BBC’s new detective series, Death Valley, has gone down a storm with UK audiences. When it debuted on Sunday, 25 May, it drew in 2.9 million viewers – the highest figures for a scripted comedy in the last five years. That accolade was previously held by the viral David Mitchell-led show, Ludwig.
Set in Wales, the show stars Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth as an unlikely crime-solving duo. Spall plays John Chapel, who was a detective… on screen. He’s now a retired and beloved actor who is using his unique skills to unravel a real case closer to home.
By his side is Janie Mallowan (Keyworth), an actual detective sergeant who at first sees John as her hero. However, she soon finds that she can’t get rid of him, and the pair form a unique bond.
Episodes of Death Valley are rolling out now every Sunday at 8:15pm on BBC One. If you’re hooked, then you can binge the whole series on BBC iPlayer – no need to wait.
If you’ve already done that, then you may be curious about the future of the show. Here are all the clues we have so far.
BBC/BBC Studios/Simon Ridgway
Will Death Valley return for series 2 on the BBC?
At the time of writing, Death Valley has not been confirmed for a second series… but don’t lose faith yet.
The strong figures for its debut episode should signify that the BBC will be taking renewal into consideration, just as it has with its previous popular shows such as Ludwig, Happy Valley and unscripted content like Gladiators and The Traitors.
Lead actress Gwyneth Keyworth provided the following quote to The Radio Times on the possibility of the show coming back for more:
“I really hope so. I haven’t been told anything yet. But I’d be desperate to do it. Getting to hang out with Tim again would be an absolute treat.”
How did Death Valley series 1 end?
The final episode of Death Valley saw John and Janie navigating tricky waters. Janie had been avoiding her old partner after her promotion was halted due to her boss seeing John’s involvement as unprofessional. However, John was later given a consultant role on the force, so the pair could rekindle their work.
However, their case proved to be an extremely challenging one. It was investigating the murder of Dean Wood, who was found dead at a school reunion… the same school Janie studied at.
BBC/BBC Studios/Simon Ridgway
The case turned out to be connected to another that DC Evan Chaudhry was investigating – the death of Patrick de Jong, who was killed during a car collision while travelling.
Janie’s late best friend Sian came up during the investigation, but she wasn’t the murderer – it was Sian’s sister, Rhiannon. She killed Patrick in a hit and run, and when Dean threatened to report it, she murdered him as well. Sian witnessed these events unfold and committed suicide due to her guilt.
With all the loose ends tied up, John and Janie came to realise they were friends, and Janie finally got the promotion she’d been after… although she wasn’t too happy to discover John’s relationship with her mum, Yvonne.
If series 2 of Death Valley gets the green light, we’ll likely see Janie coming to terms with John and Yvonne’s new romantic relationship, and more mysterious cold cases plaguing this small area of Wales.
How to watch Death Valley abroad and in the US
If you’re on holiday and still want to watch Death Valley, then there is a way to tune in. You just need a VPN.
VPN stands for virtual private network, and this reroutes your IP address so you can browse the internet as if you’re based elsewhere – in this instance, the UK.
There are many VPN providers to choose from, but we suggest NordVPN for the best combination of price, reliability and easy-to-use features. You can find further steps in our guide to watching iPlayer from abroad.
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