BritBox Plants Offbeat Welsh Drama 'Tree on a Hill' In February Lineup

If you love Wales and Welsh culture but have somehow only ever managed to watch Welcome to Wrexham, it’s time to fix your life. Welsh dramas are growing in terms of both volume and popularity. With the rise of what’s commonly referred to as “Welsh noir,” stories like Rough Cut (Dal y Mellt), The One That Got Away (Cleddau), and Hidden are more popular than ever. Many of them are shot in dual languages (yes, that essentially means making the whole show twice) and play key roles in helping bring Welsh culture — and specifically the Welsh language —back into the mainstream.

The latest Welsh series to join their ranks and cross the pond is Tree on a Hill (Pren ar y Bryn), a dark comedy-drama that premiered to strong reviews on the BBC last year. It was shot in both English and Welsh. The series hails from Ed Thomas, creator of the popular police procedural Hinterland (Y Gwyll), and was filmed on location in Ystradgynlais at the edge of the Brecon Beacons. Described as a show “laced with humor and a touch of the absurd,” Tree on a Hill embraces the characters, communities, and landscapes of its unique setting.

Nia Roberts (Steeltown Murders) and Rhodri Meilir (In My Skin) star as Clive and Margaret Lewis, an oddball married couple whose quiet lives are changed forever when they find themselves on the wrong side of the law.