John Chapel was the one who was going to play Claudius in Death Valley season 1 episode 4, and the role is tied to the episode’s backstage Hamlet setup. The episode summary says John “seizes the chance to return to the spotlight as Claudius.”

Quick Scoop

  • Character: Claudius.
  • Who was going to play him: John Chapel.
  • Actor playing John Chapel: Timothy Spall.

Episode context

Episode 4 centers on a murder during rehearsals for a post-apocalyptic Hamlet , which is why the Claudius role comes up in the plot. John and Janie get pulled into the theatre chaos while the production is in progress.

Cast note

The series pages and episode guide both list John Chapel as a main character, and the episode synopsis specifically connects him with the Claudius role.

TL;DR: It was John Chapel who was going to play Claudius in episode 4.