The second season of BBC crime drama Death Valley concludes this Sunday evening, June 21, bringing another six-part story arc to a close. As fans digest the finale, lead actor Timothy Spall and writer Paul Doolan have shared their hopes and uncertainties regarding a potential third season.
Timothy Spall and Paul Doolan on Death Valley's Future
In an interview with Express.co.uk, Timothy Spall expressed his desire for another series but acknowledged the intense competition facing the BBC. Writer Paul Doolan admitted that further episodes have not yet been commissioned, leaving the show's fate uncertain.
Doolan stated: "We don't actually know yet. I'm not sure what we're allowed to say. But hopefully, definitely want to kill more people, so let's hope so."
Competitive Landscape for BBC Programming
Spall elaborated on the challenges: "I mean, we don't know. This is the nature of the thing. Unfortunately, the BBC, you know as we know, in the modern world, it's going to have to find its feet. It's got to sustain itself in this massively competitive world it is in now."
He added: "It's got to cater for so many people because it is a public broadcasting service. But they can't guarantee it all the time because they've got so many things to think about. You have got to see how it goes down, so I don't know."
Creative Momentum for Death Valley
Despite the uncertainty, Doolan noted the creative energy behind the series: "What's been really nice about doing a second series is you realise you're not bored of the characters, and you have not run out of story ideas, because that's the constant fear, but it feels like there is plenty more fuel left in it."
He concluded: "So I'd love to write more, but it is like you say, it's the BBC. They have a duty to make sure they're recommissioning things that lots of people are watching."
Season 2 Plot Developments
The second season opened with Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) clashing with John Chapel (Timothy Spall) after learning that her former television idol-turned-crime-solving partner has begun a relationship with her own mother, Yvonne (Melanie Walters). Throughout the series, the mismatched pair navigated both professional and personal challenges, including the appearance of Janie's estranged father, Michael (Owen Teale).
Death Valley is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
