BritBox Sets Return for 'McDonald & Dodds' Season 4
Jason Watkins as DS Dodds and Tala Gouveia as DCI Lauren McDonald in 'McDonald & Dodds'
ITV
McDonald & Dodds is one of the lesser-known British police procedurals on this side of the pond, which is a shame because it has everything going for it. The formulaic premise, a streetwise former Metropolitan Police investigator arrives in a picturesque tourist town to head up the Criminal Investigation Department, is made to feel fresh by actor Tala Gouveia (Scream Street), as DCI Lauren McDonald. Her odd couple sidekick, DS Dodds, is played by the great Jason Watkins (The Crown, among his many credits), who does not let his character ever fall into a two-dimensional sinkhole despite the script's tendency to want to put him there. Finally, the tourist town in question is Bath, one of the most gorgeous towns in England, with swaths of well-preserved 18th-century architecture. (There's so much of it; it's the place where Bridgerton and many Jane Austen movies tend to film.)
One reason the series may not have hit mystery lovers radar is the format, where most seasons are made up of two or three feature film-length episodes at most. Season 1, which debuted on ITV just prior to the 2020 lockdowns, was all of two installments. Season 2, which arrived the next year, only broadcast one of its two episodes in the U.K.; BritBox got both, but the confusion made it to ITV decided to push the episodes into the third season... and then casting changes forced half the scenes to be reshot anyway, so Seasons 2 and 3 have one installment that's the same mystery, but also totally a different episode.
ITV renewed the series for Season 4 in the summer of 2023, and fans have been waiting eagerly ever since, but the show has yet to arrive on ITV. Instead, it randomly premiered in Denmark first and then will arrive on ITV, followed by BritBox in May 2024.
Here's the Season 4 synopsis:
Return to the beautiful city of Bath as mismatched detective duo McDonald and Dodds are presented with more original and inventive crimes to solve. Season 4 features three new emotionally engaging feature-length crime stories told with flair and mischief. In the first story, McDonald and Dodds begin to investigate when a middle-aged woman is found shot dead in a rented flat. The killer has removed all clues to her identity, but DNA reveals she went missing over 35 years ago. Where has she been all those years? And why has she been murdered?
Gouveia and Watkins return alongside Claire Skinner (Outnumbered) as their boss, Chief Superintendent Mary Ormond, and Charlie Chambers (His Dark Materials) as DC Samuel Goldie. The new season will also introduce Bhavik C. Pankhania (Misophonia) as DC Lee. The three feature films contain a star-studded guest line-up, including Toby Stephens (Black Sails), singer/songwriter Pixie Lott, Lydia Leonard (Gentleman Jack), Daniel Lapaine (Catastrophe), Dipo Ola (We Hunt Together), John Gordon Sinclair (Traces), and Ace Bhatti (Line of Duty).
McDonald & Dodds Season 4 premieres on Thursday, May 23, on BritBox and will stream weekly episodes on Thursdays through June 6, 2024.
