A retired actor. A disarming young detective. They’d make the perfect crime-fighting duo - if only they could get along!
Written and created by Paul Doolan (Mammoth, Trollied) and set in Wales, comedy drama Death Valley follows the unlikely crime-solving partnership between eccentric national treasure John Chapel (Timothy Spall) a retired actor and star of hit fictional TV detective show Caesar and disarming Welsh detective sergeant Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth).
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.
Death Valley also stars Alexandria Riley (Baby Reindeer, Lost Boys and Fairies) as Helen Baxter a straight talking pathologist and friend of Janie; Steffan Rhodri (The Way, Steeltown Murders) as DCI Barry Clarke - Janie’s boss and so-called mentor; Melanie Walters (Gavin & Stacey, Father Brown) as Yvonne, Janie’s ‘no boundaries’ mother; Remy Beasley (One Day, Steeltown Murders) as Rhiannon the picture of perfection and an old adversary from Janie’s past; Mike Bubbins (Mammoth) as Tony - the un-self-aware and overly friendly Desk Sergeant and Rithvik Andugula (Extraordinary) as DC Evan Chaudhry – the eager to please and somewhat naïve junior police officer.
Guest artists featured across the series include Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts), Sian Gibson (Mammoth, Peter Kay’s Car Share), Patricia Hodge (A Very English Scandal, All Creatures Great and Small), Jim Howick (Ghosts, Here We Go, The Change), Karl Johnson (True Love, The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies, Wolf), Colin McFarlane (The War Between The Land and the Sea, The Dark Knight Trilogy), Vicki Pepperdine (Poor Things, Worzel Gummidge) Steve Speirs (Inside No.9, After Life), Amy Trigg (Such Brave Girls, Luther, The Reckoning).
Death Valley (6x45) is a BBC Studios Comedy Production in association with BritBox International for BBC One and iPlayer. Written and created by BAFTA-nominated Paul Doolan, the series was ordered by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy and Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning BBC Wales. Commissioning Editors are Seb Barwell for BBC Comedy, and Paul Forde for BBC Wales. Directed by Simon Hynd and Produced by Nikki Wilson, the Executive Producers are Paul Doolan, Josh Cole, and Madeline Addy. BBC Studios are international distributors and additional funding support has been provided by Creative Wales.
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Interviews
Timothy Spall (John Chapel and Inspector Charles ‘Caesar’)
How would you describe your character John Chapel and how are we introduced to him?
John is a retired actor who played the title role of ‘Caesar’ in a hugely successful TV detective series; a period piece, made in the early 2000s and set in the 1950’s. At the height of his fame, he disappeared off the face of the earth and he now lives in the same region of rural Wales that the police force is operating in; a bearded recluse who has become a bit of a curmudgeon described by one of the locals as a ‘grumpy old b**tard!
‘Caesar’ is DS Janie Mallowan’s (Gwyneth Keyworth) favourite TV detective. She became very fond of the show during a period of grief when she was younger, watching ‘Caesar’ on a loop to find solace. Consequently ‘Caesar’ means a lot to her. In episode one, they meet when Janie is making house to house enquiries and inadvertently John becomes involved in solving the crime.
What appealed to you about this new comedy crime drama?
There’s an originality and an emotional grounding to the characters. They are both bad at recognising their own faults but excellent at pointing out each other’s and those clashes are investigated in an entertaining way. Their unusual bond becomes strong and mutually dependent, even though it has significant and challenging ups and downs. It was also nice to be asked by the creative team to bring my own thoughts and ideas to John’s character and how it should be developed.
How would you describe the dynamic between you and Gwyneth’s character Janie Mallowan and their different approach to crime solving?
They are both very eccentric characters, both have their own idiosyncratic ways, they clash, there is animosity, but they also have a bizarre affection for each other. DS Janie Mallowan is very good at saying the wrong thing, immediately realises it, tries retracting and in doing so often makes things worse. Simultaneously, she also manages through being unusually disarming to get results. She’s a good police officer, she knows her business, she’s ambitious and she gets things out of people - a wonderful character which Gwyneth plays brilliantly.
