If you’re on the lookout for some pure sunshine escapism, but don’t have any upcoming plans to leave the country, we’ve got just the remedy to soothe your holiday blues – and you don’t need your passport. Carpe Diem is the superb murder mystery that transports us to the French Riviera where Tom Villeneuve (Samuel Le Bihan) makes the Latin phrase, seize the day, his whole life’s philosophy - and it's exactly the sort of cosy crime drama Death in Paradise fans will love.

The sun-soaked series follows Tom after he’s freed from prison for a crime he didn’t commit. The crime in question? The murder of his wife. Now, having rebuilt his life and qualified as a solicitor while in prison, he's on a mission to help others who have been wrongly accused - and, of course, there's still the murder of his wife to solve...

With the series coming to Channel 4 imminently, here’s everything you need to know about Carpe Diem, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.

What is Carpe Diem about?

keyart
Channel 4

The six-part series, which first aired in Belgium in 2024, and later in France, takes us to Nice in the Côte d’Azur. Our central character is Tom Villeneuve (Samuel Le Bihan), who's spent almost two decades far away from the turquoise seas and sunshine, having been wrongly imprisoned for 17 years for his wife’s murder.

Despite his lost years, Tom isn’t jaded; he devoted his time inside to get a law degree and trained to become a solicitor. Now, back in Nice and enjoying his freedom, he launches his own firm with the aim of helping others who are wrongly accused. He’s charming and astute and his guiding spirit is ‘Carpe Diem’ .

samuel le bihan (tom) julie fournier (rachel segal) au second plan
François LEFEBVRE

Over the course of the series, he's tasked with all manner of cases, from a hotel valet charged with murder to a teenage gymnast accused of theft and the death of a soprano. The question is, will he be able to hold on to his optimism as ghosts from his past reemerge? And will he ever uncover his wife’s real killer?

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Who’s in the cast of Carpe Diem?

barbara schulz (lucie)
François LEFEBVRE

The cast of Carpe Diem includes:

  • Samuel Le Bihan (Seul) as Tom Villeneuve
  • Barbara Schulz (Vanished by the Lake) as Lucie Meunier
  • Jisca Kalvanda (The Nannies) as Sigourney
  • Féodor Atkine (A Good Marriage) as Mauricio de Santis
  • Henri Giey (The Lost Prince) as Simon
  • Camille Damour (Up for Love) as Nick

Is there a trailer for Carpe Diem?

Yes, you can watch the French trailer for Carpe Diem below. As soon as one with English subtitles lands, we'll share it here.

Is Carpe Diem any good?

smiling man in a floral shirt and beige suit stands by a car with a boat in the background.
Frederic Pasquini

Yes – it's TV escapism at its finest. While we're not throwing any shade at Death in Paradise, the storyline in Carpe Diem feels meatier, with Tom's backstory providing a brilliant murder mystery to solve throughout. We also have to mention Samuel Le Bihan’s French charm, plus the the beautiful landscapes of Southern France, which are enough to keep you hooked alone!

How can I watch Carpe Diem?

The first series of Carpe Diem will air on More4 on Friday 7th August, with episodes streaming weekly on Channel 4.

What other cosy crime dramas can I watch now?

two elegantly dressed women at a formal event with a masked man in the background.
Manuel Fernandez-Valdes

For another murder mystery abroad, we’d recommend High Seas. The series revolves around two sisters, Eva and Carolina, who board a ship setting sail from Spain to Brazil in the 1940s. But behind the decadent façade are a series of mystifying murders they’re left to unravel. You can watch High Seas now on Netflix. For another dose of escapism, try The Chelsea Detective. We follow Detective Inspector Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough) as he cracks puzzling cases in upmarket west London borough - and he's a tad different to the wealthy residents he helps out. The Chelsea Detective is available to stream now on U.