McBride (film series)

Last updated
McBride
Mcbride tvposter.jpg
Genre Mystery film
Created by Dean Hargrove
Written byJeff Peters
Shelley Miller
Brian Clemens
Jamie Latta
Nicholas Hicks-Beach
Rachel Stuhler
Starring John Larroquette
Marta DuBois
Matt Lutz
Devon Gummersall
Maeve Quinlan
Dirk Blocker
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producersDean Hargrove
Larry Levinson
Robert Halmi Jr.
Running time80-84 min. (excl. commercials)
Production companiesAlpine Medien Productions
Larry Levinson Productions
Original release
Network Hallmark Channel
ReleaseJanuary 14, 2005 (2005-01-14)

McBride is a series of 10 made-for-television mystery films released by the Hallmark Channel between 2005 and 2008 and stars John Larroquette as a lawyer. [1] It later appeared regularly on the Hallmark Movie Channel. It is broadcast some weekends on the Hallmark Drama Channel. While on the Hallmark Channel, it was broadcast in rotation with the movie series Jane Doe , Murder 101 , and Mystery Woman under the umbrella title Hallmark Channel Mystery Wheel. In the UK, these movies are aired, on a rotation basis, in afternoon drama slot on Channel 5.

Contents

Story

Lawyer Mike McBride is a curmudgeon with a heart of gold. He takes cases based on their merit rather than on their monetary value, which often leads to nagging notices from bill collectors. A disillusioned member of the LAPD, McBride left the force after 12 years and went back to school to become a lawyer. McBride, sidekick Phil Newberry, and McBride's former girlfriend Detective Roberta Hansen, solve crimes through investigation and research.

Main characters

Mike McBride (John Larroquette) – McBride, although a lawyer for only eight years, is renowned in Los Angeles for his tough persona and commitment to his clients. Quirky and unconventional, his methods often draw negative attention from his peers, as well as a certain measure of dread from every ADA he must face in the courtroom. Larroquette himself decided that McBride should not have a first name and resisted using even an initial.[ citation needed ] The name plate on his desk, however, says "M. McBride" and in the first movie, McBride's jury summons is briefly seen, noting that his first name is Mike. Later promos for the show also refer to him as Mike. He is more commonly known as "Mac". McBride has inherited a rundown ranch and a white dog, Jesse, from a client serving a life sentence.

Phil Newberry (Matt Lutz) – Phil is former public defender who is fortunate enough to try a case in which McBride is a juror. Though Phil fails to convince the rest of the jury of his client's innocence, McBride's contrary vote is enough to hang the jury. Upon meeting face to face, Phil realizes he can learn much from this seasoned litigator and goes to work for McBride. Phil Newberry is often the "gadget guy", a post-modern counterpoint to McBride's old-fashioned sleuthing. In the first episode, he is revealed to have a trust fund and is willing to work without pay.

Roberta Hansen (Marta DuBois) – Roberta is a sharp-tongued homicide detective with the LAPD. She and McBride share a somewhat mysterious romantic past, but have put aside their entanglement to work together as friends. Though sometimes at odds, McBride and Roberta respect and trust one another, often coming together to solve crimes everyone else has abandoned. In later episodes, Roberta's office moves from a roomier one in the corner of the police headquarters to one closer to the middle of the station. Though it is never explained in the story, the switch was made for shooting reasons because the corner office was more difficult to light.[ citation needed ]

Films in the series

  1. McBride: Murder Past Midnight, directed by Kevin Connor, first aired January 14, 2005
  2. McBride: The Chameleon Murder, directed by Kevin Connor, first aired February 4, 2005. This was the only movie sold on DVD by Hallmark Home Video.
  3. McBride: It's Murder, Madam, directed by Kevin Connor, first aired March 4, 2005
  4. McBride: The Doctor is Out ... Really Out, directed by John Larroquette, first aired June 12, 2005
  5. McBride: Tune in for Murder, directed by Stephen Bridgewater, first aired August 14, 2005
  6. McBride: Anybody Here Murder Marty?, directed by James Contner, first aired August 28, 2005
  7. McBride: Fallen Idol, directed by John Larroquette, first aired March 11, 2006
  8. McBride: Semper Fi, directed by John Larroquette, first aired January 20, 2007 [2]
  9. McBride: Dogged, directed by John Larroquette, first aired March 17, 2007
  10. McBride: Requiem, directed by Mark Griffiths, first aired May 31, 2008 (some sources and databases list it as 2006)

Related Research Articles

<i>Quincy, M.E.</i> American mystery medical drama television show (1976–1983)

Quincy, M.E. is an American mystery medical drama television series from Universal Studios that was broadcast on NBC from October 3, 1976, to May 11, 1983. Jack Klugman starred in the title role as a Los Angeles County medical examiner who routinely engages in police investigations.

<i>The Practice</i> 1997-2004 American legal drama television series

The Practice is an American legal drama television series created by David E. Kelley centering on partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC, from March 4, 1997, to May 16, 2004. It won an Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Outstanding Drama Series, and spawned the spin-off series Boston Legal, which ran for five more seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Connelly</span> American author (b. 1956)

Michael Joseph Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. Connelly is the bestselling author of 38 novels and one work of non-fiction, with over 74 million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into 40 languages. His first novel, The Black Echo, won the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly's 1997 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of Connelly's novel The Lincoln Lawyer starred Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. Connelly was the President of the Mystery Writers of America from 2003 to 2004.

