On Sunday night, I watched 'Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story' on CBC because, as my beloved said, "We kind of have to, don't we?" I think he was thinking of my job as a Canadian TV columnist, our status as hockey fans or maybe he only meant there wasn't much else on.

But watch it we did (the first half anyway - the rest airs Monday March 29, 8 pm, CBC) and frankly, I thought it was pretty good, and I'm a little surprised about it.

CBC miniseries are not usually my cup of tea. The subjects are usually dead white guys who made Important Contributions to Our Country, which I always feel I'm supposed to know about already.

Don Cherry even agrees with me. "I feel like I should be dead," he said at a press conference for the series. "Don't they usually do these kinds of movies about dead people?"

CBC is pulling out all the stops this winter, and is debuting two new shows this week – '18 to Life' and 'Republic of Doyle'. The latter follows a father/son private investigation team based in picturesque St. John's, Newfoundland. The duo tackles cases of all sorts, from catching adulterers to busting drug rings. The show's hero, Jake Doyle, is often distracted by his feisty ex-wife, the attractive local policewoman and his precocious teenage niece.

AOL TV Canada caught up with Allan Hawco, the co-creator and star of 'Doyle' (not to mention writer and producer), who gives off a strangely Colin Farrell-esque vibe. We picked his brain about everything from Newfoundland's fresh, fresh air to why he thinks women rule the world to Doyle guest stars like Mary Walsh, Gordon Pinsent and even Seamus O'Regan.