All Your Burning Hudson & Rex Questions Answered

Hudson & Rex is a Canadian hit series that follows Major Crimes detective Charlie Hudson and his four-legged partner Rex as they solve crimes around the city of St. John’s.

Rex’s keen nose and ears are often instrumental in helping Detective Hudson and his team, which consists of Superintendent Joseph Donovan, Chief of Forensics Sarah Truong, and IT Specialist Jesse Mills, discover clues and move the investigation along until the criminal has been caught.

If you’re as fond of Hudson & Rex as I am, then you might also be wondering about a few things about the show.

So, here are answers to some of your most burning Hudson & Rex questions!

General questions on Hudson & Rex

Is Hudson & Rex a Canadian show?

Yes, Hudson & Rex is a Canadian TV series. The show is not only set in Canada but also filmed there.

Where does Hudson & Rex take place?

Hudson & Rex takes place in St. John’s, the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

What are some similar shows to Hudson & Rex?

If you’re looking for shows to watch that are like Hudson & Rex or at least have a similar vibe, we can recommend shows like Disney+’s Turner & Hooch, CBS’s Magnum P.I., Global’s Private Eyes, Netflix’s The Good Cop, and of course Inspector Rex, the Austrian series that Hudson & Rex is based on.

Or, if you’re looking for more TV shows about dogs, we have you covered there as well!

What is the age rating for Hudson & Rex?

Hudson & Rex is rated PG (aka PG 12 or 12).

What is the production company for Hudson & Rex?

Hudson & Rex is produced by 3 production companies – Shaftesbury, Pope Productions, and Beta Film.

How many Hudson & Rex seasons and episodes are there?

Currently, Hudson & Rex has 5 seasons and 84 episodes (season 1 had 13 episodes, season 2 – 19, seasons 3 and 4 both had 16 episodes each, and season 5 had 20 episodes).

However, since the show was renewed for season 6, expect that number to only increase.

Rex-relate questions

How many dogs play Rex on Hudson & Rex?

While Rex is usually played by one dog, a German shepherd called Diesel vom Burgimwald, occasionally, Diesel is doubled by Diesel’s nephews Iko and Izzy.

When a stunt double is required for Rex, usually Iko steps in. While Izzy usually is Rex’s photo double.

What is the dog’s real name on Hudson & Rex?

The real name of the German shepherd who plays Rex on Hudson & Rex is Diesel vom Burgimwald.

Sherri Davis with Diesel on the set of Hudson & Rex season 4 episode 11

Interestingly enough, Diesel actually is related to the German shepherd who starred in Inspector Rex (Kommissar Rex in German), the Austrian TV show Hudson & Rex is based on.

Diesel is a 15th descendant of Santo “Beejay” vom Haus Zieglmayer, who was the original dog that played Reginald “Rex” von Ravenhorst on Inspector Rex.

Who owns Rex in Hudson & Rex?

Rex, or rather Diesel vom Burgimwald, is owned by dog trainer Sherri Davis. She also is the owner of Diesel’s cousins Izzy and Iko who are often stunt doubles for Diesel.

While in the show Rex is owned by Detective Charlie Hudson. Charlie adopted Rex after Constable Grace Lindsay, Rex’s K9 human partner, was killed while pursuing a kidnapper.

Who trains Rex?

Rex’s (Diesel’s) main trainer is his owner Sherri Davis with the help of the trainers at Sherri’s company BRB K9.

They actually have a whole training facility to get Diesel as well as Izzy and Iko ready for their close-ups on Hudson & Rex. The dogs train every day with no exceptions on top of shooting the show five days a week.

But don’t you worry about Diesel too much, he has his own trailer, chef, and chauffeur, so even if the workload seems a lot, Diesel likes what he does and gets plenty of rest between takes and on his downtime.

Hudson & Rex filming locations

Is Hudson & Rex filmed in Newfoundland?

Yes, Hudson & Rex is both set and filmed in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Where is Hudson & Rex filmed?

Hudson & Rex is filmed all over the city of St. John’s and the surrounding areas.

Where is Hudson & Rex police station located?

The MUN’s Bruneau Centre for Research (previously known as the Inco Centre), which serves as the St. John’s Police Department in Hudson & Rex, is located on the Memorial University Campus at 230 Elizabeth Avenue, St. John’s.

Character and story-related questions

Who plays Charlie Hudson on Hudson & Rex?

Major crimes Detective Charlie Hudson is played by Canadian actor John Reardon who you also might seen on such shows as Eureka, Continuum, Supernatural, and When Calls the Heart.

What car does Charlie drive on Hudson & Rex?

In seasons 1 to 3 Charlie Hudson drives an orange Dodge Charger. While in season 4 we see Charlie swap that sweet Charger to a dark red Jeep Wrangler.

