Crime shows don't have to be dark and bleak, says Death Valley creator

The creator of hit BBC whodunnit Death Valley has said crime shows do not have to be "unremittingly bleak", as the drama returns for a second season.

Writer Paul Doolan said the Welsh series was intended to offer warmth, comedy and mystery, rather than follow the darker tone often associated with the genre.

"As a crime viewer, I've had enough of troubled, grizzled detectives in the wilderness battling their demons," he said.

"Just because someone's dead, doesn't mean we have to be miserable about it."

The first series of Death Valley launched on BBC One in May 2025 with 2.9 million overnight viewers - the biggest overnight audience for a new BBC scripted comedy in five years.

The series follows retired actor John Chapel, played by Timothy Spall, and Welsh detective Janie Mallowan, played by Gwyneth Keyworth, as they solve murders in the Welsh countryside.

Their work takes the pair to a variety of locations, from a coastal fishing village, to a sustainable commune and a rugby club. One episode sees Chapel reluctantly return to the world of acting on the set of a big-budget Welsh, Game of Thrones-style fantasy drama.

"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," Doolan said.

He added the tone of the series helped set it apart from other crime dramas.

"It's able to find moments of comedy in what is usually portrayed as a very serious, procedural, professional world," he said.

"It's a crime drama populated by flawed, funny, relatable people which, if feedback from real police officers is to be believed, isn't all that far from reality."

As well as being filmed and set in Wales, the Welsh language is also woven into the show. For Keyworth, this was central to making Death Valley feel truthful to modern Wales.

"It's so important, I think it gives a specificity and authenticity to the show that I feel is an accurate representation of Wales today," she said.

"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."

Executive producer Madeline Addy said Welsh locations were key to the identity of the series, with filming taking place at places including Raglan Castle in Monmouthshire, Little Haven in Pembrokeshire and a gothic Tudor mansion in Port Talbot.

"The locations we feature are very much supporting characters within the world of each story," she said.

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

Spall said he was "delighted" by the "enthusiastic" response to the first series.

"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," he said.

"After all, people pay for their TV Licence and you want to give them the best you possibly can."

He said John and Janie's "unusual partnership" remained central to the show.

"They are often both dismissive of each other's work but also reliant on it," he said.

"They also get on each other's nerves but secretly rather enjoy it."

Keyworth said the second series also explored a more vulnerable side to Janie, including through a storyline involving her estranged father, played by Owen Teale.

"We still see Janie's wit and eccentricity, but we also see a more vulnerable side," she said.

"The humour is still there but we start to see cracks in the facade."