19-2

Unlike many I don't mind reading subtitles when the colloquialisms substitute for the French language as it evolved in Québec. This is a riveting and addictive series. The portrayal of the relationship between Berrof and his mother paints a classic picture of a dysfunctional middle class family of the region and one that seems to be repeated in old French-Canadian families right along the fur-trade route from Québec through Detroit and Sault St. Marie is much more common than one might suppose in kind if not in degree. The promiscuity between couples and open relationships is also more commonly visible in Montréal than elsewhere in Canada. The behaviour of the police in solving internal problems like the wife-abuser or the dealing with cops personal problems, alcoholism, and the tendency to sweep misdemeanors under the carpet is accurate. I am disappointed to have learned that it is being remade in English with a different cast. The language is one I am familiar with having spent some of my formative years in the city. Some of the local jargon I picked up during the show was quite funny and a lot of that nuance may be lost in translation in the "anglais" version, but I will try to keep an open mind. If it gets (typically) "sanitized" in order to appeal to the English Canadian audience, it will be a totally different series, and I may prefer to go on watching the Québec version if it was available.

This series is absolutely outstanding. I just watched the finale and it was excellent, so well done, I had goosebumps after it was over. The writing is amazing and the acting is superb. I plan to watch the English series next, but I don't expect that it can top the French series. Everything about this show was so incredibly well done. The writers were not afraid to deal with very difficult subjects. As another reviewer said, the characters are flawed, but very likeable regardless. As a former Montrealer, I started watching the series for nostalgia purposes, mostly. But I ended up binge watching this well written and highly entertaining show.

This is an extraordinary series,to say the least...it never stalls,stumbles,or runs dry....far from running out of material,it is as if the writers had to deal with having TOO MUCH material to fit in each episode....no sooner was one story told than it led to the next story with barely enough time for so much as a beat....all of the characters are complete,multi-dimensional human beings-capable of misunderstanding-and being misunderstood-and vice-versa......I could go on and on about :The Entire Cast,The Writing; The Imagery; The Direction,The Editing,The Cinematography,The Wardrobe-Makeup-Special Effects,The Music,etc.,etc.,etc.... I will just say that,in my opinion,this work is the sum of one million little things done with perfection-a masterpiece.....I cannot speak French,and I say to others who do not speak French: these actors are fluent in Body Language,and they convey the meaning of the scenes by speaking this Universal Language. Their words ( in my case,the English Subtitles) are merely icing on the cake; and simply add meaning to a meaning already conveyed.....I have tried to express my feelings about this series,but I implore anyone who reads this to view this series; and let this Work of Art speak for itself.

I'm usually more of a fan of anti-heroes. I would watch breaking bad and Dexter over CSI and Bones any day. This show about Montreal's police really does something for me though. Frankly, I think I usually avoid police shows because to me, the characters in them are either cliché or stagnant. In 19-2, rest assured you'll see no righteous, confident hero nor eccentric genius who infuriates-everyone-but-is-tolerated-because-he-is-always-right (mentalist, Monk, House...). The characters will all make you hate them a little at some point, while still having you rooting for them. They evolve, as do their relationship in a natural, believable way. New plot lines are thrown in at the right pace: no time for being bored, but enough to make it coherent and fluid. The dialogues are right on the spot - absolutely natural, powerful or funny when needs to be. Although, this is probably one of those shows people from France might need subtitles to understand. Finally, they know exactly when to go slow mo', when to mute or delay the scene to make it efficient. If you know French, 19-2 is really worth your time.

All the performances here are topnotch but the real stars are director Daniel Grou's facile direction and cinematographer Claudine Sauvé's imaginative camera work. So many shows on Netflix have terrible cinematography, where camera operators lack the talent to keep subjects in the frame. Not so with Grou and Sauvé, who give this series a sense of you-are-there excitement. It's a thrilling ride, helped by solid storylines and sharp, incisive scripts. There's an underlying intelligence that permeates every scene. Some of the tracking shots are breathtaking.

It's not all perfect. The green-hued palette is overdone and gives everything a uniform sickly appearance. Also, one could argue the soap opera elements at times overwhelm the impetus of the plot but that would be griping because, unlike so many Hollywood shows, the romantic moments are usually intertwined with the plot.