Does Rex die in Hudson & Rex?

No, Rex don’t die on Hudson & Rex.

Over the seasons, Rex has had a few close calls but always has managed to avoid the worst, which means that Rex is still very much alive as we head into Hudson & Rex season 5. And, really, how could it be any different since Rex’s name is quite literally in the title of the show?

What police force is depicted on Hudson & Rex?

Hudson & Rex follows the Major Crimes Unit of the St. John’s Police Department.

Who plays Sarah on Hudson & Rex?

On Hudson & Rex Chief of Forensics Sarah Truong is played by Canadian actress Mayko Nguyen who you might have seen on such shows as Killjoys, Rookie Blue and ReGenesis.

Is Sarah pregnant on Hudson & Rex?

In Hudson & Rex season 2 episode 19 titled “In a Family Way”, Sarah had to pretend that she was pregnant in order to gain access to Copeland Natal Clinic that’s run by Dr. Liam Copeland, the murder suspect in the case Major Crimes is working. But, alas, Sarah is not really pregnant.

However, the actress playing Sarah on Hudson & Rex, Mayko Nguyen, was indeed pregnant during the filming of season 2 of the show. But instead of writing her pregnancy into the show, which wouldn’t make sense for the character, the writers decided to hide Mayko’s pregnancy using baggier clothes, having the actress sit in scenes or hide her belly behind objects.

Is Sarah leaving?

As season 3 was drawing to a close the question on many fans’ minds was “Is Sarah leaving?”.

In season 3 episode 15 titled “Seeing is Deceiving” we saw Sarah get a job offer from the London Metropolitan Police where she was offered the position of Senior Forensic Analyst. But after giving it a lot of thought, Sarah turned down the job offer.

So, no Sarah nor Mayko Nguyen who plays Sarah are not leaving Hudson & Rex. In fact, the actress is back shooting season 5 as we speak.

What is the relationship between Rex and Sarah?

From the beginning of the series, Saran and Rex have had a close relationship. Sarah is often seen petting Rex or giving him kisses.

But in season 3 episode 12 titled “Top Dog” Charlie officially asked Sarah to look after Rex if something ever happened to him and Sarah said yes, essentially becoming Rex’s mom and bringing the two closer than ever.

What is the relationship between Charlie and Sarah?

Ever since season 1 of Hudson & Rex, Charlie and Sarah have been colleagues and close friends. Charlie even called Sarah his work-wife in season 2. But over the seasons their friendship has developed into something more.

In season 4 especially, we saw the two get closer and closer, but the timing was never right for the two to get together.

However, at the end of season 4, we see the two seemingly decide to take that leap and give a romantic relationship a chance. And in the season 5 premiere, we found out that Charlie and Sarah are officially dating.

Do Charlie and Sarah ever kiss on Hudson & Rex?

Despite their growing feelings toward each other, in the first 4 seasons of the show, Charlie and Sarah never kissed.

However, in the last moments of the season 4 finale, Sarah broke up with her boyfriend Michael and went to see Charlie instead, implying that a kiss between the two might finally be in the cards for season 5.

And that assumption was correct because at the end of Hudson & Rex season 5 episode 1 we saw Charlie and Sarah finally share the long-awaited kiss, officially announcing to the show’s viewers that the two are, in fact, dating.

Who plays Jesse in Hudson & Rex?

The major crimes IT Specialist Jesse Mills is played by a Canadian Justin Kelly who you might have seen on such shows as Degrassi, Open Heart, and Wynonna Earp.

Does Jesse gets shot?

Yes, Jesse did get shot in the series premiere episode.

Titled “The Hunt” Hudson & Rex season 1 episode 1 the episode sees Charlie and Rex witnessing the kidnapping of a teenage girl which turns out to be part of an elaborate plan to get the girl’s dad to go back to his hitman life.

Jesse and Superintendent Donovan were out on a mission to catch the hitman before he could kill the star witness of a case that would put away a very dangerous criminal. But the prosecutor told Major Crimes the wrong location of where the witness was staying, so while trying to warn the witness of the danger, Jesse got caught in the crossfire and got shot.

Luckily, his vest caught the round, and Jesse was left only with superficial injuries. 

Who does Kevin Hanchard play on Hudson & Rex?

Canadian actor Kevin Hanchard, who you might have known from such TV series as Orphan Black, Suits, and The Expanse, plays Superintendent Joseph “Jo” Donovan who overseas the Major Crimes department in the St. John’s Police Department.

Who does Meghan Ory play on Hudson & Rex?

Megan Ory, who is the show’s lead John Reardon’s real-life wife, guest stars on Hudson & Rex as Deputy Chief Adele Tennant. You might know Megan Ory from such shows as Once Upon a Time and Chesapeake Shores.

