Death Valley creator: “It often falls flat when crime thrillers make comedy”

They form an unconventional friendship and professional relationship, with John Chapel (Spall) helps the ambitious DS Mallowan (Keyworth) to get into the heads of their suspects in any case.

For Doolan, Death Valley represented the chance to write what he wanted to see on TV, and said Press that crime dramas are rarely “satisfactory” with comedic elements.

He explained: “I am a big Murder Mystery fan and a massive comedy fan, but they had the feeling that they hardly see them combined in a satisfactory way. So many crime exhibitions are relentlessly dark with these joyless, unresty detectives.

“When crime thrillers try to make a comedy, it often falls flat. They get this kind of excessive, cozy, twee sensitivity. Or a parody that is full of jokes but has no satisfactory secret.”

Doolan continued: “I wanted to see a comedy, a crime drama that was funny, but would still satisfy the people who love a real secret.”

The screenwriter is best known for his work on Trollier and Bloods from Sitcoms and admitted that it was initially “scary” to move into a different kind of show, but later saw a strong parallel between the developmental lago and the clues of a secret.

“You have to set up things to get back later, to surprise the audience and send it in the wrong direction,” he added.

“I think the comedy is sometimes looked up, but people forget with comedy that it still has the entire structure of a drama and has to be funny. Comedy is difficult.”

Death Valley will premiere on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at 8:15 p.m.

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