User reviews

Personally, I was hesitant to watch it but am glad I did. The actors are good, the Canadian scenery fantastic, writing ok. I believe the show will only get better and I'm officially a fan! Anyone can find fault in any new show but I'm betting most will enjoy season 1 of Carter.

This is my favorite Canadian cop dramedy since Republic of Doyle. I watched both seasons in one week and want more. Surprisingly good and worth the watch.

Harley Carter (Jerry O'Connell), star of a hit Hollywood TV detective show, has a meltdown on the red carpet over his cheating wife. While on hiatus, he goes back to his hometown of Bishop in Canada. His childhood friend is police detective Sam Shaw (Sydney Tamiia Poitier). The two along with Dave Leigh as 12 year olds had caught the killer of Harley's mother. He returns to stay at the family home with his Japanese housekeepers Dot and Koji. Harley exonerates Koji for murder and then turns to crime solving.

This is a fun Canadian show. That's mostly due to Jerry O'Connell's irreverent performance. It has plenty of light fun with some fair action thriller crime solving. Jerry makes this fun. Otherwise, it's mostly a second tier production but that doesn't really matter as long as the audience has a fun time.

What the hell is wrong with the average person writing a critique about Carter TV show. For heavens sake, "Jerry O'Connel was over the top, a prohibited hand gun, its not like Castle, barrel of gun prohibited, improper police procedure and the ranting goes on and on.

ITS A FUN SHOW WITH A LIGHT PLOT WITHOUT REALITY BEING INVOLVED, NO VIOLENCE, NO COARSE LANGUAGE, FUN CHARACTERS AND AMUSING PLOTS.

Everyone well almost everyone writes like they were expecting the duplication of success like BIG BANG THEORY. For craps sake guys just sit back and enjoy and stop fixating on every stupid little detail.

Watched the first episode, and struggled with it. I found Jerry O'Connell a bit over the top, and couldn't take him seriously, and also couldn't stop comparing it to the excellent Castle. Wasn't sure whether to bother with another episode, but really glad I did. This isn't a serious crime drama, and if you can get past that it's actually pretty good. It's a little silly, it's a bit light hearted, and it's just good fun. A very easy watch.

Jerry O'Connell plays a Hollywood actor named Harley Carter where he had his own TV cop show in which he played a TV detective named Charley Carter. Due to an off screen street brawl with his cheating wife's lover his show was put on hiatus so Harley decides to take a break from acting and he heads from Hollywood California back to his hometown of North Bay Ontario. In North Bay Ontario Harley teams up with his two old teenage friends, Dave Leigh (Kristian Bruun) who runs a truck catering business and Sam Shaw (Sydney Tamiia Poitier) who is now a detective with the local township where Harley, Dave and Sam all grew up.

Jerry O'Connell is a very likeable and natural actor and his role as a TV actor sleuth who gets involved in solving real life crimes with his two childhood friends in his hometown in northern Ontario Canada brings back memories both good and bad. The pilot episode was well balanced introducing us gradually to the three amigos, Harley, Dave and Sam who remind me a bit of the old Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries. We also find out that there is an old unsolved mystery pending which appears to be Harley's mothers mysterious disappearance according to the newspaper clippings that still hang on the wall of Harley's old childhood home.

Although this new television series Carter is a summer series I think with Jerry O'Connell as the lead actor it will lead to a much longer series run than even the producers expected. Add to that the credible acting of Kristian Bruun and Sydney Tamiia Poitier as Harley Carter's partners in their crime solving up in northern Ontario and the producers just may have a hit show on their hands.

Cool new TV show to watch, really fun as well, reminds me a lot of "Psych". Definitely worth your time. Ignore the bad reviews, they are something like "oh so bad because it's Canadian" or people looking for some law regulation "mistake", it's supposed to be a comedy show not a live police fact based show. I find myself waiting for more episodes every week, hoping for more seasons.

