HUDSON & REX: Suspenseful Tales With Wagging Tails
By Movieguide® Contributor
With the scenic backdrop of the rugged coastal, Canadian city of St. John’s, HUDSON & REX is an engaging police detective drama whose first season is streaming on UP Faith & Family after premiering on Canada’s Cititv via Rogers Media.
After each episode’s opening introduces us to a body — most times dead and sometimes almost — Detective Charlie Hudson arrives on the crime scene with his four-legged partner Rex, a K-9 unit-trained German shepherd now working Homicide Division. With the backup of a wider team of experts in the department, Hudson and Rex travel the greater metropolitan area to follow-up on their clues through interviews with various witnesses and persons of interest. The recurring stars of the Homicide Division team feed compelling leads to Det. Hudson throughout each episode: the forensics lab expert Sarah Truong provides facts gleaned from analysis of the physical evidence; confirmed IT nerd Jesse Mills gathers video cam footage, contact info, and everything else he can bring to bear for the case from the worldwide web; and division Superintendent Joe Donovan lends a steady hand and wise advice as the head of this busy office. The show’s fast-paced editing has us follow Hudson and Rex as they move from conversations with their homicide team members to conversations with witnesses and persons of interest, of which there are always three or four per episode that the viewers might call suspects, but that Hudson never so labels. The writing is crafted well enough to keep most viewers suspecting every one of them, while not being sure of anyone in particular. And don’t forget Rex! While Hudson is busy in his interrogations and conversations, Rex can be found sniffing out further clues, giving comfort to the distressed, chasing down someone leaving the scene in an untimely manner, or pining for the sandwich left within striking distance. There is no doubt a resource for some of Rex’s performances and antics, as HUDSON & REX is a Canadian remake of what was originally a very popular Austrian TV production that ran from 1994 to 2004 titled “Kommissar Rex”. Though the mystery of each week is solved within that episode, there are longer story arcs that fill out the personal lives of some of the main characters. For instance, Superintendent Donovan is a single father; we meet the daughter in Episode 4, and the estranged wife in Episode 12. Hudson and Truong develop a modestly appropriate relationship interest from Episode 3 on through the remainder of the season. A last, but mysterious example: Hudson has a motorcycle in his living room that never leaves the place. Various episodes teasingly show motorcycle parts and paraphernalia around his living space, but no mention is ever breached all season long as to the reason for this unusual, yet masculine interior decor. Additionally, throughout the season, we never see him ride a motorcycle, though he does commandeer a snowmobile in one of the last episodes. This unique loose end, as well as the others, should provide some great material for future scripts.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.