91福利社

Death Valley starring Emmy and BAFTA winning actor Timothy Spall and RTS Cymru award winning actor Gwyneth Keyworth returns to 91福利社 iPlayer, 91福利社 One and BritBox.

Our unlikely crime solving duo make a welcome return as retired actor John Chapel and disarming Welsh detective Janie Mallowan, alongside regular cast Alexandria Riley (Helen Baxter), Steffan Rhodri (DCI Barry Clarke), Melanie Walters (Yvonne Mallowan) and Rithvik Andugula (DC Evan Chaudhry).

Janie has been newly promoted to Detective Inspector and is busier than ever, with paperwork stacking up quicker than she can clear it. To make matters worse, she鈥檚 been ignoring John since finding out he鈥檚 been dating her mum. Janie鈥檚 hand is forced after a murder in a Community Payback group when DCI Barry Clarke forces her to bring John Chapel in as the department's consultant.

Series two sees John reluctantly re-enter the world of acting, on the set of an epic Welsh fantasy TV series, when the pair are called to investigate a murder. Will this foray into his old thespian passion ignite something once forgotten in John? One thing is certain, whether investigating a murder in a coastal fishing village, a sustainable commune or the competitive world of rugby, John and Janie will continue to bring justice to the mid-Wales region.

Death Valley returns on Sunday 17 May at 8pm on 91福利社 iPlayer, 91福利社 One and BritBox.

Watch the first series on 91福利社 iPlayer now.

GJ

Meet the cast and creatives

Timothy Spall (John Chapel and Inspector Charles 鈥楥aesar鈥�)

Were you pleased with the audience reaction to the first series?

You never know how something will be received, so I was delighted with the enthusiastic and very positive response. This is one of the reasons why I do what I do, to make something you hope is going to entertain and give value for money, after all people pay for their TV Licence and you want to give them the best you possibly can. As I get older that becomes more and more important to me.

How does it feel to be back for a second series?

I鈥檝e been a little more involved with the development for series two, so it鈥檚 been excellent working with creator/writer Paul Doolan, making suggestions for John鈥檚 character and the relationship development between Janie and John.

I hope we鈥檝e moved the story on and remained consistent; Paul has really excelled himself with the diverse and interesting cases in series two and there are some ambitious stories with a gallery of fascinating original characters taken on by excellent new guest artists.

Where do we find your character John at the start of the new series? 

He鈥檚 slightly estranged from Janie because of the fallout from being exposed as secretly working with her on the cases, which was seriously frowned upon by DCI Clarke (Steffan Rhodri). John also reveals he鈥檚 in a relationship with Yvonne (Melanie Walters) Janie鈥檚 mum, which doesn鈥檛 go down at all well with Janie. She feels he鈥檚 been 鈥榓 snake鈥� for going behind her back, however, it instigates an opportunity to further explore the mix of criticism and affection they have for each other.

Romance is on the cards for John, tell us more about that?  

It opens up an emotional story for John; there鈥檚 a journey there 鈥� he thinks the relationship he鈥檚 in with Yvonne is heading towards a long-term one, but it abruptly takes a very different course. This also effects John and Janie鈥檚 relationship as they pair up for a new case, it affords a lot of comedy but also highlights John鈥� habit of self-dramatisation. I love that side of John, his indulgences, which are a mixture of his sophistication, conceits, and vulnerability.

What can audiences expect from the dynamic between John and Janie in series two?

They have this unusual partnership where they are often both dismissive of each other鈥檚 work but also reliant on it and both, somewhat reluctantly, appreciate each other鈥檚 skills. They also get on each other鈥檚 nerves but secretly rather enjoy it. Bizarrely this strange mixture invariably ends in success, they often find themselves in this situation throughout the series, it鈥檚 something they can鈥檛 get out of, but when it is threatened 鈥� they oddly both protect it. 

A key aspect of Death Valley is the age gap difference between John and Janie, which makes for an unlikely crime solving duo, tell us more about that?  

