Set in the French Territory just off the coast of Newfoundland, Saint-Pierre follows Donny ‘Fitz’ Fitzpatrick (Allan Hawco), a Canadian inspector who is exiled after his recent bust of a local politician causes too many headaches for the force. Transferred to Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, Fitz is teamed with Deputy Chief Genevieve ‘Arch’ Archambault (Josephine Jobert), a Parisian transplant who is immediately frustrated by her new partner. Together, the two work together to keep the streets clean of this small fishing community, an area that has secrets of its own.
Admittedly, on the surface, Saint-Pierre seems like another ‘cop show’. Working the ‘fish out of water’ angle for Donny, the series makes use of a number of tropes that have served the genre well over the years. There’s potential romantic tension between its leads, a group of smart but sassy officers on the force and key mysteries that flow between each episode beyond the crime of the week. But Saint-Pierre has more than enough going for it to make the series special.
For starters, the setting of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon is so unique that it automatically makes the series feel like it takes place in another world. This is a small coastal community off the coast of Newfoundland yet, somehow, the area feels more European than it does Canadian. (They even use Euros as their currency and use different plugs for their electronics.) As such, there’s something truly unique about this coastal fishing community that makes the series more interesting than if it were set in Toronto or New York.
Even so, the series sets itself apart primarily with some delightful chemistry between its leads. Police procedurals generally live and die by its primary duo but the chemistry between Hawco and Jobert is undeniable. Whereas some team ups can carry with them an awkward tension between performances when characters are miscast, Hawco and Jobert seem to genuinely like one another. There’s an ease between them that comes naturally, adding to their effectiveness together. In short, we simply enjoy watching them together onscreen.
More importantly, as the latest ‘will they/won’t they’ couple, both characters are developed far beyond any potential romantic tension. Yes, they complete each other but in the best sense of the word. Both Fitz and Arch carry their own strengths and emotional burdens that seem to compensate for the flaws in the other. Together, they seem to create something that feels authentic.
Neither are perfect. But they balance out one another well.
With this in mind, it’s also worth pointing out that these characters already have their ‘secrets’. Although the series helps us get to know Fitz and Archf fairly quickly, Saint-Pierre does a good job setting up the questions about things we don’t. Both of these characters seem like they’re on the edge of destruction, even as they’re working together to keep the peace.
So yes, while Saint-Pierre may look like something you’ve seen before, there’s definitely more than enough here to keep you warm in the January cold. Fun and fiery, the cast elevates the series beyond the typical, making it worth your time. In fact, if you decide to visit Saint-Pierre yourself, you may end up staying a while.
Saint-Pierre begins its journey on Monday, January 6th, 2025 on CBC and streaming on CBC Gem.
