We’ve already witnessed the rise of Nordic noir and South Korean survival dramas, but, when it comes to TV trends, could 2023 be the year of the Cymru Crime Thriller?
That’s what we’re hoping after streaming giant Netflix added its first Welsh language series to the UK version of its platform this April.
Dal Y Mellt was filmed around Wales and was originally broadcast on Welsh-language television channel S4C in 2022. Netflix UK picked it up earlier this year, including it in its library of films and TV shows available for streaming by users. The site added a new English language title to the show, Rough Cut, but retained the show’s Welsh dialogue (providing the option of subtitles in English).
The show, which is based on the novel by Welsh author Iwan 'Iwcs' Roberts, follows the trials and tribulations of Carbo, a young car thief who finds himself getting pulled deeper into an increasingly dark criminal underworld.
Gwenllian Gravelle, Head of Scripted Content at S4C, believes interest in the show has been aided by a recent surge in the popularity of international series, making English-speaking audiences more accustomed to watching shows using subtitles.
Speaking to the BBC, Gravelle said, ‘As we've been watching over the last few years, really popular series that aren't in English like Squid Games, Lupin and Money Heist show that if you have a good story, and if you have good drama, it will travel.’
‘There's an appetite for more drama, and I think we offer something unique through our productions,’ she added.
Though Dal Y Mellt is the first all-Welsh series to be picked up by the popular streaming platform, it is not the first breakout hit for Welsh language channel, S4C. Its series Y Gwyll, better known as Hinterland, became a global success following an initial run in Wales.
Uniquely, the show was filmed in both Welsh and English, with the actors performing most scenes in both languages. The Welsh version was broadcast on S4C while the English version (with some passages of Welsh dialogue) was aired by the BBC, ultimately going on to be shown in over 100 countries.
Dal Y Mellt is available to UK Netflix users now. The series is also available to watch on S4C’s own on demand service, S4C Clic, and BBC iPlayer.
Fancy yourself as a bit of a film buff? Learn about other movies and TV shows that are filmed in Wales.