There's a new detective in Bath. She's wildly ambitious and doesn't mind stepping on people's toes to get the job done.
In BBC Brit's new detective drama, "McDonald & Dodds" Tala Gouveia, BAFTA winner, Jason Watkins and James Murray come together to solve crime mysteries.
The show is set in Bath and sees detective McDonald and the shy DS Dodds, who have nothing in common, come together to forge a rumbustious, entertaining and ultimately effective partnership. Each episode takes us into a new story world - from a greed-fueled murder in the upper echelons of Bath society, to an unexplained death in a private hospital for recovering addicts.
McDonald & Dodds combines intriguing plots and the journey of two mismatched detectives with warmth and humour.
"I play, DCI Lauren McDonald. She previously worked for the Met Police in London and has arrived in Bath after being offered a promotion to leap up the ladder. She is fiercely ambitious and driven and wants to do the best job possible. She doesn’t mind stepping on anyone’s toes.
"McDonald does tend to rub people up the wrong way. She doesn’t pander to anyone. She is there to do her job, which I love about her," said Gouveia.
She said one of the reasons she took on the role was because Lauren McDonald represented a female person of colour on screen. Something that's not seen very often on TV.
"She is a great female lead and as a young woman of colour, is the boss of a middle aged white man. That’s partly what drew me towards it. It’s a little bit different and not necessarily the representation I have seen growing up or watching detective shows.
"There have always been women on screen but often they have been there to support the storyline of the men. This character was a fantastic part to play. The writer Robert Murphy did a great job of making her such a well rounded character who came off the page very quickly," she said.
One of the main challenges for the actress was learning the numerous lines.
“There are a lot of lines. They come thick and fast. Also finding McDonald’s real sense of authority. That complete command, plus the speed at which she moves and talks. My brain was trying to catch up with her brain. But the characters were superb and we had a lot of fun making it. It would be lovely to see these characters continue," said Gouveia.