By Becky Elms
Celebrate Wales this March by watching an original Welsh production. Y Gwyll, or Hinterland as it is known on Netflix, is a crime drama series. The four ninety minute episodes follow separate mysteries investigated by DCI Tom Mathias (Richard Harrington). Harrington plays a brooding and maverick cop that is struggling with the loss of his wife and children. This tortured cop routine may be all too common in this genre but it works well here to create an interesting storyline which links the episodes together. Although his stoney exterior is overdone, Harrington is strong as the lead and the mysteries are just as dark and compelling.
The best part of the show, for me, is the picturesque beauty of West Wales; it is the perfect mixture of bleak and beautiful and it embodies a character all of its own. Welsh culture also shines through when the actors speak Welsh. The original filming of the show was entirely in Welsh and I, personally, would be happy to sit through this version with subtitles. The language is beautiful to listen to and this leaves me questioning why Britain does not do more bilingual shows.
Overall, Y Gwyll is an impressive crime drama. Its stories draw you into the narrative and the acting it strong throughout. All this is perfected by the Welsh culture that permeates through it and is what makes Y Gwyll truly unique.
