Hamish Macbeth (TV series)

Did You Know?

• The series was filmed on location in the village of Plockton, the larger port village of Kyle of Lochalsh and the surrounding area.
• All home media versions omit Series 1, Episode 4 ('West Coast Story') due to music rights clearance issues.
• In September 2023 the series was made permanently available on BBC iPlayer.

Synopsis

He dislikes involvement from Inverness police and sometimes seems more intent on keeping local petty criminals away from prison. Major running themes include Hamish's attraction to journalist Isobel Sutherland and aristocratic author Alexandra Maclean, the clairvoyance of his friend TV John McIver, the secret romance between teacher Esme Murray and shopkeeper Rory Campbell, the volatile marriage of publican Barney Meldrum and his wife Agnes, the schemes of the two Lachie MacCraes, the pipe-smoking Doc Brown, and Major Peregrine Maclean. The series was accompanied by Gaelic music of John Lunn.

Cast

Robert Carlyle plays PC Hamish Macbeth, a policeman in Lochdubh who is laid-back in dealing with inhabitants' quirky ways, works to avoid promotion or transfer by letting others take credit, and is more interested in keeping the peace than enforcing the law. Ralph Riach portrays John James McIver, known as TV John, Hamish's lanky older friend and confidant who got his nickname as the first man in Lochdubh to have a television set; he serves as Hamish's civilian assistant, manning the station and cooking meals, and is gifted with the sight. Shirley Henderson plays Isobel Sutherland, a reporter on The Lochdubh Listener in love with Hamish; Hamish later realises his love for her, but their relationship remains largely unrequited until she returns from a job in Glasgow and starts a relationship with him. Valerie Gogan plays Alexandra Maclean (Series 1–2), Major Maclean's daughter and a novelist who has an on/off relationship with Hamish; she breaks up with him after discovering he no longer has feelings for her and is in love with Isobel, then attempts to leave Lochdubh but falls down a muddy cliff and dies. Barbara Rafferty plays Agnes Meldrum, a landlady who runs the local pub with her husband Barney; it is later revealed that when she was 16 she had a son named Gavin whom she gave up for adoption, and he later reunites with her. Anne Lacey plays Esme Murray, the local teacher and owner of the boarding house. Brian Pettifer plays Rory Duncan Campbell, owner of the local grocery shop and a very close friend of Esme, whose nervous disposition leads him to try to keep their relationship secret with little success. Duncan Duff plays Dougal Alexander Fleming Brown, known as Doc, the kilt-wearing, pipe-smoking village doctor who appears to smoke marijuana. Jimmy Yuill and Billy Riddoch play Lachlan McCrae, Sr., a local schemer who does odd jobs of sometimes dubious legality, often relying on unlicensed sausages or other foodstuffs, but also does legitimate repair work and is treated with respect.