With reboots and revivals ruling the TV development slate over the last few years, I had reservations about a TV show sequel to Turner & Hooch.

For the most part, expanding franchises usually results in people wanting the project to disappear from existence because of how detrimental they are to the memory of the original.

Thankfully,  Turner & Hooch Season 1 Episode 1 manages to forge a path that makes it a worthy follow-up to the Tom Hanks movie, while introducing fresh and exciting concepts, and of course, a lovable dog in Hooch.

The series sets the tone off the bat and doesn't deviate from it, which helps to keep the show fun for all the family.

Shows from Matt Nix typically have a distinct feel, and it's hard not to compare the tone Burn Notice. It's light, filled with comedy and high-octane action sequences.

What more could we want?

Josh Peck oozes charisma as Scott Turner in what I can only describe as perfect casting. Finding the right person to take on this role was crucial to the success of Turner & Hooch.

Peck manages to balance the vulnerability and the more humorous beats of the character to perfection.

Jessica: Who's blowing up your phone?
Scott: My mom, I'll call her when I get home.
Jessica: You're not giving her grandbabies. Say the world, I'll set you up, I got cousins!

• Permalink: You're not giving her grandbabies. Say the world, I'll set you up, I got cousins!

What Scott lacks in confidence, he makes up for with cosmic wit that shows no signs of slowing down. Seriously, this dude can talk.

There's understandably a history between Scott and his father, and Scott's reluctance to take on Hooch solidified that.

The death of his father seemed clean cut at the beginning of the premiere, but it's clear there is much more to the story than meets the eye.

As our first overarching mystery, it's decent. There should be twists and turns as Scott and Laura set out to find answers to their most burning questions.

It's a shame they thought their father died, and that was that, but it's highly concerning if he died when he was investigating something that could result in the biggest case of his career.

It certainly makes me wonder whether anyone else in Scott and Laura's circle could be hiding information.

Given that the series is geared towards the whole family, I don't expect it to get dark. This show is on Disney+, after all.

Lyndsy Fonseca was another solid addition to the cast. Having watched her on Nikita, Desperate Housewives, and How I Met Your Mother, it's nice to see her sink her teeth into a role different than she's had before.

Laura: Hey, Scotty. This is Hooch. There's food, a leash, some toys. This one's his favorite, Mr. Horsey.
Scott: What are you talking about?
Laura: Did mom call you?

• Permalink: Did mom call you?

There's a lack of communication between the Turner family, and I'm guessing part of the journey will be in how the investigation into their father's death brings them together.

I may be biased because I love dogs, but Hooch was excellent from start to finish. It really does harken back to the fact that the show is fun for all the family, and all of these different concepts come together decently.

Scott did not want to take on Hooch, and it's not surprising. He's at a pivotal stage of his career, trying to come to terms with the loss of his father and the breakdown of his relationship with his girlfriend.

Now that Hooch has been given a job with Scott, it will be fun to see how the dynamic continues to unfold.

Hooch is great at catching criminals, and coming from the care of Scott Sr., that's not a surprise.

The case of the week was the only weak aspect of "Forever and a Dog." The series had a lofty task in introducing viewers to a very different world from the movie, so it was obvious the case was constructed in a way to do so.

FBI Agent Long being behind the abduction came out of nowhere, and there wasn't a decent enough build-up to the reveal.

Had there been more clues strewn throughout the episode, it would have been easier to understand his machinations.

That being said, it was satisfying to see the grin wiped from his face when he was rumbled.

Plus, the case did help prop up Scott and Hooch in the eyes of Chief Mendez, but the tricky part will be whether future cases will be able to be more believable.

Variety is a must to keep the cases fresh, and while the initial case was passable, I expected better.

Still, the case of the week being the issue is not a big thing. The sequel has brought the world of the movie bang up to date, complete with intriguing characters and a four-legged friend along for the ride.

Given that many shows struggle to find their footing early on, Turner & Hooch finds its footing very quickly, and I'm excited about what the future holds for the series.

Over to you, Turner & Hooch fanatics!

Are you sold on Josh Peck in the title role?

Are you interested in the mystery about the case Scott Sr. was working on before his death?

Do you have any early suspects who may know more about the case than they're letting on?

Hit the comments below.

Catch new episodes of Turner & Hooch Wednesdays on Disney+. We'll have reviews every Wednesday at 10 am ET.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.