The first time I watched Durham County, I thought it was a pretty-good Canadian television miniseries, which is shorthand, I guess, for “barely watchable”. Which is also hugely unfair, because on closer, properly-attentive viewing, it’s gripping and good, creepy fun. It could stand alongside a Showtime or (minor) HBO miniserieses.

But, to get to the point of this entry, whoa. Hugh Dillon’s in it. I’ve never been a follower of Dillon’s musical career — with The Headstones and Hugh Dillon’s Redemption Choir — since the material, straight-ahead hard rock, never much interested me. His acting career has been — for me, at least — electric, and at this stage of his life, it’s gratifying to see him getting greater recognition and better roles. I could not take my eyes off him — and his blistering performance — as Joe Dick in Hard Core Logo a dozen years ago. If you haven’t seen that movie, do. No, really. Best rock-and-roll movie ever.

What else to say about Dillon? He’s devoted his entire career to angrily smashing that cliché of barely-palatable Canadian entertainment. A good overview of his career and an an example of his indefatigable presence can be seen in a clip on CBC’s The Hour. Oh, he turns 45 in two days.

Hugh Dillon

Hugh Dillon is further proof that men start getting hot at 40. And that you don’t need to lose that fire, that creativity and that punk rock drive as you get older.

And, in a remarkable coincidence, guess who I bumped into, two days ago?

Filming Flashpoint (for CTV and CBS) a half-block from the office, the affable and friendly (and, for real, even hotter in person) Mr. Hugh Dillon:

Hugh Dillon on the Flashpoint Set
Downtown Toronto, 27 May 2008

I urge you to avoid casting your gaze… you know.

Important Reminder: The “Green on Thursday” series always reveals very much more about your host at This.That.No Other. than it does about any of the featured personalities.