{"id":54926,"date":"2024-07-17T15:50:10","date_gmt":"2024-07-17T13:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=2073677"},"modified":"2024-07-18T00:04:47","modified_gmt":"2024-07-17T22:04:47","slug":"mcdonald-dodds-star-rejects-cosy-crime-label-its-a-complex-show","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/mcdonald-dodds-star-rejects-cosy-crime-label-its-a-complex-show\/","title":{"rendered":"McDonald & Dodds star rejects \u2018cosy crime\u2019 label: \u2018It\u2019s a complex show\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The detective drama returns this weekend with another intriguing mystery. <\/p>

By David Craig\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 17 July 2024 at 13:50 PM<\/p>

\n\n

McDonald & Dodds star Jason Watkins has firmly rejected labelling the ITV detective drama as \u201ccosy crime\u201d.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

While the show\u2019s characters are beloved and the scripts do contain moments of light relief, Watkins does not believe it\u2019s part of the so-called \u201ccosy crime\u201d boom led by the likes of The Madame Blanc Mysteries<\/a>, Father Brown<\/a> and Death in Paradise<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think if you\u2019re making a show with [cosy crime] in mind, that\u2019s very dangerous,\u201d he explained in an interview with RadioTimes.com<\/a>. \u201cAlthough it\u2019s a whodunnit, [McDonald & Dodds<\/a>] is quite a complex show.\u201d<\/p>

Watkins continued: \u201cIn terms of the script, you\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s all played in a very subtle way and instead of it being a gritty documentary about one of those serious subjects, it\u2019s actually something that is enjoyable to an audience [but] touches on much more serious subjects.\u201d<\/p>\n

The actor, also known for W1A, A Very English Scandal and SAS: Rogue Heroes<\/a>, went on to say that the lighter aspects of the show do not trivialise the grizzly murders depicted \u2013 and that he reminds himself of the gravity of the scenario before shooting a scene.<\/p>\n