MCDONALD & DODDS (SERIES 1)

SERIES 1 · Mammoth Screen/ ITV · Costume Designer

DIRECTORS — Richard Senior, Laura Scrivano

PRODUCER — Amy Thurgood, CO-PRODUCER: Sarah Lewis

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS — Damien Timmer, Preethi Mavahalli, Robert Murphy.

TRAILER

THE DESIGN

For the first series of McDonald & Dodds, comprising two feature-length detective dramas set in Bath, my approach was to establish a heightened yet believable contemporary world, using costume to express the contrasting personalities of its central characters. DS Dodds, played by Jason Watkins, was conceived as an almost invisible presence, his understated wardrobe of muted greys, beiges and soft neutrals deliberately echoing the Bath stone architecture. Opposite him, Tala Gouveia’s ambitious, London-bred DCI McDonald brought a sharper, more modern silhouette and a confident sense of style.

Their contrasting wardrobes established the visual relationship at the heart of the series: two seemingly incompatible detectives whose differences ultimately become their strength. Colour, proportion and styling helped articulate their personalities while maintaining a cohesive identity within the distinctive setting of Bath.

Each film also introduced a contrasting social world, from the polished privilege and carefully curated appearances of a wealthy family to the more intimate, psychologically complex environment of a private rehabilitation clinic. The intention was to balance recognisable contemporary realism with a slightly heightened, colourful and engaging visual language, allowing each character and setting to retain its individuality within the show’s playful approach to detective drama.

EXPLORE THE WORK