In 2005, the Hallmark channel started showing a rotation of mystery television shows. McBride was one of those mystery shows. (The other two were Mystery Woman and Jane Doe.)
John Larroquette is the star of these ninety minute television movies, and it’s almost as if the part was written for him. He is so perfect in the “”Mac” McBride role.
Each television movies starts out with a scene that takes place in a courtroom. This is where we are generally introduced to some rather slick “lawyery” action. McBride either catches the accuser in a lie, or he shows a wrongfully accused person in an innocent light. We sometimes see an exacerbated prosecuting attorney in an unprepared state. Oh, did I mention McBride is a defense lawyer?
Mac does a lot of pro bono work. He tries to make sure that innocent people get competent representation in the courts.
The two supporting roles are very capably portrayed by Marta DuBois and Matt Lutz. Marta plays the homicide detective (Roberta) who prefers to lose a collar than jail an innocent man/woman. She and Mac worked together (and were romantically involved) when he was a police detective working his way through law school. They’re an on-again, off-again couple >>> more off than on. Roberta knows Mac enough to not take him too seriously, unless it’s when he insists his client is innocent.
Matt Lutz plays Mac’s young assistant, Phil. He’s sort of the opposite of Mac. If it were up to Mac, their office would have a stove-top on which to make coffee rather than a coffee machine and they would be using legal pads instead of a computer. Phil is also responsible for tracking down witnesses, uncovering helpful information, and working his magic with the pretty young women.
Oh, I don’t know how I forgot the fourth of the main characters >>> Jesse, an irresistible dog that Mac inherited. My one disappointment in the show is that Jesse stopped joining Mac on his trips out of the office in the later episodes.
McBride was created by Dean Hargrove, who, incidentally also created the much-loved Columbo series. One of the producers of McBride is Larry Levinson, who also produced Columbo, the Ellery Queen Mysteries television shows, and Murder, She Wrote. A pretty impressive pedigree!
While both my husband and I enjoy McBride a lot, my husband has told me (many times) that the continuous background music always reminds him of our many visits to the Baltimore Aquarium… sort of a “floating in water” type of music. As for me, it doesn’t.
PS >>> This series is not available on Amazon or Netflix. I put it on my DVR queue of titles I wanted to get, and that’s how we were able to get all of the shows. Hallmark shows them every once in a while. (But, you’ll have to check, since we got a lot of Martina McBride appearances, also.)
For more Cozy viewing ideas, click on my Cozy Mystery TV & Movies page.
Julia says
This is one of my favorite series as well; I only wish they’d made more of them or were still making new ones. I really enjoy when the witnesses/suspects tell their stories and we see McBride walking through the scenes with them – it’s an original way to put the audience behind the scenes of the murder. Plus, as you mentioned, the actors are wonderful. John Larroquette is always a delight to watch, and I’ve liked Marta DuBois since I first saw her in “Magnum, P.I.” as Magnum’s late wife. Matt Lutz always reminds me of Charlie Schlatter’s character, Jesse, in “Diagnosis Murder” (also, I think, a Dean Hargrove production), although he’s just a little older and a little less bouncy than Jesse.
And, of course, the beautiful dog who plays Jesse. I only wish they’d done enough movies to show the puppy that Mac gave Roberta grow up – he was absolutely adorable. 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Julia, I remember when Hallmark first aired these shows that I hoped they would become as long-lasting as Columbo. Disappointing that they didn’t, but good to watch all the same.
M. Ham says
Somebody (John Larroquette?) went to a lot of trouble to make sure about half of the McBride movies STAYED unavailable. There are a few on You Tube, but the others are NOWHERE to be found.
Kristi says
All Ten of them have recently been shown on Hallmark. I have Philo streaming service and I have hunted down all ten and saved them for when they would be aired. I have now collected all ten (three of them are listed as episodes in a Series or show and the other seven are listed as individual movies so you would need to save all the movies as well as the Show’s three episodes) so I can watch them in order. I had watched a few of them a couple years ago and was sad that there weren’t more. Since then, I discovered that there were more but that some of them are rarely shown.
All but three (Requiem, Dogged and Semper Fi) were shown just yesterday (April 3, 2022) on Hallmark Drama. The remaining three were shown back in mid-February so I don’t know if those would be available on demand or not.
You might want to consider Philo or Frndly since both of those offer Hallmark Drama and are inexpensive.
Teressa says
My husband and I visited the Baltimore Aquarium this summer. You are definitely right about the music!!!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Teressa, I’m glad my husband was able to overlook it, but I would have gone ahead and watched the McBride movies without him if he hadn’t.
Colleen says
I love the McBride series also! Hallmark is having a McBride Marathon this Sunday, Nov. 17th. I don’t know if I ‘ve seen them all yet, but I’ll be tuning in!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Colleen! I’m going to go write an addendum to this to let everyone know when and where. (What a small world!)
