British Crime Comedy · BBC One · Season 2 Guide
Death Valley
Death Valley is the cozy Welsh crime comedy starring Timothy Spall 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 ambitious Detective Inspector Janie Mallowan (Gwyneth Keyworth) needs help with a case, the two form an unlikely partnership — his old TV-honed instincts turning out to be more useful than anyone expects. Season 2 aired on BBC One in the UK from May 17, 2026, and arrives on BritBox in the US on November 17, 2026, with new episodes released weekly. It's warm, funny, and gently self-aware about the gap between playing a detective and being one. Season 1 is available to stream on BritBox now, alongside plenty more covered in British TV Hub's guide to British TV streaming services.
About the show
Death Valley was created and written by Paul Doolan, with additional material by Sian Harries, and is produced by BBC Studios with support from the Welsh Government's Creative Wales fund. Season 2 is directed by Simon Hynd and Claire Winyard and produced by Nikki Wilson, with Timothy Spall among the executive producers alongside Madeline Addy, Josh Cole, and Doolan. The series is built around the odd-couple chemistry of Spall's washed-up-but-not-really TV detective and Gwyneth Keyworth's sharp, ambitious police officer. Season 1 debuted on BBC One on May 25, 2025, before arriving on BritBox in the US, and Season 2 followed on BBC One on May 17, 2026.
Where to watch Season 2 in the US
BritBox
Season 2 aired in the UK on BBC One/iPlayer from May 17, 2026, and arrives on BritBox in the US November 17, with new episodes released weekly · Season 1 available now · Subscription required
View BritBox Options →Streaming availability in the US can change. Check the linked service for the current season and episode selection. Checked October 2026.
Already Have Prime?
BritBox is the service you need for Death Valley. If you also watch other British dramas, Acorn TV and PBS Masterpiece can be added as Prime Video channels too, so everything sits on one watchlist.
Prefer to own it?
Buy the DVDs
Individual/complete-series DVDs available · Check current sellers and formats
Shop Death Valley DVDs →New Viewer's Guide
New to the Series? Start with Season 1
Each case in Death Valley is largely self-contained, so you can follow a single episode without having seen the others. That said, the relationship between John and Janie, and the people around them in Mid Wales, develops across both seasons, so starting with Season 1 gives the fuller picture and the most context for Season 2's returning characters.
Best Seasons, Ranked
British TV Hub's editorial opinion, not an official ranking — in order of how well each season showcases the show. Kept spoiler-light.
The Essential Starting Point
John Chapel's retirement is interrupted by DS Janie Mallowan, and the show's odd-couple premise — a former TV detective actor whose instincts turn out to be surprisingly useful — is introduced and established here. The cleanest way in, and required viewing before Season 2's returning faces and callbacks.
More History, More Guest Stars
Janie is now a Detective Inspector, and John becomes Mid Wales Police's civilian consultant after a murder connected to a community payback group. The cases this season range from a coastal fishing village to the world of mid-Wales rugby, with a returning ensemble joined by a strong run of guest stars including Liz Carr. It aired in the UK from May 2026; this ranking will be revisited once US viewers have had a chance to watch.
Main Characters and Cast
Timothy Spall
John Chapel — the retired star of a long-running fictional TV detective show, now a reluctant real-life investigator in Mid Wales. Also known for Mr Turner, Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter films, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and The Sixth Commandment.
Gwyneth Keyworth
Janie Mallowan — a Welsh police officer promoted to Detective Inspector in Season 2, who brings John in as a consultant. Also known for playing Clea in Game of Thrones, plus Defending the Guilty and Misfits.
Steffan Rhodri
DCI Barry Clarke — Janie and John's senior officer at Mid Wales Police. Also known for playing Dave Coaches in Gavin & Stacey and for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.
Alexandria Riley, Melanie Walters & Rithvik Andugula
Dr Helen Baxter, Yvonne Mallowan (Janie's mother), and DC Evan Chaudhry all return for Season 2. Riley is also known for The Pembrokeshire Murders, The End of the F***ing World, and Silo.
Owen Teale
Michael Mallowan — Janie's estranged father, who returns this season and complicates her already strained family life.
Liz Carr
Fiona Challoner — a sharp-tongued new character, played by an actress British mystery fans will know as Clarissa Mullery on Silent Witness.
Jane Horrocks, Alexandra Roach & More
A strong run of guest stars passes through Mid Wales this season, including Jane Horrocks, Alexandra Roach, Roisin Conaty, Jim Howick, Mark Lewis Jones, Hammed Animashaun, and Asim Chaudhry.
What Makes the Series Special
A Former TV Detective, Playing It for Real
The show's hook is the gap between playing a detective on television and actually solving crimes — John's old TV-honed instincts occasionally pay off and occasionally don't, and the series stays gently self-aware about which is which rather than treating him as a secret genius.
A Cozier Take on the Crime Drama
What made the first season likeable hasn't changed in Season 2 — 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, rather than a gritty procedural.
Rural Mid Wales, On Screen
Filmed on real locations around Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, the show leans into its Welsh setting — small communities, coastal villages, and the countryside — as part of its cozy appeal rather than treating it as interchangeable background.
Setting and Filming Locations
Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
Death Valley is filmed on location in South Wales, with the cast based in Cardiff. Scenes set in the show's fictional village were largely shot in Penarth (including its pier and the Brød Bakery outlet, used as John's favourite café), while the police station scenes were filmed in Mountain Ash. John's cottage was filmed in St Hilary in the Vale of Glamorgan, a manor house at Insole Court in Llandaff appears in the show, and Cowbridge and the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog National Park), including the Blaen y Glyn waterfalls, have also been used as locations.
Watch the Trailer
More Trailers on British TV Hub — Trailers & Previews →
Frequently Asked Questions
How many seasons and episodes does Death Valley have?
Two seasons so far, with six episodes each. The BBC hasn't announced a third season as of this guide.
When does Death Valley Season 2 premiere in the US?
Season 2 premieres on BritBox on November 17, 2026, with new episodes arriving weekly.
Do I need to watch Death Valley in order?
It isn't required, since each case is largely self-contained, but John and Janie's relationship and the wider Mid Wales Police ensemble develop across both seasons, so watching Season 1 first adds useful context for Season 2.
Who stars in Death Valley?
Timothy Spall plays retired TV detective actor John Chapel, alongside Gwyneth Keyworth as Detective Inspector Janie Mallowan. Steffan Rhodri, Alexandria Riley, Melanie Walters, and Rithvik Andugula also return for Season 2, joined by Owen Teale as Janie's estranged father and guest star Liz Carr.
Is Death Valley filmed in Wales?
Yes. It's filmed on location around Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, with scenes shot in Penarth, Mountain Ash, Cowbridge, St Hilary, and the Brecon Beacons.
If you like Death Valley, try these
See the Full List: Shows Like Death Valley →Five British TV Picks. Every Sunday.
Your weekly guide to what to watch next, plus what’s new on BritBox and Acorn TV.