British Crime Comedy · BBC · 2025–present
Death Valley
Timothy Spall stars as John Chapel, once the beloved lead of a long-running fictional TV detective show, now living a quiet, guilt-ridden retirement in the Welsh countryside. When socially awkward Detective Sergeant Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) shows up needing help with a case, the two form an unlikely partnership — his old TV-honed instincts turning out to be more useful than anyone expects. It's warm, funny, and gently self-aware about the gap between playing a detective and being one. Death Valley streams on BritBox in the US, alongside plenty more covered in British TV Hub's guide to British TV streaming services.
Short on time? This one fits in a weekend — see the Weekend Binge Guide. Season 2 is part of British TV Hub's British TV autumn 2026 preview.
Where to watch in the US
BritBox
Season 1 streaming now · Subscription required · Check current price at signup
Start free trial →Prefer to own it?
Buy the DVDs
Individual/complete-series DVDs available · Check current sellers and formats
Shop Death Valley DVDs →Season 2 is here
Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth return as John and Janie for Season 2.
Season two picks up a few months after John and Janie cracked their first case together, and it isn't long before circumstances pull them back into working side by side again. Expect the same warmth and odd-couple chemistry that made the first season such a hit, with a bit more history between them to draw on this time.
Steffan Rhodri returns as DCI Barry Clarke.
The regulars are all back for round two: Steffan Rhodri as DCI Barry Clarke, Alexandria Riley as Helen Baxter, Melanie Walters as Janie's mum Yvonne, and Rithvik Andugula as DC Evan Chaudhry. The guest list this season is a proper showcase, though — Jane Horrocks, Owen Teale, Alexandra Roach, Roisin Conaty, and Jim Howick all pass through Mid Wales at various points. The one getting the most attention is Liz Carr, best known to British telly fans as Clarissa Mullery on Silent Witness, who turns up as a sharp-tongued new character named Fiona Challoner.
Silent Witness's Liz Carr joins the cast this season as Fiona Challoner.
What made season one so likeable hasn't changed a bit — it's still fundamentally a show about two mismatched people who've come to genuinely rely on each other, dressed up as a murder mystery.
Alexandria Riley returns as Helen Baxter.
About the show
Death Valley is created and written by Paul Doolan, filmed on location in Wales, and built around the odd-couple chemistry of Timothy Spall's washed-up-but-not-really TV detective and Gwyneth Keyworth's sharp, socially uneasy DS. Season one was well received on both sides of the Atlantic, with a UK broadcast debut on the BBC followed by a strong reception on BritBox after its US premiere.
Now on YouTube
Watch your favorite autumn trailers and more, all on our YouTube channel.
Watch on YouTube →
If you like Death Valley, try these