McDonald & Dodds star rejects 'cosy crime' label: 'It's a complex show'
The detective drama returns this weekend with another intriguing mystery.
McDonald & Dodds star Jason Watkins has firmly rejected labelling the ITV detective drama as "cosy crime".
The series follows former Met Police investigator DCI Lauren McDonald (Tala Gouveia) and the comparatively shy and retiring DS Dodds (Watkins), who form an unlikely friendship as they tackle a number of perplexing cases in Bath.
While the show's characters are beloved and the scripts do contain moments of light relief, Watkins does not believe it's part of the so-called "cosy crime" boom led by the likes of The Madame Blanc Mysteries, Father Brown and Death in Paradise.
"I think if you're making a show with [cosy crime] in mind, that's very dangerous," he explained in an interview with RadioTimes.com. "Although it's a whodunnit, [McDonald & Dodds] is quite a complex show."
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Watkins continued: "In terms of the script, you've got this great conundrum puzzle, but then it might touch on the cultural misappropriation of the blues [and] obviously, because of our relationship, some of the people we meet [display] a slight shadow of racism.
"But it's all played in a very subtle way and instead of it being a gritty documentary about one of those serious subjects, it's actually something that is enjoyable to an audience [but] touches on much more serious subjects."
The actor, also known for W1A, A Very English Scandal and SAS: Rogue Heroes, went on to say that the lighter aspects of the show do not trivialise the grizzly murders depicted – and that he reminds himself of the gravity of the scenario before shooting a scene.
"In terms of the murders themselves, I think we never underestimate that. And I always think before we go into a murder [and] we see a body, that is somebody who has died," he added.
"So even though there is humour, there is variety and a kind of lightness of touch, the actual murders themselves have huge consequences and they power the stories. So cosy crime is not a word that I would use with this show."
The first episode of McDonald & Dodds season 4 will see the duo unravel the mystery surrounding a journalist who does of anaphylaxis during a party held at her home – but foul play is soon detected.
McDonald & Dodds returns to ITV1 and ITVX on Sunday 21st July 2024.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
