McDonald & Dodds stars lift lid on the future of ITV drama after fourth series comes to explosive end

THE STARS of McDonald & Dodds have lifted the lid on the future of the TV drama.

After the fourth series of the ITV crime series came to an explosive end on Sunday night, the cast opened up on what might be coming next.

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McDonald & Dodds follows the story of the shy and enigmatic DS Dodds (Jason Watkins).

He joined the ambitious DCI Lauren McDonald (Tala Gouveia) as they attempted to solve a string of incidents in Bath.

The fourth series came to an end with an explosive finale as both characters got to the bottom of a number of murder mysteries.

A number of weddings all over the city were disrupted, in some of the most ‘personal’ cases for the pair.

However, it seems that both actors would definitely be up for making more instalments.

When asked how many series she would potentially like to film, Tala told Radio Times: “I think 10 is a nice number.

“I think what felt really apparent with series 4 is that people are just striving to make it the best it can be.

“If that energy continues, then I think it could have longevity and still be really enjoyable.

She also insists that both the cast and the crew always stay on their toes.

She added: “It’s when people get complacent and think, ‘Oh, we can just bash it out’ – that’s when a series has to stop. And also, when the stories stop.”

“If the ideas are still there and the drive is still there and the audience is still there, then I think it could last a long time.”

Meanwhile, former Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office star Jason, 61, is also fired up for more.

He insisted that there is more appetite than ever amongst the viewers for new episodes.

The actor explained: “I think it’s right that we’re not complacent about it.

Crime dramas on ITVX

Crime drama buffs have a wide selection of choices on ITVX - here is a selection of some of the programmes available to binge.

• Professor T: Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood.
• The Beast Must Die: This series follows a mother’s grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake’s novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James.
• Red Eye: Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place  during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth.
• The Twelve: This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby.
• Manhunt: Martin Clunes stars in this drama based on true murder investigations. Series one focused on the death of Amélie Delagrange, which took place in 2004, while the second depicted the search for serial rapist Delroy Grant.

“We’re very fortunate to have got four series and I think the reaction from audiences all over the world now is starting to build.”

He added: “You know that there’s an audience for us and they’re really appreciating the things that we’re offering them – and that’s all you want really, isn’t it? To spread a bit of joy and a bit of intrigue and maybe hold the mirror up to nature a little bit.

“We’re very fortunate to have that. I think.”

Despite the positive comments, ITV has yet to comment on the future of the show.

McDonald & Dodds is currently available to stream on ITVX.

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