Set in the picturesque town of Bath, Detective Chief Inspector Lauren McDonald (Tala Gouveia) and Detective Sgt. Dodds (Jason Watkins) take on several new and head-scratching cases in their fourth season. The popular crime drama “McDonald and Dodds” returns to BritBox with three new episodes.

The first episode centers on a mystery involving a local bus and the occupants after a man mysteriously dies, having been strangled en route. How did this happen and why didn’t anyone see the attack? What is intriguing about the storyline is that it has a connection to the blues — not the color but the music genre.

The history of the blues comes into play as well as one particular item that looks at the birth of the blues. How does a Southern American music genre have anything to do with a murder in Bath, England? That’s the dilemma facing McDonald, Dodds and their investigative team.

The second episode revolves around the death of a woman who has been missing for 38 years. After all this time, why has she suddenly been murdered? And where was she the past 38 years?

The investigation turns to her brother, who reported her missing all those years before when they were both young. It seems this man (Toby Stephens) has a dangerous past, and when McDonald and Dodds look into his former dealings, they think they have the murderer of not only his sister but also an investigative reporter who was murdered the same time. The two incidents are definitely connected, but there is more to this story than meets the eye.

The third episode is intriguing. With the title “Wedding Fever,” it sounds like a light-hearted episode, but it is far from that. When dozens of weddings are scheduled in Bath for the same day — it is wedding season, after all — the city encounters more than brides and grooms. They are gripped by a series of murders, all taking place at weddings.

What is the connection between the weddings? And why does McDonald’s dream come into play? It’s a strange situation but one that is eventually solved by the duo.

McDonald is a hard-hitting detective who reports to Chief Superintendent Mary Ormond (Claire Skinner). Along with Detective Constable Goldie (Charlie Jones), DC Lee (Bhavik C. Pankhania) and Dodds, the team manage to cleverly put together clues leading to the arrests of all the murderers in the season.

DS Dodds is an unusual character, with some OCD and a penchant for french fries. He often sees clues the others don’t and is always in top form, even when McDonald is a little frazzled by the situation and her life. Dodds remains clear headed and diligent.

“McDonald and Dodds” is an interesting and entertaining crime drama series, and as the seasons progress viewers get more involved with the characters, who evolve personally and professionally. As of this writing, there is no news whether the team will return next year for a Season Five. However, fans of the series are anxiously waiting for good news. With short seasons, they want more of their Bath detectives. Stream this series on BritBox.

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