Terriers

From the “Best TV Shows You Probably Aren’t Watching” file comes Terriers.

The show isn’t full of flashy action sequences.  It isn’t full of sex.  It’s about solving crimes, but it isn’t a procedural.  It has no teens, no supernatural elements, no super spies or super powers.  What it does have is excellent writing, great stories, and fantastic performances.  There is action, and sex, and crime solving, but the show is really about the characters.  In just six episodes I’ve gotten to know these characters better than some shows manage in entire seasons.  The style of the show is like an old noir detective film.  Scrappy underdog characters with huge character flaws.  And snappy dialog.

Terriers is about Hank Dolworth.  He’s an ex-cop and recovering alcoholic.  He flushed his career and his marriage down the toilet, and now with his best friend Britt Pollack, a reformed criminal, the two of them are making ends meet by running an unlicensed private investigation business.  Basically what you’ve got is an ex-cop who knows the law and where the edges are, and an ex-con who is good at breaking and entering and other less than lawful pursuits trying to do the right thing, even when they aren’t exactly sure what that is or how they should go about doing it.  It begins with an old drinking buddy of Hank’s asking for a favor.  This leads them into some dealings with corruption in local businesses and forms the story arc for the first five episodes.  One of the best parts about the show is that it doesn’t divide it’s focus.  Many shows like to have a case of the week for the episode and fill the background with character arcs.  Terriers manages to actually use the case of the week as part of the character arcs and overall story arc.  It all blends together instead of feeling like each scene is part of one or the other.

It’s just really good.

If you haven’t watched it yet, I’d recommend giving it a shot.  Full episodes are available on Hulu.  If you like it, tell a friend.