In a world of uncertainty, it’s nice to know some things for sure: the relief at the end of a long day at work, the delicious taste of a favourite meal, and that Hudson & Rex will always provide resolution – it’s the comfort food of TV shows. The bad guy always gets caught, and the storyline is wrapped up in a neat bow in each 45-minute episode: satisfaction guaranteed.
Det. Charlie Hudson (John Reardon) and his canine partner Rex work in the Major Crimes unit of St. John’s, Canada. (Incidentally, St. John’s is a real, centuries-old township, and North America’s easternmost point.) Rex and Charlie are joined by forensics specialist Dr Sarah Truong (Mayko Nguyen) and technical analyst Jesse Mills (Justin Kelly), with the team led by Superintendent Joseph Donovan (Kevin Hanchard), who everyone calls Joe.
Seasons 3-6 of Hudson & Rex have just landed at , joining the first two seasons of canine crime-solving. They arrive just in time to accompany our winter hibernation and make our nights that much more enjoyable.
Hudson and Rex on the job in season 3. Credit: Jessie Brinkman Evans / Shaftesbury / Pope Productions
As die-hard fans know, the show has a ; 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the original, Austria’s Kommissar Rex penned by Peter Hajek and Peter Moser, which ran between 1994 and 2004. Italy’s Il Commissario Rex took the reins from 2008–15, then Canada’s version debuted in 2018. Six seasons in, Hudson & Rex is going stronger than ever, having been sold to over 100 territories around the globe.
Real-life Rex was just a year and a half old when filming began on season 1 of Hudson & Rex. With a name fit for a rockstar, Diesel vom Burgimwald has quite the pedigree. He is descended from family of the original dog who played Rex in the Austrian series. Not only that, two of Diesel’s nephews are part of the Canadian crew as occasional doubles and stunt dogs. No CGI is used in his scenes, which is a testament to the daily training Diesel puts in with expert handler Sherri Davis.
Diesel vom Burgimwald is Rex - a name befitting such a star. Credit: Jessie Brinkman Evans / Shaftesbury / Pope Productions
The human crew is also full of talent, of course.
Season 3 opens with the origin story of Rex and Charlie’s partnership. Devotees of the show will know that Charlie was the only person who could convince Rex to move away from the body of his former partner, Grace Lindsay, who was shot dead in the line of duty. The episode flashes back to Charlie and Rex’s first case together – finding Lindsay’s killer.
Charlie also has refreshingly functional working relationships with the rest of his colleagues. After a brief absence at the end of season 2, Sarah is back, uncovering the meaning behind the most minute of details in her forensic analysis. The pair, members of their very own Mutual Admiration Society, nut things out together so smoothly, it appears effortless. While it’s strictly business between Charlie and Sarah, there’s no denying the pair have chemistry. , Sarah and her long-distance boyfriend had broken up. We’ve got a sniff that Charlie and Sarah’s relationship may evolve in seasons 3–6.
Jesse brings the youth element to the diverse cast – he’s a wiz at all things digital and technical, and can know way too much about a person just with access to their phone, let alone the police database. We can only marvel at Jesse’s deft skills, and we love his awkward quirkiness. He adores being part of this team, often schooling Charlie on social media mores and general young person’s vernacular. He is also to be admired for his willingness to go above and beyond. Remember when and was almost killed, or when he to save someone’s life? It’s a treat to see Jesse away from the computer, and in these seasons, we’ll be seeing more of it.
Det. Charlie Hudson (John Reardon) with Rex and technical analyst, Jesse Mills (Justin Kelly). Credit: Jessie Brinkman Evans / Shaftesbury / Pope Productions
At the helm we have the stoic yet soft-hearted Joe. The steadfast Superintendent supports his team with warmth and loyalty – what’s not to love? Played by award-winning actor Kevin Hanchard (Orphan Black), Joe is a dream boss, and it’s wonderful to see him out of the office every now and then, too. We have full confidence in him – the way he takes control of is a thing of beauty – and with his long tenure, his personal and professional history in St. John’s often feature helpfully in cases.
Donovan (Kevin Hanchard) meets with SWAT team members in season 5. Credit: Derm Carberry / Shaftesbury / Pope Productions
Joe and his team have their work cut out for them. Season 3 sees them catching a copycat serial killer, Charlie diving into the Atlantic Ocean for clues and a secret revealed when a friend of Jesse’s goes missing, among the action-packed episodes.
Even more of the stunning natural beauty of the Newfoundland coastline will be on display in season 4 when the team works less in the office and more out in the field, as a mobile unit. Hanchard says “this season sees the characters stretched and pushed beyond their limits in a way that that we hadn’t quite done before.” Before season 4 ends on a dramatic cliff-hanger, we’re introduced to a new Deputy Chief, and meet Charlie’s ex-wife Julia, who shows up unexpectedly.
Season 5 sees the return of Charlie’s Aunt Miranda, who we already know has a , and we meet another member of his family. Sarah trains a new forensic pathologist, Dr Karma Poole (Bridget Wareham), to help with the workload back in the lab while she continues to work mostly in the field. The storylines this season bring the team’s personal lives under the spotlight more than ever before.
Season 6 marks the 100th episode of the series but the producers are keeping shtum on what to expect, so we’ll have to wait and see. One thing we do know is that a consistent stream of crimes land on Charlie’s desk (and Rex’s dog bed) ready to be solved. We’re along for the ride, confident that Hudson & Rex will bring the goods.
Charlie Hudson (John Reardon) and Rex. Credit: Jessie Brinkman Evans / Shaftesbury / Pope_Productions
A couple of titbits to finish on: one of the reasons John Reardon was first attracted to the role is that his son is named Hudson. And incredibly, Reardon and Diesel met only three days prior to the camera rolling back in season 1. While Reardon credits trainer Sherri Davis for ensuring Hudson and Rex’s partnership appeared strong straight away, and indeed it became so very quickly, he has also shared that his relationship with the German Shepherd is the overwhelming reason fans all over the world get in touch. “[They] really respond to the bond between Charlie and Rex, and I think that’s the heart of the show”. We do too.
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Hudson & Rex
