Van Der Valk - General Discussion

[chitowngirl]

Amsterdam—city of bikes, boats, and bodies. At least, that’s the way steely-eyed cop Piet van der Valk sees his murder-infested beat. Marc Warren (Beecham House, The Good Wife) stars as the title character in Van der Valk an all-new, three-part series based on Nicolas Freeling’s legendary crime thrillers.

Co-starring are Maimie McCoy (Wallander) as Van der Valk’s right-hand woman, Lucienne Hassell; Luke Allen-Gale (Dominion) as the scruffy sergeant, Brad de Vries; and Elliot Barnes-Worrell (Jericho) as the squad’s brainy new guy, Job Cloovers. The recurring cast also includes Emma Fielding (Les Misérables) as Van der Valk’s incorruptible but indulgent boss, Julia Dahlman; and Darrell D’Silva (Game of Thrones) as the team’s hard-living, virtuoso pathologist, Hendrik Davie.

Together they face a trio of challenging cases that give a new slant to Amsterdam’s renowned sophistication, for it appears that the city’s stylishness and toleration go hand in hand with murder.

Premieres September 13 on PBS.

[magdalene]

I liked the first episode.  Great location. I enjoyed Marc Warren tackling a role different for him and the other police team was interesting too.  Loved the dog!    I wan't expecting much from the previews but I was hooked after 5 minutes.  I heard there are only 3 episodes in the first season but it was renewed for a second - and delayed because of Covid.  Hopefully they can start filming soon.  I want to see more.

[HelenBaby]

My partner & I liked it too mainly because we go to Amsterdam yearly (except this year) and it’s fun to say “we’ve been there.” But the story was interesting and it held our interest. Van der Valk’s love interest was played by Stephanie Leonidas, who was recently Violetta on Endeavour. 

[12catcrazy]

I enjoyed the show and didn't see the twist ending coming.  Another vote for the dog!  And it looks as if Van Der Valk is going to be another tortured soul cop with the wrong taste in women (seems like that is now a trope on British tv cop shows).  I wonder what the deal is with him and the woman cop - she sure likes to "poke" him about women he might be attracted to.  

[abbyzenn]

I enjoyed this.  I'm used to seeing the lead guy in Hustle so it was a little jarring to see him here so serious.  Good story and wonderful scenery.

[Driad]

1 hour ago, 12catcrazy said:

And it looks as if Van Der Valk is going to be another tortured soul cop with the wrong taste in women (seems like that is now a trope on British tv cop shows). 

Yes.  He may not get as emotionally attached to them as Morse did, though.

This lasted 1 hour 33 minutes in a 2-hour slot.  After the promo for next week and a bit of talk with the actors, I hoped they would show us something about Amsterdam.  Nope, the Tower of London.

[Irlandesa]

13 hours ago, 12catcrazy said:

I enjoyed the show and didn't see the twist ending coming.

I did see the twist coming.  Not necessarily all of the details but he got together with someone close, but not too close, to two of the victims in the case. 

The minute they had sex, I just felt like she was going to be involved.

I recorded this on a whim because I wanted to have another mystery series but I was afraid it'd be super serious.  I was glad to see the touches of humor and I ended up enjoying it.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Irlandesa

[dubbel zout]

I can't get past the fact that British actors with British accents speaking English all the time are playing Dutch policemen and no one says boo. I don't need a fancy explanation—it's a police exchange program is enough—but it drives me to such distraction that I might not watch another episode. Not to mention Van der Valk sleeping with a suspect. Such a tired and gross trope. And of course it doesn't get him or the case in trouble, when in reality it would be a huge issue.

It's a shame, because I love the Amsterdam location (I lived in Holland for five years as a kid) and the first story was interesting.

[HelenBaby]

I have a question. Did it show them hooking up or was it just implied? Before the reveal at the end, when they were kissing, I was like when did this happen? I knew they were flirting but I missed them getting together. I’m thinking here in Alabama maybe it was edited. 

[khyber]

PBS often edits shows to make them shorter. We saw in Cali what you saw in Bama.

[statsgirl]

Marc Warren looked so familiar to me but I couldn't place him. And then I realized that he was on Masterpiece Theatre a month ago playing the villain in Beecham House. He looks so different, and hot, here.

