Cosy crime serials are not typically the go-to genre for sharp political satire. Midsomer Murders rarely delves into Brexit, and Father Brown seldom mentions climate change. However, the delightfully daft and robustly Welsh detective show Death Valley has returned, taking a pointed jab at Plaid Cymru politicians who exaggerate their nationalist pride to deceive voters.
A Satirical Dig at Performative Nationalism
Alexandra Roach stars as Angela, a murder suspect and Senedd member serving community service for driving offences by picking up litter. Angela claims she deliberately crashed her car to protest English tourists buying second homes in Wales. The truth, however, is that she veered off the road while applying mascara. But why let a detail like that ruin a noble political protest?
As punishment, she joins other petty offenders on clean-up duties at a ruined castle after a rave. Angela pretends to relish the opportunity 'to actually get to know some real salt-of-the-earth people.' Local troublemaker Liam retorts, 'If we're so salt-of-the-earth, how come you wore a stab vest in your first week?' Angela mutters, 'It was a reinforced thermal gilet.'
Murder and Mystery
The story takes a darker turn when used-car salesman Eddie plunges from the topmost turret. His phone, wiped clean of fingerprints, suggests he was pushed. Investigations reveal that Angela, the performatively Welsh patriot, actually lives in London. 'I love my constituency,' she pleads weakly, 'but I also love being able to go and see Hamilton midweek, and sushi, and experimental theatre.'
Character Dynamics
Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth star as John Chapel and Janie Mallowan, respectively. Their abrasive, awkward partnership, established in the first series, now balances admiration and resentment. Janie, a detective inspector, struggles to leave her adolescent anxieties behind, while John, a retired thespian, boasts an exaggerated sense of his theatrical genius and a gift for name-dropping. John's qualification for crime-busting is simply that he once played a TV sleuth. Comparing himself to Morse and Lewis, he notes his better viewing figures but adds, 'Kevin [Whately] is a dear friend.' Janie, less starstruck now that John is dating her mother Yvonne (Melanie Walters), still relies on him to solve crimes, like a little girl needing her dad to finish her homework.
Guest Stars and Predictability
Like most gentle crime comedy-dramas, Death Valley relies on guest stars, and the format's weakness is that the culprit is often the biggest name on the cast list. In this episode, Jane Horrocks from Ab Fab appears, and the mystery is solved.
Elsewhere, Jools Holland reunited with his old band Squeeze as Later... (BBC2) returned. After 450 episodes, it remains the only live music show around, proving viewers tune in when it's done well. Why don't other channels take note?
