Helen Bach Column: How do you solve a puzzle like Ludwig?

Which is why I am relieved at the arrival of 'Ludwig' on BBC1 and iPlayer - that's the new David Mitchell programme that I said I would watch and report back.

Ooh, it's so good. It takes me back to the glory days of Morse and Poirot - shows that you can watch on a Sunday evening when the depression of the thought of Monday morning work is settling in, usually when you hear the Antiques Roadshow theme music.

Like Morse, the show makes the most of its splendid location - this time in magnificent Cambridge. David Mitchell is on hilarious form as John Taylor - or 'Ludwig' as he's known in crossword-setting circles, who is summoned to the city in search of his missing identical twin brother James, a Police detective.

The orchestrator of his arrival is his sister-in-law Lucy, played by Anna Maxwell Martin (of Motherland fame). They have known each other since childhood and have an easy, comfortable friendship.

Which is just as well because although John is off-the-scale intelligent, he is socially-awkward and struggles with life outside of his comfort zone. In order to search for his brother, he ends up having to impersonate him - cue his painful attempts at small talk with colleagues and lack of correct Police jargon.

His search efforts are also sidetracked by his amazing ability to solve crimes that occur - he treats them like logic puzzles which he can't resist solving.

If you haven't watched it, give it a go - you get the satisfaction of a solved mystery in each episode but with an overarching storyline for the whole series. It has drawn me in without being a risk to my blood pressure, and for that Ludwig, I'm truly grateful!