LM23 RATING: Tune in week after week
Nostalgia is quite the trend on streaming services. Whether it’s a reboot, remake or reimagining, there’s an endless supply of content. Just looking at the homepage of Disney+, there’s Monsters At Work, Cruella, Dug Days, the numerous Marvel spinoffs, Muppets and so on that have some sort of familiarity to them. I know Disney+ costs me money and the volume of content is worth way more than the subscription fee, but an average person with a job and things to do tends not to have a lot of time to watch everything available. I’m a decisive person generally. I can literally scan all available dresses and shoes on Nordstrom or Macy’s and know I don’t want anything. But when it comes to looking for something to watch on Disney+, well, it doesn’t help that the search functionality is nowhere near as sophisticated as a shopping site like Nordstrom or Macy’s, but the mountain of new, sort of new and old content can sometimes immobilize me. I just don’t know where to start or to begin. Should I watch a new show? Should I try to find an oldie but goodie? Well, I have to start somewhere to start making the most of my money, and so I’ve gotten into the habit of just clicking on anything that may look interesting and then see where that takes me.
One of the shows I randomly clicked on as it was on the homepage banner, was the new TV series version of the old 80’s Tom Hanks movie, Turner & Hooch. I think I’ve seen this movie before, but I can’t say I remember anything beyond it stars Tom Hanks and a big dog named Hooch. Was it a funny movie? Was it a scary movie? What happened in the movie? I don’t know.
The series begins with Scott Turner (Josh Peck) who appears to be a very organized and disciplined single guy who works as a U.S. Marshal. I’ll be honest, I’ve seen the move U.S. Marshal starring Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Downey, Jr. a million times, yet to this day, I still don’t know what the difference is between a marshal, state trooper, sheriff, highway patrol, and whatever else law enforcement agencies there are beyond just the police. Scott is initially partnered with Jessica (Carra Patterson), who just happens to be really pregnant and is eventually assigned to desk duty. Scott is then paired up with Hooch and they officially become the K-9 unit after Hooch proves himself in the series premiere and impresses Scott’s boss, James (Anthony Ruivivar, who is known from a much more realistic and gritty cop show, Third Watch).
Hooch, a hulking and constantly drooling French Mastiff breed, comes into Scott’s life after the passing of Scott’s dad. Hooch once belonged to his dad and after his untimely passing, Hooch went to live with Scott’s sister, Laura and her son, Matthew. Laura shows up unexpectedly on his doorstep with Hooch as she’s unable care for Hooch. At first I thought maybe Scott is the son of the Tom Hanks’ character from the movie, but the series has no connection to the movie. The passing of his father still seems raw for Scott and his sister as they both eventually start to unravel clues as to what happened to their father, who also happened to be a policeman.
Like a lot of these streaming shows that seem to be a dime a dozen these days, the success really relies on a strong lead. With Turner & Hooch, there is Josh Peck who may not necessarily be a household name, but he’s a former Nickelodeon child star and is currently somewhat of a social media influencer with over 10M followers. But what I recognized Josh Peck from was his role as the long lost son of the aging restauranteur Romeo played by John Stamos in Grandfathered. Another Disney+ offering which I just happened to watch and love while randomly clicking on what was available under the comedy section. That show by the way is amazing and it’s too bad it only had one season.
Josh has an average every man quality to him, much like Tom Hanks. He’s not necessarily good looking in a movie star way. And he doesn’t necessarily come off as hyper masculine and tough in a leading man of a cop show way. But he makes up for it with sensitivity and a good nature. What’s funny is that Hooch is more of the bad cop to Scott’s good cop if you will. Josh is really convincing as a bachelor who can be responsible for his own life and others which goes against a lot of the stereotypes of what a guy like him is usually portrayed as these days.
