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DaVinci's Inguest has been around since 1998 and is now in
syndication. It will be very familiar to Canadian viewers and has racked
up numerous awards there. Elsewhere, such as the United States, it
occasionally airs on regular or cable channels but is not very well
known. In my neck of the woods, being only 90 miles from the Canadian
border and an hour hop on a plane out of Vancouver, it airs a couple
times a week on a few different channels. From what I've read, it is
syndicated in about 45 different countries worldwide. It's an old show
now. But I thought I would review it anyway since I've come to like the
show so much.
The set-up for the show centers around Dominic DaVinci, played by
Nicholas Campbell. DaVinci is the Coroner for the city of Voucouver,
British Columbia. It's his job to investigate deaths and find whether
they are due to natural causes or suicide or whether they are due to
foul play — homicide. Where there is doubt, he has the power to convene
an inquest before a jury. As such the whole system is portrayed on the
show, from the homicide cops to the pathologists to the prosecutors and
other members of the local and national bureaucracy. It's not exactly a
cop show — and yet it is.
Coroner Dominic DaVinci (Nicholas Campbell) on the scene.
DaVinci is a stubborn, reformed alcoholic, occasionally sexist (really
out of stupidity more than personal inclination), quirky, and
fundamentally likeable. He will fight for the rights of innocents and
victims, but he's not about to waste time either on cases that seem to
be weak on evidence. He occasionally has to walk the razor's edge
between families of victims, the cops, and the bureaucracy. Campbell
does an excellent job with role, portraying both the successes and the
dismal failures.
Besides DaVinci, the two leading characters you will see most often on
the show are the homicide detectives Mick Leary (Ian Tracey) as the
young, headstrong cop paired with Leo Shannon (Donnelly Rhodes) as the
older, conservative, jaded member of the team. It's a combination you've
seen before, but revamped inasmuch as the wide range of social topics
embraced by DaVinci's Inquest gives new fuel to such a pairing.
Tracey and Rhodes have a very good chemistry together, and you find
yourself looking forward to the portions of each episode that feature
them. There are other cops in the show as well, but I'll leave those for
the reader to discover since this must be a short review.
Detectives Leo Shannon (Donnelly Rhodes)
and Mick Leary (Ian Tracey) take a break.
But the regular cast is only a part of DaVinci's Inquest. In each
episode we find a vast assortment of prostitutes, dealers, hangers-on of
dealers, families of victims, homeless people on the streets, poor
elderly in group homes. The main cast of DaVinci's Inquest is
essentially the whole social fabric of Vancouver. Many minor characters
are featured in multiple episodes — coming in and out of notice like
people in real life sometimes do. A young prostitute hangs on to a
female detective who might be the only friend she has. A man who is
convinced his daughter was murdered (she wasn't) refuses to accept the
truth, and repeatedly comes in to visit DaVinci and bare his soul.
DaVinci's Inquest rides on a sea of social ills and problems that
might or might not have any solution. In one sequence of episodes there
is an on-going debate about the possible creation of safe-injection
houses for drug users. DaVinci argues that the users are often the
victims of violence and safe-injection houses would protect them. World-
weary Detective Shannon argues that the establishment of safe-houses
would only encourage drug use. No conclusion is reached. The debate
merely continues, and one is left with the feeling that either
alternative stinks. A similar debate goes on with regard to legal Red
Light districts for prostitution.
DaVinci's Inquest emerges as fundamentally different than most
American programs of its general type. Law and Order is too often
about the process itself; and the various CSI programs are
incredibly condensed and unrealistic high-tech procedurals in which
justice is plopped down in a matter of hours. DaVinci's Inquest
is more similar to Crossing Jordan or to L&O: SVU,
although it is broader than each. It is grittier than most American
programs, inasmuch as the series is filmed in Vancouver entirely and can
make use of many more outdoor sequences than American programs, which
tend to do the outdoor stuff in a matter of weeks before they go back to
Los Angeles to shoot. It should also be said here that DaVinci's
Inquest often contains a fair amount of humor thrown in between the
cracks, in spite of its often noir-like feel.
If you can get DaVinci's Inquest on your local cable channel, I
recommend you give it a view. It is a refreshing change from American
programming, "in spite of its realism." I would imagine also that it will
be released on DVD, although so far I've only been able to find Season 1
out there at Amazon.
P.M.P.I RATING (OUT OF 5)
Anonymous writes:
Great revue. I've been watching about a year here in SoCal and wish I'd tuned in earlier. I read recently that the lead, Nicholas Campbell, is broke and down and out. A pity if true; he's an actor in search of his future. Apparently. The jazzy sensitive music haunts me for days after watching an episode. (A good thing!)
I just saw Campbell on a U.S. crime series last season…I think it might have been CSI: New York but I'm not sure. Anyway, I hope that he isn't in desparate straights. That would be a pity. He is a fine actor. Thanks for visiting and thanks for your Comments. :up:
Tim-DC writes:Da Vinci's Inquest is now running nightly on the "Sleuth" Channel on some cable/broadband sources. Watch or record it; you'll be glad you did.And while I too have heard Campbell is having a tough time w/ money, I think that makes him who he is — and the great actor that he is. He can identify directly with life on the street because he has, and now largely does, live it. He knows the raw pains and joys of life on the edge, and he can portray it with the power of truth, unlike actors that have to make it up. He is a treasure.
Thanks for the heads up on the cable channel thing.I saw Campell on a guest role on one of the major American night-time dramas not too far back. It was good to see him and like you I wish him the best.
