From John Doyle of the Globe and Mail:

• Action-packed series borders on the hysterical
  “As often happens with new Canadian TV drama series, there is an awful lot packed into the first episode to get your attention. This is an understandable tactic, but the problem with the opening episode of The Guard is that the drama verges on the hysterical. It’s slick, action-packed entertainment, with some quiet moments of angst for the central characters, but it careens more wildly than a speedboat driven by a drunk. Fine-spun drama it isn’t.” Read more.

From Glen Schaefer of the Vancouver Province:

• Coast guard crew in off-guard mode
  “‘The characters are great, we’ve all got our stuff, our skeletons,’ says Bacic, married with three children in real life. Miro, The Guard’s captain, is ‘sort of an aware gigolo. He’s a charming guy but he’s very honest with a woman about what he wants, because he doesn’t want to hurt anybody.'” Read more.

From Vinay Menon of the Toronto Star:

• Global’s The Guard off to a swimming start
  “There is much to admire about The Guard, not least of which is its ambition. Shooting on location in Squamish, B.C., couldn’t have been a breezy endeavour. But by not replicating conditions on a soundstage, the fictional Port Hallet is imbued with authenticity, from the pewter skies that hang over Howe Sound to the jagged coastline south of Whistler.” Read more.

From Alex Strachan of CanWest News Service:

• Internet teen territory
  “The Guard, a new homegrown drama about a coast guard search-and-rescue team based on B.C.’s west coast, focuses on rescuers’ battles in and out of the water. Curiously, the home front is more convincing — and interesting — than the action on the water. Oh, well. The opener may be mundane and predictable, but at least the premise has promise. Keep watching: It might get better.” Read more.

From Global:

A New Global Canadian Original Series Premieres Tonight at 10pm ET/PT.
Life and death decisions are made in a heartbeat.