From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:
Link: Frontier is a lively, bloody yarn about Canada’s fur trade wars
Canadian history is about cutthroat business. And greed, murder, rage, revenge and pillage. Mind you, it’s mainly about getting on with the necessities of cutthroat business.
Frontier (Sunday, Discovery, 9 p.m.) is a new drama about Canada in the 18th century, before it was Canada and was merely a disputed place to pillage and ravage like the bountiful, wanton place it was. It’s a stunningly opulent, wildly entertaining romp, an action/adventure drama anchored in the savagery of the fur trade. Blink and you’ve missed some character being knifed, hung or beaten to death in the name of profit.
The Canadian Discovery Channel’s first scripted drama, made with Netflix, which will air it outside of Canada, is a rollicking good yarn, blessedly lacking in earnestness and devoted to fast-paced action. Continue reading.
From Fish Griwkowsky of the Edmonton Journal:
Edmonton-born actress brings edge to fur trade drama Frontier
“The great thing about her is that as much as she’s this badass using her hands and killing people, she’s also very much the reasoning within the Black Wolf Company, Jason Momoa’s gang. She’s kind of the heart of the group, and gets Jason Momoa’s character to really think about what he’s planning to do.” Continue reading.Â
From Bill Brioux of The Canadian Press:
Former Game of Thrones star takes on Canadian fur trading drama Frontier
When Canadians think of the Hudson’s Bay Company, they think department store. They don’t think “Game of Thrones†with fur pelts. That may change after Sunday, when “Frontier†premieres on Discovery Canada. It’s also set to debut outside of Canada on Netflix. Continue reading.
I want to make a correction to Doyle’s article: the story does not take place in the early days of the HBC but rather about 130 years or so after it’s founding, when the HBC was in a period of decline thanks to pressure from The Northwest Company. Someone correct me if I’m wrong cause I can’t remember if the pilot showed us a date or not, but I’ll peg the setting as around 1800 to 1810, somewhere’s about. The HBC was started in 1670.
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I liked the first episode. I found some of the writing a bit too simplistic at times but I guess that’s what’s needed to appeal to a wider audience in a series beginning moments. Too much info might scare a portion of the audience off. I find myself wondering how the show will present a first-season arc with a cast of this size in only 6 episodes.
You’re right. This takes place after the HBC is in decline. The co-creators say that in my interview with them.
Things move quickly and I’m sure storylines will carry into Season 2.