I鈥檝e always thought it鈥檚 more like a sibling, rather than a father daughter relationship and John never plays the wise old man card. Interestingly in episode four we meet Janie鈥檚 father (Owen Teale), which leads to an interesting dynamic between Janie and John. It opens a friendship for John, he鈥檚 lonely for intellectual stimulation and discourse. It also explores Janie鈥檚 unresolved relationship with her estranged father. We see how that storyline amplifies the friendship between John and Janie 鈥� it makes for an interesting and complex episode.

What aspects of John鈥檚 character do you enjoy most?  

The mixture of John鈥檚 cleverness, his conceit, and his ability to know ultimately when he鈥檚 wrong even though it鈥檚 often with reluctance. It鈥檚 also the mix of confidence and sensitivity that he has, and Janie gets it. Janie often points out those characteristics to John. They complain but they appreciate each other鈥檚 honest opinion of each other. Emotionally they have complete recognition of each other鈥檚 souls, they鈥檙e very different people but they have a deep affinity with each other. They鈥檙e kindred spirits. They would never admit that though.  

There鈥檚 a crime a week and an array of guest artists joining the series again, what does that bring to the series? 

We鈥檝e got some wonderful guest artists for the new series. It was great to work with them; some I鈥檇 already worked with and splendid actors I hadn鈥檛 worked with before. It brings a new energy and as there鈥檚 a new crime a week and a new location, it keeps it fresh - a bit like being in a theatre repertory company that constantly changes its programme. It鈥檚 challenging because it鈥檚 a fresh start each time and each episode has its own tone and flavour, from a fishing village to a rugby club, to a wonderful ancient castle location - each one brings its own atmosphere and community. 

How difficult is it to get the blend of comedy and crime just right?  

It鈥檚 generated out of the character and situations rather than gags, which is best as its more organic. It grows out of the eccentricity and contradictions of human behaviour, what people are like, how they deal with things; and John and Janie are both eccentric characters, but hopefully believable humans too. They鈥檙e very good at what they do, but also very good at pointing out each other鈥檚 faults while complimenting each other with a mixture of friendly criticism and emotional support 鈥� although they鈥檇 never admit that. It鈥檚 also very unusual having that sibling like relationship between a younger woman and older man on screen.

What can audiences look forward to in series two and what do you think the appeal of the series is?  

I hope Death Valley is a rich box of confectionary with a different flavour for each episode. Each episode has its own distinct look and feel, there鈥檚 a new crime to solve each week informed by the setting and community. Each episode has its own compact story, and we鈥檙e introduced to a plethora of characters that are interesting, funny, and believable and it brings in a whole collection of roles for excellent character actors. We鈥檝e got a really fine cast on this series.

What do you think makes Death Valley different from other comedy crime dramas?

Well, you have the comedy, the drama of the whodunit plus the emotional relationship between the characters and this has to keep in equal balance for each episode. I think our creator/writer Paul Doolan鈥檚 determination and ability to do that seamlessly and consistently makes it special. 

What I also like about the series is there鈥檚 a lightness to it, but there is a sophistication too in terms of how people behave, what motivates them to do what they do and within that process John and Janie are learning about themselves and each other. 

Do you have any favourite episodes from the series? 

I enjoyed filming all of them because they all have a slightly different atmosphere and look and our Director of Photography Richard Stoddard really amplified that. Each episode is informed by where its set and you鈥檙e introduced to a whole new world for John and Janie to explore and crime solve.

In episode three we鈥檙e solving a crime on the set of a big-budget Welsh, 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥� style drama, so John finds himself back on familiar territory. It鈥檚 like a show within a show, Janie much to her surprise and delight finds herself forming a friendship with the young female star of the show and John is feeling very at home only to be undermined and humiliated by a former acting friend, so it鈥檚 a wonderful emotional journey for both John and Janie.  

Also the final episode set in a rugby club; it has this wonderful mixture of the emotional and funny and a gripping murder. As a piece of classic whodunit comedy drama, it鈥檚 really effective. 

Will we see more or Alan the cat in the new series?

Alan turns up, he鈥檚 John鈥檚 mate! John displaces a lot of things he can鈥檛 deal with on Alan, which also adds a comedic quality.

What would be your top tip be for surviving or solving a small-town murder?

Don鈥檛 get involved, leave it to the professionals! 

