The BBC comedy-drama Ludwig has returned for its second season, with critics noting that the stakes are higher than ever. The show, which stars David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin, has already been renewed for a third season, according to the broadcaster.
Record-breaking first season
The first season of Ludwig became the BBC's biggest scripted series since 2024, amassing a total of 11.8 million viewers and counting. The cosy crime show, which follows introverted puzzlemaster John (played by Mitchell) as he assumes his missing twin brother's identity, captured the nation's attention.
In the first season, John steps into his brother's shoes to investigate his disappearance for his sister-in-law Lucy (portrayed by Anna Maxwell Martin). His ruse inadvertently leads him to oversee murder investigations, solving a case in each episode.
Season two plot and critical reception
In the new season, John can finally drop the facade and work as a crime scene consultant for Cambridge Police under his own name. However, the truth behind his twin brother's disappearance remains unresolved, keeping the central mystery alive.
Digital Spy's review noted that the stakes are even higher this time, while praising the show's gentle humour. The review stated: 'There’s still plenty of the gentle humour that made the first season such an enjoyable watch. John remains gloriously ill-equipped for many of the social situations he finds himself in, while Mitchell’s performance as the puzzle setter continues to make his eccentricities feel endearing rather than irritating.'
The Irish Times described the show as 'Peep Show with added murder and fantastic fed-up chemistry', while The Times called it 'as brilliant as ever'. The Guardian awarded a five-star review, calling it 'cosy crime at its bumbling best' and 'up to its elbow patches in nostalgia'.
Mixed reviews and cultural context
Not all reviews have been glowing. The Independent likened the show to a 'comforting but slightly tasteless cup of tea', even calling it 'time-wasting'.
Mitchell offered a thoughtful perspective on the show's success, telling the BBC: 'The truth is that we live in troubled times. The golden age of crime, as they call it, was the 1930s, and that’s when people disappeared into their Dorothy L. Sayers novels, and Agatha Christie. That was also an extremely troubled era. Let’s hope that this cosy crime boom ends more happily than the 1930s one did.'
Ludwig season two is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.
