The Common Wealth

Hi! I imagine you feel relief to see this post. I bet you were very worried that my take on all things Doyle was gone forever, since posting stopped and the season is still a-runnin'. Well, do not fear! I'm just a bad blogger. 

How can you get any better when trying to attract laughs, when you've got a chronically clumsy and entirely accident prone character? Oh, right, make him a redhead. And then have him try to say “b'y” and have Jake look like it gave him a migraine and inform him that 'Only Newfoundlanders can say 'b'y.' On mainlanders, it's just wrong.' And have him reply in a spectacular display of awful grammar: 'I think I said it good.' But the real question: why was his cast so huge? And why didn't they give him an airboot? Is this a subtle comment on the state of healthcare in Newfoundland? Gee, Harper, maybe you could, I don't know...do something useful?

I kind of hated the resolution of the main crime plot in this one. It felt like a cheesy romantic comedy that stopped trying, with the whole 'we'll always have Albania or Argentina or whatever A country it was' clue and the final 'you're a murderer, I can't love you' scene on the dockside while art-thief-oh-just-kidding-I'm-actually-a-hitman Natalie was prepping her sailboat for her quick getaway, provided the wind is on her side. (To be clear, I know sailboats come with small motors for docking and departing harbours).

And Leslie's reconciliation scene with her Dad was also a bit movie of the week. And on the subject of Leslie, I do rather wish they would stop bouncing us around emotionally on where Jake and Leslie stand. One episode, they're extremely into each other and battling the forces of Canadian evil together and the next, they barely touch. I know resolution of this plot line would dry up one of the important sources of Doyle entertainment and drama, but there comes a point when it's been spun out too long and we're approaching that, if we haven't surpassed it already. They either need to resolve this by having one get married or die or they need to permanently unite these two and start having them encounter problems as a couple.

What's up with NewLeslie? She's clearly dirty or, at least, fuelled by some agenda other than serving the good city of St. John's. I'm sensing the set up for a season finale here. Something epic, where NewLeslie tries to destroy Jake and possibly involving the Illuminati, since they're running out of absurd ways for the Doyles to make bat-shit stupid decisions.

Des and his raise crusade. Way to go Des on your quest for a raise – especially since you're clearing making pennies (and we don't even have those in Canada anymore) since even Tinny the cadet laughs at your wage. And double points for bringing it up when the moment couldn't be wrong-er. Like when you're supposed to be offering surveillance at whatever that party was in the opening scene. Oh! Best ever is Des shaking out his wallet, offering to buy Jake and the accident prone ginger a half pint each, and then asking if he can get an advance on his raise.

Most importantly, what is up with Rose's clothes in this episode? That blue-green dress, mostly. She looked like a giant present.