The fourth series of the crime drama Van der Valk has returned to ITV, but not all viewers are impressed. Some have taken to social media to describe the show as 'a hard watch', citing slow pacing and weak storylines.
Mixed reactions to the new series
The Amsterdam-set series, based on Nicolas Freeling's novels, originally aired in 2020, eight years after the original ended. Marc Warren reprises his role as detective Piet Van der Valk, joined by Maimie McCoy as Inspector Lucienne Hassell, Azan Ahmed as Sergeant Eddie Suleman, Darrell D'Silva as pathologist Hendrik Davie, and Emma Fielding as Chief Commissaris Julia Dahlman.
While many viewers welcomed the show back, others were less enthusiastic. One person wrote on X: "I found #VanDerValk hard to watch. Poor storyline and slow." Another commented: "Van der Valk suffers from the same problem that nearly all modern thriller/dramas suffer from, tired, thin, repetitive storylines with clearly signposted conclusions, delivered by a cast that frankly look bored. TV execs need to come up with some new ideas."
Praise for Marc Warren
Despite the criticism, Warren's performance drew praise. One viewer posted: "Marc Warren is so good in the role," while another said: "I'd watch Marc Warren in anything."
The latest episode saw Piet investigating the death of an activist, which took a twist with the discovery of a celebrity presumed dead but very much alive.
Filming in Amsterdam
The show is filmed in Amsterdam, a city Warren has previously expressed fondness for. He said when the series was announced: "I just love the feel of Amsterdam and I’m very happy there. I’ve also been fortunate enough to work in Prague a few times. I still don’t speak any Dutch although I do speak a little bit of Czech. I tried to learn some Dutch but it’s very difficult. Although I have learned to say 'sneller en beter'. It means 'quicker and better', which is something they say sometimes if they want another take."
Van der Valk is available to stream on ITVX.