Gwyneth Keyworth (Detective Janie Mallowan)

How does it feel to be back for a second series and were you pleased with how audiences reacted to the first series?

It's such a privilege to come back for a second series. You鈥檙e never sure how something is going to go down with audiences, so the fact there was such a positive response, and people seemed to take to Janie and John so well, felt really special and something I'm incredibly proud of.

I'm very excited to be back for a second series. I鈥檝e recently been performing in theatre and the amount of people I鈥檝e met at the stage door who love John and Janie, has been so heartwarming to hear.

Where do we find Janie at the start of the new series?

Janie has stepped up professionally, but it hasn't been the dreamy transition she鈥檇 hoped for and she鈥檚 struggling a bit under the pressure. There鈥檚 a sense that she's trying to prove that she deserves to be where she is, even if she doesn't like to admit that out loud.

How has Janie鈥檚 relationship with John developed since we last met her? 

They know each other better now so there鈥檚 more trust, but I'd say there's also more friction because of that. As the series develops there's an extra tension added into the mix when Janie meets her biological dad and that throws a curveball into their relationship in unexpected ways. Also, at the end of the series one, we found out John is in a relationship with Janie鈥檚 mum Yvonne (Melanie Walters), much to Janie鈥檚 absolute disgust, so we pick that up again in the first episode. Janie is not handling it well, she feels some boundaries have been crossed.

This series we鈥檙e introduced to Janie鈥檚 estranged father, tell us more about that and how it impacts Janie?

In episode four, there鈥檚 a murder at an alternative commune and Janie is very cagey about visiting the place from the get-go and we鈥檙e not sure why. It turns out it's somewhere her estranged father, played by Owen Teale, frequents and their first meeting is one of my favourite scenes from the series. It includes DC Chaudhry (Rithvik Andugula) and it鈥檚 just a perfect comedy moment. But it鈥檚 also loaded with all the emotional stuff and Janie wants to run away.

Janie doesn't have a relationship with her father, he's a sort of vagabond poet, a 鈥榬olling stone鈥� kind of character and he goes against everything Janie believes a good father should be. We see John trying to encourage a relationship between Janie and her dad, which she鈥檚 apprehensive about, but we see something develop that is sweet and hopeful. It鈥檚 tough for Janie and it鈥檚 a big emotional arc in the new series; it also puts John and Janie鈥檚 relationship under pressure.

Janie鈥檚 sharp wit and eccentricity are fan favourites, what new sides of her do we see this series?

We still see Janie鈥檚 wit and eccentricity, but we also see a more vulnerable side. The humour is still there but we start to see cracks in the fa莽ade. We realise a lot of her quick wittedness is a defensive tool and we start to see that chipped away a bit. We see somebody who's much more human and fearful, but also hopeful.

Janie鈥檚 distinct fashion style was also a big hit with fans, can we expect more of the same and do you have any input in what Janie wears?

Hayley Nabauer our Costume Designer has absolutely smashed it this series. I think it's incredible to work with somebody who's so passionate about fashion and nearly all of Janie鈥檚 costumes are sourced second-hand or are vintage pieces. It鈥檚 a collaborative process but Hayley leads it in an exciting way, and it shows that you can dress really well by buying from vintage or second-hand shops.

The series is filmed and set in Wales and includes use of the Welsh language how important is that to you and what does it bring to the series?

It鈥檚 so important, I think it gives a specificity and authenticity to the show that I feel is an accurate representation of Wales today. It's complex and it's beautiful, the landscape, the language, and the rhythm of it all feel incredibly authentic and still full of all the humour that we know and love.

The age gap difference between John and Janie make them an unlikely crime solving duo, tell me more about that dynamic?

I think it's brilliant! They come from completely different perspectives, and they bring a different approach to the way they work and interact which creates tension; but it鈥檚 also balanced because neither of them would be able to solve the case without each other. In their friendship they test each other's limitations and help each other grow and I think it鈥檚 what makes the dynamic between them interesting and heartfelt.

Do you have a favourite episodes or scenes from the new series?

There are some beautiful scenes between John and Janie towards the end of the series, which are more character led and about their relationship, which I'm excited for audiences to see, and because I just love filming with Tim, it鈥檚 such a treat and he is just the best.

