Ludwig TV show review: Clever murder mystery has cosy charms in spades

UK comedian David Mitchell hasn’t had a defining role since Peep Show so it’s really wonderful to see him in a series that feels made for him.

Cosy murder mystery Ludwig is very much attuned to Mitchell’s vibe — it’s quirky, dry, slightly cerebral and it will never give you a stomach ulcer. It’s not often that a star and a project align this well.

It’s a smart balance of case-of-the-week puzzles and an overarching mystery that pulls it all together. Episodic television is making a comeback and we’re here for it.

Puzzles is the watchword here because the main character is John “Ludwig” Taylor (Mitchell), a puzzle-maker whose savant-like ability to see patterns and work out logic conundrums comes in handy.

Ludwig’s identical twin brother James has disappeared and James’ wife, Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin), enlists Ludwig’s help to find him. A police detective, James left behind a strange note with a hidden acrostic that hints that not all is as seems.

At Lucy’s urging, Ludwig takes over his brother’s identity and infiltrates James’ cop shop. He and Lucy are convinced that whatever happened to James relates back to a case.

So, while the larger story is the progress of that case and whether Ludwig can successful convince a team of detectives he’s someone else, he is also called to crime scenes where those aforementioned puzzling skills make him a valuable asset.

This show is very much a charming English crime series set against the backdrop of Cambridge.

In the third episode, the victim is a tour guide who’s been killed in a church, which also gives the show an excuse to ramble around town. Another takes place inside a manor house.

Cambridge is not quite St Mary Mead, the county of Midsomer or the more quaint fictional locales of English murder mysteries, but it’s certainly up there in appeal. It’s like the TV equivalent of hygge, that Danish philosophy of cosy comforts.

It’s the kind of show you’ll want to watch with a cup of tea and a couple of shortbread biscuits.

Of course, the premise and writing alone wouldn’t be enough to land it in that sweet spot. It’s the performances here that really sing.

Mitchell plays Ludwig with an awkwardness that is both affable and a little pompous, and that is hard to pull off without being off-putting. He and Martin bounce off each other with respect and spikiness. They don’t always agree but their shared love for James unite them.

Martin is also a gem, taking an active role in the investigation that seems, at times, foolhardy but entirely relatable.

They’re backed up by a supporting ensemble that adds texture to the world, including James’ new partner (Dipo Ola), a couple of younger cops (Gerran Howell and Izuka Howell) and a potentially shady chief constable (Ralph Ineson).

This is a clever little show that entertains, but best of all, its brainy mysteries properly captivate you. You won’t even think about picking up your phone.

Ludwig is on 7plus from February 5