8 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I can't get past the fact that British actors with British accents speaking English all the time are playing Dutch policemen and no one says boo. I don't need a fancy explanation—it's a police exchange program is enough—but it drives me to such distraction that I might not watch another episode.

It was the same in the original Van Der Valk series which ran from 1972 - 1992 (interestingly only five seasons, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1991, 1992). Barry Foster played Van der Valk and the cast was British.  I think we're supposed to ignore the British accents.

Interesting

Quote

Born in London of English parents, he lived most of his life in France and Holland.

After Freeling killed off his hero Van der Valk, many fans were outraged. In Sweden and France, Freeling ceased to be published.

Did not turn to writing until his 30's. He served as a sous chef in seaside hotels and was employed at an Amsterdam hotel when the police, investigating an underworld ring, took him in for questioning and inadvertently inspired his writing career.

 

[dubbel zout]

15 hours ago, HelenBaby said:

Did it show them hooking up or was it just implied?

It didn't show them hooking up, but there was a discussion about how fiery the sex had been. That passion was partly what led Van der Valk to investigate the woman further, I think.

12 hours ago, statsgirl said:

I think we're supposed to ignore the British accents.

Huh. I'm not sure I can. Heh.

12 hours ago, statsgirl said:

After Freeling killed off his hero Van der Valk, many fans were outraged. In Sweden and France, Freeling ceased to be published.

Wow, that is holding a grudge! I'm kind of impressed at the same time I'm rolling my eyes.

[12catcrazy]

Anybody watch last night's episode (9/20, eps 2)?  Another one where I was confused as hell.  Talk about a convoluted story!  And now we're to speculate (along with the others on the team), whether the female cop ( I still dont know her name) and Van Der Valk actually did the nasty or only that she talked his ear off until 4 am

[Driad]

Ep 2 "Only in Amsterdam" confused me too, mainly because I was unclear on the men's names so I wasn't sure who they were talking about.  What Piet VDV and his colleague did or didn't do in the night doesn't matter to me because I don't think it matters to them.

[statsgirl]

Why is vdV so nasty to Job, the aptly named young black guy?

I pretty much like the regular cast on the show. The only character I don't like is Piet and unfortunately, that can be a deal breaker.

[FoundTime]

On 9/14/2020 at 11:54 AM, Driad said:

Yes.  He may not get as emotionally attached to them as Morse did, though.

This lasted 1 hour 33 minutes in a 2-hour slot.  After the promo for next week and a bit of talk with the actors, I hoped they would show us something about Amsterdam.  Nope, the Tower of London.

I don't think this is a spoiler, because I read it in a short article about the show in TV Guide, but Lucienne (love that name) is gay,  so whatever the deal is between her  and Van der Valk, it isn't That 😉

I noticed the program length thing with Endeavour too. Kind of a shame, the shows are three minutes too long to fit in a 90-minute time slot, so they have to pad the last half-hour. I had seen the Tower of London thing before and also got some nice interviews with the creators and cast of this show after the first ep. 

Had this on the DVR for a while as I wasn't sure if I would like it. Loved it. I like the team and the setting (the show uses it well) and I enjoyed seeing them piece everything together.  

Also? I could look at Marc Warren all. Day. Long.

[dubbel zout]

I had trouble keeping the names straight, too, and I didn’t like the nun plot at all. It felt very unnecessary. And Piet is awful and totally unprofessional to Job. What a jerk.

Still, I love the locations. Amsterdam is so pretty.

[chitowngirl]

They established Lucienne is gay in the first episode when VdV talked about women and relationship woes and she agreed.

I love that when they call each other, the ID says “Him” and “Her”.

I’m intrigued as to where Julia chugging morphine drinks is going to go 

Edited September 22, 2020 by chitowngirl

[seacliffsal]

For the second episode, I was surprised that they didn't verify the ID of the victim more thoroughly once they realized she had a twin.  It seemed more haphazard that they discovered the switch.  They should have asked the brother-he seemed to know right away.

Like others, I love the dog...

[magdalene]

It was totally unrealistic that they didn't know right away which twin died.  I know they did this for dramatic purposes but it took me out of the story and I am no forensic expert.

I want that dog - what a charmer.

