The 'Ludwig' Trailer Introduces Your New Favorite Bumbling Detective

Most Americans probably first encountered That Mitchell & Webb Look in syndication on BBC America in the early 2010s or streaming on Hulu and Netflix in the twenty-teens. Titular stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb were already quite popular in the U.K., first breaking out with The Mitchell and Webb Situation around 2001 and the follow-up hit series Peep Show. While not all of Mitchell's work has been imported, between VPNing and streaming, his comedy shows have a devoted fan base (not unlike Noel Fielding & The Mighty Boosh). His latest series, Ludwig, has been a smash hit in the U.K., and now BritBox has dropped its own trailer in honor of National Puzzle Day.

"National Puzzle Day" may seem odd for a trailer debut, but it fits the series theme. The BBC calls Ludwig a “case-of-the-week mystery-crime-comedy-drama. " Although technically a police procedural, it is a little bit of everything. Mitchell plays the titular character, John "Ludwig" Taylor, whose mental health issues have led him to a quiet life as a puzzle maker. Mitchell also plays Ludwig's twin brother, DCI James Taylor, who disappears when the story starts. Ludwig probably would go to the police, even though his brother is the police and no one has said anything about him disappearing. Instead, his sister-in-law, Lucy Betts-Taylor (Anna Maxwell Martin), bullies him into assuming his brother's identity to investigate. 

(Obviously, the most logical solution!)

Mitchell fans in the U.S. are already overjoyed that Ludwig is coming to an easy-to-access platform most of them already subscribe to. But Mitchell's new show debuting on BritBox is a big deal, especially since it recently scored a second-season renewal. Britbox releasing the show in the spring means it's preparing to bring over Season 2 nearly concurrently with its premiere on the BBC. 

The series synopsis is as follows:

Reclusive puzzle-setter, John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor sees his life of solitude turned upside down when his identical twin brother, James, disappears without a trace. In a quest to track James down, Ludwig assumes his brother’s identity, but by taking over every aspect of James’s life, Ludwig is forced to confront his own. Unlike Ludwig, James is no hermit; he's a family man and a highly respected DCI within Cambridge's busy Major Investigations Team.

These are big shoes to fill for anyone, but for Ludwig playing dad to a ready-made family proves every bit as challenging as tackling the grisliest of crime scenes. However, Ludwig does have one big advantage - his ability to see the world in puzzle form. John may be a master of all things cryptic, but can he crack the biggest puzzle of his life?

Mitchell and Martin are joined by a stellar ensemble, including Dorothy Atkinson (The Gold), Dipo Ola (We Hunt Together), Gerran Howell (Suspicion), Izuka Hoyle (Boiling Point), Ralph Ineson (The Jetty), Sophie Willan (Time), and Dylan Hughes (Maternal). 

Season 1 guest stars include Derek Jacobi (I Claudius), Felicity Kendal (Doctor Who), Rose Ayling-Ellis (Code of Silence), Karl Pilkington (Rain Dogs), Paul Chahidi (The Serpent Queen), Hammed Animashaun (Black Ops), and Allan Mustafa (People Just Do Nothing).

Mark Brotherhood (The Trouble with Maggie Cole) penned all episodes; directors Robert McKillop (Guilt) and Jill Robertson (Dalgliesh) split helming duties across the show’s six installments, with Georgie Fallon producing. Brotherhood and Mitchell executive produce with Kenton Allen, Saurabh Kakkar, Kathryn O’Connor, and Chris Sussman. 

Ludwig Season 1 will premiere on BritBox with two episodes on Thursday, March 20, 2025, and continue with one episode weekly on Thursdays through the end of April. Season 2 is in pre-production and is expected to be released in the U.K. in late 2025 and following on BritBox in 2026.