Everything to Remember about 'Van der Valk' Ahead of Season 2

The return of Van der Valk to television was one of Masterpiece's big debuts slotted for 2020. Like All Creatures Great and Small, it was a reboot of an older series fondly remembered by older viewers, though not one Masterpiece had technically been part of this first time around. Though Van der Valk could technically have been said to have rebooted twice during its 1970s and 1990s runs (only Barry Foster carried over as the titular detective over all three sets of two seasons), this time, it was with a completely new cast and 21st-century sensibility that would make it a modern hit.

However, like so many things, shutdowns and lockdowns upended plans for a quick follow-up season. By the time Season 2 debuts on Sunday, Sept. 25, it will have been almost two years to the day since the series was last on the air here in the states. Between everything that's happened from September 2020 until now, not to mention the strange elongating of time that occurred during the highly stressful periods, it's not a surprise that viewers may have forgotten quite a bit about what went down in Van der Valk Season 1.

Thankfully, the first season is only three feature-length episodes, and all three are streaming on PBS Passport, so those with the luxury of time can do a quick catch-up before the Sunday premiere. But for those who need the highlights, here's a recap of everything essential to remember about Van der Valk. The series stars Marc Warren (Beecham House) as the titular detective with Maimie McCoy (The Musketeers) as Lucienne Hassell, Van der Valk's invaluable partner. Their team includes Luke Allen-Gale as the hot-but-hapless Brad de Vries, Darrell D'Silva as perpetually-drunk-pathologist Dr. Hendrik Davie, Elliot Barnes-Worrell as the newbie Job Cloovers, and Emma Fielding as the big, cane-wielding boss, Julia Dahlman.