Rol says
they are good … the one about the wife being trialed for her husbands murder … I think it was “Past Midnight’ … who was the blonde on trial? … she was good … does anyone know her name?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Rol, I think her name is either Paula Trickey or Jaime Ray Newman.
Nikki says
Thanks for the suggestion. Of course I always have a problem seeing John Laroquette as anything but Judas on the radio. Growing up in New Orleans in the 60 s and 70s, he was a well known disc jockey there. He went by the call name Judas and was a total hippie. Seeing him now all sophisticated just cracks me up.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hmmm, Nikki >>> That is so odd to hear about him: Judas, the hippie?!?
Sheila says
I also loved the Hallmark Mystery series McBride (it was nice seeing John Laroquette in a different character than the one he played in Night Court), Mystery Woman and Jane Doe and not to forget Murder 101 starring Dick Van Dyke (CBS series Diagnosis: Murder). Was quite disappointed when Hallmark stopped the series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sheila, at least Hallmark is continuing with their “feel good” Christmas movies.
Gayle says
I agree whole heartedly that Laroquette is perfect as McBride. I just wish that more had been made as well as more Mystery Woman. Thank you for letting me know that they are on Netflix. 😀
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Gayle, it looks like you enjoyed the same two shows in that weekly movie rotation that I did. I watched them while they aired, and and then re-watched them after I DVRed them for my husband to watch with me.
Jackie J. Griffey says
What great news – I made a note & put a red exclamation point on it so I could find it in all the ‘notes to forgetful self’ pile here between my computer and printer (right now it looks like it’s a good thing they’re both big so I can find them LOL.
Love this place and sharing,
Good luck, good reading, group cyber hugs,
Jackie Griffey (that’s jacjgriffey on Facebook now since there’s another Jackie Griffey. )
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jackie, I hope you’re currently DVRing or watching your “red exclamation point” McBrides!
Annette says
I also enjoyed the three series, if you remember correctly when Columbo started it was one of 3 shows also, MacMillan and Wife and then the one with cop that a rode a horse don’t remember the name of that one but it was the same thing a different movie each week rotating every 3 weeks. they could bring that back with no problem. Has anyone caught the new Ironside on NBC? Loosely based on the OLD Ironside. A little different scenario, still a cop was shot by his partner. Very good show.
Mel says
I think the third show was”McCloud” staring Dennis Weaver as a law man from New Mexico, who was on loan to the NYPD.
Sheila says
Annette –
That other series was McCloud starrring Dennis Weaver.
Annette says
Sheila that is it, I could Dennis Weaver on the horse but could not think of either name! thank you
Julia says
Oh, yes, the ‘Monday Night Mystery Wheel’ – what an awesome concept. 🙂 I used to love Columbo and McMillan and Wife – I was less fond of McCloud but I liked Dennis Weaver. I can’t remember if I actually got to stay up late to see them or if I was just quiet enough (and my parents were tired enough) that I was able to escape bedtime round-up. In any event, I got to see most of them, and I was broken-hearted when Sallie died.
I also used to watch the short-lived “Mrs. Columbo,” starring Kate Mulgrew. On one of the Columbo DVD sets they had the first episode, and it actually wasn’t too bad of a show even seen 35 or so years later. Sort of a blend of Murder She Wrote and Scarecrow and Mrs King.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Annette, thanks for letting us know about the new Ironside show. I haven’t watched it yet…
Annette says
You are welcome Danna, they are pretty good, but you really cannot go wrong with Blair Underwood!
Carole says
Thanks for writing about this show, Danna. I never could get into Jane Doe, but loved McBride and Mystery Woman, with McBride being my favorite – almost a classic role for Larroquette. I’d love to record and watch these again.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Carole, I tried watching Jane Doe when it was on originally, and couldn’t get into it. (I went ahead and DVRed it when I was finding things my husband and I could watch together, but I tried it again, and had the same problem. There was just something about it…)
Margie says
Please bring back the McBride and Jane Doe Mystery Movies. Just watched two of John Larroquette’s mysteries and was completely engaged and entertained again. Watch them on hallmark channel 565. Thanks!
sandra rahmanovic says
I loved and watched all three shows. They were great! Too bad they didn’t make more.
Dennis S says
Really enjoy Hallmarks mystery shows. Am watching the reruns of McBride and that show was awesome. Just wish there were more of them. Also love the new Mystery 101.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Dennis, the Hallmark mysteries programming certainly is popular!
Jane Stoub says
I think the McBride series is very good and I love Larroquette.
However, the music on this show is appalling. With a more sensitive choice in music, more upbeat or appropriate for the scenes, it would be really great.
To bad your producers have not paid attention to this very important part of the series.