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

Crime shows don't have to be dark and bleak, says Death Valley creator6 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleAmy MackrillBBC WalesBBC/BBC StudiosTimothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth star as retired actor John Chapel and detective Janie MallowanThe 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."BBC/ BBC StudiosTimothy Spall says John and Janey "get on each other's nerves but secretly rather enjoy 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...