Hamish Macbeth

I very much like the book series, penned by M.C. Beacon, that this BBC series is based upon, but it is one of the few instances where I think the movie is far richer, deeper, insightful, and entertaining than the books. Robert Carlye plays Hamish--he is less of a wild haired redheaded idiosyncratic Highland copper and more of a lean, intense, loyal, and committed man, who is balancing life as a village policeman, keeping people on the mostly straight and modestly narrow path, one which may not be entirely consistent with the letter of the law, but in concert with the spirit. Hamish is a man I would love to have dinner with, to know over a lifetime, to hike with, and to drink with.

The series is filmed in Plockton, Scotland, and while the books do not lure me to the Scotish Highlands, this series definitely tugs at one. It is entirely consistent with my experience in the Highlands--the richly green yet very rocky hillsides, the beautiful lakes and rivers, and more beautiful still shoreline--not the sandy beaches that bring tourists but rather the kind that lure me--a beachcomber more at home in hiking boots and a rain coat than a bathing suit. By the time I was halfway through the second season, I was already thinking of a return trip--maybe to walk about Scotland, maybe to rent a small cottage for a month, maybe both. It is a place with a bit of gloom in the air, but one that only serves to highlight the natural beauty all the more.

The first season starts off a bit weakly, but in the second the series starts to mine the range of human experience. The murder side of the murder mystery is a bit lagging, with more emphasis on the people, the community, and the relationships that develop over time there. Hamish himself is one who has complex relationships with women and a great deal of difficulty navigating them in a way that directly reflects his feelings. In his work as a man he is unaided and often stumbles. In his work as a cop, he is aided by a side kick, who has the gift of second sight, and his reading of human nature is pretty good as well. Hamish trusts him and his gut implicitly, and their relationship is one to look for in one's professional life. I loved this, more as it went on than at the beginning, and highly recommend it.