Their first encounter doesn’t end well! Janie goes from hero worshipping John to insulting him very rapidly when he gives his opinion on the first case, calling him the local hermit! John doesn’t consider himself to be a detective but an expert on what makes people tick, through years of experience as a serious actor. He considers it makes him an expert on thinking outside of the box from a psychological point of view rather than from a basic evidence point of view, which is how Janie works as a detective. He always goes from character motivations and the natural contradictions of human behaviour. These contrasting techniques, distrusted by each other, becomes the basis of their success.
John and Janie are from completely different generations, does that add to the humour?
Yes, it does and what I like is they don’t pull the generational thing on each other. It’s oddly similar to a sibling dynamic and it doesn’t fit the bill of what you normally get. John doesn’t berate Janie for being young and naïve, she doesn’t accuse him of being old and out of touch. What I like is they recognise each other’s souls, but it’s never discussed between them or even acknowledged. In the acting profession due to the egalitarian nature of the process, it is not unusual to get friendships between people in their 80s and 20s, so I recognise the truth of it.
There is a crime a week, did you have a favourite case to solve?
I enjoyed the case when John goes undercover in an amateur dramatics company who are staging an experimental Hamlet, to solve a case. He answers an urgent call from the company who need a replacement Claudius.
He’s initially very patronising about the amateur company and their enterprise and outraged when Janie accuses him of doing it because secretly his been missing performing as an actor. He insists vehemently he is there to find the identity of the murderer and not to flex his acting muscles. He ends up getting very involved in the production and Janie is not happy with the whole affair.
The series is filmed and set in Wales did you enjoy filming there?
I have worked in Wales a couple of times, and my wife and I also went all along the coast on our boat. I know every port along the way, so I’ve spent a bit of time there, the coast is so beautiful. Cardiff is a lovely, very friendly, and welcoming place. We were based in Cardiff, but you are half an hour away from the most exquisite countryside. Wales is extremely beautiful.
How do you feel Death Valley differs from other murder mystery crime drama and what can audiences expect?
Paul Doolan has written excellent scripts! He’s a fantastic comedy writer but also a big fan of crime dramas. With Death Valley, you have three aspects – the whodunnit, characters who are both real and funny plus a dramatic, emotionally grounded quality.
What did you enjoy most about playing John and ‘Caesar’ and are there any aspects of your personality that are similar?
It was good to set about trying to create a character that is recognisable as a human being, for better and for worse. After a long time in the profession hopefully I've been able draw on examples of actorly idiosyncrasies and conceits that I've experienced in myself and perhaps occasionally in others! Hopefully, this ends up being intriguing and with a bit of luck amusing.
John Chapel is an actor who has removed himself from a successful career for personal reasons. It is revealed during the series that he always felt he had the ability to understand human beings on a deep physiological level, driven by the desire to create complex characters as an actor and now being involved with crime solving. He likes the fact he can utilise that skill towards something that is helpful on a profounder level rather than just for the entertainment industry. Adamant that acting is behind him forever he convinces himself this new endeavour is what he now finds satisfying.
How would you describe Death Valley in three words?
Intriguing, engaging, amusing – I hope! It’s now over to the audience to decide!
Just as Janie fan worships John/Caesar, is there a famous character you absolutely loved? Or TV detective?
Yes, if you go way back, I loved Callan and Inspector Lockhart (No Hiding Place). My friend Kevin Whately, and John Thaw in Morse; The Sweeney was marvellous too. One of my favourites is Rumpole of the Bailey, not a detective of course, an eccentric, claret loving barrister, but he somehow always gets to the truth and proper justice and Leo Mckearn was superb. There was the excellent Peter Falk as Columbo too! And another dear pal the brilliant Brenda Blethyn as Vera.
