'Van der Valk' Season 4 Gets Messy with "Safe in Amsterdam"

Van der Valk is back for another season, so get out your black knit sweaters, pop up the collar on your coat, and find some dreary water to contemplate murder clues. The titular detective (Marc Warren) is back in Amsterdam for Season 4 and is already getting his hands dirty in the season premiere of the first two-parter, "Safe in Amsterdam." He's brought in to investigate the murder of a whistleblower about to testify at the trial of Bibi Franken (Anastasia Hille), only to find that his ex-flame Kalie (Kim Riedle) was in charge of security when the murder took place. An awkward reunion is had by all, much to Lucienne (Maimie McCoy)'s amusement. At least someone enjoys our lead detective, if sardonically.

There's no love lost between Piet and Kalie as he ribs her about letting the witness get murdered and even starts snarking at her that she could be the murderer. Shortly afterward, Piet discovers the assailant still hiding in the house but apprehends him with the help of Hendrik (Darrell D'Silva). With at least one witness gone, Van Der Valk is sent to guard the second witness for the trial, Bibi's son Daan (Ben Baat).

Bibi is ahead of the police force, though, because she has a bomb waiting for Daan's car when he arrives at the court building the following day. It kills him and his driver, while Van der Valk and Daan's lawyer, Anton de Haas (Mandela Wee Wee), manage to escape mostly unscathed. (Not so easy to keep these witnesses alive, now is it?) To make matters worse, Eddie (Azan Ahmed) is kidnapped while watching Daan's safehouse, and the team has no idea where he could be.