The scene where Janie first sees her dad on the commune with Chaudhry (Rithvik Andugula) is one of the funniest and there鈥檚 also a scene at a rugby club where Janie attempts to kick a rugby ball. I鈥檝e seen a clip and I might have to hang my head in shame - I鈥檝e got an uncle who played international rugby, I may have let the family name down!

There鈥檚 a crime a week and an array of guest artists joining you again, what does that bring to the series?

I was bowled over by the amount of talent joining us this series. I mean we come out strong - Jane Horrocks is in episode one and I鈥檓 such a huge fan! It was so amazing to have such a great list of actors who want to be part of our show, and it adds to the humour and to the depth of the show.

What can audiences expect from Janie in the new series?

We鈥檝e developed her character and you see there鈥檚 an authenticity there and we see where her defensiveness comes from. Janie works at a slightly different rhythm to everyone else, she鈥檚 not repetitive, it keeps it fun and she鈥檚 always discovering new things about herself. She鈥檚 not your classic detective but she's real and authentic.

How difficult is it to get the balance of comedy and crime in the series?

I think what Death Valley does really well is it disarms you with its unpretentiousness and the humour always comes from the relationships with the characters. The crime a week keeps it compelling and keeps audiences hooked, because who doesn鈥檛 love solving a crime mystery. Paul Doolan is such a brilliant writer and the whole team are so invested in making Death Valley perfect Sunday night telly!

Do you have a favourite filming location and why?

I loved the rugby club episode because for me there鈥檚 something so nostalgic about rugby clubs. I鈥檇 go at Christmas, for school discos and my parents met in a rugby club, so they mean a lot to me and my family and they鈥檙e such an iconic Welsh cultural tradition. In episode one we filmed at Raglan Castle and I hadn鈥檛 been before, I absolutely loved it; I鈥檓 such a history buff so whenever I wasn鈥檛 filming, I鈥檇 be going around the castle researching the history.

In episode two there鈥檚 a murder in a seaside town and we filmed in Abertonnau, which is so beautiful and picturesque, and I grew up in a seaside town, so I loved filming there. In the final episode, there鈥檚 a murder in the police station, we had such a great combination of actors on set for that episode, so I can鈥檛 wait for viewers to watch, in terms of humour it really packs a punch.

Paul Doolan 鈥� Creator/Writer/Exec Producer

Death Valley broke records on its launch, what do you think it is that appealed to audiences?

I think there was a certain appeal to having a crime show that wasn't unremittingly bleak. We'd always hoped committing to a show with warmth, that worked as a comedy but also tried to tell a satisfying mystery would find an audience, especially in times that are more 'interesting' shall we say.  When you add to that a certified national treasure like Timothy Spall and the brilliant Gwyneth Keyworth as the main duo then I think there's a lot to appeal to audiences.

What can audiences look forward to in series two?

Getting to make more Death Valley really gave us an opportunity to dial everything up another level. We've managed to attract some real wish-list guest cast as well as adding a level to the scale and ambition of the show. At its heart, though, the real joy of getting to make series two was being able to spend more time with the characters from series one, find out more about them and take them to new places.

You spoke about coming up with the idea for Death Valley because you are such a fan of the crime genre, how does it feel to get such positive responses from fans?

Bizarre, confusing and brilliant. As a mystery fan, I know how hard an audience we can be to please. We're always the ones shouting at the TV 'that wouldn't happen' or 'well obviously she did it', we're never happy. So, to receive such a positive response was hugely gratifying.

How did you approach writing series two and were there any new elements or themes you wanted to bring to the series?

The writing started with a very intimidating blank whiteboard which myself and the writing team started adding to with dream worlds we'd like to investigate; whether that's interesting locations, groups or communities. That's always the starting point for the episodes, where do we find interesting and multi-layered enough to want to spend an episode? Then we start diving into our characters. We were very keen to take what we'd learned about our core cast in series one and flesh them out. Series two sees us going deeper especially into Janie's family background and John's feelings towards his acting career, as well as mining a whole host of new tensions in our main duo.

How difficult is it to get the right balance of comedy and crime in the series?

