It's been a while since Russell Crowe made headlines for anything -- there was the Twitter tirade about circumcision, the phone-throwing incident with a bellhop, the occasional blockbuster hit. CBC is hoping that we've all missed him so much that we'll tune in to the season premiere of Canadian favourite "Republic of Doyle" -- which features Crowe in a guest role.
Last August, the Academy Award winner was in St. John's to perform with his pal and Great Big Sea frontman Alan Doyle, and found time to film an episode for the crime comedy-drama.
The season 3 premiere has Crowe reuniting with his Merry Men co-stars from the 2010 movie "Robin Hood" -- Doyle, Scott Grimes and Kevin Durand. Doyle will reprise his role as a convict from the last season of "Doyle," and this time around, according to the press release from CBC, "the four will play a group of troublemakers causing headaches for Doyle & company on the streets of St. John's."
Anyone else hoping Crowe's Newfoundland alter ego will be a bit like his former bad-boy self? That is: angry, violent (as one hotel employee with the outline of a phone permanently etched into his head can attest), and never one to back away from an argument? If Crowe's fans are ready for the actor's special brand of hell, and he gets to lose his temper (on-screen, of course), this will undoubtedly be the CBC's series' most-watched episode to date. It's a win-win.
"Republic of Doyle" returns on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 9 p.m. ET (9:30 NT).