Private Eyes - Season 2 - DVD

Content: Matt Shade (Jason Priestley) and Angie Everett (Cindy Sampson) are back on the road as private detectives in Toronto, having to battle not only all sorts of bad boys (and ladies), but also the sparks that fly between them that don't necessarily make working together any easier. But not only Angie is taken, Shade also finds a new friend in lawyer Mel (Bree Williamson). Can the two of them finally focus fully on their work? They have to find out who is threatening the drivers of a successful car racing team, find the missing fiancée of a star conductor, guard an exclusive fashion collection and have to investigate a medieval spectacle. There's never a dull moment in Shade and Angie's lives - and then a rival private eye (William Shatner) gets in their way.

The first season of the Canadian series Private Eyes was a surprise in that it offered viewers old-school crime entertainment. No fast-paced cuts, no frills, but charming main characters and entertaining, self-contained cases. In times when TV series are becoming more and more complex and want to offer their audience more and more in terms of action and pace, such a series that comes across relatively unexciting is almost a rarity. Sure, it doesn't reinvent the genre, but it clearly uses its best aspects to its advantage.

This concept is maintained in the second season, with only marginal changes. There's a new office, an assistant, new loves, and - this is especially positive - significantly more episodes than the first year. The relationship between Matt Shade and Angie Everett gets a little more interesting now that the two know each other better, and there's some chemistry there that will provide plenty of fuel for the fire to come. But aside from that, the series continues on the path it set out on at the beginning. And if you like classic crime fare, the kind you saw in droves in the 80s and 90s, you'll love this series.

One particular highlight of Season 2 is, of course, the guest appearance of a particularly well-known Canadian: William Shatner, once the star of a crime show himself as T. J. Hooker.J. Hooker himself star of a crime series, convinces here once again with a heavy dose of self-mockery, for which you just have to love the Star Trek icon. But Samantha Wan is also a real asset to the series as a client turned assistant. And then, of course, there's the city of Toronto, which provides the creators with some really evocative motifs that give the series a very special atmosphere.

Private Eyes may not be the most exciting or original crime series. But it is currently one of the most charming and entertaining representatives of its genre. And that's why I give the new episodes a clear rating: Absolutely worth seeing - season 3 can come!!

Picture + Sound: As with season 1, the new episodes can convince both in terms of image, as well as the sound mix. Of course, the implementation can not compete with a major cinema production. But the very clean picture leaves a positive impression all around with its atmospheric coloring and decent overall sharpness. In the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, the dialogue is the main focus. But again, there are a few good surround moments that provide a bit of movement in the soundscape. Good!

Extras: Spread across the first four DVDs, interested fans of the series will find a number of short featurettes about the new episodes. Starting off on DVD 1 is an introduction to Season 2 (approx. 4:36 min.), followed by a behind-the-scenes look at Episode 1 (approx. 3:56 min.) and Episode 4 (approx. 3:09 min.). The second disc offers a look at the upgrade at the detective agency (approx. 4 min.) and the shoot in Toronto (approx. 2:56 min.). Things get personal on Disc 3, as it focuses on the love affairs in the series (approx. 5:34 min.). To keep things from getting too romantic, we continue with the stunts and effects (approx. 3:43 min.). Finally, two featurettes on Disc 4 look at Shades Porsche (approx. 3:21 min.) and family ties (approx. 3:48 min.). The short documentaries are all really worth watching, though in most cases they are just way too short. Especially the locations in Toronto or the insights into the filming could have been covered a bit more in depth. Still, all in all a decent bonus package!

Conclusion: Private Eyes enters its second round with 18 new episodes. The series doesn't necessarily evolve, but it does focus more intently on its strengths, which is why the new season is even more enjoyable than the first ten episodes. The chemistry between Jason Priestley and Cindy Sampson is just great and makes for some really nice moments. This is old school crime entertainment - not revolutionary, but extremely entertaining. The DVD box can convince audiovisually and also offers fans some nice extras. For this, there is clearly a: Absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp