Cardinal 401 – Robert
Cardinal, the excellent police procedural based on the John Cardinal novels by Giles Blunt, returns for its 4th and final season. Following the exploits of detectives John Cardinal and his partner Lise Delorme in Algonquin Bay, the 4th series kicks off with Cardinal adjusting to new living accommodations, a missing crown prosecutor in an open marriage with a with a local MPP and a mysterious big bad who is bent on revenge.
The title for the fourth series, Until the Night premieres with Robert, named after the missing crown prosecutor. The episode is excellent with just enough mystery and suspense combined with a menacing adversary to set things up nicely.
There are more questions than answers as Cardinal and Delorme dig deeper into the case. Their quest into the unknown produces several leads but few if any seem to bring them closer to solving things. There’s also a new dynamic to the Cardinal/Delorme relationship. As the series has progressed their once adversarial partnership has grown into a warm friendship. While nothing is overtly implied at first, so much is communicated through their gaze that their subsequent actions elicit little surprise. Full credit goes to Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse as their onscreen chemistry creates an authenticity between Cardinal and Delorme that transcends the script.
Algonquin Bay, the fictional town in North Bay, is a trademark of the series and with Until the Night set during the winter, the frigid temperatures and snow covered landscape mirror the killer’s icy resolve and lust for vengeance. Complicating matters is the fact that the killer is well aware of police procedure and his ability to stay several steps ahead of the police unnerves Sheila Gagner, the MPP married to Robert. She requests Jerry’s assistance in the matter causing some initial friction between the Algonquin Bay police department and the O.C.D. That soon subsides and the two forces team up to help solve the case.
They say that all good things must come to an end and it appears that applies to Cardinal as well. It’s overall excellence has been a joy to watch and Robert continues the series’ high standards. The premiere’s final moments say so much, including some foreshadowing, but stand out for how Cardinal is slowly being swallowed up by the case. It calls attention to the pre-credits sequence where John desperately tries to save some people trapped in a car. As the ice beneath his feet starts to crack, one can’t help but wonder if his dream will find some kind of echo in reality.
