ITVhasgreenlitasecondseriesofcontemporarydetectivedrama,McDonald&Dodds,followingthesuccessofthefeature-lengthfilmswhichairedearlierthisyearproducedbyleadingindependentproductioncompany,MammothScreen.ThenewseriesseesTalaGouveia(ColdFeet)andBAFTAawardwinningactorJasonWatkins(TheLostHonourOfChristopherJefferies,TheCrown)reprisetheirrolesastheambitiousDCIMcDonaldandthehumble,andquietlybrilliantDSDoddsinthreenewmurdermysteries.SetinpicturesqueBath,theseriespairsfiestyDCIMcDonald,whohasrecentlytransferredfromLondon’sMetPolice,withthemodestandunassumingDSDodds,whohasbeenhappyinthebackgroundformostofhisworkinglife.Throwntogetherseeminglywithnothingincommon,theyforgearumbustious,andultimatelyhighlyeffectivecrimesolvingpartnership.CreatedandexecutiveproducedbyRobertMurphy,whoistheleadwriterfortheseries,McDonald&DoddswillonceagainbefilmedintheWestCountry.ThebrandnewepisodeswillbedirectedbyAlexPillai(ChillingAdventuresofSabrina,Riverdale),RebeccaRycroft(MaloryTowers,DannyandMick)andIanAryeh(InTheLongRun,AndyandtheBand).ThenewserieshasbeencommissionedbyITV’sDramaCommissionerHuwKennairJonesandHeadofDrama,PollyHill.Huwwilloverseeproductionofthedramafromthechannel’sperspective.CommentedHuwKennairJones:“We’redelightedwiththeaudiencereactiontothefirstseriesofMcDonaldandDodds.Thetwocharacterscouldn’tbefurtherapart,whichiswhatmakestheseriessointriguingtowatch.Theyshouldn’thavechemistry,buttheydo,andtheyworkbrilliantlyinpartnershipwhichistestimonytoRobert’sscriptandTalaandJasonforbringingMcDonald&Doddstolife.”CommentedMammothScreen’sDirectorofDrama,PreethiMavahalli:“WearethrilledthatRobertMurphy’scleverstorytellingwasahitwithaudiencesearlierthisyear.McDonald&DoddsareaquirkilyuniqueinvestigativeteambroughttolifebeautifullybyTalaGouveiaandJasonWatkins.We’rereallypleasedITVhavecommissionedmorefilmsandlookforwardtoreturningtofilminBath.”DamienTimmer(Endeavour,Noughts+Crosses,WorldonFire)andPreethiMavahalli(McDonald&Dodds,Noughts+Crosses,TheWaroftheWorlds)aretheexecutiveproducersforMammothScreen,anITVStudioscompany,alongsidewriterRobertMurphy(McDonald&Dodds,Vera,Shetland,DCIBanks).TheproducerofthenewseriesisSarahLewis(Noughts+Crosses,McDonald&Dodds,Victoria).ThefirstseriesisavailabletoviewviastreamingplatformBritbox.Seriesonelaunchedwithaconsolidatedratingof6.4manda26%shareoftheavailableaudienceandboastedanimpressiveguestcastlistalongsideTalaGouveiaandJasonWatkinswhichincludedRobertLindsay,RosalieCraig,EllieKendrick,SusannahFielding,JoannaScanlan,MicheleDotrice,FreddieFoxandHughDennis.ITVStudioswilldistributethedramainternationally.