Were you a fan of murder mystery crime-drama before filming the series?
When I do catch them, I’m always intrigued by how they are constructed. I am not very good at working them out though! You often get these wonderful performances in plot bound scenarios and it’s an actor’s chance to play characters that hoodwink the audience by using their acting ability to draw the wool over people’s eyes and pull them into the story.
Along with a great returning cast, each episode has a whole new group of artists. Was that an exciting aspect to filming?
Yes, each episode, has a different cast and story. It was like changing the repertory company each time. It gave a different and fresh flavour to each story and the audience are introduced to a new world and dynamic each time.
We benefited from having some excellent and very funny actors joining us. Some I had worked with previously; it was lovely working with them again and getting to know some brilliant and charming actors I hadn’t encountered before. I hope the excellent time I had with Gwyneth, the regular cast and the guest stars all translates into a great show for the audience to enjoy. We do make it for them after all!
Gwyneth Keyworth (Janie Mallowan)
How would you describe your character and how do we first meet her?
Janie is a police officer, and she really wants to be good at her job. She is enthusiastic at work, but her private life is shut down. She suffered quite a big loss just after finishing school and she hasn’t really recovered from it. She doesn’t have a social life and her whole existence is for work. But she is also upbeat and quirky!
What struck you when you first read Paul Doolan’s scripts? Were you a fan of his work beforehand?
Yes, I am a fan of Paul’s work, he also co-wrote Mammoth, which is also set in Wales. His writing is funny and so truthful. It has got a lot of heart and that’s what is so enjoyable. You really do feel a special friendship between Janie and John that feels truthful. But they also do clash and get on each other’s nerves, which Paul is really good at balancing. Death Valley doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s about having some fun.
What was it like working with Timothy Spall?
Tim is a legend. He is the best and not only is he an amazing actor, but he is also a really nice and kind person. I learnt so much from him especially on how to approach leading a series. We became really good friends, and I always knew he had my back, he would say: ‘take a minute, we’ve got this.’ He would always meet me with kindness and calmness. I feel so lucky I got to work with him.
How would you describe the dynamic between Janie and John and their different approach to crime solving?
Janie tries to do everything by the book whereas John is all about emotions, character breakdowns and feeling things. Janie, on the other hand, doesn’t want to feel anything and shuts down all that. But she realises her functionary obsession with facts can lead her sometimes to dead ends and that you have to think more creatively. I think John encourages that, and he encourages her to unpack why she acts like this in all aspects of her life. On the other hand, he is always deflecting his own issues on to her and he has a few skeletons in his cupboard he needs to unleash…
Janie is a huge fan of TV detective ‘Caesar’ also played by Timothy Spall, almost hero worshipping him, tell us more about this element of the series?
Caesar was an escape for Janie; it’s the character of Caesar and his analytical brain that she has based her whole ‘how to be a good police officer’ on. She does hero worship him but as the series goes on, she lets go of the hero worshipping and becomes more present with John as a person.
The series is set and filmed in Wales, was it enjoyable to be back in your homeland and did you have a favourite location?
I always love being back home! In episode two, we filmed in the Brecon Beacons, which was a great episode to film. I was working alongside Vicki Pepperdine who was great fun.
What can audiences expect and look forward to with Death Valley and how does it differ from other crime mystery murders?
The humour. We all love solving crimes, guessing what is going to happen and piecing it all together. It’s like playing a good game of Cluedo. But also, Death Valley is really funny, it has so much heart. You really see John and Janie’s friendship evolve and see how it helps transform them. They are two lonely people who manage to find a friend. They are genuine with each other even if he does overstep the mark at times!
Did you need to do re-takes on some of the scenes because you were laughing so much?
Oh gosh yes! In the episode where John is in the amateur dramatic society, there is a scene where he skips down the stairs, and it cracked me up. I couldn’t keep it together and we had to redo my part a million times. Tim is so funny, and he is so good. Comedy is harder and Tim says this himself. You can’t fob an audience off.
