19-2 (2011–2015) User Reviews (11)

One of the best series out there

[[e-mail] · 9/10 · 6 March 2013]

Definitely one of the most gut-wrenching cop series out there. Every character is flawed, yet likable. The situations are almost always tense and the stress of being a police officer is very well expressed.

There was a one-year hiatus between season one and season two, due to a change in producers, but the quality of the series has not faltered one bit. The second season first episode (no spoilers here) will go down in history as being one the most frightening and shocking out there.

You can't help but like and relate to the lead characters, Benoît Chartier, played by Claude Legault, and Nick Beroff, played by Réal Bossé. Those of us familiar with Bossé have never seen him in such a dramatic role. One wonders where he channels all that angst from.

If you are fluent in French and looking for something that would be world famous if HBO produced it, look no further, 19-2 is it.

Je ne suis pas une fan des "shows de police", mais je suis complètement accro à 19-2.

[mimidjukic · 9/10 · 26 March 2013]

I'm usually more of a fan of anti-heroes. I would watch breaking bad and Dexter over CSI and Bones any day. This show about Montreal's police really does something for me though. Frankly, I think I usually avoid police shows because to me, the characters in them are either cliché or stagnant. In 19-2, rest assured you'll see no righteous, confident hero nor eccentric genius who infuriates-everyone-but-is-tolerated-because-he-is-always-right (mentalist, Monk, House...). The characters will all make you hate them a little at some point, while still having you rooting for them. They evolve, as do their relationship in a natural, believable way. New plot lines are thrown in at the right pace: no time for being bored, but enough to make it coherent and fluid. The dialogues are right on the spot - absolutely natural, powerful or funny when needs to be. Although, this is probably one of those shows people from France might need subtitles to understand. Finally, they know exactly when to go slow mo', when to mute or delay the scene to make it efficient. If you know French, 19-2 is really worth your time.

Brilliant

[CreativeSpark · 10/10 · 20 September 2015]

If your looking for a cop show that is well crafted, well acted and well written. Then you found your perfect dream, this show is absolutely wonderful. The story progression & cinematography is superb. A far cry from those lame shows like SVU or Chicago PD, this is the type of show they want to be.

I can't believe I'm only stumbling onto it now, but more than happy to have been able to go back and watch all the seasons. The show's that good, something needed in the crime TV genre. I haven't felt this much realism or intriguing grit since NYPD Blue, and still I would come back to this one every time.

I'm seriously stoked to see what season 4 has in store, whatever it is, I'm sure it will be great! Once again if you're looking for something entertaining but yet, serious and well-crafted then this is it!

Underrated drama of police life in Montréal

[cj0404 · 9/10 · 22 September 2015]

Unlike many I don't mind reading subtitles when the colloquialisms substitute for the French language as it evolved in Québec. This is a riveting and addictive series. The portrayal of the relationship between Berrof and his mother paints a classic picture of a dysfunctional middle class family of the region and one that seems to be repeated in old French-Canadian families right along the fur-trade route from Québec through Detroit and Sault St. Marie is much more common than one might suppose in kind if not in degree. The promiscuity between couples and open relationships is also more commonly visible in Montréal than elsewhere in Canada. The behaviour of the police in solving internal problems like the wife-abuser or the dealing with cops personal problems, alcoholism, and the tendency to sweep misdemeanors under the carpet is accurate. I am disappointed to have learned that it is being remade in English with a different cast. The language is one I am familiar with having spent some of my formative years in the city. Some of the local jargon I picked up during the show was quite funny and a lot of that nuance may be lost in translation in the "anglais" version, but I will try to keep an open mind. If it gets (typically) "sanitized" in order to appeal to the English Canadian audience, it will be a totally different series, and I may prefer to go on watching the Québec version if it was available.

one of the best cop procedurals there is

[saamikans32 · 10/10 · 1 April 2023]

This series is up there with THE WIRE and ENGRENAGES (the Spiral), yet it is nothing like them, it is unique.

It feels very fly on the wall, and it shows the good, bad and ugly.

I really like cop shows that really character study the people, including childhood, homelife and shows motivations.

This show is very much about cops and the job itself, loyalty, and trying to be competent under pressure. It is not much about criminals and does not glorify crime, corruption or excessive force in any way.

One of my favorite aspects of this show is that all of the cops are very believable and unique characters with their own way.

There is nothing like this show--it is excellent, warts and all.

Superlative police drama with wonderful direction, writing and acting

[msghall · 9/10 · 14 March 2023]

All the performances here are topnotch but the real stars are director Daniel Grou's facile direction and cinematographer Claudine Sauvé's imaginative camera work. So many shows on Netflix have terrible cinematography, where camera operators lack the talent to keep subjects in the frame. Not so with Grou and Sauvé, who give this series a sense of you-are-there excitement. It's a thrilling ride, helped by solid storylines and sharp, incisive scripts. There's an underlying intelligence that permeates every scene. Some of the tracking shots are breathtaking.

It's not all perfect. The green-hued palette is overdone and gives everything a uniform sickly appearance. Also, one could argue the soap opera elements at times overwhelm the impetus of the plot but that would be griping because, unlike so many Hollywood shows, the romantic moments are usually intertwined with the plot.

