The Glades

I've been in Florida for 35 years, working as both a script writer and newspaper editor. I've been on the sets of most of those made-in-Florida productions and invariably they try to over-sell the Sunshine State with the glamorous South Beach style that typifies almost every show since Miami Vice. The Glades, however, gets its right with stories about the warm heart of Central Florida, with stories most Florida shows forget. Instead of Cuban drug lords we get stories of the football heroes bred in Imokalee, the spiritualists in Cassadaga and the surfers in Melbourne. The cast is down-to-earth with the right accents and attitudes. Very shows have understood their material this well since Ivan Tors migrated to North Miami.

Great show! Finally got around to watch it via DVD. Just dumbfounded why networks will keep loyal fans hanging, by suddenly cancelling a very good series on a cliffhanger! Are they really that cheap not to take care of the fans by at least producing a final season or a 90 - 120 minute movie to tie up loose ends and properly finish the series! Bad form A&E!

Watching the previews to The Glades, I wasn't the only person I know that saw the similarities between this show and the hit series on Showtime, Dexter. The show is filmed in South Florida, revolves around homicide investigations, and the lead, Matt Passmore, even looks like Michael C. Hall of Dexter. However, unlike Dexter, Jim Longworth is a great cop who is NOT a serial killer. He's a just a decent guy with a good sense of humor who is a damn good investigator.

In fact, Passmore makes the show very enjoyable. Co-stars Carlos Gomez and Jordan Wall are great supporting Passmore and I do hope Michelle Hurd continues to take on a larger role in the show. The characters are good and are being developed nicely.

For this show to be successful, I do believe it will need to take on more interesting dark themes or it runs the risk of becoming a run-of-the-mill forensics series like Law and Order or Kojack...no knock on these shows, they were great for their time, but most audiences are looking for something fresh like Dexter and Breaking Bad. Let's hope The Glades remains fresh. I have watched the first 5 episodes and the back stories do seem to be building. If the show continues on this pace, it could be yet another hit for A&E. Rating 8 of 10 stars.

I like this show, still watching so will add more opinions later. BUT!!! I CANNOT stand Callie!!!!! She ruins every moment she's in each episode. She complains about EVERYTHING that she doesn't agree with or what doesn't happen the way she wants. I could see her personality setting someone off and they choke her out. Still watching show but this is my 5th attempt!!!! As all previous attempts were killed because of Callie.

I enjoy cop dramas. Having said that, I REALLY enjoy The Glades. It's such a nice change of pace, not as deep or dark as some of the fare is now-a-days.

What some call hubris, I would call being glib. It's nice to see a cop who's not always beating his chest or tearing his hair out over a case. The interaction of ALL the characters is also refreshing. Actually seems more true-to-life than most. The little gibes, off the cuff remarks to each other really lightens the "mood" of the show.

This is a great example that a good cop drama doesn't have to be heart-rending or bloody. Don't get me wrong, I'll still watch other cop dramas. But it's hard waiting a week for each episode of The Glades. It's on my DVD "series-to-buy" list, no other cop shows made it, yet.