Five minutes after finishing the latest episode of McDonald & Dodds (ITV1), I’d forgotten the finer points of the plot and the names of half of the characters. Actually, if I’m honest, I kept forgetting them while I was watching it. But that’s the thing about this series: it operates on good vibes rather than brilliant plotting and characterisation. It’s just a pleasurable watch, which is quite a rare thing to find these days so I’m not knocking it.
Of course, there is one good character: Jason Watkins as DS Dodds, a middle-aged vision in beige and the antithesis of TV’s usual alpha male detectives. In this instalment, he’s as perturbed by the disappearance of his office chair as he is by the murder of two women on his patch. His partner is DCI Laura McDonald (Tala Gouveia), whose main dramatic function is to raise an eyebrow at Dodds’ quirks while being quietly impressed by his detective skills.
The opening of this episode was designed to throw viewers off-kilter: we began at what looked to be the end, with McDonald and Dodds identifying the culprits of a very Midsomer-style murder: a woman with a nut allergy, killed by a lipstick adulterated with nut oil.
But, by degrees, we learned that the case was more complicated, and was linked to another murder. The second victim’s brother was the main suspect: a wealthy chap named Mark Holgate (Toby Stephens), outwardly respectable but involved in people trafficking and other nefarious cross-border activities, and living on Bath’s Royal Crescent with his wife (Lydia Leonard).
One of the small joys of cosy crime dramas such as this is seeing who has signed up as a guest star. Singer Pixie Lott turned up as a woman who only wears white (very Geri Halliwell). It took me a while to recognise scruffy tree surgeon Nevis McLintock as John Gordon Sinclair. Well, it has been 44 years since Gregory’s Girl. He has continued to act on stage and screen but I’d love to see him in bigger TV roles. Take a look at his social media, and you’ll see his most recent personal post was an account of making a planter for his garden. Dodds would be proud.
