McDonald & Dodds - Season 2 - DVD

Content: After initial difficulties, the young DCI McDonald (Tala Gouveia) and the older Sergeant Dodds (Jason Watkins) have gotten together and now make a really good team. However, Dodds is still a thorn in the side of his supervisor, who would like to sideline the old-school investigator. But Dodds is soon able to prove his investigative skills once again when a fatal accident occurs during a balloon flight among friends. This quickly turns out to be a murder, however, and the survivors are all under suspicion. It is not the only case that presents the unequal investigator duo with difficult tasks. The case of a rugby player who is found poisoned in a railroad tunnel after a party also causes a lot of headaches. A real challenge, however, is the death of an influencer who died during plastic surgery. Since at first everything looks like a natural death, the woman's body is cremated and the operating room where she died has been thoroughly disinfected. But then the blood test reveals that the woman was killed - but how is that to be proven without a body and at a sterile crime scene?

"McDonald & Dodds" consistently continues the concept that worked so well in season 1 in the three new episodes. The interplay between the two so completely different characters - the young policewoman who uses modern investigative methods on the one hand and the older loner who still goes to the crime scene with a pad and pen on the other - once again makes for some wonderful moments. These new episodes benefit from the fact that the two are now a well-rehearsed team and McDonald is also very keen to keep Dodds by her side, even if the old gentleman would like to be sidelined by his superior. That it could come to this is a problem that must be solved in the new episodes in addition to the various murder cases...

The cases themselves are also entertaining and in a pleasantly dignified way also exciting implemented. As a child of the 80s, I was very happy to see a reunion in the first episode with Spandau Ballet member Martin Kemp and actress/singer Patsy Kensit, who became famous at the time for her role in "Lethal Weapon 2" and with a song produced by the Pet Shop Boys. This also made up for the very poor special effects during the balloon ride at the beginning of the episode. Delightful is also guest star Rob Brydon as an investigator, who is very similar to Dodds in his mannerisms - about which McDonald is always deliciously amused.

There are some cleverly constructed twists here and there, which even provide some surprises. Nevertheless, the wheel is admittedly not reinvented here. The series always moves along familiar paths, but cleverly avoids the too well-trodden places. Thus, everything here seems somehow familiar, yet somehow fresh and unspent. First and foremost, the team around series creator Robert Murphy is concerned with entertaining the audience well - and that succeeds in these three episodes again very well.

"McDonald & Dodds" can stand out from the mass of crime series with its charming investigator duo as well as a successful mix of restrained humor and unexciting tension. There is as a conclusion after the three new episodes: More of this, please! Because even an overused genre like the police series never gets boring. Absolutely worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The picture a good overall sharpness, which comes especially in the outdoor scenes fully to bear. There are minor blurs here and there, though these tend to occur in darker moments. Coloring appears pleasantly powerful and natural, and contrasts are well matched throughout. The audio is available as a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, which is particularly dominated by rather directionally mixed dialogue. Good!

Extras: Bonus material is unfortunately not there this time

Conclusion: "McDonald & Dodds" is classic crime entertainment that can score with a charming investigator duo, cleverly constructed criminal cases and a pinch of dry humor. The double DVD presents the three episodes of season 2 in good picture and sound quality. Unlike season 1, there are unfortunately no extras this time. But that doesn't change the conclusion. That is quite clear: Absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp