dancingdebra I agree with other reviewers that this is a charming programme showing the absolutely beautiful scenery found in Scotland. It stands on it's own as a TV show "based" on the characters from MC Beaton's novels. Hamish Macbeth is played beautifully and Shirley Henderson also stands out as the great actors they have both since proved to be, in numerous films and on TV.However, I think if you have read and enjoyed the books, this programme is a bit of a mystery as it has a whole host of totally different characters. I'm unsure why when the ones in the books carried the novels along just fine in both the plot for each individual book and back stories running in the background.I'm not surprised they couldn't run with a murder each week as there would quite literally be no- one left to murder and if it's always the "incomer", then half the guessing is a bit too easy. But I wish there was a little more of the humour and village stories kept on the TV show.

paperglyphs I would have given it a 10 except for the few "esoteric" episodes and bits that I am not interested in which were a bit too mystical for me. But for the most part the mysteries were well written, delightful, simple and surprised me at times. The characters had excellent chemistry amongst themselves and now feel very familiar. The setting is fabulous,the scenery beautiful and the town charming. Rob Carlyle is GREAT and each character is believable. It left me wanting more; not in an unfinished way. But with a longing for deep connections, small town life and living on a rainy island. I am really going to miss my nightly visits to Scotland. My only regret is having watched the series too quickly.

kkentuckywoman If you separate this series from your expectations from the charming series of books, you may still enjoy the TV shows. Not very mysterious and not connected except by name to what MC Beaton has achieved. It is great to see Robert Carlyle, as always, and Shirley Henderson, who plays the neurotic friend of Bridget Jones, is quite appealing here as Isobel. And the scenery is stunning. Still, I must agree with the opinion of another writer on this site that it IS a bit of washed out imitation of MONARCH. Still superior to most of what shows up on American telly, though, and worth it for the locales and the quirky villagers.

JohnRozich I wholeheartedly recommend this series of the small town constable Hamish MacBeth. It does remind me a lot of Northern Exposure, but without the constant whining of Rob Morrow as Dr. Joel Fleishman. This series is so well written that it always makes you feel like you're a member of the village of Lochdubh. The scenery is gorgeous, the background music is perfect and the story lines are actually pretty simple with the focus on the people and their day to day lives. It is so refreshing to view a series that does not depend on outrageous situations to get by like ABC's Desperate Housewives....the Brits are light years ahead of anything that Hollywood can put out...and have been for decades. Both of my daughters ( ages 20 and 24) LOVE this series. I am sad they only made 3 seasons worth, but, each and every episode is first rate quality....even if I can't understand a lot of their dialog...their Scottish accent is accurate and hasn't been dumbed down for us Americans. A true first rate series that I will recommend to anyone.