Instinct

Peter McGinn8/10

Dec 13, 2020

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I started watching this show for three reasons. I have liked Alan Cumming ever since he played unlikeable roles in Circle of Friends and Emma. Then I saw him in The Good Wife, which reminded me that I liked his work. Plus we subscribed to CBS All Access to watch a few shows, so why not watch this also? I don’t tend to read many reviews before deciding to watch something, unless I see a LOT of one-star reviews. That usually means either there are several people of color in the movie, or else because gay/lesbian characters are treated in a realistic and positive manner. The latter was the case in this show. A loving but ordinary gay couple must have made some viewers’ ears bleed. I appreciate police shows that have both long term cases and ones that are solved in one episode. I think the chemistry is pretty good throughout the cast, and particularly was impressed that the hard boiled cop, the one who usually spouts insults at unorthodox characters like a gay couple, was a mixture of gritty investigating but tolerance for the two male leads. I actually saw it as rather groundbreaking. I will say that I thought the Dylan character was a little too smart sometimes, but as suppose it is quicker to solve the cases within one episode. Also, the dialogue felt a little too sappy sometimes, but those moments passed quickly. It reminded me of Midsomer Murders, which also, despite featuring imaginative and grotesque murders, are fairly suitable for the whole family.