This is a feel-good TV show that showcases “troubled” dogs with bad reputations or a tendency towards violence and master trainer Jas Leverette. Jas, the handsome and manly face of the show, is a dog whisperer. He has a sexy voice and many tattoos, but most of all he has an unshakeable faith in the ability for all dogs to be made into good boys with the right amount of care and discipline.
In episode one, we get a snapshot of Jas’ impressive school in San Jose (somewhere in California). Students come to learn how to sit, heel, etc and all have their own showcase/wooden stand box. One of the more insightful asides early on in the show is that it’s not only about training dogs but more about training their owners; mind-blown.
The first dog to be featured is Lady Macbeth, whose background story alone is right out of a Hollywood movie script, though a tragic and violent one. Lady M. originally belonged to a homeless man and while they were living on the streets something terrible happened and Lady lost a leg. She has since been adopted by a man who is not an actor trying to advance his career by featuring in Netflix’s most recent reality-ish TV show, but is actually a very successful and probably single venture capitalist, Brendan Wallace aka Prince Biceps – swoon! His home is huge and his walls are covered in art though he is very close to Lady M., like to the point of bordering on bromance, even if Lady is female and a dog, but you get what I mean. They are extremely close.
Jas meets Brendan and his three-legged friend a couple of times before whisking Lady M. off to his school in San Jose to begin the process of deprogramming her wild and violent streak. She has bitten three of the dishy venture capitalist’s friends and attacked ten, but she is a loving, cuddly softie in the hands of her owner, so quite the split personality hound.
Will she be reprogrammed? Can Jas work his magic? And is venture capitalist Brendan single? Well, watch the episode to uncover at least two answers to these pressing and vital queries.
Major Brownie Points
The show itself is incredibly well-produced, high-quality filming and editing. Jas himself is very believable and ‘real’ in as far as people can be real on a TV show about their life. It does make you feel good and is a welcome elixir to the ennui and inertia most of us might be suffering in these interesting stay-at-home times.
Minus Brownie Points
The show has a lot of quotes and tidbits of info that pop up on the screen throughout, which are sometimes very insightful and useful, but are far too many for relaxed viewing. The all-American feel left me feeling a bit deceived, like was any of this real? And the amount of pretty and perfect people was confronting.
Should you binge-watch the first season? Yes. Will it change your life? Meh – probably not, but you will feel a splash of joy as the dogs become happier.
CANINE INTERVENTION is now available to watch on Netflix
Netflix Review – ‘Canine Intervention’
Reviewed on Netflix, March 1, 2021. Rating: TBC. Running time: 6 x 30 min.
PRODUCTION: A Netflix release of a A. Smith & Co. Productions, Netflix production. Producer: Eli Baldrige. Executive producers: Elise Durán, Jasalah Leverette, Frank Sinton, Arthur Smith.
CREW: Director: Elise Durán. Cinematography: Diego Lopez, Riley Reiss, Aymae Sulick. Editing: Duncan McLean, Benjamin Rawls.
CAST: (self) Jasalah Leverette.