunit and a good laugh.

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but get excited about David Mitchell’s upcoming comedy-drama series, Ludwig, which is set to premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Despite its unique setup, it seems to be drawing heavily from one of the oldest and most effective storytelling formats – the classic murder mystery.

In the show, Mitchell portrays John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor, an enigmatic puzzle creator who lives secluded. When his brother James mysteriously vanishes, his sister-in-law Lucy, characteristically played by Anna Maxwell Martin, enlists him for help due to their striking resemblance.

Lucy arranges for John to pretend to be James at his job to gather more information about his disappearance. However, she hadn’t anticipated John’s exceptional talent for solving crimes.

Mitchell shared during a recent Q&A session for Ludwig, “I’ve had a lifelong affinity for mystery novels, you see. Some of my most joyful memories are from my childhood, watching Miss Marple with Joan Hickson and Inspector Morse – she wasn’t actually there, just on the screen – and shows like those. I find such programming truly captivating.

I prefer mysteries with a comedic angle if possible, as they add an extra layer of enjoyment for me. While I’m fond of whodunnit-style puzzles, I’m not a fan of overly gruesome or grim content that brings attention to the fragility of human life.

In the spirit of Agatha Christie, I prefer to follow a method where the victim who’s been killed isn’t a character we’ve encountered or grown attached to, so it doesn’t matter much.

Mitchell went on saying: “It’s merely a riddle. Similar to Agatha Christie, excellent at crafting mysteries, she’d kill off an old Colonel, and no one seemed to care much for him. So we can overlook the gravity of taking a life.

We incorporate it to add a touch of intrigue, making the puzzle appear more captivating than if it were just a found handbag.

Each installment finds Ludwig delving into a new mystery, while simultaneously progressing an ongoing narrative about John’s pursuit to unravel the enigma surrounding James’s vanishing, and a homicide that requires his solution in every episode.

In simpler terms, Mitchell learned about the concept from a pitch document by writer Mark Brotherhood before the pandemic. He found it both amusing and captivating right away.

He mentioned that the twin concept is intriguing as it offers a classic comic situation. In this scenario, John finds himself in an unfamiliar environment where he struggles terribly, yet his predicament remains undiscovered due to his uncanny resemblance to someone who naturally belongs there, thanks to his superpower.

The concept offers vast potential for humor, and I found it quite ingenious. What appealed to me was the notion of a weekly mystery revolving around a murder. This setup allows for an ongoing storyline, but also presents a puzzle or riddle with each murder case. In essence, I believe this idea is brilliant.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, the scripts arrived later on. Typically, scripts can be rather dull to peruse, despite being well-written, as they’re not intended for reading, but for filming. However, these particular scripts were captivating; I found myself eagerly reading each episode, curious to discover what would unfold next. Thus, it’s natural to think: “Indeed, this is good writing, isn’t it?

Throughout each stage, from the initial idea to the script writing, I found myself consistently thinking, ‘This is fantastic. I truly hope it becomes a reality.’ Therefore, I was immediately on board with the project. The only remaining hurdle was finding someone willing to film it.

Ludwig is coming to BBC One and iPlayer on BBC One and iPlayer at 9pm on Wednesday 25th September.

2024-09-16 02:34

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