This show is fun, interesting, and a little bit clever (far more than many coming out lately). I'm not saying they're the same, but if you saw and liked Sliders, I think you'll like this because it's got a similar kind of cool vibe. There's only 1 episode as of now, but I'm looking forward to more. So pay no attention to the number-without-a-name rater down there who gave it just 1 star, it's not an appropriate rating and I would've given it another half-star if this was set up to allow it. Enjoy the show!

Reminds me of the librarians for murder mystery. Something fun and entertaining for the family. Hope this gets picked up love Jerry!

Not sure why this doesn't get more publicity but I think this show is sooo much fun. The actors are perfect and do a wonderful job. The writing seems pretty solid as of season one. I hope that they keep these coming. I have always loved Canadian TV shows especially now since American TV is far too political and bigoted towards "the other side". American shows seem like a 5 year old throwing a political temper tantrum anymore so this is such a refreshing break.

The whole "I'm a cop you play a cop on TV " gag is overdone. The stories are basic and predictable. Worth watching when you don't want to think.

Years after fifteen year old Harley Carter (Jerry O'Connell) solved a serial killer mystery that had plagued his small, northern home town of Bishop, he became a famous actor, playing a tv detective who solved similar mysteries on a Hollywood crime drama. But after his embarrassing public meltdown forced the show into hiatus, he came back to Canada to evaluate his acting career and reconnect with his old high school friends, Sam Shaw (Sydney Tamiia Poitier), who is now a no-nonsense police woman and Dave Leigh (Kristian Bruun), a witty friend with a shady past who drives his own coffee truck. Carter moves back into his childhood home which is still run by the same old Japanese couple who looked after him growing up; Dot (Brenda Kamino) is an overly protective, white haired housekeeper who brings out her shotgun and points it menacingly at anyone who threatens Harley while her more sensible husband Koji (Denis Akiyama) tries to keep her in check.

Creator Garry Campbell has successfully brought another Canadian story to television, using a mostly Canadian cast (Kamino, Akiyama, and Bruun were all born in Toronto) and filming the show in North Bay, Ontario. Although some reviewers still dismiss any Canadian film or tv series as being inferior to their American counterparts, viewers should not be discouraged by this type of knee-jerk commentary as murder mysteries that happen in a small town have their own unique appeal.

Jerry O'Connell has a long list of film and tv credits for acting, writing, directing, producing, and voice over work beginning with his first role as a child actor in the coming-of-age movie "Stand By Me" and has most recently appeared on the highly successful tv shows "The Big Bang Theory" and "Billions". His easy charm and good looks win over the mayor of Bishop (Joanne Boland) but his Hollywood actor detective skills and sympathetic nature undermine his credibility with both the chief of police (John Bourgeois) and the town's law breakers. Fortunately, his police detective friend and partner, Sam is more than capable of taking down the toughest of bad guys.

Garry Campbell has already enjoyed success writing and producing another Canadian tv series, "Kim's Convenience" which has been renewed for a third season and Jerry O'Connell has undeniable appeal as Bishop's newest consulting detective so "Carter" looks like a solid new entry in the Bravo tv lineup and seems destined for a second season and broader distribution.

Entertaining show. A bit far fetched but the chemistry of the main characters is great.

Why did the writers change the show completely in Season 2? If they were new did they even watch Season 1?

I loved that it was a nod to Castle, Psych and Due South ... all of which I enjoyed .. but with a different "team" of actors who also worked really well together. It was fun and light with a great supporting cast. The murder mysteries were intriguing and the way they solved them was intriguing and lots of fun. It was well-written and well acted.

I recorded the two-season marathon on Hallmark Mystery and zipped through Season 1.

Looking forward to Season 2 today, I was so disappointed they changed Harley's character completely to the vain actor he could have been in the very beginning .. but wasn't. In Season 1 the touches that reminded us he was a succesful actor in a much loved TV cop show were funny and worked but we also saw his real "small town" side as he learned to work with his down-to-earth two childhood best friends.

But from the get-go, Season 2 was embarrassing and didn't make any sense. Enough time was supposed to have passed for him to receive his PI license (why?) so his character change made even less sense.

