British television producers are usually thought of in the U.S. as purveyors of high-toned period pieces (i.e., Masterpiece Theatre), but they are also capable of turning out first-rate sitcoms and contemporary crime dramas. One of the latter was the short-lived (lasting only nine episodes) 1995 series McCallum, which maintained a high level of quality in the writing and a facile grasp of characterization. While you'd probably have a hard time getting the creators of CSI and Crossing Jordan to admit it, their shows were almost certainly inspired by McCallum, which stars Jack Hannah (Sliding Doors, The Mummy) as an eccentric but gifted forensic pathologist who, along with his colleague Dr. Angela Moloney (Zara Turner) and other members of their team, gathers clues from corpses and crime scenes that enable police to help recreate the murders and apprehend the guilty parties. My favorite episodes are the offbeat two-part “Touch,” in which McCallum hunts not just for a human killer, but one who may be carrying a virulently lethal virus. “Touch” not only generates more suspense than most of today's big-screen thrillers, but also gives Hannah an opportunity to display more intensity than usual for his easygoing persona. Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)
McCallum: The Complete Series
Koch, 5 discs, 900 min., not rated, DVD: $59.98 Volume 21, Issue 5
McCallum: The Complete Series
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