It can be tricky but, in some ways, that awkward balance is the show鈥檚 unique selling point, and it鈥檚 a lot of fun to use both genres to subvert what people are expecting. Generally, if a scene鈥檚 starting to feel too much like a crime procedural, I always like to chuck an unexpected joke in. Likewise, if it feels too much like a comedy, it can be fun to undercut it with a moment of drama or tension out of the blue.

How would you describe the two lead characters Janie Mallowan and John Chapel and what makes them distinctive to other crime solving duos?

Essentially, they鈥檙e a pair of oddballs who, despite their many differences, understand each other better than anyone else. In some ways, they鈥檙e like Holmes and Watson, John the 鈥榞enius鈥� with flights of fancy, Janie the one with a foot in the real world. I think what sets them apart from other crime solving duos, though, is that they both behave how I imagine real people would in a murder investigation, rather than the cool, unflappable way we鈥檝e come to expect of TV detectives.

Do we see more of 鈥楥aesar鈥� in this series and how did you want to develop that side of John鈥檚 character in series two?

We definitely get to see a little more of 鈥楥aesar鈥� but we also get to find out much more about John鈥檚 past as an actor. A real joy for me is sneaking in details of shows John鈥檚 appeared in, we鈥檝e added London鈥檚 Burning, Poldark and All Creatures Great and Small, as well as his involvement in a certain wizarding franchise. At this rate he鈥檚 going to need a bigger IMDB page. But series two certainly dives deeper into John鈥檚 status as an actor when a murder on a TV set forces him to face the reality that his career might be over.

What makes Death Valley different to other crime dramas?

I think the tone is hopefully what sets it apart. It鈥檚 able to find moments of comedy in what is usually portrayed as a very serious, procedural, professional world. It鈥檚 a crime drama populated by flawed, funny, relatable people which, if feedback from real police officers is to be believed, isn鈥檛 all that far from reality.

There is a case a week, tell us about the different cases and your inspiration for including them?

We鈥檝e had a huge amount of fun with the different worlds we鈥檝e been able to explore for series two. From a community service group to a fishing village to a rural rugby club. More often than not, the inspiration for these worlds comes from the emotional journeys our main characters are on, whether it鈥檚 the hippy commune where one of the suspects is a blast from Janie鈥檚 past to the TV set that forces John to look at his career as an actor. And, because it鈥檚 not a proper murder mystery without a locked room, we have a whole episode where the suspects are locked down in our police station.

What would you say are the key themes in Death Valley?

Unlikely pairings are a real theme of Death Valley. There鈥檚 no reason why John and Janie should have any common ground, but they manage to find a way, just like the unlikely pairing of crime and comedy. There鈥檚 also a real leaning in to finding the joy in the darkness. As a crime viewer, I鈥檝e had enough of troubled, grizzled detectives in the wilderness battling their demons. Just because someone鈥檚 dead, doesn鈥檛 mean we have to be miserable about it.

Madeline Addy 鈥� Executive Producer

You must be delighted with the response to the first series, what did you want to build on for series two?

We were thrilled with the phenomenal response to the show. It was thrilling to see how much audiences took Paul鈥檚 fantastic creation and Timothy and Gwyneth鈥檚 nuanced performances as John and Janie to their hearts.

We were keen to build on deepening John and Janie鈥檚 central relationship by throwing various curveballs at them. Introducing new characters and situations for them to deal with is a good way to do that.

Taking John and Janie into new yet familiar worlds and subcultures, is a way of peeling back the layers of our leads, delving into elements of their past as they investigate crimes in a Welsh commune, a community payback group, on the set of a big flashy TV drama series, a local rugby club and a seaside fishing community.

What do you think makes Death Valley different to other comedy crime dramas?

Death Valley鈥檚 grounded-yet-irreverent tone is what makes it so distinctive and moreish. It鈥檚 full of heart, mischief and comedic characters grounded in truth, entwined with high stakes emotional drama. Paul is an absolute visionary at delivering consistently terrific scripts.

John and Janie鈥檚 idiosyncratic central relationship is what anchors Death Valley and sets it apart from other shows in the genre. Audiences love them and their developing relationship, as much as the juicy whodunnit element.