Also holding up the series is Scott’s potential love interest, but for now just a friend, Erica (Vanessa Lengies) who is a dog trainer with the K-9 unit. Vanessa Lengies’ Erica character pretty much plays the feminine version of Josh Peck’s Scott. Erica is confident and cool when it comes to her job and with her clients (dogs) but she’s a bit of a mess but in a super cute way when it comes to her crush, which is of course, Scott. Similar to the Scott character, Erica is much like an average every day girl who works hard and is extremely likeable. I recognize Vanessa Lengies from another short-lived but great series, American Dreams, where she played the rebellious best friend, Roxanne. Of course, Erica’s competition on the show is a girl who is nothing like her. Unlike Erica who is just a friend to Scott, Brooke (Becca Tobin) is the dream girl girlfriend of Scott. They make a second attempt at a relationship when their paths cross again. Brooke is a successful, high flying prosecutor with a wealthy “daddy” and connections that can elevate Scott’s status instantly. The only caveat is that Brooke has to be in Boston for at least two months for a big case. This of course opens the door for Erica to fill the void.
I’ve so far watched all episodes as soon as they’ve dropped. The show is a dramedy and so you’re not going to get the torn from the headlines type of plots or clever, charismatic criminals often found on Law & Order. The special effects and cinematography of the show does hold up, though. It doesn’t look fake or stand-in’s are obviously used in the more violent or physical scenes. Each show has a plot and the good guys always overcome the bad guys with some moments of levity and that’s what you get from a show like this on Disney+. And that’s good enough for me.
What does concern me in terms of the longevity of the show beyond one season is that two of the ongoing plot points that once resolved, would pretty much end the mystery and hook of the show. Much like with This Is Us, as soon as we found out how Jack died, I don’t think we can say that the intensity of the underlying trauma and sadness of the Pearsons which to me drove the mood and many of the plots of the show, was the same. Not knowing why Jack died as the viewer, gave us the same sense of loss and confusion and frustration that all of the Pearson kids felt as they lived their lives without him as adults. But strangely, knowing that Jack died of a cardiac arrest and not from the initial house fire, gave me a sense of closure. I wasn’t as protective and concerned for the Pearson kids as I was before. I didn’t really need to see any more episodes to see how else their lives were affected by their dad’s untimely death. I was able to move on from the show. I can’t even really remember when was the last time I watched This Is Us.
Turner & Hooch is going down the same path of a mysterious death that you know sooner or later, Scott and his sister Laura will figure out. Scott is in law enforcement and their dad’s former partner, David (Reginald VelJohnson, who played the dad on Family Matters), is also available to help them if needed. Laura works as a vet assistant and has a small child to care for, yet she seems to have a lot of time on her hands to do detective work as a side hustle. She is the one who has been doing most of the digging and coming up with the leads. So far she hasn’t gotten into any trouble or hurt for that matter.
Not much is shared, yet about Scott and Laura’s dad beyond the first episode. Maybe we’ll learn more about their dad and their relationship with him that is compelling them to solve his death (which isn’t confirmed as a murder but just as suspicious). Whatever the case, once we find out why their dad died and what happened afterwards, it would leave the Laura character hanging in terms of what would be her purpose in the series.
And like many series, the two characters everyone knows will be together don’t normally get together until the series reaches its finale. So far it seems like we’re really rushing through the levels of a crush and the dance that goes along with it. We’re still only in season 1 but already it seems to me like both characters are in the affirmative that they like each other. That’s not how these TV show crushes go! They need to stretch for at least 10 years like on Friends or Who’s The Boss?
Finally, we can’t forget about Hooch. Hooch appears in pivotal moments to help save the day, but he plays almost like a supporting character despite the fact his name is also on the show. It would be great if we can see more of Hooch’s personality not when he’s on the clock but how he interacts with Scott when they’re at home or just being Man and Dog. Kind of like how we don’t know much about Scott’s relationship with his dad, we don’t know much about how Scott relates to Hooch and their emotional connection beyond being partners. Although I am a fan of the show, I think the partnership between Scott and Hooch needs some more cultivating. But ultimately, I do recommend watching the show. It’s a great pick me up after a long day.
Comments