Plot Patrol
Plot Patrol is the ultimate ride-along for film fans who love a good cop story. Whether it’s gritty realism, pulpy thrills, or gloriously bad procedural nonsense. Host Duncan McCauley takes the badge and the popcorn in hand, breaking down famous detective dramas and crime thrillers with the help of real-life officers, legal experts, and the occasional smart-mouthed cinephile.
Each episode, we put a movie or TV show under investigative scrutiny, asking the big questions: Would this arrest hold up in court? How much paperwork would this take? And how does this loose cannon still have a job?
From Zodiac to Hot Fuzz, True Detective to The Wicker Man, Plot Patrol blends sharp analysis, wry humor, and behind-the-scenes insight to separate fact from fiction in the world of on-screen crime.
Plot Patrol
Episode 1: The Wicker Man – Fact, Fiction, and Flaming Paganism
In the debut episode of Season 2 of Plot Patrol, host Duncan McCauley teams up with retired island police sergeant Angus MacLeod to put the cult classic The Wicker Man (1973) under investigation. From missing girls and pagan rituals to the infamous fiery finale, they dig into what the film got right—and hilariously wrong—about real police work in Scotland’s remote island communities. Expect sharp insight, cheeky banter, and a verdict on whether Sergeant Howie’s investigation would stand up in the real world… or go up in flames.