Turner & Hooch premiere pays tribute to the original movie in just the right way

Turner & Hooch premiered on Disney+ on July 21, and while this is not a reboot of the Tom Hanks movie or even a sequel, it is a continuation of the story. And while Hanks’ character, Scott Turner may be gone, he is not forgotten.

Not only is our leading man, played by Josh Peck, Scott Turner Jr., but his new canine sidekick, which was a gift from his father, is also a Hooch. And while it is obvious that this is why we call this series Turner & Hooch, like the movie, it is also a chance to once again have that rather unique duo on our screens again.

But it wasn’t just the names that honored the original Turner & Hooch. It was some little things, and even a big thing or two that made it work.

Turner & Hooch honors its past in new series premiere

In many ways, Scott Turner Jr. is a lot like his father was at the start of the Turner & Hooch movie. He is a dedicated officer of the law and he wants to make a name for himself, even in small ways. And he is a very serious man, sort of.

We learn rather quickly that Scott Turner Sr. has died, and he is leaving his son the dog he recently adopted. Turns out that this Hooch reminded the senior Turner of his late dog as well in different ways, but as viewers (and lovers of the original movie), we can’t help but be reminded of the original Hooch ourselves.

But that was not the only nod to the classic. There was also a note from the senior Turner to his son in which he explains why he wants him to have this new Hooch (in my head I have been calling him Hooch 2.0 to be honest). In that note, we are reminded that when we met the original Turner & Hooch, Scott Turner wasn’t a family man and he was a lot more serious as a person and as a police officer. But thanks to the original Hooch, he was able to build something more for himself.

It was an interesting nod to the original, without having to rehash the past or make it too much about the movie. In fact, this series works because it doesn’t rely on the movie. For people who have never watched the original Turner & Hooch, you don’t lose anything by watching this continuation, because it stands on its own.

Turner & Hooch is a classic, and with this new Disney+ series, we get a new classic to enjoy. But what did you think? Have you watched the premiere yet? Are you going to continue watching? We want to know.