Cardinal - General Discussion

[statsgirl]

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Cardinal struggles to right past wrongs that could derail his investigation and end his career, as the case grows more violent and twisted and the clock ticks down on the killer's next victim.

Stars Billy Campbell (John Cardinal) and Karine Vanasse (Lise Delorme). With Kristen Thomson, Glen Gould, James Downing, Deborah Hay, Zach Smadu, Eric Hicks and Alanna Bale.

[statsgirl]

Cardinal won Best Drama Series, Lead Actor (Billy Campbell), Lead Actress (Karine Varenne) and Best Supporting Actress (Kristin Thomson), Achievement in Makeup, and Editing at the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards,

[mledawn]

I got to this show late - as in, 3 episodes before the finale late - but I was always intrigued when I saw a commercials. Hearing that Shawn Doyle was in the final season gave me the nudge to watch the show, and I regret missing out on the earlier week-to-week episodes.

Billy Campbell is basically unrecognisable to me, when comparing John Cardinal's appearance to Darren Richmond from The Killing.

In the spirit of having an actual forum for the show, I am going to start a rewatch tonight.

 

[LakeGal]

I really thought this last season was the best of the series.  I really enjoyed it.  Sad that it was the last.  I want more.

[mledawn]

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Season 1: Forty Words for Sorrow

Episode 1: "Cardinal"

The body of a missing young girl is found in winter in a disused mineshaft in Northern Ontario. John Cardinal and Lise Delorme investigate what transpired.

 

Cardinal calls Lise "Delorme" the first time we see them on camera, in the parking lot of the electronics store. I didn’t realise that – I caught it on the rewatch.

The snow is such an important character in the show. I’ve been to North Bay a few times,  – it’s frigging cold and snows a tonne. The flares lining the route to the island were another fantastic touch. The cinematography is terrific.

Dyson [re: stopping the search for Katie Pine]: “We tried. We failed. We moved on.”
Cardinal: “Should put that on the crest”

Lise interviewing the brewery guy B&E victim – you get a sense of her humour and resilience even more than when she was dealing with Cardinal at the precinct. She also keys on the new appliance and starts putting things together. She’s smart.

Commanda suggests Cardinal go to the fire for Katie, and Cardinal declines. Meanwhile Dyson heads on over and seems to rub Katie's mum the wrong way.

That RCMP guy seems like a bit of a jerk right out the gate.

A solid set up for the season storylines.

[mledawn]

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Episode 2: "Delorme"

The Algonquin Bay Police Department attempts to make amends with the community for the botched investigation into Katie Pine's disappearance. Delorme risks exposure of her investigation of Cardinal.

 

For some reason I watched an episode of S1 The Killing the other day, and I still have a tough time matching the actor who plays Darren Richmond to John Cardinal. I know they make him look extra-worn, but still. I guess the beard does a lot.

I wasn't sure if Cardinal saw Delorme with the Kelly-phone when they were at the gas station. He holds it up at the morgue, not unlike the way he calls attention to Delorme's vehicle later in the episode, indicating he saw it at the casino.

Seeing Cardinal with Kelly was nice - he seems so much younger around her. I don't know how he and Lise kept their massive parkas on in Toronto. It'd be sooooo hot!
Kelly: You should start running again?
Cardinal: [puts hands to stomach] Why?
Kelly: Because you like it.

I like how you can see Cardinal slowly warming to Delorme - he recognises she is good at her job.

McLeod is eating in every episode, I think.

Josh and Cardinal meeting was hilarious, you can see Cardinal thinking wtf. I laughed so hard at this exchange:

Cardinal: You're a chef?
Josh: No no no no - a hydrologist.

That RCMP guy is skeevy, he's got blinders on. Delorme is already a better police officer. I like how the Mounties are called Horsemen in the novels. I don't know any law enforcement people who call them that, but we don't usually have RCMP where I live, so...

I like how Keith sensed something was wrong with the girl at the bar, and declined to go with her. Didn't help much, but at least he listened to his Spidey sense the first time.

