This is another under the radar gem and of course it's another relic from my childhood. I ran into this show when the Family Channel (now called ABC Family) was new and upcoming and it was a pleasant surprise for me because as a kid I actually was into action and detective shows, this to me was sort of a breath of fresh air because it was something a bit different, let alone they actually have a detective show for a family audience which really doesn't happen much even by todays standards.
I really like that theme song, I thought it was very good and a bit memorable, has that fun action beat to it. Even liked the location which of course was in Canada, so in a way it sort of gave the show a sort of cultural feel as we heard a few French Canadian accents. The action is solid/decent their choreographed well though it's the actions of the dog that are the most impressive, from chasing the baddies to taking them down.
Hank Katts is a solid protagonist, like that he's got a sort of easy going charisma but also knows when to crack down and be tough and in cases is really sharp. I also like how empathic he is as he treats his dog with respect and regards Rudy as more than just a pet, which is part of why they have a good partnership. Even like his son Steve whom is a kid character that is actually good because he not annoying he acts like an actual kid and is actually useful as he helps out in cases sometimes.
Rudy is great, he is a very keen and surprising (even funny) at times even smarter than all the other cops. It's sort of the motif of buddy cop, only here this is a dog which at first almost seems like this could be a gimmick, which is a fundamental problem with pet/animal characters in most visual medium. And yeah it's true that it's kinda far fetched that a cop would have a dog as a partner instead of a human, but the way they handle it feels almost plausible and why the heck not have a dog with you most of the time as they can be the most helpful in sniffing out evidence as well as take down baddies from a distance or when your in trouble.
Even like Reinee whom was in on seasons 3-5 of the show, her character was a solid human partner for Hank, she's tough has a little charisma. I remember when I was a kid I kinda had a crush on that actress, she was kinda hot, liked the French Canadian accent made her even more attractive. I also thought both that character and Hank would hook up somewhere along the line but that never happened so oh well, but I'm fine that they kept it platonic.
I think what makes this detective show really stand out for me is the real sense of a family dynamic, I really like how all four really correlate with each other which is why each are strong but stronger when together and I feel that's a good message not just for family but for even a group of detectives.
The plots are actually pretty good there the typical crimes but what makes these different are that most of these plots tackle real serious social issues and it's not watered down they do it with subtlety and maturity, like abuse, racism, school violence, drugs, etc.
The only weak points for me are the show at some points can at times come off just a bit preachy in places and there are a few too many tacked on situations where it comes off a bit too convenient that Rudy saves the day. But then again this is a family cop/detective show what are you going to do.
Overall, this show is clean good fun, if you like dogs and even detective/cop shows then this is worth a try, just like Rudy this show has both bark and bite.
Rating: 3 stars
