Republic of Doyle

At first I was a little skeptical about this series, and certainly the concept is a pretty well-worn one. It has improved with time though as the characters established their roles and the balance between the comic and the serious has settled into something a bit less predictable than it was at the start. Some nice guest roles have helped out as well (Gordon Pinsent, Russell Crowe). If nothing else the series is a wonderful advertisement for the fantastic world of Newfoundland: the houses, the vistas, and most definitely the crazy half-Irish/half-Canadian accents add to the appeal. All in all worth watching, though some might find it a slow burn at first.

We absolutely love it! We've only just seen the first episode, and can't wait to see the next.

Looks like very well done production, set in picturesque Newfoundland, with a humorous and engaging story. With appearances from some recognizable cast, Newfie wit, and good old fashioned chase scenes, it looks like it could be on the way to be the next Canadian produced hit.

We loved that the area the scenes were shot were clearly recognizable, to anyone who has visited the capital city. This, combined with the characters and situations that viewers will likely find some familiarity with (if not them, someone they know) makes this a very watchable start to to a new series.

Well Done!

Just watched the very last episode in the final season and the series gathered momentum from the beginning to the end. I got very attached to the characters and will miss them which showed that the characters were well developed. The stories were good as well. Sexual tension between the pairs was irritating along the way but in the end that was satisfying. The stand out acting came from Jake and Des although the whole cast was very good and convincing in their roles. Des provided much of the humour. The island setting was beautiful and colourful. The very last episode and even the few before that were riveting and the series ended on a very good note.

As a native Newfoundlander, my opinions on this show have to be coloured by that rather important fact, but I have tried to divorce my feelings for my home from my review of the program.

As is plainly written on the Republic of Doyle web site, this show is cut from the same mould as The Rockford Files and Magnum PI. It's mostly a comedy with just enough mystery plot to hold the whole thing together. If you are expecting CSI on the East Coast, you will be disappointed. However, if you are looking for interesting characters that are true Newfoundlanders, with all the irreverence, dry wit and lust for life that the term implies, then this show will definitely entertain you.

Shot in and around St. John's, Nfld, on admittedly the largest number of nice weather days I've seen in a row, Republic takes full advantage of the visual variety of both the city and the surroundings. Dramatic shots of steep hills and brightly coloured houses backdropped by the harbour make even unlikely car chases appear really dramatic. I've driven those streets. Car chases on those hilly, narrow and winding streets is a fast way to a trip to the hospital. Still, they look like a lot of fun, and that's the point of it all, so it works a treat.

The strength of the series, though, is the characters and their interactions. For a brand new series, the recurring characters have a sense of solidity and reality that usually takes several seasons to achieve. The humour is appropriate to the place and people. As a Newfoundlander, I "get" the humour; I can only hope that others find it just as amusing. The other thing that reads very true is the dialogue. Having listened to a great many people butcher both the accent and the common terms of speech, it is refreshing to find dialogue that really could be heard on the streets of the city on any given day.

All-in-all, this is an hour of your life that you will be glad you spent in Newfoundland. If you can't get "Republic of Doyle" where you live, check out the CBC web site where you can watch the episodes online.

Canadian actor, Allan Hawco, is a likable PI in this series that ran for six years and can now be seen on Netflix. In partnership with his father, Jake (Hawco) and Malachy Doyle (Sean McGinley) investigate murder, robbery, and other crimes in picturesque St. Johns, Newfoundland. The hour-long show has plenty of action, and lots of humor, a la The Rockford Files with Hawco a younger and studlier version of James Garner. This guy is catnip to women, and skirts the edge of the law to beat the bad guys at their own game. Lots of action, involving the Doyle clan, who are the ultimate crime-solving family. One character, however, consistently strikes a false note and that is Des, a kid who has become part of the family. He's a consistent idiot as a character, highly unfunny simply in the way. Otherwise, this show makes for wonderful binge watching.