Van Der Valk

Season 1 BBC First (*119) 20:00 Action (See sidebar) What it’s all about: Dutch detective Piet van der Valk uses his streetsmarts to solves crimes in Amsterdam. Episode 1 Piet connects seemingly unrelated cases to the worlds of art and politics.

Season 1 BBC First (*119) 20:00 Action

If you’re older than 40, you’ll remember the name Van der Valk – it was a chilled detective show about a streetwise cop in Amsterdam from 1972 to 1992. It was based on the books by Nicholas Freeling, and has been rebooted in

2020 with Marc Warren (Danny Blue in Hustle, 2004-2012) taking centre stage as Dutch detective Piet van der Valk. “We wanted a show that felt contemporary, modern and at ease with itself,” says writer Chris Murry. “It’s a procedural without being stuck on procedure.”

But what makes Van der Valk’s style perfect for Amsterdam? “Van der Valk reflects ‘his’ city. He’s seen it all, done it all, lived a life and mirrors the energies of Amsterdam, its multicultural, multiracial mix of tolerance and liberalism,” says Chris. The showrunner wanted to make Piet relatable and a good leader, which is why British actor Marc was cast. “I was interested in finding a lead detective who was a real person. We should believe, as I think we do with Marc, that this man has lived a life. He isn’t dull. There is a self- deprecation to him rooted in strength. He’s not perfect but neither is he embittered – not one of those dark, brooding, screwed-up cops we’ve seen a hundred times.”

Blink and you’ll miss it though – the first season is only three episodes. “We initially had a mini-series order so we kept it short and contained,” says Marc, who revealed that while the COVID-19 didn’t impact season 1, they’ve had to push filming of season 2 out to September. “The viewer response has been fantastic. I think they have enjoyed the fact that we’re not trying to be the original and that we are doing our own thing, just borrowing Piet’s city.”