'Van der Valk' Episode 3: Why Piet's death could have helped salvage the lackluster finale
Spoilers for 'Van der Valk' Episode 3 'Death in Amsterdam'
Having reviewed the first two episodes of the PBS remake of 1972 original, Van der Valks' last installation continued to follow the pattern of failing subtly. In the series' efforts to pull off characters that are detached to their feelings, they had involuntarily put more focus on them instead of what could have been crimes that would have shocked many. The premise of a crime procedural, as we see it, should not draw away from the crime at hand at the very least - if it does, it better be for a good plot-twisting reason. Unfortunately, lead Marc Warren's Piet van der Valk's dismissive genius personality and the lack of character development of any of the minor leads may have been the downfall of this show.
Our reviews have been consistent in the sense that the previous two episodes lacked enough intrigue to move forward as a favorite crime procedural, almost putting the genre to shame. We would have thought that the characters could pull the show from underwaters, but alas, Piet's distractive presence (yes, as the lead) drowned European-set detective series.
The series, even with its finale 'Death in Amsterdam' presented exaggerated cases mostly to attract audiences interested in different sides of politics and eco-friendly debates among many others as bait. The episode, like its counterparts, did not spend time on characters. Instead of evoking emotion, the episode yet again drags along another case that is entwined with yet another one that seemingly has Piet's life in danger. You would think that with the lead in danger, we, as the viewers would feel some sort of remorse. But, the truth is that if Piet died, that would have been more of a shock factor that any of the three crimes from each of the episodes combined. The last episode saw Job Cloovers, Piet's new assistant save his life and that was an interesting storyline that just happened to be at the end of the episode. All the ways Piet could have died or been hurt is shadowed with ambitious cases and Lucienne being stabbed instead.
As the lead character, Piet does not fill the role of the Dutch dog-loving detective that stares into space for dramatic effect and exudes an "I'm better than you" attitude everywhere he goes. His stoic expressions - whether he was happy or feeling guilt - didn't help his role in the series whatsoever. He had no makings of a lead and yet took up too much screen time.
With the series being a crime procedural, much of the drama is not carried on to the next episode. What's left is the personal effects of the characters, which was severely lacking in each of the three episodes. The finale, 'Death in Amsterdam' had the best crime case among the three episodes of the series, but its downfall had to be the lack of an "ending" with any of the characters. They finished up a case, rather two and that was that. If the series had more heart, we think that the characters had the potential to nurse the storyline into their favor. What we see is a separation, from the narrative and the characters resulting in an unwelcoming incohesive series. Each of the characters and their allusive attitudes did nothing to uplift the dreadful remake - their disdain to anything and anyone marked the lowest point of the series.