The BBC has announced a new comedy crime drama Death Valley, with Timothy Spall leading alongside Gwyneth Keyworth. Written and created by Paul Doolan and set in Wales, Death Valley follows the unlikely crime-solving partnership between eccentric national treasure John Chapel (Timothy Spall), a retired actor and star of hit fictional detective TV show ‘Caesar’, and disarming Welsh detective sergeant Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth).
Thrown together by the murder of John’s neighbour, John and Janie are an odd, yet hilarious duo with opposing instincts. Every week, they get to the bottom of gripping murders, with various stunning Welsh locations providing a backdrop to their investigations.
When John and Janie are not arguing about a case, they’re inevitably up in each other’s personal business. Despite their differences, they soon realise they are the closest thing each other has to a best friend, and unwittingly help one another move on from the past.
Filming commences in June. I expect to see this on screen early 2025. Series 1 consists of 6×45 minute episodes. It seems the market for comedy / crime hybrids is not going away anytime soon!
Symmetry Junction 