It might have made more sense had he started out that involved in himself and his actor persona in Season 1 but he never was. I wouldn't have watched the series if that had been the opening episode. There was a real warmth to the show and, delightfully, no sex, bad language and very little violence

I loved the nod to Castle, Psych and Due South because I enjoyed all three.. and the humor was just as subtle. There was a calm about it whereas the opening episode of Season 2 was idiotic, loud, and annoying. The original police chief was a great member of the "team" so the introduction of the new one was jarring. It was as if he was acting in a completely different show.

I'll give episode 2 a try but otherwise I'll be sadly hitting the delete button.

I also find the actors were well chosen and completely agree that although allusions can be made to Castle, it's not. Many shows have an awkward uneasiness until the actors figure out their characters. I didn't find this lasted past episode 1 with this show. The characters are interesting & likeable and it is enjoyable - filling a gap in t.v. that Castle left when it ended. I also enjoy the fact that it is filmed in North Bay - picturesque and somehow familiar to most Canadians. I also hope it is renewed for another season.

Okay I'm a red blooded American retired police officer...and sorry, but I like this show. A light, breezy, entertaining romp with good characters. I've always liked O'Connell. I have the ability to suspend disbelief when it comes to cop shows like this one because it's just fun. The "serious" cop shows just turn me off. I'll continue to watch Carter for a relaxing evening while sipping a quality bourbon....or occasionally a good Canadian whiskey.

This not funny, it's just moronic. Every episode has the same format. There is no saving grace. Jerry O'Connell is just as nuts in interviews. It definitely is NOT cool.

It is charming- funny. lighthearted- but is also sweet at heart. I have really enjoyed it- although I really thought I wouldn't enjoy something this light-weight. It is deceptive- it has a solid core of characters as well as the comedy. I love Dot and her husband. I love seeing Canada. I look forward to it each week, now. I hope it will be renewed for a second series.

This is a shame. A great shame. This show could have been a lot better than it actually was. I think Jerry O'Conell is hilarious and so is his sidekick, Kristian B. (I forgot his last name). However, for me, Sydney Poitier completely ruins the dynamic, because she's such a bad actress. She's so one dimensional and seems to only possess one facial expression. Terrible casting there. And the storylines are a bit sketchy. Not all of them are very well written so the show is very up and down. Watched the first season, and if it's renewed I don't believe I'd watch the second. Wasn't engaging enough.

Love this clean cut, funny, happy and entertaining tv show. Good Canadian classic. I never want to change anything about Canadian tv, movies, entertainment, or culture.

Fun to watch. Gets away from all shows with a political agenda. Comedy is light...so Carter always gets his man. So what ? Make some popcorn , enjoy, relax.

SPOILER: No, police don't end an investigation when someone confesses...especially when the confession is crap. The writers don't seem to know much about anything to do with investigations or police work and got their knowledge 100% from tv. It would be intelligent if Carter had skills like being able to tell when someone is acting or something...but acting is reading a script, not real experience. They investigate to gather evidence because if they get to court and he recants, it's all over...he's free on double jeopardy. That's how dumb their ideas are. Cops want to get the right person, so especially in a killing they keep investigating. Skills matter, not experience in deception (which is what acting is, when you think about it). Yeah, I'm surprised the idea made it to a pilot, let alone a season. It's not just bad, it's really really dumb as well. But hey, if you want to think everyone in the show is as dumb as the writers, you might enjoy this one. (It's really really bad.)

You don't get it. Yes, it makes very subtle fun of Castle, but is a completely other animal; here the protagonist is like a blind dog, who finds a bone now and then on pure luck, while all other "consulting detective" shows have a consultant who really has a skill to bring to the table.

And for it being a Canadian show... so what? It's beautifully shot, doesn't have an overdose of action, and has a relaxed pacing. The actors are very good chosen in their roles, and Jerry O'Connel gives his character a boyish charm that let him get away with a lot of stupid things. It is even referred to by other characters.

Overall a very likable show, which I hope gets at least one season more.

Not a single original thing, not even the name. Poor in every aspect. Don't waste your time. Watch other stuff instead, like Castle, Mentalist or Lucifer.