A Masterpiece

[deeach · 10/10 · 3 June 2023]

This is an extraordinary series,to say the least...it never stalls,stumbles,or runs dry....far from running out of material,it is as if the writers had to deal with having TOO MUCH material to fit in each episode....no sooner was one story told than it led to the next story with barely enough time for so much as a beat....all of the characters are complete,multi-dimensional human beings-capable of misunderstanding-and being misunderstood-and vice-versa......I could go on and on about :The Entire Cast,The Writing; The Imagery; The Direction,The Editing,The Cinematography,The Wardrobe-Makeup-Special Effects,The Music,etc.,etc.,etc.... I will just say that,in my opinion,this work is the sum of one million little things done with perfection-a masterpiece.....I cannot speak French,and I say to others who do not speak French: these actors are fluent in Body Language,and they convey the meaning of the scenes by speaking this Universal Language. Their words ( in my case,the English Subtitles) are merely icing on the cake; and simply add meaning to a meaning already conveyed.....I have tried to express my feelings about this series,but I implore anyone who reads this to view this series; and let this Work of Art speak for itself.

One of the Best

[shoshanim · 9/10 · 17 July 2023]

If you appreciate great writing, excellent acting and impeccable direction this is the series for you.

19-2 lures you in, grabs ahold of you and doesn't let you go until the end. You become engrossed in the day to day lives of these officers and their families and their stories.

And the acting is some of the best I've seen anywhere, truly superb!

While you travel with these officers on patrol, encountering some of the saddest, silliest, darkest, and scariest situations imaginable, you can't help but see and feel exactly what they are experiencing as they try to keep some semblance of order in such a messed up world. Their camaraderie as a team and as a family feels exquisitely real, and you can't help but feel it as well.

The storyline threading through all episodes of all 3 seasons is gripping and heartrending as it pulls and tears at the characters in life altering ways.

Just watch it - you'll see what I mean.

One of the best police dramas ever

[rweisman-121-286298 · 10/10 · 28 July 2023]

The only reason this series is not far better known is that it is a Canadian production and the setting is Canadian - Montreal from 2011 to 2015- instead of American. But if you want three dimensional characters instead of cardboard heroes and villains, realism about the tragic and sad lives of those who encounter the police, story lines that make every episode memorable, and first rate acting all around, then this is the police drama you want to watch. No one is written off in this drama- even those officers who commit despicable acts- their actions are not sugar coated but you feel you have a deeper understanding of why they did what they did. The interplay between the two central characters is never dull- never cliched. I have watched both the French and the English versions of this show- While I was enthralled by both , I found the French version grittier, deeper, and ultimately more satisfying. And I say this as an anglophone.

A few flaws but good over all.

[geewhiz46 · 7/10 · 18 March 2023]

This could be called "The weird and wonderful daily life of beat cops" And this is its major flaw. It's as if they looked up every report ever made of unusual events experienced by beat cops.

One gay whipping another dressed in a tutu and boots in a public park - a naked guy up a tree trying to save his cat - a dementia patient looking for a dead wife - etc.etc.

There were far too many sex scenes in it and the obligatory gay storyline. They took coarseness a bit too far.

The back story was interesting - Cop Nick has Bulgarian relations on the wrong side of the law - partner Ben is tasked with monitoring him.

Nick's mother is hateful - and to me she didn't give a good enough reason for her attitude towards him.

It held my interest - I didn't ff much. But the ending was as weak as water.

A Tad Soapy, but Smart Procedural Drama

[anhkhoido-816-401526 · 7/10 · 25 November 2013]

Unlike many, I wouldn't call "19-2" the best TV series of all time. The title is an allusion to the police precinct (19) and the ID number of the car (2) where our lead characters work at and from. After his partner has been severely injured, Nick Berrof (Réal Bossé), a beat cop of the Montreal Police Department (MPD), is partnered with rookie Benoît Chartier (Claude Legault). The latter presents himself as a former agent of the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), which is Québec's provincial police.

On a daily basis, Berrof and Chartier ride along and try to remain professional despite their aversion for each other. Furthermore, unbeknownst to Berrof and everyone in the MPD, Chartier is still on the SQ's payroll. In fact, Chartier is out to catch a mole in the MPD who's leaking sensitive informations to the organized crime.

While "19-2" is not among the best French-Quebecker TV shows such as "Aveux" or "Les invincibles" to name a few, it nevertheless is a diamond in the rough. When "19-2" is soapy, it stresses with a lot of emphasis that the characters are flawed. Off the job, Berrof has problems with his wife, a member of the brass, and his distant son. Add to that Berrof's occasional outbursts of violence. As for Chartier, he deals with his estranged wife and his flings.

Add to that the few problems of pacing. In its attempt to be like a film from Wong Kar-Wai (In the Mood for Love), "19-2" often offers long close-ups of the leading characters' face while they're saying nothing. Other than that, the acting is pretty solid and the smart script will have you scratching your head as to who the mole is.

Finally, once the mole is found by Chartier in the second season's finale, the script paves the way for an anticipated third season which is entirely focused on the leading characters' own issues. Moreover, I can't wait to see how the English Canadian remake, which also takes place in Montreal and will be aired on the cable network Bravo, will fare.