Hamish MacBeth is the only policeman in the tiny village of Loch Dubh. His friends and fellow villagers know that when he is upset, he lapses into a thick Scottish brogue. Robert Carlyle has a wonderfully expressive face that captures well the emotions of the character he plays. Other than being skinny, the TV version of MacBeth bears little physical resemblance to the character of the books. The occassional Scottish dialect only makes the watcher sit up and listen more carefully.
TV Shows vs. the Books
The three seasons of the TV shows, while based on characters and situations from the books, offer new stories and characters that differ from the books. Colonel Halliburton-Smythe is a sympathetic friend of MacBeth's in the TV series as a major by a different name, but not only is he not a friend in the books, MacBeth goes out of his way to avoid him. The frostiness is not helped by MacBeth's distinct lack of ambition, and his fondness for poaching salmon from the Colonel's waters. The Colonel of the books is also much more class conscious than the TV character.
The TV series brings the beauty of the Highlands described in the books as background to the stories. The stark dangers and prolonged darkness of Highland winters is more of an undertone in the books than in the TV shows.
MacBeth's Unorthodox Policing
Minor infractions of the law and squabbles among Loch Dubh residents are creatively resolved by MacBeth without the bother of filing police reports or making arrests. The situations are often funny, always unique, and offer the full range of human foibles. When a resident illegally destroys an historic structure on his property, MacBeth settles it personally rather than arrest him.
The laid back MacBeth becomes a force to be reckoned with when violent crimes, such as wife beating and murder are committed. His unorthodox methods lead him to solutions at the expense of his superiors in a nearby town.
His methods win MacBeth the hearts of the Loch Dubh villagers who are fiercely loyal to their only policeman. They would do anything to help MacBeth and keep the long arm of his police superiors away from the village.
MacBeth's Romantic Life
Hamish MacBeth has a romantic streak, but is incapable of making a commitment to either of the women who are vying for his favor. The first season ends with both women wanting to marry him. MacBeth is more fiercely committed to his dog than he is to his human relationships.
The Hamish MacBeth TV series on DVD is well worth the money. Humor, sometimes black, drama, tragedy and romance all share the gorgeous setting of the Scottish Highlands in these completely unpredictable stories. The biggest complaint about the TV series is that it was only three short seasons. M.C. Beaton is still writing the stories, so there is plenty of material for for more TV episodes.
Corinne Shibley - Corinne Shibley studied sculpture in art history and created her own sculpture on the way to a B.A. in Studio Art. "There's something ...
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