Developing this series is a huge collaborative effort. We鈥檝e had Nina Metivier and Ian Jarvis on board to write episodes. The very talented writer Sian Harries is back contributing additional material across all episodes to ensure that we maintain a high level of authenticity to the show鈥檚 Welsh setting and characters.

Sian also co-wrote episode 3 with Paul. It鈥檚 a truly hilarious and poignant episode, where a murder takes place behind the scenes on an epic 鈥楪ame of Throne style TV show. We had a lot of fun shooting that one.

What can audiences expect in terms of the visual style and tone of series two?

Our series Directors Simon Hynd and Claire Winyard, along with DOP Richard Stoddard, have done an incredible job delivering a high-end cinematic aesthetic to this series. There鈥檚 a fluidity to the camera work, combined with impeccable production design, costume, hair & make-up design; alongside the sound, brilliant location teams and the composed score

Everything鈥檚 been meticulously designed to draw audiences into John and Janie鈥檚 world.

Is there anything you wanted to do differently or enhance for series two?

It was important to us not to be complacent following the success of series one and push the ambition on series two creatively, in every aspect. We鈥檝e done that by deepening John and Janie鈥檚 endearing partnership, introducing new obstacles for them to face together on a personal level alongside solving cases.

Elevating the intriguing episodic crime stories and introducing surprising guest characters was a way for us keep the format fresh. Paul and our writing team have outdone themselves in crafting new worlds to explore around Wales.

Pushing the visual ambition overall was key. Everything has been dialled up a few notches. Audiences are in for a treat!

Did you have a particular direction you wanted to take Timothy and Gwyneth鈥檚 characters for the new series?

We enjoy putting John and Janie鈥檚 relationship through the wringer. It鈥檚 fun for Paul to write and for Timothy and Gwyneth to play. Their relationship really sings when there鈥檚 comedic tension between them as well as big emotional conflict for them to grapple with.

There鈥檚 a lot for them to deal with including the fall out of John dating Janie鈥檚 mam Yvonne, Janie being overwhelmed by her work promotion and John being conflicted over whether to return to his once successful acting career. There鈥檚 also the introduction of Janie鈥檚 estranged Dad, Michael Mallowan, played by the wonderful Owen Teale.

These knotty emotional and character defining arcs will play out alongside the crime cases-of-the-week.

Once again there is a fantastic roll call of guest artists this series, what does that bring to the series?

We鈥檝e been spoiled with a fantastic roster of guest stars across the series including Jane Horrocks, Roisin Conaty, Jim Howick, Mark Lewis Jones, Lynn Hunter, Alexandra Roach, Liz Carr, Hammed Annimashaun and Asim Chaudhry.

Our guest artists bring a real dynamism and fresh energy to the show.

With a new case each week and filming in different locations, what are the challenges and benefits that brings to the series?

Filming in multiple locations always makes a film shoot complex, you have to contend with various things such as unpredictable weather, but ultimately the breadth of locations we visit across the series is a challenge we relish.

The beauty of filming in Wales is that you don鈥檛 need to travel far to hit on such a wide variety of stunning locations. Our locations team pulled out all the stops in sourcing fantastic locations like Raglan Castle鈥檚 ancient ruins in Monmouthshire and a picturesque fishing village in Little Haven Pembrokeshire. A gothic Tudor mansion in Port Talbot was the backdrop for our epic 鈥楪ame of Throne鈥� styles TV series show-within- a show. The locations we feature are very much supporting characters within the world of each story. It鈥檚 one of the key components of making the show look and feel distinctive.

I think watching the show is like going on a lovely holiday every week without leaving your sofa.

Can you tell us something about what鈥檚 in store for our returning cast this series?

Viewers will love being back in the company of our series regulars. There鈥檚 a love interest for DS Chaudhry (Rithvik Andugula). We鈥檒l see how Janie鈥檚 mother Yvonne鈥檚 (Melanie Walters) shock relationship with John plays out. Baxter (Alexandria Riley) and Janie鈥檚 scenes together continue to delight. Plus Janie鈥檚 boss, Clarke (Steffan Rhodri), becomes involved in a case when his old boss is murdered at the police station.

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