Hinterland

Set in the rugged and remote terrain of the spectacular Ceredigion landscape in Wales, Hinterland is an intense, atmospheric crime thriller that premiered on S4C, a Welsh-language television broadcaster, in 2013 and continued its successful run until 2016. Commissioned under the original title "Y Gwyll" (meaning The Dusk in Welsh), Hinterland was primarily shot in both Welsh and English, propelling Welsh noir into the international arena as an exciting new branch of the broader celebrated genre.

The central figure in Hinterland is the troubled yet fundamentally decent Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Tom Mathias. Brought to life by actor Richard Harrington, Mathias is a brooding and enigmatic character with a tortured past, who has left behind a career mired in scandal with London's Metropolitan Police to take charge of the fictionally located Aberystwyth Police. A consistent narrative strand throughout the series explores Mathias' own personal demons, an exploration that is woven into the series' main storyline, without detracting from the main crime cases that are central to each episode.

The narrative maintains its focus on Mathias and his loyal, though increasingly exasperated, deputy, Detective Inspector Mared Rhys, played by Mali Harries. Rhys, at once stern yet compassionate, serves as a figurative foil who attempts to balance out Mathias’ inscrutability and emotional turmoil. Their dynamic is both complex and engaging, bolstered by their shared commitment to justice and their command of local knowledge and understanding of the close-knit community they serve.

The courageous duo is backed up by an equally competent team, including the robust Detective Sergeant Sian Owens and astute Police Constable Lloyd Elis. Together, they tackle a series of challenging and intriguing criminal investigations that reveal the rural area’s dark underbelly, from mysterious disappearances to grim murders.

While Hinterland advances its gripping and stark police investigation narratives, the show truly distinguishes itself by using its unique location of mid-Wales as an essential character in itself, depicting it as an incredibly beautiful yet hauntingly desolate location. The isolated homesteads, imposing mountains, sweeping beaches, and forbidding forests form the backdrop to the series, their inherent beauty and solitude mirrored in our hero's complex and solitary character.

Hinterland also places great emphasis on the close-knit but often isolated nature of rural life and displays the specific cultural identity of the area, ranging from its language to its customs. The relationship between the English-speaking newcomers and the Welsh-speaking locals serve as a backdrop to the human stories being told within the series.

Season per season, Hinterland channels a mix of emotion, relationship dynamics, and harsh realities of rural life into comprehensive storytelling, drawing audiences into the character’s lives and experiences. The tonal approach of the series tends towards the atmospheric and moody, with heavy use of shadows and cloudy skies to reflect the tumultuous emotions and grueling circumstances often found in the narrative.

Utilizing consistently impressive performances, stunning cinematography, and compelling narratives, Hinterland presents a gritty and layered portrayal of crime and its impact on a small community, blending suspense with the exploration of human nature. It's an intriguing blend of police procedural and character study, steeped in the lore and flavor of its distinct location.

In summary, Hinterland manages to deliver a marvelous crime series exploring the unseen complexities of Welsh life. With a moody and atmospheric vibe akin to Scandinavian noir, it presents audiences worldwide a chilling blend of mystery, local culture, and deeply brooding, complicated characters. The combination of intense narrative arcs, intricate character relationships, and immersion into the haunting beauty of the Welsh landscapes ensures that once you start watching, it will be hard to stop following the journeys - both personal and professional - that the Hinterland detectives undertake.