McBride: Murder Past Midnight

This Hallmark movie, although it got quite a bit of structure from the "Perry Mason" TV movies, was slow but pleasant, with several plot turns that could be seen coming from a foot away. What it had going for it was its cast, including John LaRoquette, William McNamara, and a totally unrecognizable Daryl Anderson, aka "The Animal" from the old Lou Grant Show. Newcomer singer/actress Jamie Ray Newman (formerly of General Hospital) had a nice role, and long-time character actor Rod McCarron made an appearance. Nicest of all, two women of a certain age, Marta Dubois and Diane Robin, get to flirt shamelessly with LaRoquette. Dubois is a regular in this series and a love interest of McBride's - good to see an age-matched couple. There was some heart, too, as evidenced when McBride inherits Jessie, a client's dog. All in all, it's refreshing to see that these old-fashioned, purely entertaining types of mysteries with recognizable casts have a home on Hallmark. I look forward to another installment.