<i>Stranger on the Third Floor</i> 1940 film by Boris Ingster

Stranger on the Third Floor is a 1940 American film noir directed by Boris Ingster and starring Peter Lorre, John McGuire, Margaret Tallichet, and Charles Waldron, and featuring Elisha Cook Jr. It was written by Frank Partos. Modern research has shown that Nathanael West wrote the final version of the screenplay, but was uncredited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hallmark Channel</span> American cable television network

Hallmark Channel is an American cable television network owned by Hallmark Media, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards. The channel broadcasts family-oriented general entertainment programming, including television series and made-for-TV movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Larroquette</span> American actor (born 1947)

John Bernard Larroquette is an American actor. He is known for his starring roles in the NBC military drama series Baa Baa Black Sheep (1976–1978), the NBC sitcom Night Court for which he received four consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards wins for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series during the earlier incarnation, the NBC sitcom The John Larroquette Show (1993–1996), the David E. Kelley legal drama series The Practice (1997–2002), the ABC legal comedy-drama series Boston Legal (2004–2008), and the TNT series The Librarians (2014–2018).

<i>Diagnosis: Murder</i> American mystery-comedy-medical crime drama television series (1993–2001)

Diagnosis: Murder is an American comedy-mystery-medical crime drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with the help of his son Steve, a homicide detective played by Van Dyke's real-life son Barry. The series began as a spin-off of Jake and the Fatman, became a series of three television films, and then a weekly television series that debuted on CBS on October 29, 1993. Joyce Burditt wrote the episode in Jake and the Fatman and is listed here as the creator of the spin off series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hallmark Movies & Mysteries</span> American cable television network

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is an American digital cable and satellite television channel owned by Hallmark Media, a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards. The channel was spun off from sister network Hallmark Channel, and airs family-oriented feature and television films along with a limited number of murder- and mystery-themed television series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Cole (actor)</span> American actor

Michael Cole is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Pete Cochran on the television crime drama The Mod Squad (1968–1973).

<i>Mystery Woman</i> American TV series or program

Mystery Woman is the name of a series of 11 made-for-television mystery films released by the Hallmark Channel between 2003 and 2007, and now appearing regularly on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. While on the Hallmark Channel, it was broadcast in rotation with the movie series McBride, Murder 101, and Jane Doe, under the umbrella title Hallmark Channel Mystery Wheel.

Jesse Stone is the lead character in a series of detective novels written by Robert B. Parker. They were among his last works, and the first series in which the novelist used the third-person narrative. The series consists of nine books, starting with Night Passage (1997) and ending with Split Image (2010), which Parker completed before his death in January 2010 but did not live to see published. The series was initially continued by Michael Brandman. In April 2014, Reed Farrel Coleman assumed the writing of the series.

<i>Jane Doe</i> (film series) American made for TV film series for the Hallmark Channel between 2005 and 2008

Jane Doe is the name of a series of nine made-for-television mystery films released by the Hallmark Channel between 2005 and 2008, and later appearing regularly on the Hallmark Movie Channel. While on the Hallmark Channel, it was broadcast in rotation with the movie series McBride, Murder 101, and Mystery Woman, under the umbrella title Hallmark Channel Mystery Wheel. In the UK, these movies are aired on a rotation basis, in the afternoon drama slot on Channel 5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niall Matter</span> Canadian-American actor

Niall Matter is a Canadian-American actor.

<i>Murder 101</i> (film series) American TV series or program

Murder 101 is the name of a series of four made-for-television mystery films aired on the Hallmark Channel and the Hallmark Movie Channel. They star Dick Van Dyke and his son Barry Van Dyke. In the UK, these movies were originally aired on Channel 5.

Matthew Christopher "Matt" Lutz is an American film, television, and theater actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora Teagarden</span> Fictional character created by Charlaine Harris

Aurora Teagarden is a fictional character created by author Charlaine Harris. She is the protagonist of a series of eleven crime novels written from 1990 to 2017. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries began adapting the novels in 2014 for their original film series The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries with Candace Cameron Bure in the title role, part of the network’s "Mystery Wheel" umbrella series.

Garage Sale Mystery is an American/Canadian mystery film series starring Lori Loughlin as Jennifer Shannon. It is based on the Garage Sale Mystery book series written by Suzi Weinert. The Hallmark series aired on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in the US, Bravo in Canada and Channel 5 in the UK occasionally as part of the weekday films. Fifteen films aired from the 2013 pilot film, until the series was cancelled in 2019 after Loughlin was fired from Hallmark.

The Flower Shop Mysteries is a series which airs on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.

References

  1. Blumenstock, Kathy (January 2, 2005). "Wannabe Sleuths Try to Get Clued In". Washington Post. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  2. Shattuck, Kathryn (January 20, 2007). "What's on Saturday Night". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2018.