SoCal Grammy writes:I'm hooked on Da Vinci! Have taped all episodes & watch when I get home every day… I have OD'ed on L&O and find the Canadian drama far superior. Have also gotten hooked on Cold Squad & see many of the same cast members. This drama matures well as it progresses. I was so bummed when Da Vinci ended, so I moved to Cold Squad. Why don't we get Canadian TV here on a timely basis?? Stop crying the blues, HOllywood, and take a hint from the 'Toyota' of TV: it's the Canadians, stupid!
Thanks for stopping by SoCal and your comment. You know I'm only 90 miles from the Canadian border and we still don't get any of the shows on TV. I'm mystified, truly.
Rufus T. writes:I'm located in Tampa, Fl, fortunately there are 2 broadcast channels here that run DaVinci's Inquest during our version of winter, I have been hooked from the first viewing.Da Vinci's music was the real hook for me, what an outstanding score played by soulful monster musicians, a perfect compliment to the series.The characters are well cast and represent the people in authority that I know to a “T” . DaVinci's Inquest is an unknown gem that puts a very human face on the people one meets on one of the worst days in their life.
Thanks for your comment, Rufus. I'm glad to know you get the show. You mentioned the soundtrack — which I failed to do. So thank you. :up:
BobH writes:I've loved Canadian TV for a long time. Davinci's Inquest and City Hall are the greatest. I like Cold Squad and Bury the Lead as well.These shows are far superior to most of whst is on American TV.I remember my kids used to watch Danger Bay, where Donnelly Rhodes was the star.
My favorite of the past years besides Davinci was called Adderly. He was some sort of investigative agent. And he had this secretary who I really had the hots for (I think her name was Dixie Seattle). Thanks for your comment and for stopping by the blog.
sparkle plenty writes:I discovered DaVinci's Inquest mid-2009, and have saved evry recording that was shown on Sleuth. I have since bought " ruppert's land" "Icemen" and season 1&2 of "Intellience". I love Ian Tracey's work. What a talented actor. Here's hoping to see more of him in 2010. Fan from south of the boarder…..
Thanks for stopping by and for your comment, Sparkle. The station here in Spokane that used to air the show has taken it off, so I can't watch it anymore. And so far I haven't been able to find it on any of the cable channels. 😦
Anon. I agree about the lack of variety. Especially on the movie channels, where it seems they show the same 50 movies over and over again.
Anonymous writes:I'm in California, and I too wish we could get the whole DaVinci series, plus some other Canadian series I've read about – e.g.,Republic of Doyle. My cable doesn't carry Sleuth, and what it does have is mostly same old, same old. I really don't understand why cable programming is so boring.
Anonymous writes:Hey, being the creator of the show, I appreciate having stumbled upon this site. I wish and have wished that the show could have been broadcast south of the border from it's first season, but that was not to be. Finally we made a distribution deal that sold the show in syndication, but we were well into our fifth or sixth season at that point. It is extremely gratifying to know that the show continues to grow, even now at the end of 2010, in global popularity. The show was cancelled when a new boss was parachuted in to the network, while it still had great momentum and lots more life to run. If you enjoyed Da Vinci, try and find Intelligence, the show i created after City Hall, whre you'll find Vancouver, Ian Tracy as the lead, and many familiar actors from Da Vinci. Thanks for all the props from you people, we all appreciate knowing the show still affects folks.
Well I certainly appreciate your stopping by and your informative look behind the production history. I am sure that any of the readers that visit this post would be interested in it also.I will get on the net and check out Intelligencer. Vancouver has certainly risen across years to become the Canadian Hollywood. Just noticed that Human Target is being filmed there. And of course the fist years of The X-Files. I would guess it is an exciting time in your business. Once again, thanks. And it is our pleasure. :yes:
Joan writes:I've watched all of Intelligence and three seasons of DaVinci's Inquest on Netflix here in Brooklyn, New York, and I'm hoping that more will be available that way eventually. Just the best TV I've seen; nothing in the U. S. compares — well, except The Wire. I have tremendous admiration for the creators and actors, the complexity of vision, the humanity. I've stumbled on this blog in my search for recommendations for other work as good — suggestions welcome.
Avey in Seattle writes:We get Da Vinci's Inquest on a local channel in Seattle every week and we are also lucky enough to get a Canadian channel. A few months ago there was a full length movie shown on the Canadian channel. In this movie Da Vinci (Campbell) is now, I believe, Mayor. Anyone know if this was the only movie out of the Da Vinci's Inquest series?
Thanks for your comment. Well assuming that any DVI episodes or movies that were made were starring Nicholas Campbell, then according to Internet Movie Database there has been only one — The Quality of Life in made in 2008. I'm afraid that's the best I can do for you. In any case, you are lucky to have such great Canadian programming available there in Seattle. And oh, greetings from the "other side" — I live in Spokane. 😀
Don Hall writes:The esiposde were Donnelly Rhodes comments to the pyhsc question at end of the show. It was cool! Loved it when he is telling her about his wifes inability to understand him, obivious per alzhemier state for his wife and the pych does not get it. So he says maybe we should switch chairs. LMAO
@ Don Hall. I think I remember that one. That's when he had to go see a shrink because of a shooting, yeah? Thanks for dropping into the blog and your comment. :up::cheers:
Anonymous writes:Thats the one. I was to lazy to type more and explain myself. I love that guys role and the young guy too. Both are good at what they do.