[statsgirl]

30 minutes ago, mledawn said:

I like how the Mounties are called Horsemen in the novels. I don't know any law enforcement people who call them that, but we don't usually have RCMP where I live, so...

It was an accepted term for them on Due South. I remember that Benson ever wrote a song about it in the episode with Leslie Nielsen when they did the musical ride.  I guess it stems from the old days when horses were how they got around.

[mledawn]

8 hours ago, statsgirl said:

It was an accepted term for them on Due South. I remember that Benson ever wrote a song about it in the episode with Leslie Nielsen when they did the musical ride.  I guess it stems from the old days when horses were how they got around.

Oh, I get where it comes from, I just haven't heard anyone around here use that term. It's been a while since I saw a Due South episode - might have to correct that, soon!

[LisaM]

I just started watching. Finished the Season 1 series; I have to admit that I had to FF through most of the serial killer violence parts. Too gruesome/dark for me. I really like how dedicated Cardinal is to his wife. 

[mledawn]

3 hours ago, LisaM said:

I just started watching. Finished the Season 1 series; I have to admit that I had to FF through most of the serial killer violence parts. Too gruesome/dark for me. I really like how dedicated Cardinal is to his wife. 

I also had to ffwd thru those scenes - I don't do well with that kind of violence. It's odd that I like this show so much, really!
And yes, I really enjoy how much he loves her. 

[statsgirl]

The violence in season 1 was so bad, it can be described as torture porn.They toned it down in later seasons but it wasn't until season 4 that I could watch without having to fast forward those scenes.

I guess I watch because I find that scenes between the regular characters almost lyrical in what is unsaid.

If you're interested in more about the show, the CTV site has behind-the-scenes interviews. After the last episode aired, I sought balm from interviews with Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse and how much they enjoyed working with each other.

[mledawn]

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Episode 3 "Edie and Eric"

Concerned that Cardinal is on to her, Delorme digs into the reasons behind her secret investigation.

 

I liked how the episode opened with Cardinal running, as Kelly suggested.

Lise and Josh have a super dysfunctional relationship – if he wants a baby and she doesn’t, that’s game over. She’s messing with him and he’ll just resent her for it. Break up already (complete foreshadowing).

I laughed out loud at this scene:

Cardinal: Alright, you went all that way – just do me a favour and dig around a bit will you?
McLeod: Will do…
Cardinal: [Hangs up]
McLeod: [Hangs up]… And I’m done. [Gets in car]

I was surprised that Catharine was annoyed with John for asking about the darkroom stuff. I thought it was him trying to include her in something outside the hospital. He does seem used to her moods though, nicely done by the actors

Eric is super creepy, which is the point. The poor actor playing Keith is just naked the whole time.

What the hell is the point of the horse? We know that sketchy mail launderer must have hit it but why is it important

It makes more sense now how intense Musgrave (RCMP guy) is about what Delorme is doing, however; if it's not on the books, how did Dyson go along with it? She had to give permission... I know he was given "leeway" but an entire made up manhunt seems like a lot of leeway.

I'm really glad they didn't show the finger. There's already more violence in this show than I like.

[SunnyBeBe]

There are some things I like about this series, but some things in it don’t make sense, imo.  The scenes sure are dark too.  They must have skimped on lighting. Lol

[SunnyBeBe]

Cardinal certainly has a propensity to be captured by the culprits! Lol. 

[statsgirl]

6 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

 The scenes sure are dark too.  They must have skimped on lighting. Lol

The scenes and the storylines. There were whole episodes that I had to watch peeking through my fingers.

It's closer to a Scandinavian detective show than to a US one.

[SunnyBeBe]

7 minutes ago, statsgirl said:

The scenes and the storylines. There were whole episodes that I had to watch peeking through my fingers.

It's closer to a Scandinavian detective show than to a US one.

Yeah…it reminds me The Bridge and The Killing.  

[mledawn]

Randomly looking on Twitter and saw this posted from back in January...

[statsgirl]

Fantastic news if it works out.