Review: Republic of Doyle, Season 3, episode 6

So, let's try some writing again before this becomes one of these things were I get out of the habit. Although honestly, this is the first day I've felt half way human. The last week has been absolutely brutal. I've actually written something about the last week, but I'd like a friend of mine, who has had a far, far, far worse week than me, to take a look at it before I post it.

Anyway, onto more frivolous matters, this week's Doyle episode.

Not exactly a secret that I had mixed feelings about the first four episodes of the season (I missed last week's, although I heard it was all right). The problem was that they were slipping back into lazy habits with some of the characters. Plus bringing back annoying ones. It felt like a show slipping back into its first season rather than striking forward into its third.

This one had a bit of this as well, diving back into the Jake/Leslie storyline, but considering she spent most of the season pissed off with him it had to be dealt with at some point. What brings them together is perhaps the stupidest armour truck robbery in history, coupled with criminal so stupid I actually have no problem they're from St. John's. The city is not exactly filled with criminal masterminds.

In subplot #2, Dez bumblingly tries to figure out what to do with the hot med student and fails to understand that med students basically don't sleep or have a life for about 6 years. In subplot #3, we find out at least partially what's going on with Kathleen, Mal's daughter. Short answer, she's a skank. As I noted before, Mal's a nice guy. Crap dad, but nice guy.

The main story was actually pretty straight forward. Dumb criminals (I mean, seriously dumb criminals) rob an armour truck. Leslie and Jake just happen to be there, intervene and then get stuck in the back of the truck.

The fun thing isn't the plot itself at this point. What is fun is the Leslie/Jake interaction. There's some seriously sleezy attempts on Jake's part to win her over. It's hilariously awful and she's having no part of it right up until he gets shot. But the dialogue really works between the two of them and there is nice chemistry between the two of them.

It's also nice to see that Jake wasn't in charge when they were trapped in the van. She's a cop, she's the one that's in charge and she let's him know it. Although the line about how good a shot she is would be more impressive if she actually managed to hit someone when firing at the crooks. The scenes between the two of them are the highlight of the show, even if you have to accept the fact that the cops in St. John's are deeply stupid (of course they would never think of going to the apartment of one the crooks, even after he's been identified. Only Jake and Dez would come up with that idea). Then again, it's not like Doyle has ever really portrayed the cops in town as being anything other than marginally brain dead.

So yeah, that worked. Not the greatest mystery of the week, but I'll take a slightly dumb, but amusing, mystery if the actors are crackling, which Jake and Lelie were this time around. This has been a decent turnaround season for Leslie, considering how awful last season was for her. Pity about the reset at the end, but hardly unexpected. Tune in next time when Jake will do something stupid with another woman and Leslie will walk in during an unfortunate moment, leading to a Three's Company situation...

As for the Dez subplot, it was all right. Cathy was cracking up, but a little Dez bumbling goes a long way for me, and this evening there was a lot of Dez bumbling. But it did give a few amusing moments, including the scene where Jake tricked him into being handcuffed to the bed.

As for the Kathleen is a skank subplot, well, it did give Rose something to do, offered up one crackling piece of dialogue and managed to make Tinny look sympathetic. So I guess it worked, although it would be nice if Mal would clue in at some point the spectacular amount his kids are fuck-ups.

Quotes of the week:
"I'll do worse if you don't shoo"
"Did you just shoo me?" - Leslie and Jake

"Where's Jake. It's the second Friday of the month"
"Oh my God, half price whiskey tasting..." - Mal and Rose, beginning to realize there's something deeply wrong if Jake isn't around.

"I didn't do anything wrong."
"I don't care. That's irrelevant information. Go. Now." - Kathleen's latest winner and Rose, laying the smack down.

"I'm trapped in the back of an armoured van with you and I'm lucky." - Leslie

"I should have gotten shot a long time ago." - Jake

"Honestly, I like you better half naked, but that jacket looks good on you." - Jake

"Walk it off. Oh, and for the record, I'm glad you're not dead." - Mal, father of the year.

"Sleep well, son, because I'm going to murder you when you wake up. Stop being an idiot." Mal, father of the year.

Last Five
1. Miles to go - Allison Krauss and Union Station
2. Some boys - Death Cab For Cutie
3. Rise up with fists - Jenny Lewis*
4. Lonely lonely - Feist
5. Grey day - Madness