Anthony and Diane announce the winners of the TV Ehwards and chat about the Junos, Strombo’s Vancouver trip, Arctic Air’s record season, and the CBC budget cuts.
Episode 88: Listen or download here or subscribe via iTunes or with any other program via the TV, Eh? feed
Your hosts
- Anthony Marco can be found at anthonymarco.com, and on Twitter here and here.
- Diane Wild can be found here at TV, eh? and on Twitter here and here.
Executive producer and director Gary Harvey has just come off a solid first season for Arctic Air — the most-watched debut season for a CBC drama series in 15 years. While he waits on news of a season two, he answered some questions about his career, his unusual role as a director/showrunner, and how giving back to the industry is a survival mechanism.
What do you think it was about that show at this time that caught the attention of an audience?
(Creator) Ian Weir always meant for Arctic Air to be a bit of a throwback to the classic adventure series. Imminent peril is obviously a big theme throughout and we deliver on those types of stories. There is also the environmental dilemma faced by the north and we touch on that through the relationship between Adam Beach’s character Bobby and the Ronnie Dearman character, played wonderfully by Brian Markinson.
We tend not to hang our stories on sex or violence episode to episode, although we don’t shy away from it when appropriate. I have been surprised by some of the audience’s responses describing the show as family viewing. It always seemed a bit darker than that in my mind but perhaps we’re tapping into something that is counter to our expectation of family viewing today.
Having said that, the show is also fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I think all those elements have resonated with audiences.
I also think that opening a window on a physical environment few people “south of 60″ have experienced vis-à-vis the NWT has been a big piece of the puzzle. The north is a very interesting place, exotic in many ways. During my first trip to Yellowknife I knew how big it was going to be for the audience to experience as much of the world of the NWT as possible. I think we were quite successful delivering on that promise.
From Raju Mudhar of the Toronto Star:
- Arctic Air: Why is it so successful?
Here are five reasons Arctic Air might be a blueprint for continued Canadian drama success. Read more.
From a media release:
ARCTIC AIR’S DEBUT SEASON REACHES RECORD HEIGHTS ON CBC TELEVISION
- Arctic Air is the most-watched debut season for a CBC drama series in 15 years
ARCTIC AIR, the blockbuster CBC adventure drama about a Yellowknife-based maverick airline and the extended family of unconventional people who run it, notched record ratings in its first season, with an audience of almost one million viewers along for the ride throughout the show’s 10 action-packed episodes. From its premiere to 1.229 million Canadians on January 10 to the season finale on March 13, an average audience of 965,000 tuned in to ARCTIC AIR, making this the largest audience to follow the first season of a CBC Television drama series in 15 years. The show beat North of 60, the sub-arctic drama (also starring ARCTIC AIR’s Adam Beach) whose first season was a ratings hit 20 years ago, with an average audience of 962,000.
“In an increasingly competitive and fragmented TV landscape, achieving this level of success in 2012 is a huge accomplishment, and a testament to the skill and hard work of ARCTIC AIR’s production team,” said Kirstine Stewart, Executive Vice-President, CBC English Services. “It’s exciting to see so much viewer interest in a drama that’s for, by and about Canadians. Along with the recent success of shows like MR. D, the huge popularity of ARCTIC AIR proves once again that Canadians really do want to watch quality Canadian programs.”
“Canadians make a lot of great television, but we all know that doesn’t always translate into great ratings,” said ARCTIC AIR director-producer Gary Harvey. “To have ARCTIC AIR reach these heights, on the wings of great production values and strong promotion, is a testament to how Canadian shows can succeed when producers and broadcasters get it right.”
ARCTIC AIR features the star power of Adam Beach (Cowboys and Aliens, Flags of our Fathers, Law & Order: SVU), Pascale Hutton (Fringe, Rookie Blue, Sanctuary) and Kevin McNulty (The Killing, End Game, Battle Star Galactica).To catch up on Arctic Air visit cbc.ca/arcticair
Arctic Air, CBC – Season finale “Drop in For Lunch”
A routine flight from Watson Lake to Yellowknife turns deadly.
Saw Dogs, OLN – “Gone Fishing”
Chester jumps at the challenge of carving a voluptuous mermaid, using his wife Anastacia as a model. Mark, Pete and Steve carve marine elements of the massive communal table, including a cod, crab, octopus and heron. Steve is unhappy with Pete’s work, and the crew runs into troubled waters as they struggle to finish and deliver the project in time.
