Dr. Finlay is the hero of a series of stories by Scottish author A. J. Cronin. The stories were used as the basis for a long-running BBC Television series Dr. Finlay's Casebook screened in the 1960s. The stories, based on autobiographical notes, centered on Dr. Finlay's general medical practice in a small Scottish country town called Tannochbrae.

Dr. Finlay returned to BBC Television again in 1993 with a newly-scripted series starring David Rintoul as Dr. John Finlay, Annette Crosbie as his housekeeper Janet McPherson and Ian Bannen as Dr Alexander his practice partner. This series ran until 1996.