McDONALD & DODDS. “The Fall of the House of Crockett” ITV, 01 March 2020 (Season 1, Episode 1) . Tala Gouveia as DCI Lauren McDonald, Jason Watkins as DS Dodds. Guest star: Robert Lindsay as Max Crockett. Creator/writer: Robert Murphy. Director: Richard Senior.

   I don’t know about you, but I’m always interested in yet another pair of mismatched homicide policemen, whether British or American. I love watching how their differences play off each other, how get to know each other, and maybe even get to respect each other. Old and worn out stuff, I know, but when the show is well-written, which it is in this case, and when the players are perfectly selected, even more so this time around, well, to sum it up, I enjoyed this one.

   DCI Lauren McDonald, is young, black, female, and ambitious. DS Dodds is not so young, white, male, and has just spent the last eleven years behind a desk. Why then, when McDonald is sent from London to Bath, and the first case she’s assigned to is a break-in and a homicide, why is she assigned Dodds as her second-in-command? The answer comes directly from her new commanding officer: see if she can’t nudge him into retirement.

   Dead is one of what is at first assumed to be two burglars who broke into wealthy businessman Max Crockett’s manor house. Outwardly Dodds appears to be almost a doddering old fool, but in reality he’s as sharp as ever, only a bit slower and rusty at the game of old-fashioned detective work. Nonetheless he manages to prove that the target was Max Crockett himself, as arrogant a man as a self-made millionaire can be.

   There are plenty of suspects. He has three children plus their significant others, but only one of his three daughters will soon be announced as his sole heir. The motive is clear. The only question is which one. It takes all of ninety minutes, without commercials, for McDonald and Dobbs to figure this one out, but the time goes very quickly. (You should also keep in mind that I have not told you everything.)

   The first season consisted of only two episodes, televised back in March. The show proved popular enough that a second season has been announced, this time of three more.