Megan Ory and John Reardon on Hudson & Rex season 4 episode 10

We first meet Adele in season 4 episode 5 titled “Rex To Riches” when a stock market guru’s fortune is stolen and Deputy Chief Tennant gets involved in the case because of her personal connection to the victim.

And then again we see Tennant in episode 10 of the same season titled “Blood & Diamonds” when her nephew is involved in diamond smuggling.

Who is Kendra on Hudson & Rex?

Kendra O’Dore, played by Diana Bentley, is Charlie’s ex-girlfriend turned friend who works as a Park Ranger.

She was first introduced in Hudson & Rex season 2 episode 7 titled “The Woods Have Eyes” where Kendra helps Charlie, Rex, and the team find a missing photojournalist.

Then, again we meet Kendra in season 3 episode 3 titled “Into the Wild” when she helps Sahra track down Charlie who goes missing after going to investigate a community of survivalists living in Newfoundland’s tundra.

Who is Julia?

Julia Tillman, played by Canadian actress Natalie Brown, is Charlie Hudson’s ex-wife.

The two broke up prior to season 1 because Julia cheated on Charlie.

In season 4 episode 3 titled “Rex Marks the Spot” Julia is involved in a case Charlie and the team are working on and Charlie and Julia have to work side by side to solve it after not seeing each other for six years. But the two parts on good terms.

Who is Sid and Nancy on Hudson & Rex?

Sid and Nancy (which was also the title of the season 4 premiere of Hudson & Rex) are two fugitives who are wanted for a series of grisly campsite murders across Canada.

When a couple is discovered murdered, the Major Crimes team suspects that Sid and Nancy, who have been slowly moving towards St. Johns based on the bodies they have left in their wake, are responsible.

Who are Otto and Bucky?

Introduced in season 3 episode 7 titled “All in the Litter”, Otto and Bucky are Rex’s litter mates.

In the episode, dog fur is found on a murder victim that’s identified as belonging to Rex. However, since that’s quite impossible, Charlie suspects that Rex might have a twin. And it turns out, it’s even better, Rex has not only four sisters but also two brothers – Otto and Bucky.

Rex, Otto and Bucky on the forefront with Karen LeBlanca, Kevin Hanchard and Marcia Bennett in the background on Hudson & Rex season 3 episode 7

Who is Vanessa?

Vanessa Maddox, played by Sitara Hewitt, is Sarah’s former professor’s new wife.

We meet Vanessa in season 2 episode 18 titled “Old Dog, New Tricks” when Vanessa is murdered and Sarah’s old professor Viktor Maddox is the prime suspect.

Who is Vicky?

Vicky Gumble, played by Mary Walsh, is the head archivist at the St. Johns Police Department archives.

We meet Vicky in season 2 episode 13 titled “In Pod We Trust” where a new murder case looks to be connected to a crime committed 20 years ago.

Who is Veronica?

Veronica Kaatchi, played by Maria del Mar, is an art collector and the owner of the sculpture that was stolen from Spall Gallery.

We meet Veronica in season 1 episode 10 titled “Art of Darkness” then a gallery curator is found dead on the floor of his own showroom.

Who is Levi?

Levi Gill, played by Varun Saranga, is Jesse’s friend who vanishes only for the team to find out that Levi was living a double life.

Levi appeared in Hudson & Rex season 3 episode 14 titled “The Secret Life of Levi”.

P.S. Wynonna Earp fans will love this episode because Varun Saranga and Justin Kelly, who plays Jesse on Hudson & Rex, played love interests in the supernatural western.

Who is Laura?

Laura Benante, played by Clare McConnell, Laura is a guest at a dinner party Sarah and Charlie attend.

We meet Laura in season 3 episode 13 titled “Mansion on a Hill” when the hostess and Sarah’s friend Fiona is drugged.

Who is Leah?

Leah Purkis, played by Charlotte Sullivan, is a Maritime Border Security Agency (MBSA) officer, Charlie’s police academy rival, and almost ex-girlfriend who Rex instinctively dislikes.

We meet Leah in season 2 episode 3 titled “Blind Justice” when the Major Crimes unit is forced to team up with the harbor police to investigate a murder at the St. John’s docks.

Who is Kai Dunn?

Kai Dunn, played by Ari Millen, is a crime boss Rupert Mankiewicz’s right-hand man.

We meet Kai in season 2 episode 17 titled “The Graveyard Shift” when Kai and his lackeys stage a gas leak at the St. John’s police department and take Charlie and Rex hostage to free Mankiewicz and steal 2 million dollars worth of counterfeit bills.