[Driad]

I feel sorry for the dog. He is used to going out on investigations, but now he has to stay in the office. Maybe the dog could go out with the investigators, and Piet VDV could sit in the office being decorative?

As soon as they said the victim had a twin, I yelled "Fingerprints!" but they didn't hear me.

[LennieBriscoe]

On 9/14/2020 at 11:16 AM, HelenBaby said:

My partner & I liked it too mainly because we go to Amsterdam yearly (except this year) and it’s fun to say “we’ve been there.” But the story was interesting and it held our interest. Van der Valk’s love interest was played by Stephanie Leonidas, who was recently Violetta on Endeavour. 

So Stephanie Leonidas is the brunette go-to femme fatale to Natalie Dormer's blonde one! (I've been to A-dam four times and have quite the copper collection to prove it, haha! Love the museums, architecture, rijstaffels, canals, and breakfasts!)

I love this show! Very disappointed that I've only one episode left! Well, there's always Professor T., and in Dutch, too!

On 9/14/2020 at 11:36 AM, 12catcrazy said:

I enjoyed the show and didn't see the twist ending coming.  Another vote for the dog!  And it looks as if Van Der Valk is going to be another tortured soul cop with the wrong taste in women (seems like that is now a trope on British tv cop shows).  I wonder what the deal is with him and the woman cop - she sure likes to "poke" him about women he might be attracted to.  

She's gay, so yes, she's just a "poker" with VDV! (Sorry, posted before I read the above replies!)

Edited September 24, 2020 by LennieBriscoe

[LennieBriscoe]

On 9/16/2020 at 7:22 PM, HelenBaby said:

I have a question. Did it show them hooking up or was it just implied? Before the reveal at the end, when they were kissing, I was like when did this happen? I knew they were flirting but I missed them getting together. I’m thinking here in Alabama maybe it was edited. 

He was shown walking down her street the next morning. 😉 

Maybe the twin ID's were overlooked by Forensics because the doc was snockered!  🍺 

VDV is a jerk (somewhat) to Job because the former did not want an apprentice, a sidekick, or a newbie. Lucienne sufficed. (But Job was very clever about blocking the bar exit with trash bins!)

Edited September 24, 2020 by LennieBriscoe

[dubbel zout]

2 hours ago, LennieBriscoe said:

VDV is a jerk (somewhat) to Job because the former did not want an apprentice, a sidekick, or a newbie.

I really hate that trope. Part of being a boss is training new people. Suck it up, buttercup. Van Der Valk looks like a jerk when he's so rude and dismissive of Job, who's actually an excellent addition to the team.

[Andyourlittledog2]

I loved this show.  The English doesn't bother me any more than it does in Wallender. What drives me batty is when a show is in another language and the powers that be decide to dub it in English and you can't turn it off. It makes it unwatchable 98% of the time. 

I was watching happily until the public urinal scene. I was stunned and had to pause and Google them to make sure I understood what was going on.  So men are so gross that they piss in the streets and we have to provide them little almost-enclosures on street corners so they can whip it out and do it in public in the middle of the day now?  Good to know.  Blech.

Anyway.  I was looking for a new detective show and this fit the spot perfectly. I could get lost in watching the city alone.

[dubbel zout]

Better they pee in the pissoirs than on a random wall or someone's doorstep.

[Andyourlittledog2]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

Better they pee in the pissoirs than on a random wall or someone's doorstep.

Yes. But they shouldn't be doing either. That we have to accommodate the grossness annoys me. And I wouldn't want to find a public urinal (and if you google them you will find much more exposed versions of these things placed around cities in Europe and I think San Francisco - literally just out there for all to see on the street, no enclosures at all).  Maybe men should go in the direction of being less disgusting, is my point, rather than accommodate how disgusting they choose to be.

[buttersister]

Quote

I yelled "Fingerprints!" but they didn't hear me.

I think it more likely they ignored you. Along with, you know, good plotting/common sense.

[janeta]

1) Why were Job and what's-his-name not armed ?

2) Holy How-not-to-clear-your-field-of-fire, Job! 😮

3) Are we supposed to know who Annette is?

And yes, the English accents on most of the characters are annoying.

Edited September 28, 2020 by janeta

[Driad]

Episode 3 Death in Amsterdam: This series has such informative episode titles, eh?

