Private Eyes

The premise is pretty close to Castle, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. You've got a "famous" bad boy teaming up with badass female Cop, although she is a PI in this. Shade even has a smart daughter who he has deal deal with growing up just like on Castle. The show is more of a "kiddie" version though. My biggest negative is Angela's character development. In Castle the writers let you know that Beckett knew she was in love with Castle while they strung you along, but she couldn't deal with those feelings, but at the same time further developed the character. On Private Eyes the writing/plot send the way Angela acts in directions that don't really make sense for her character and relationship with Shade, all the while you dont know what she is really feeling. It's a little frustrating.

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.

I like lighter crime procedural shows. I was sad Castle and Bones are ending. I loved Psych and Monk and shows like that or if you really want to do a throwback, McMillian and Wife and those kind of shows. There is really nothing left on like those right now. Both the lead actors, the Grandpa and the daughter are all quite good. I like Ennis Esmer from The Listener, another light crime show I miss. The premise is good and the chemistry between Jason Priestly and Cindy Sampson, (whom I have never heard of before) is good and it works. I like that they are not trying to hide Canada. I watch a ton of shows shot in Canada that try to be somewhere else. It gets annoying. This show is fun and light hearted and relaxing to watch. I hope they give it a 2nd season. Update, they gave it more than two seasons, going into season four. Very pleased. Keep up the good work. They all seem to have found their flow together and the show feels like it really found it's pace now.

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.

I didn't think I was interested after the pilot episode. It seemed too gimmicky and redundant. Yeah, yet another pair of ill-suited, mismatched detectives "forced" to work together blah blah... But, I'm glad I watched a couple of more episodes. They made some right turns in the development of the characters and their relationships. I appreciated they toned down the macho animosity and even turned the Shade/Maz dynamic into a sort of reluctant buddy kind of thing. I'm really tired of all the hatred and competitiveness in everything you see these days. This show takes me back to the last century (I can't believe I'm old enough to say that!) and PI shows like Harry O, Rockford and Magnum (the REAL one). Lighthearted humor and a little escape from reality in a relaxing manner is a welcome change from all the explosions and shootouts and car crashes and helicopter crashes and plane crashes and military invasions and, well... you get it. Oh, did I mention all the shouting and backstabbing and assaulting and battering of the "reality" shows? Thanks for "Private Eyes". I'm glad it's still on.

Addendum: The way I rate shows... I don't usually review anything less than a 7 because 6 would be a failing grade and I won't waste my time watching it. I'm old; I don't know how much time I've got left. Since I probably turned it off before getting even halfway through, it wouldn't be fair to rate or review it. 7 is watchable but I may go a while between episodes since, though somewhat entertaining, there are other shows more interesting or compelling. 8 would be a regular in my lineup. 9 is a must see and probably bingeable. 10 is just the epitome of superbity and headed for my all-time favorites list. I'm adding this to my reviews because it seems there are a lot of binary reactions to pretty much everything these days. I am not a like/unlike kind of guy. I see a lot of grays so if I give something a 10 it doesn't mean the only alternative is a 1.