Expect gritty murders, iconic locations and even a trace of the supernatural when Van Der Valk returns to ITV this summer.
The Amsterdam-based crime drama – a hit remake based on Nicolas Freeling’s legendary crime thrillers – is back for a thrilling third series, once again placing Marc Warren in the titular role of steely-eyed cop Piet Van Der Valk.
Maimie McCoy will return as his right-hand woman, Inspector Lucienne Hassell, alongside Darrell D’Silva as team pathologist Hendrik Davie and Emma Fielding as Chief Commissaris Julia Dahlman.
New cast members include Sergeants Citra Li, played by Django Chan-Reeves, and Eddie Suleman, played by Azan Ahmed.
It’s set to be another epic series, promises co-writer and showrunner Chris Murray.
“As ever, with each film we wanted to take our audience into an Amsterdam world we hadn’t explored before,” he says, teasing three more homicides, spanning everything from the world of drug smuggling to a cold case and a climatic magical ritual.
“We’re confident this series builds on our previous success and keeps the show moving forward.”
OK, we’re intrigued. But what else can Hustle actor Warren, 56, and The Muskateers star McCoy, 44, tell us?
CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN SERIES THREE?
MW: So we’ve got three feature length episodes; the first is about a group of freerunners, which also gets into some drugs. The second film is a cold case from 20 years ago when I used to work in Rotterdam and it’s come back to haunt me. Part of the story features true crime and there is a real fascination with that genre.
The third episode is about the occult and summoning demons. And this is probably where Chris and I divide a bit. I did a drama called Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, where I played the King of the Fairies, and what I learnt from that is you don’t mess with the fairy world and all that stuff. I have great respect for it. I don’t practise any of it. I would never get involved. There are a lot of powerful forces around…
AND WHERE DO WE FIND LUCIENNE, MAIMIE?
MM: She was pretty shaken up by the end of season two, with the return of her ex-girlfriend, but she’s back to her best self and really excelling at work. We really see her come into her own, alongside Van Der Valk, and then having that new injection of energy from the two new characters as well, so she’s stepping into more of a position of authority, as they’re relatively inexperienced underneath her.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE NEW CHARACTERS?
MM: So we’ve got Django (Chan-Reeves) who plays Citra, another woman on the team, which was a great shift in dynamics. A welcome one. She’s really sharp, she’s really keen, she’s very analytical and she’s wanting to do well, which Lucienne welcomes.
MW: And you’ve got Eddie Suleman, played by Azan Ahmed. He’s a bit of a loose cannon. In a way, he’s there to remind me a bit of me and my younger days. It’s really hard for (actors) to come into an established company but they fit right in. And they’re just learning the job, which you do on a series like this. It’s like an apprenticeship. It certainly was for me, when I was their age, just learning and watching what everybody does.
ANY NEWS ON PIET’S LOVE LIFE?
MW: Piet’s love life is always complicated. He’s in an on-off relationship with Lena, played by Loes Haverkort. Loes is another one who just knocked it out of the park, so everybody wanted more of her character Lena. And this series is working that out. Like, what’s going to happen to them? She’s a real breath of fresh air and really lights up the screen. It’s great to work with her.
DO WE SEE MORE OF PIET’S DRY HUMOUR THIS SERIES?
MW: Yes, he is dry, and what I wanted to do with season three is to bring out the humour more and have a bit more fun with it. As an actor, certainly in my 30s, if I think of when I did Hustle, people liked me to be quite twinkly and look a bit like I’m trouble. And so I suppose I’ve been trying to incorporate more twinkle. I’ve been developing that with Chris. I think we’ve found a good dry humour, so there’s more smiles.
HOW DID YOU ENJOY BEING BACK IN AMSTERDAM?
MM: For me, its heaven. It’s like my second home. That was the biggest joy of this job for me, discovering that city. And we’ve had three years now so I’ve got friends very separate from work who live there and who have families there, so my experience with the city is very rich.
MW: It’s a very different experience for me as I’ve always been very solitary. But I really love the place; it’s very beautiful and working there for a few months is incredible. If you’re cycling along on the bikes, there’s a tremendous sense of freedom.
FINALLY, ANY FAVOURITE MEMORIES FROM FILMING THIS TIME AROUND?
MM: The highlight of this season is my working relationship with Marc. I think that’s really blossomed this year. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe it’s just because we’ve been doing it for so long together but we’re having loads of fun. We’re very, very silly together so we laugh a lot. I assume that’s coming across on screen but it’s made it really joyful.
MW: Something that genuinely happened on this job, bearing in mind this is series three… I was walking on to set after lunch and I don’t know why but I suddenly went, ‘Oh, wow. This is a really great job with really lovely people and you’re playing the main character in it’. It was like it just hit me. It is like a family. You create a world and it’s like a bunch of misfits. We’re just this group and they’re really watchable, talented actors. It’s a great fortune and it’s something that I know in years to come I’ll look back on and think, ‘Wow, you were a lucky boy’.
Van Der Valk returns to ITV and ITVX on Sunday June 18.