What did you like most about playing Janie and are there any aspects of your personality that are similar to Janie’s?
Janie and I are both scatty. I am always losing stuff, but Janie is more direct than I am and a lot more blunt. I like her commitment to being good at her job and how she won’t let anyone get in the way of it.
How would you describe Death Valley in three words?
Funny, mysterious, and Welsh
Were you a fan of murder mystery whodunnits before filming the series?
Yes, I was. When I was younger, I watched Murder She Wrote and Quincy whenever I was ill off school.
Paul Doolan (Writer, Creator and Executive Producer)
How did the idea for Death Valley come about?
It was that classic thing of writing what you wish was on TV. I’m a huge murder mystery fan and a massive comedy fan but felt that you hardly see them combined in a satisfying way. So many crime shows are relentlessly grim with these joyless, troubled detectives. When murder mysteries try to do comedy, it often falls flat. You get this kind of overly cosy, twee sensibility. Or a spoof which is crammed full of jokes but doesn’t have a satisfying mystery. I wanted to see a comedy, crime drama that was funny but would still satisfy the people that love a proper mystery.
When it came to drilling down what the partnership at the centre of it would be, my agents represent quite a lot of famous TV detectives. I am such a fan and there is something quite interesting about the dynamic of a TV detective and their biggest fan. I then took this idea and explored whether it would be more interesting to solve murders together and what if the fan was also a detective? The different layers then became a retired actor who played a detective who helps his number one fan, who's an actual detective solve murders!
You come to Death Valley from a fan perspective, just how much of a fan are you?
I am a genuine fan; some people would say to a worrying degree! My recently departed dog was called ‘Marple,’ and I now have another named after ‘Dorothy L Sayers.’ The tables at my wedding were all named after television detectives.
When it comes to choosing a favourite, it has to be Agatha Christie and if I had to choose a favourite TV character it would be the Joan Hickson’s Miss Marple, but it really is like choosing a favourite child.
You’re a comedy writer, how was it putting your writing skills to a murder mystery?
Making the switch was terrifying at first, because it seems like such a different skillset. On Death Valley, you have to tell the story of the murder, track the suspects and their motives, tell a personal story for the detectives every week and keep a series arc spinning, all in 45 minutes.
It was overwhelming at first but the more you do it, the more you realise it’s like comedy. You need to set things up to call back later, try to surprise the audience and send them in the wrong direction. I think comedy gets looked down on sometimes, but people forget with comedy it still has to have all the structure of a drama and be funny. Comedy is hard.
How would you describe the two lead characters Janie Mallowan and John Chapel and what makes them distinctive to other crime solving duos?
In many ways, they are complete opposites. He is a retired national treasure, an actor who is a bit of a luvvie and he can be a bit pretentious. Janie is this very down to earth, no filter detective who is his biggest fan but will tell him off in a way few people ever have. They haven’t got massive friendship groups, both are loners. It’s a weird pairing because it really shouldn’t work. They don’t have anything in common outside of an attachment to ‘Caesar,’ a fictional TV show, but despite all their differences, they're soulmates from the off.
Can you tell us more about ‘Caesar’ and what significance that has in the series?
In many ways, Caesar is the third detective in the show. He is really important to both our characters. He is the role that defined John and the reason he’s recognised everywhere he goes but he also resents it, it’s a bit of an albatross. It’s something John needs to overcome. Janie is on the other end of that spectrum; she loves Caesar too much. There was a dark period in her past and the thing that helped her out was endlessly watching Caesar. They are both damaged people who are both clinging on to this fictional detective.
Did you manage to sneak in any iconic TV detective nods to former detectives we should look out for?
