Fancy being sucked into the escapades of two perfectly mismatched detectives? Then let us introduce you to McDonald & Dodds, the very watchable detective drama that takes us to the beautiful city of bath where, well, there’s rather a lot of crime. It’s charming, it’s comforting and it’s so entertaining you’ll almost certainly keep returning for more.
The British series, which first aired on ITV in 2020, welcomes the smart and ambitious DCI McDonald (Tala Gouveia) and the shy but quietly brilliant DS Dodds (Jason Watkins) who have rather a lot of whodunnits to solve. There’s a body in a railway tunnel, a hot air balloon death and even the death of an up-and-coming Formula 1 driver.
With all four series now available to binge on ITV, here’s everything you need to know about McDonald & Dodds before you watch it, including the plot, cast and how to tune in.
What is McDonald & Dodds about?
The detective drama takes us to Bath where we meet the titular Lauren McDonald (Tala Gouveia) and DS Dodds (Jason Watkins). DCI McDonald is wildly ambitious while DS Dodds is shy and assuming - and yet they’re equally good at solving crimes.
DCI McDonald has recently transferred from London’s Met Police, whereas DS Dodds, has been happy in the background for most of his career – but that’s all about to change. It seems that in Bath, there’s an awful lot of crime taking place – and not your average kind. The pair find themselves dealing with everything from a hot air balloon death to the murder of an absconder from a local rehab clinic.
While the first series, which first aired on ITV in 2020 consisted of only two episodes, three further series were commissioned, with the show building up a loyal fan base. Sadly, McDonald and Dodds won’t return for a fifth series, but there are 11 episodes available that should keep you occupied (and thoroughly entertained) for a quite some time.
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Star Jason Watkins, who you might have seen recently in Channel 5's The Game, told Radio Times that audiences can expect to see some similarities between him and his character: “There is a bit more of Jason in Dodds than I would probably admit!" he shared.
"That’s one of the reasons I like playing him really. I mean how much of an alpha male am I? You could say I hide behind characters in my work, just as Dodds hides behind his work. Also, like Dodds, I don’t like confrontation, so we share that characteristic. I only get confrontational under extreme stress - like homeschooling perhaps!"
"Looking at him, he is older than me, both in spirit and age. He dresses older than he is, all that kind of sports casual stuff. It’s very beige! That is certainly not me. He could be my dad’s younger brother. At one point, we tried to make his wardrobe more colourful, but on reflection that seemed wrong - his clothes really do state who he is.”
Who’s in the cast of McDonald & Dodds?
The main cast of McDonald & Dodds includes:
- Jason Watkins (The Game, The Crown)
- Tala Gouveia (Cold Feet)
- Pearl Chanda (I May Destroy You)
- James Murray (The Crown) as Chief Superintendent Houseman (series 1-2)
- Claire Skinner (The Lady) as Chief Superintendent Mary Ormond (series 3-4)
- Danyal Ismail (Virdee) as DC Martin Malik
- Jack Riddiford (Dunkirk) as DC Darren Craig (series 1-2)
- Lily Sacofsky (Bancroft) as DC Milena Pachiorkowski (series 2-3)
- Charlie Chambers (His Dark Materials) as DC Samuel Goldie (series 3–4)
- Bhavik C. Pankhania (World on Fire) as DC Lee (series 4)
Is there a trailer for McDonald & Dodds
Yes, you can watch the trailer for McDonald & Dodds below.
Is McDonald & Dodds worth watching?
Absolutely! It’s a very watchable, escapist series with brilliant chemistry between the two mismatched detectives. If you fancy watching something hard-hitting, this won’t be the series for you, but if you enjoy a show that’s undemanding, entertaining and, at times, pretty heartwarming, there’s a lot to like about McDonald & Dodds.
Where can I watch McDonald & Dodds?
You can watch all four series of McDonald & Dodds now on ITVX.
What other detective dramas can I watch now?
For another dose of escapism, we’d recommend Frankie Drake Mysteries. The titular Frankie Drake (Lauren Lee Smith) is the first female private detective in 1920s Toronto and you can expect jewel thefts, kidnappings and even a bit of espionage. You can watch Frankie Drake Mysteries on Prime Video. If you fancy being transported to the south of France, check out Murder in Provence. The series follows Antoine Verlaque (Roger Allam) as he solves murder cases alongside his criminal psychologist girlfriend Marine Bonnet (Nancy Caroll). Murder in Provence is available to watch now on ITVX.
