Don’t hate us, but it seriously makes our day when the phone rings and Republic of Doyle’s triple threat writer, producer, and star Allan Hawco is on the other end of the line. This time, Hawco was calling from Calgary, where he was participating in a CBC press event. Hot on the heels of a (late) fourth season renewal and a well-deserved European jaunt with his mom and sister, Hawco hasn’t stopped. “I haven’t been home since April 6th,” he laughed as we got started.
First, we had to get the formalities out of the way and (gently) rake him over the coals about leaving Des in a bullet-ridden heap in the cliffhanger finale. “You got to be able to tear down your blocks and take risks so you don’t become stagnant,” he said. “Audiences expect a certain level of plunging.”
We talked a little bit about the great rotating and repeating guest cast who popped up this year and he says that will continue. “There is always a certain comfort in getting to know people in this world of the Republic. I think there are going to be some new ones,” he teased. “I think it’s going to be exciting. I’ve got some fun ideas, which always seem to work out really well.”
They go back into production in July, but the next two months are hardly going to be a break as Hawco’s writing team ramps up. Despite his travels and the renewal coming very recently, he’s already made a significant dent in next season’s 13-episode order. “We’re about ten episodes in,” he told us. “[We have] five drafts [done] and about five episodes waiting for me to get back to the room to break apart. We’re in a good place.”
And even though he knows where they’re headed, he wasn’t telling any tales, except that we will spend some more time on who Mal was before Doyle & Doyle Investigations. We asked about whether we’d see Kathleen again and he started to say something and then cut himself off at the pass, so we’ll have to wait and see there. I kicked myself later that I didn’t ask about the big Paul Gross reveal (as Tinny’s dad), so that’s on the list if we speak to him in the fall. (Sorry!!!)
As for his short vacation, Hawco says there was a little bit of recognition while he was travelling this spring. “People are confused because they’re not sure they know who I am,” he laughed. “In the UK, I was stopped and asked [how they knew me], so we’re definitely a presence, which is exciting.”
As for the dynamic of how the third season played out, he said it went exactly where he had expected it to go when chatted last fall. “I feel you have these plans and you veer away from them so you don’t get locked into an idea, but I always find that we’re back to where we started.”
Hawco’s already back at it in St. John’s. No rest for the weary (or wicked, or wonderful). As we parted, he said he was sure he’d land on his feet despite the whirlwind. We are, too.
Republic of Doyle returns to the CBC lineup in January.
Photo Courtesy of CBC
