McDonald & Dodds
Mismatched detectives solve crimes in Bath.
McDonald & Dodds is a British crime drama on television, created and mainly written by Robert Murphy. The show centres on two mismatched detectives solving cases in and around Bath. Tala Gouveia plays DCI Lauren McDonald, a sharp former Metropolitan Police officer who moves to Bath to lead the Avon and Somerset Police CID. Jason Watkins stars as DS Dodds, a quiet, unassuming detective who hasn’t worked on the streets in over a decade.
The series was originally commissioned under the working title *Invisible*. Two pilot films were shot in summer 2019, forming the basis of the first series, which aired in March 2020. Strong ratings led to a second series in February 2021, and a third series followed in June 2022. In March 2023, ITV announced a fourth series, originally scheduled for April 2024 in the UK but delayed by scheduling issues. It eventually began airing in the UK on 21 July 2024. The fourth series premiered in Denmark on 20 March 2024 and in the United States on 23 May 2024. On 16 January 2025, the show was cancelled after four series due to falling ratings.
**Production**
The first series featured guest stars including Robert Lindsay, Hugh Dennis, Freddie Fox, and Joanna Scanlan. The second series, starting in February 2021, also had a star-studded guest cast led by Rob Brydon, whose role was heavily promoted ahead of the broadcast.
The final episode of the second series, *The War of the Rose*, was made available on BritBox outside the UK. By June 2022, it had not yet aired in the UK, despite DVD releases in Germany, Australia, and the United States. It was later decided to broadcast it as the third episode of Series 3 in the UK. Because of casting changes between series, running it third in Series 3 would have caused a continuity problem, so James Murray’s scenes were reshot with Claire Skinner. This created two versions of the episode: the international version with Murray as the Chief Super, and the UK version with Skinner in that role.
Filming for the third series took place in late 2021, with Skinner joining the cast as Chief Superintendent Mary Ormond after Murray’s departure. Guest stars for this series included Alan Davies, Sian Phillips, Paul McGann, and Kelvin Fletcher.
The fourth and final series began filming in late June 2023. Bhavik C. Pankhania joined the cast as DC Lee.
- Created by
- Robert Murphy
- First aired
- March 2020
- Final series aired
- July 2024
- Number of series
- 4
- Network
- ITV
- Setting
- Bath and surrounding region
- Cancellation date
- 16 January 2025
Lore & Background
Originally commissioned under the working title Invisible, a pair of films were shot during the summer of 2019, which make up the basis of the first series, broadcast in March 2020. Strong viewing figures saw a second series commissioned for 2021 and shown in February 2021. A third series was confirmed later and broadcast in June 2022. In March 2023, ITV announced that the show was renewed for a fourth series, which was scheduled to air in the UK in April 2024 but was delayed due to scheduling conflicts. Series 4 began airing in the UK on 21 July 2024. Series 4 began airing in Denmark on 20 March 2024 and in the United States on 23 May 2024. On 16 January 2025, the drama was cancelled after four series due to a decline in ratings.
Reader's Guide
McDonald & Dodds stands as a notable entry in the British crime drama genre, distinguished by its Bath setting and the contrast between its two leads: a streetwise female DCI from the Met and a shy, desk-bound DS. The series ran for four series from 2020 to 2024, with each series featuring an ensemble of guest stars. A unique production challenge arose with the episode 'The War of the Rose,' originally the Series 2 finale but aired in the UK as part of Series 3 after reshoots to accommodate cast changes, resulting in two versions of the episode. The show's cancellation in January 2025 due to declining ratings marked the end of its run, but its distinctive pairing and regional setting left a mark on television crime drama.
Did You Know?
- The episode 'The War of the Rose' exists in two versions: an international version with James Murray and a UK version with Claire Skinner.
- Series 4 began airing in Denmark on 20 March 2024, before its UK broadcast on 21 July 2024.
- The title sequence from Series 2 features a question mark that transforms into the title's ampersand.
More in British crime television series 1-24
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