Private Eyes

The trolls are at it again. How is it that something can come along, remind us of something else and immediately it gets panned as unoriginal? There is nothing new under the sun. This quote itself is nearly 3000 years old. It was true then and it's true now. Yes, this show reminded me of Moonlighting with a dash of Castle as the remade man who considers a different career. However, it dares to consider than just "bringing the killer to justice". There have been resolutions to stories that I didn't see coming or consider to be regular justice. Remember, these guys are PRIVATE EYES, not cops. Justice doesn't have to include iron bars. I like the chemistry between the leads and having Jason Priestly raise a blind daughter whilst having his own dad around for a foil keeps him grounded. Not to mention that, for once, here is a show with wide appeal that is made in Canada that doesn't pretend to be somewhere else. I've enjoyed the tour of her cities and countryside without it being purported to be "somewhere in the US". Yes, Private Eyes does draw from ingredients we're familiar with, but then some of the greatest cocktails are made from stuff we never consider combining before. Give it a taste!

There have been a lot of detective shows through the years. Some lean to being campy comedy like Moonlighting, others end up a murder of the week procedural like Castle, and others like Veronica Mars end up being side jobs they do while doing other things. Granted I LOVE all of those shows but it's been a while since there has been a good P.I. show where the characters are both actual P.I.'s with random cases to solve. Veronica Mars came the closest.

Here we have a more realistic side to the P.I. life. I really don't care for spoilers myself and I don't want to spoil the plot so what I really need to say is... if you've hungered for a pure P.I. show with random cases this is what you've been waiting for. It does, again, air a little more on the realistic side but without being dark. Like how it's not realistic for Magnum P.I. to be doing a stakeout in a Ferrari. Or how it's not realistic for a writer to be involved in every murder that goes through a precinct in Castle. Or how it's not realistic for a man to take the name Remington Steele so the female P.I. can solve cases that only the big boys get. So anyone that appreciates those kinds of little touches should, like me, find a lot to love with Private Eyes. It may start out seeming like it isn't going to live up to the claims I'm making but stick it out as it's definitely more than the first impression gives.

Jason Priestley who will forever be identified with Beverly Hills 90210 as all American Brandon Walsh for several seasons has changed his famous zip code to a native Canadian postal code. His name certainly guarantees a bit of box office attraction for his new Canadian series Private Eyes.

I did a bit of a double take when I saw he was born in 1969 making him as I write this 49 years old. Granted he was no teen when he was playing one, but I have to say he looks pretty good for his age. We should all age so well.

Priestley whom I remember on a long ago interview said he was a hockey player as a kid plays an ex-hockey player and is now trying to reinvent himself as a private detective. He works for Cindy Simpson who took over her dad's detective agency and he's come in as an operative.

The series has a Remington Steele like quality to it with the chemistry between Priestley and Simpson. Hopefully it will have as long a run as Remington Steele did.

So far the stories although not mind blowing are fresh. I'm not watching re-made versions of other mystery shows. The premise I have seen a hundred times. The male female partners, flirting and will they wont they thing. Heck it works though.

I have watched a lot of detective shows that just rehash the same stories. So far the stories and mysteries have been different and not just rewritten or predictable. The show is just plain cute. More you watch it the better you will enjoy it.

They are not doing a true crime story here, this is light fare.

On a last note I love the fact it is openly Toronto based. Check it out.

At first glance I really liked the show. It reminds me of Castle, the story about a father and a crime solving duo. The story lines are smooth and the comedy is natural. The most important thing here is that while it is being compared to classic shows, it has a present twist. From a personal point of few, this feels fresh to me and that's why I like it. I hope this as long run. After Castle ended, I had nothing of this genre to watch! A comedy, crime series helps in reviving my mood. Its not about the art, the originality nor the clichés for me, its about the successful characterisation which transcends the realm of the 2 dimensional television and plays out as a reality in my head. I'm giving 8/10 for just that. The show has managed to reach out to me and I would like to show my appreciation.