Inspector Mathias - Mord in Wales

I cannot help but love this series.

It is taciturn and bleak - and must have been derived from Scandi-noir. There are some duff episodes, but it continues to redeem itself. Patently, they never film in summer - I cannot imagine that Aberystwyth labours under a perpetual gloom - but like 'The Killing' it always seems brooding and gloomy.

I would like it to be a little more shocking in effect, but suspect it has to be aimed at a mainstream audience so can't tread that path.

It could be more expansive in the intricacies of the plot, and build the relationships of the protagonists - the latter appear to be much the same as episode one regardless of the passage of time.

Whatever, I really, really like it.

I just binge-watched the first season of the show. Not because it was gripping, or exceptional. Mostly because the episodes (mind you, all have proper movie length) have a drilling undertone to them,that grows on you like the moss on those Welsh rocks you see all over the place.

The set-up is, I would guess, the new neo-noir (at least I would place them there). It kinda sombre, somewhat depressing, especially when you look at the bleak landscape and the crap weather. And it seems all the 'movies' take place in autumn or even winter. The Welsh title is "Y gwyll", the dusk. So, even the colours are kinda dim and gone. That is a real plus.

What really bugs me (and at the same time kept me watching it) are the hints given concerning the characters, both the protagonists, as well as the antagonists, but mostly the protagonists. Little will be told about their motives or the background, and much (much TOO much) will be left to the imagination. However, the characters that suppose to drive the show are, as is the land around them, somewhat bleak and dull, too. Tom Mathias strikes me as a fully-functional, yet utterly depressed. In terms of acting all characters look very real, it's almost like talking to you neighbour.

The movies lack action and purely draw their power from the fact that all involved are somewhat 'broken'. So, if it's some gloomy and depressing real-life crime-drama you want, watch this. And since it's winter in the northern hemisphere, they fit in quite nicely. It's like listening to Norwegian Black Metal, whilst driving through the snowy and desolate peaks of northern Scandinavia. Then you know how this music came about or what kind of mood it is supposed transport. The movies work employing the same tactic, IMO.

One big plus is the slow pace, paired up with nice suspense. Something most movies (or shows) seek to avoid by bright colours, action and flashy detectives. All in all it kind of reminds me of a rural, Welsh/British "True Detective". And the use of Welsh yields some credibility. I am hoping for a second season, and I hope for some more insight into the minds of the protagonists. I'd also like to see some more character development (towards bad or good, I do not care).

(S2 update)

So I finished the second series and I am rather taken with it. The character development is still rather slow, but there is enough to work with in order to get a good read on the characters. Also, I am rather surprised that there is so much crime in such a small community. By now the population of the region it is set in should have dropped significantly ;) We're talking some 70k in the region surrounding Aberystwyth. The filming and directing has improved slightly, IMO. There are, however, some plot strands that feel a bit 'forced'. But it's not terribly bad or outlandish. Especially the tie-ins with older cases. I would have expected something like that much earlier (and on a greater scale) considering the small community (see above). All in all a good and worthy continuation of the series- still dark and depressing. And I've found myself enjoying the Welsh parts; a very interesting language.

(S3 update)

The good news is that the pace of the series has not been changed. Pretty much everything that made it great is still there. The writers did a really good job of both coming up with new cases, as well as weaving those past cases and some new plot twists into the overall arc. I also liked the steady, yet moderate, progression of the character development. It might be just me, but I would say that overall acting has slightly improved - maybe because the supporting roles were fleshed out a bit, not sure though and it just might be a gut feeling. The landscape is still dreary, desolate and depressing - like most people who inhabit it. I really like this about Hinterland!

I have actually increased my rating after season 3 and I hope that I will be able to see more of this. Bravo, BBC Cymru!

For those asking, yes the series will continue, not least because the Scands want it to after it was sold to Denmark. The actors say it was the hardest thing they have done, filming it back-to-back in Welsh and then English, but was well worth it.

Hinterland not only refers to the setting in the hills and sea coasts around Aberystwyth and Mid-Wales but to the plot lines where all the crimes have a backstory or hinterland of their own. It also refers to each individual character and not just the leads. There is no cardboard cut-out anywhere and all have motives and biases deeply rooted in the unknown, thus far, past which has made them who they are. I know a real-life person just like every character portrayed so far, got them spot on.

If you like shoot-em-up all-action fantasy this is not for you since scenes can be silent and slow, revealing emotion and thought processes but if you have any liking for fringe cultures such as Scandinavian noir then dig in. The tension is often unbearable not least the tension waiting for the next series.

Dark, brooding, atmospheric, haunting, understated Beautiful hauntingly appropriate music. The magnificent landscape is a major player as it always is in Welsh life. The characters are at one with their surroundings deeply moulded by the dark forebidding landscape. The use of Welsh is as it is. Welsh interspersed with English or English interspersed with Welsh. I love this touch of realism. All the people involved in the making of this series are home-grown and all due credit to them. Matthias lives in a caravan on the mountainside. How does he come to be living there? What is his unknown past? I live in a caravan myself in the north-west of England and spend several weeks of the winter tucked away in a cottage somewhere in Wales. Am I as dark, melancholy and troubled as Matthias? Probably. The stories and characters are complex and closely interwoven. Always maintaining tension and anticipation and achieving this within one self-contained episode rather than a whole series. Limiting this series to BBC2 Wales is to do it a dis-service. It should be more widely available for general viewing. I don't usually write reviews but I absolutely love this series. But don't overdo it and do it to death as happens with so many series. I only saw a couple of the episodes first time round so am looking forward to catching up with the ones I missed.

Excellent. Intriguing. Haunting. Beautiful and bleak. Strong characters and performances. So different than the shoot 'em up, soft core ridiculousness of US cop shows.

Perfect to binge. I'm having a tough time turning it off. I want to see what happens next and why. Interesting that they shoot in Welsh and English, takes a moment to get attuned to the accents and cadence.

Check it out! It really is good.

PS if you like this, take a peek at "Shetland". … another BBCgem.