Yay, Trojan the dog got to go out!

Why do women on TV who have sex keep their bras on?  At least Piet did not seem to have the classic L-shaped sheet.

I have never stitched an eyelid shut, but it looked to me as if the stitcher used a curved needle. Are those used in the fashion industry?

[janeta]

Sailmakers’ needles, sure. They’re better for heavier materials.

whoops, guess they’re calling them mattress needles these days... but sure, especially since DanHei were repurposing life vests...? Those are canvas usually, right?

Edited September 28, 2020 by janeta

[statsgirl]

There is a curved needle in my sewing kit. But in surgery

Quote

The curved needle has a predictable path through tissue and requires less space for maneuvering than a straight needle does. The semicircular path is the optimal course for sutures through tissue and provides an even distribution of tension

I usually don't mind the English accents but the terrible pronunciation of Rakoczi in episode 2 did me in.

[buttersister]

I still can't get over the difference a good haircut makes on Mark Warren.

[MrsKravitz]

I would rather have learned about Job’s backstory. No mom? Where’s he going? 
I don’t care about Piet. I know I am supposed to, and most of the moody broody detectives do at least eventually interest me. 

[dubbel zout]

14 hours ago, MrsKravitz said:

I don’t care about Piet. I know I am supposed to, and most of the moody broody detectives do at least eventually interest me. 

Same. Oh, he lost the love of his life in a tragic accident that he feels responsible for and will never get over. Zzzz. They could have at least shaken up the formula a bit and made it his husband instead of his wife. And Piet is still an asshole toward Job. It's really none of Piet's business what Job's private life is about. Piet is a giant hypocrite for being so judgmental when he never shares (except sometimes with Lucienne, and even then she usually is smart enough to figure things out on her own).

It was driving me crazy how familiar the actor playing Dani was, and once I looked him up, I realized he played Sam, one of Demelza's dunderhead brothers, on Poldark. This was another case that got a bit too complicated for its own good, but that amazing restaurant location was spectacular.

Edited September 28, 2020 by dubbel zout
belated spelling

[magdalene]

Amsterdam - the city where even the police wear designer clothes. No drab clothes for these detectives. Piet was an absolute ass all the way through to poor Job.  So what if Job is keeping a secret -  Piet is a secretive SOB himself.

Just when I was warming up to these people the first season is already over.

[LennieBriscoe]

13 hours ago, magdalene said:

Amsterdam - the city where even the police wear designer clothes. No drab clothes for these detectives. Piet was an absolute ass all the way through to poor Job.  So what if Job is keeping a secret -  Piet is a secretive SOB himself.

Just when I was warming up to these people the first season is already over.

Meanwhile, "Professor T.,"  the excellent and real Dutch police procedural, has 13 episodes per season! 

I don't really notice the British accents here, though. I mean, we've heard them as Nazis and ancient Romans,  so what the heck. "Hamilton," after all. 

Women, or, rather, actresses, here wear underclothes in sex scenes because....PBS.

Grow fabric from fungi? Well, I suppose cotton and linen are reasons enough to think it's plausible. But that's the kind of plot point I'd expect from "Elementary"!

Speaking of which---Irene Adler. Also Poirot's Countess Rossakoff, Monk's wife Trudy, Endeavour's Joan Thursday, and now Piet's Arlette. The dramatic cliche' of lost love to remind us that in even the most eccentric or hardened of detectives beats a human heart. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this brief series! 

[cardigirl]

The cliche of having the bad guy hold a gun on you and TALK to you long enough for someone else to sneak up on him and kill him drives me mad.  I guess it's supposed to be dramatic or something, but in real life, if the bad guy gets the drop on you, he's gonna shoot you.  No dramatic monologue.   

Otherwise, some interesting characters.  I like Marc Warren, but he deserved better direction or writing or something. 

[Driad]

1 hour ago, cardigirl said:

The cliche of having the bad guy hold a gun on you and TALK to you long enough for someone else to sneak up on him and kill him drives me mad.

