3 stars = Good
Ratings explained

Start at the end, find the beginning, fill in the pieces of the puzzle that make the story.

CBS's "Flashpoint" ($47.99, Paramount Home Entertainment) is a different kind of cop show. Most have you chasing the bad guy after the crime, catching them and bringing them to justice. This Canadian import is about the life of the transgression, how all the threads of the crime weave together.

Filmed in Toronto, "Flashpoint" chronicles the work of the Strategic Response Unit, a group of highly trained officers that deals with situations that are beyond the normal scope of police work, some inspired by true incidents. The action is quick paced yet there is there is drama created by an attention to detail while allowing moments to breathe. The team members, which at first seem like your typical cops in flashy pants with high-tech toys, get some depth to them as the series progresses. And unlike most U.S. police series, this show allows the characters to become real, the offenders and the officers.

It's interesting to see the difference between what we perceive as television's version of law and order and the perception up north. The music, sometimes intense, is essential, not just background to the stories. The extras, while nothing fancy, give you more background, and include interviews with the actors and actual officers.

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