Post by Brad Nelson on Jun 4, 2021 7:00:17 GMT -8
Pickins are always slim out there in the streaming world. So when I do find something that is watchable with the political correctness is turned town to a tolerable level, I think I ought to make note of it.
McDonald & Dodds is a “cozy mystery” via category. That means this is neither Prime Suspect nor Inspector Morse. Although there is a hint of New Tricks to this series, it’s nowhere near as overtly quirky.
Because this features a part-black woman lead in Tala Gouveia as DCI Lauren McDonald, the series (so far…only the two episodes of season 1 are on Britbox), they poke some fun at things that you normally wouldn’t see nowadays.
Tala Gourveia plays what has now become a full female stereotype (and is very much consistent with how Amanda Redman plays Det. Supt. Pullman in New Tricks): The bitchy, pushy female who is forever scowling and often thinks more like a petulant woman that a logical detective.
But then, this is the accepted world view out there for women. If they are to make it in a man’s world they must take on the persona of ball-breakers. And this works in this regard (reflecting what people are doing in the real world). And it works in counterbalance to the calm, thoughtful, DS Dodds who is the fellow brought back (for some reason) to the field after sitting behind a desk for over a decade.
And although DCI McDonald is the lead in this, the heart and soul of the program belongs to DS Dodds. DCI McDonald is simply loud. DS Dodds is a bit more like the savant played by Alun Amstrong in New Tricks.
The first episode, The Fall of the House of Crockett, very much has an Agatha Christie feel to it. There is a great deal of money and power to be inherited. There is a dead body. There is a criminal who seems to find trying to outwit the police a satisfying endeavor unto itself. No new trails blazed in the plot but it’s done well enough with a fairly strong cast of characters.
In the second episode, A Wilderness of Mirrors, the “cozy” mystery aspect of this come to the fore. There’s something going on inside a private rehabilitation clinic. And there are some wonderful shots being taken at the mental health profession in the telling.
There is a second season out there but it hasn’t yet made it to Britbox. But I’ll keep my eye out for it.
McDonald & Dodds is a “cozy mystery” via category. That means this is neither Prime Suspect nor Inspector Morse. Although there is a hint of New Tricks to this series, it’s nowhere near as overtly quirky.
Because this features a part-black woman lead in Tala Gouveia as DCI Lauren McDonald, the series (so far…only the two episodes of season 1 are on Britbox), they poke some fun at things that you normally wouldn’t see nowadays.
Tala Gourveia plays what has now become a full female stereotype (and is very much consistent with how Amanda Redman plays Det. Supt. Pullman in New Tricks): The bitchy, pushy female who is forever scowling and often thinks more like a petulant woman that a logical detective.
But then, this is the accepted world view out there for women. If they are to make it in a man’s world they must take on the persona of ball-breakers. And this works in this regard (reflecting what people are doing in the real world). And it works in counterbalance to the calm, thoughtful, DS Dodds who is the fellow brought back (for some reason) to the field after sitting behind a desk for over a decade.
And although DCI McDonald is the lead in this, the heart and soul of the program belongs to DS Dodds. DCI McDonald is simply loud. DS Dodds is a bit more like the savant played by Alun Amstrong in New Tricks.
The first episode, The Fall of the House of Crockett, very much has an Agatha Christie feel to it. There is a great deal of money and power to be inherited. There is a dead body. There is a criminal who seems to find trying to outwit the police a satisfying endeavor unto itself. No new trails blazed in the plot but it’s done well enough with a fairly strong cast of characters.
In the second episode, A Wilderness of Mirrors, the “cozy” mystery aspect of this come to the fore. There’s something going on inside a private rehabilitation clinic. And there are some wonderful shots being taken at the mental health profession in the telling.
There is a second season out there but it hasn’t yet made it to Britbox. But I’ll keep my eye out for it.