There are definitely a lot of nods to Agatha Christie, so for example, Janie Mallowan is a composite as Agatha Christie was also known as Lady Mallowan. The TV character Jane Marple is where Janie comes from. Also in episode five, we get to have a locked murder mystery episode and that feels very Agatha Christie. I love the scenes in Agatha Christie dramas where everyone is gathered around, and the detective goes round each person and says why they did or didn’t do it. Getting to do those in every episode in Death Valley and having a nod to that was fun.
How does it feel seeing Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth bring your characters to life?
It was amazing and beyond anything I could ever hope for. I can’t wait for people to see them together. What I have written on the page was a fast comedy partnership with bits of drama. But it is all about the pace and you get actors like Tim and Gwyneth who come along, and they elevate everything. It makes you look so much better as a writer than you are. Watching them, there was a lump in my throat that I wasn’t expecting at times. What is great about the two of them is they both care about the characters. I reached a point halfway through filming where I realised, they knew these characters better than I did. You are almost passing the baton on to them, and it is like sending your child to school and waving them off at the gates.
What makes Death Valley different to other comedy crime dramas?
The tone. It is a hybrid comedy crime drama, and I didn’t want it to skimp on any of those ingredients. It’s not a spoof, it’s not poking fun at any of those genres, as I love comedy and crime drama. I wanted audiences to go away feeling satisfied and hopefully, they won’t be shortchanged by the jokes. I always wanted it to stay loyal to a modern whodunit where the audience is trying to solve it as they go along.
There is a case a week, tell us about the different cases and the inspiration behind them?
In episode one, there is the death of a property developer. We wanted it to be John’s neighbour and that’s how we could draw him in, but it’s also useful to setting up what the show isn’t. We don’t want it to be too cosy crime and chocolate boxy. By having new builds and flash modern characters, it reassures the audience you are going to get something different.
In episode two, there is a murder within a walking group. I have always wanted to show off these different kinds of people and show off the countryside, especially in Wales. My mum is in a walking group, and I find these groups fascinating. It’s a chance to pick them apart and see what is going on. Later in the series, there is a murder mystery weekend and that was me wanting to have my cake and eat it! It allowed us to have the big, traditional country house murder mystery we all recognise from television but with our funny, modern-day characters in it.
What would you say are the key themes in Death Valley?
Companionship. So much is about John and Janie, this oddball couple who shouldn’t have anything in common. It’s about embracing what people have in common rather than what separates people. It’s shining a light on how people need someone to get over loss or difficult situations. Positivity is another big theme. You can take what is quite a bleak setting and people, who on paper should feel quite damaged, and say: ‘no these are fun characters, and we want to spend time with them’ as that is how life works.
What makes a great murder mystery?
On one level, it’s like a puzzle – tidy, constructed, satisfying and solvable. There are certain rules of murder mysteries, and you want people to feel pleased if they have solved it or annoyed if they haven’t. Beyond that, you also need to have fun, intriguing characters and an interesting world with something dramatic that isn’t just a murder.
Can you sum up Death Valley in three words?
Funny, modern, murder!
Madeline Addy (Executive Producer)
What made you want to bring Death Valley to the screen?
It’s an incredible concept for the comedy, crime drama genre, an unlikely odd couple pairing – an actor that has played a detective solving cases, with a local detective! Paul’s pilot script really hit a sweet spot with the balance of humour, nuances, drama, and intrigue. I fell in love with the script as soon as I read it.
What makes Death Valley different to other comedy crime dramas?
I think this is a genre-blending take on the murder mystery format. It has tightly plotted whodunnit case-of-the-week stories with a twist, high stakes drama. There’s an inter-generational comedy element to it. It’s all anchored by this odd couple central relationship beautifully played by Timothy and Gwyneth.
The irreverent tone - the humour always comes from truth, from character, so it feels grounded and is never contrived.
What sets it apart are the moments where we skewer those classic murder mystery tropes, so in episode one, when John and Janie are concluding who the murderer is someone asks John for a selfie. We don’t shy away from that detail and the fact John is a famous actor who played a TV detective, and his fame is going to disrupt John and Janie’s sleuthing. It’s a fun and original concept.
