At first I was a little skeptical about this series, and certainly the concept is a pretty well-worn one. It has improved with time though as the characters established their roles and the balance between the comic and the serious has settled into something a bit less predictable than it was at the start. Some nice guest roles have helped out as well (Gordon Pinsent, Russell Crowe). If nothing else the series is a wonderful advertisement for the fantastic world of Newfoundland: the houses, the vistas, and most definitely the crazy half-Irish/half-Canadian accents add to the appeal. All in all worth watching, though some might find it a slow burn at first.
Review of Republic of Doyle