Kai appears again in season 4 episode 6 titled “Dead Man’s Bridge” when Kai and his new crew hijack a truck of liquid explosives to hurt his old boss Mankiewicz’s investments and prevent him from becoming a big player ever again.

The future of the series

Is Hudson & Rex renewed or canceled?

If you’re a Hudson & Rex fan then you’re in luck because Hudson & Rex has, indeed, been renewed.

Will Hudson & Rex have a season 5?

Yes, Hudson & Rex will have a fifth season!

CityTV announced the season 5 renewal of Hudson & Rex on April 21st, 2022, 2 days after the season 4 finale aired on the network.

The season consisted of 20 episodes and premiered on CityTV on Sunday, September 25th, 2022.

Will Hudson & Rex have a season 6?

Yes, Hudson & Rex will have a sixth season because recently, CityTV renewed the series for season 6!

When does Hudson & Rex return?

Season 6 of Hudson & Rex will premiere on CityTV on Wednesday, October 4th!

How to watch Hudson & Rex

What channel is Hudson & Rex on in Canada?

In Canada, Hudson & Rex airs on CityTV.

And you can stream past Hudson & Rex episodes anytime on Citytv+ or the Citytv app.

How to watch Hudson & Rex in the US?

If you live in the US, currently, you can watch season 1 of Hudson & Rex on UP Faith & Family, The Roku Channel, and DirectTV, with season 2 coming to UP Faith & Family this summer!

How to watch Hudson & Rex in the UK?

If you live in the UK, you can stream Hudson & Rex seasons 1 through 4 on Amazon Prime Video or seasons 1 through 3 on Alibi.

Where can I stream Hudson & Rex?

Depending on where you live, Hudson & Rex is available to stream on UP Faith & Family or Prime Video.

When will Hudson & Rex season 4 be on Alibi?

It is not yet known when exactly Hudson & Rex season 4 be on Alibi TV.

Is Hudson & Rex on Netflix?

No Hudson & Rex isn’t available to stream on Netflix.

Is Hudson & Rex on Hulu?

No Hudson & Rex isn’t available to stream on Hulu.

Is Hudson & Rex on Disney+?

No Hudson & Rex isn’t available to stream on Disney+.

Is Hudson & Rex on Amazon Prime?

Yes, Hudson & Rex is available on Amazon Prime Video in some countries, for example, in the UK.

Is Hudson & Rex on UPtv or UP Faith & Family?

Yes, season 1 of Hudson & Rex is available to stream on UP Faith & Family!

However, Hudson & Rex isn’t available to watch on UPtv.

Is Hudson & Rex available on DVD?

Yes, Hudson & Rex is available on DVD. Currently, you can buy DVDs for seasons 1 through 4 since season 5 is currently on air.

10 Comments

  1. In season 5 Sara and Charlie are together. Now in season 6 it appears that they are not together anymore, so far. Have they split up? ( in the script) Loved that they finally got together!

    1. I’ve been wondering the exact same thing. Did producers decide to simply drop that story line without an explanation? Kind of confusing after the relationship in Season 5.

  2. My wife and I started watching Hudson and Rex over a year ago and we are addicted to it, best show on tv, it’s part of our daily routine to watch it, hope it continues for many years, we would love to meet John Reardon and Diesel. We live quite far from Newfoundland in Ontario, We were almost thinking of going to St Johns for a trip just to meet them while they were filming. Keep up the good work, we enjoy the show !

  3. On this page under “What are some similar shows to Hudson & Rex?” It’s not listed but Rin Tin Tin K9 Cop was a TV series similar to Hudson & Rex. It aired in the 90s and I think it had a different name airing in Canada? I remember how disappointed I was when the series ended as I loved that show! Might had been because that channel was going out why the series ended? If you can find those episodes online if you love Hudson & Rex I think you would also love Rin Tin Tin K9 Cop.

  4. We see glimpses of a dismantled motorcycle in Charlie’s home in the early shows. What is the bike that Charlie is working on? My guess is a BSA twin from the sixties.

    1. I’ve just watched episode 1 and as soon as I saw the cylinder head I new it was a BSA A65 or possibly an A50. It is the single carb version. If you want to take a look its at 25:15 in episode 1

      BSA geek here

  5. I recently discovered Hudson & Rex … I am now an avid fan. Seasons 1 & 2 are on Amazon Prime. I found Seasons 3 and 4 on dailymotion.com. I am now into starting Season 5. I am POSITIVE that I will be enjoying it as much as I have enjoyed the previous seasons. I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!!!

  6. I am obsessed with the fleece jacket Sarah was wearing on the recent episode… is there any way to find out the brand or wear to buy? It was a multi colour half zip! Help!

  7. Why is Hudson and Rex not on tv? So many older people who don’t stream would love to watch it on tv

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