"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" bathtub scene

[12catcrazy]

Just as I was getting into this show, it's over.  Oh well.   I think I said this previously, but I really like the team, except for Van Der Valk himself who seems to be something of an asshole.   So his wife/girlfriend/whatever died in a car crash caused by some Big Bad who was apparently Van Der Valk's mentor who went Darth Vader.   So, he's angry and "tortured" and nasty to the team newbie who has more than deserved a few attaboys - rolling eyes here.    I think one of the reasons that I like Midsommer Murders so much is that the main detectives are happily married and seem very non-neurotic and generally happy.   So unlike just about every other lead detective in these British cop shows.  

So now we know why the Chief is injecting herself with morphine... that will probably be the focus of a future show.   And I love the forensics guy - he is a trip and a half!   Well, we now have to see how the next Masterpiece series goes - looks like some kind of thriller involving a widow and her adult children and the guy she starts dating.  "'Dirty John" anyone?

[sas616]

On 9/28/2020 at 10:54 AM, dubbel zout said:

Same. Oh, he lost the love of his life in a tragic accident that he feels responsible for and will never get over. Zzzz. They could have at least shaken up the formula a bit and made it his husband instead of his wife. And Piet is still an asshole toward Job. It's really none of Piet's business what Job's private life is about. Piet is a giant hypocrite for being so judgmental when he never shares (except sometimes with Lucienne, and even then she usually is smart enough to figure things out on her own).

It was driving me crazy how familiar the actor playing Dani was, and once I looked him up, I realized he played Sam, one of Demelza's dunderhead brothers, on Poldark. This was another case that got a bit too complicated for its own good, but that amazing restaurant location was spectacular.

I KNEW that guy was familiar, but could not place him.  So thanks for taking the time to check it out.  

[magdalene]

On 9/29/2020 at 2:37 PM, 12catcrazy said:

And I love the forensics guy - he is a trip and a half!  

He is my favorite!  Well, he and the dog.

[LisaM]

I liked this a lot and hope that they continue to make more. I like the relationship between Lucianne and Van Der Valk and the new guy intrigues me. I also like the briefings in the bar with the assistance of the homeless man. 

[LisaM]

Per Variety, the 50th season of Masterpiece will include the next season of Van Der Valk in the Fall of 2021. 

[chitowngirl]

Season 2 starts tomorrow night on PBS!

[chitowngirl]

SO glad this was less confusing than season 2 of Guilt!😆

[Broderbits]

I thoroughly enjoyed that, well written script with some humor to relieve the darkness. And a new canine friend!

[dubbel zout]

I'm glad to see they toned down Piet's assholishness toward everyone. Still bored with his "I don't do commitment" attitude. 

What exactly does Brad bring to the team? He was on dating apps during work hours (I know that ended up working in his favor, but he's not being paid to find a lady friend), he seems, uh, undereducated, and not just in comparison to the rest of the team. He's not even very good muscle. I guess he's supposed to be comic relief? I wish they made him smarter, though. It's not a very good reflection on the Amsterdam police. Heh.

I laughed when Piet said "Brace yourself" to his boss when they visited the dead lawyer's husband at the rooftop pool and he once again emerged naked.

I liked how the case related somewhat to the history of Amsterdam. In that bit after the show, the creator talked about wanting to give viewers tourist Amsterdam (canals, bikes, etc.) but also dig a little deeper, and I thought this episode did a nice job with that. I loved the opening shot of the traditional windmill and then the wind farm.

[zoey1996]

I live near a wind farm, and those mesmerize me! Interesting to see them near Amsterdam. I enjoy the team dynamic. I have a clearer idea of who everyone is thus far, and followed the case OK. 
Loved Sniffer and the idea of Julia and Piet as co-owners, with Julia the responsible one and Piet the indulgent one.

[statsgirl]

I enjoyed this one more than season 1. Maybe it's because

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

they toned down Piet's assholishness toward everyone

I agree that his 'don't do commitment/won't say what he does' attitude has lost any charm although that was a super meet-cute with Lena. They better justify this because as a personality quirk it's a fail.

I felt sorry for Tonie, not in the least for Ruud.  I need to brush up on Spinoza because I didn't know that he was also a philosopher..

I'm still having trouble with the regional English accents for a series set in Amsterdam. (The 1972 series seemed to be more BBC English)

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

What exactly does Brad bring to the team?

My PBS station did a "Van der Walk Season 2" video. IIRC, the actor playing Brad said that he brings humour to the tream.