What struck you when you first read his scripts?
Paul’s scripts are full of wit and warmth, they are also layered with dramatic storytelling and emotional character arcs that develop across the series for our two leads. As well as the gripping and intriguing murders of the week. They are packed with so much nuance and detail. And that is a real skill. Sian Harries, who is our talented additional material writer, is Welsh and had a lot to do with ensuring that we captured the authentic Welsh voices and cultural references.
Can you discuss the visual style and how it contributes to the overall tone of the series?
There is intentionally a real sense of scale and scope to the series. It was always the ambition of our visionary director Simon Hynd to shoot the series with high production values, like a premium drama, a lot of big sweeping vistas and natural lighting. We establish a strong sense of place with our visuals. Wales is absolutely a character itself.
The show is beautifully shot and bound together by our fantastic creative Wales based team, our Producer Nikki Wilson, Ryan Eddleston our DOP came from a feature film background, this is his first scripted TV project. Our Production Designer Tom Pearce created stunning sets for the series including John’s house and Janie’s CID offices. Our Costume Designer Hayley Nebauer and Hair and Make Up Designer James Spinks, the whole crew were incredibly talented.
Tell us about the casting process for Death Valley and what makes Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth a perfect fit for John and Janie?
We are so thrilled with the pairing of Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth as John and Janie, they make such an iconic detective duo. It was an embarrassment of riches for us to land a stellar duo. They have elevated the show significantly.
We cast Janie first. We auditioned several very talented actors for the role, but it was really clear to us that Gwyneth was our Janie. She just brought her own undeniable take on the character – an authentic innocence and confidence. As Janie would say, she ‘nailed it!’
Gwyneth is a phenomenal versatile actor. I think she is the Judi Dench of her generation and that’s why I can’t wait for audiences to see her in this. There’s just a magical quality that she brings to her performance. It’s innate.
I have long been a huge admirer of Timothy’s incredible body of work. It was a major coup for us to get him. He has a five-decade long career, in the short period of time that we’ve been working with him, he's won a BAFTA and an International Emmy. He is unstoppable.
The role of John calls for a national treasure and that’s quite a small pool of people who could fit that bill! He is an absolute legend, kind, generous and a consummate professional. He really showcases his innate funny bones in this.
Alongside the regular Death Valley cast there is a fantastic list of guest artists for each episode. Did you always envisage that for the series?
The whodunnit case of the week format lends itself to bringing in a new the guest cast every week. Those classic Agatha Christie films which are a Christmas mainstay, always feature a fun line up of guest appearances. It’s also works at keeping the format fresh.
We were thrilled to have so many fantastic guest appearances from Vicki Pepperdine, Sian Gibson, Kiell Smith Bynoe, Patricia Hodge, Jim Howick, Colin McFarlane, Steve Spiers, Karl Johnson to name but a few. Everyone jumped at the chance be involved and that is a testament to Paul’s writing.
Death Valley is set and filmed in Wales was that an important part of the series and has it become a starring role in its own right?
Absolutely. I don’t know anywhere else in the UK that gives us the variety with stunning locations like a manor house, the seaside, and the countryside. It was breathtaking scenery, and we were really lucky with the weather. We filmed the series across locations in around Cardiff, Penarth, Mountain Ash, Cowbridge, the Brecon Beacons.
Timothy’s lovely wife Shane Spall calls Death Valley ‘a love letter to Wales.’ I firmly agree.
How would you sum up Death Valley in three words?
Funny, heartwarming and gripping.
What do you hope audiences will enjoy and take away from the series?
There is nothing like it out there. Death Valley has something for everyone, so even if you aren’t a fan of murder mysteries, you are going to be hooked in by John and Janie’s warm, spikey, and hilarious relationship as it unfolds across the series. It is pure escapism and joy - you can forget about your troubles for 45 minutes!
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