Tag Archives: A Christmas Fury

Hudson & Rex, Industry News

Shaftesbury mourns the death of Paul Pope, president of Pope Productions and executive producer of Hudson & Rex

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From a media release:

Shaftesbury extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Paul Pope, the beloved Executive Producer of Hudson & Rex and President of Pope Productions. Pope passed away suddenly on the morning of April 14, 2022. He was 63 years old.

“The news is truly shocking,” says Christina Jennings, Chairman and President, Shaftesbury. “Canada has lost an amazing producer, a force in Newfoundland. Paul has been Shaftesbury’s partner on seven shows for over 15 years. Most recently, we teamed up on Hudson & Rex. Paul was a wonderful man. A spirited human. He loved life and knew how to live it. Paul will be sorely missed by his wife, Lisa, his two sons and all of us here at Shaftesbury.

Based in St. John’s, NFLD, Pope was a dynamic force in the Canadian film industry, having produced or worked on hundreds of films. A founding member of the Newfoundland Filmmakers Cooperative (NIFCO), where he served as president for over 20 years, he has been instrumental in the development of a vibrant production industry. A generous mentor, he was a passionate voice for independent production at a national level with a long-standing tradition of supporting Canadian artists and ensuring that Canadian stories were brought to the screen.

In addition to his numerous awards and nominations for his projects with Pope Productions, he also received the Arts Achievement Award from ArtsNL, the Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award, and an honorary Doctorate from Memorial University. Pope served on the board of Resource Centre for the Arts and NIFCO and has previously served on the board of the Canadian Media Producers Association and was Vice-Chair of the Canadian Media Fund.

About Pope Productions
Pope Productions is a St. John’s based media production company, helmed by producer Paul Pope. The company’s most recent television projects are the fourth season of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, which is now seen in over 100 territories worldwide and Departure Season 3 for Global. The company’s features and MOWs include the CBC comedy A Christmas Fury and festival favourites Hunting Pignut, Beat Down and Grown Up Movie Star, which scored a Special Jury Prize at Sundance for Tatiana Maslany. Documentaries include It’s Mental, Heavy Weather Presents, the multi-award-winning My Left Breast, Legends and Lore of the North Atlantic, and Going the Distance. From the historical dramatic miniseries Above and Beyond to the classic comedy Rare Birds, and the outrageous series Drunk and on Drugs: The Happy Funtime Hour, Pope’s rich repertoire reflects its deep commitment to a vibrant production industry both in Newfoundland and nationally.

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Comments and queries for the week of December 8

I missed A Christmas Fury! So disappointed! Will it be repeated again before a Christmas? —Stella

Good news Stella and all those other folks who emailed to ask me this question: A Christmas Fury is available to stream on CBC’s website!

I found last night’s presentation of A Christmas Fury to be thoroughly enjoyable and extremely hilarious! I was reminded of how great Hatching Matching and Dispatching is and how disappointed and saddened I was when it was cancelled in 2005-2006. Hopefully, enough viewers saw A Christmas Fury to generate interest in reviving Hatching Matching and Dispatching and finally releasing the first and only season on DVD along with the aforementioned A Christmas Fury. —Ray

I’m a big fan of Murdoch Mysteries. I would like to know the name of the song that Eva Pearce sang on the “Cometh the Archer” episode. Thank you! —Angela

Wasn’t that a creepy scene? We still get shivers! The song Eva sings to William is “Henry Lee,” a traditional folk song that dates back to 18th century Scotland.

I do not think Frankie Drake Mysteries will be as well loved as Murdoch Mysteries. In the beginning, I was thinking FD was going to replace MM. Hopefully, that is not the case. Then again I’m thinking that maybe Murdoch Mysteries‘ actors may not want to work on the series for a 12th season. Hopefully, that is not the case. Perhaps the writers want to go forward … hence Frankie Drake. Murdoch Mysteries has a LARGE fan base. I personally cannot get into Frankie Drake Mysteries. —Ellen

 

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg.david@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

 

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Industry News

Links: A Christmas Fury

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From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:

Link: A Christmas Fury is a new cracked and crazy Christmas classic
You will not see another holiday-themed special like this, ever. All others pale beside it, so get ready to get embrace the cracked humour of a new Canadian classic. Continue reading.

From Melissa Hank of Canada.com:

Link: Mary Walsh unveils Hatching, Matching, & Dispatching TV movie
“You know what they say about close friends, that even if you don’t see each other for 20 years, it’s like you were in the same room all the time? That’s what it was like when everybody came back together. It was like we never stopped doing it.” Continue reading. Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

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CBC’s A Christmas Fury reunites Hatching Matching and Dispatching crew for holiday laughs

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I totally missed the boat when Hatching Matching and Dispatching came around back in 2006 on the CBC. The sitcom, starring Mary Walsh as Mamie Lou Furey, matriarch of the Cats Gut Cove, Newfoundland, family who ran an ambulance, wedding and funeral business was cancelled after just one season.

Now all old is new again as Walsh and the rest of the original cast in Mark McKinney, Susan Kent, Shaun Majumder, Jonny Harris, Sherry White, Joel Thomas Hynes, Adrianna Maggs and Rick Boland reunite for a follow-up TV movie called A Christmas Fury. I couldn’t find any of the original episodes online, but there is an extended trailer from 2006 worth checking out for no other reason than to see the baby-faced Jonny Harris even more baby-faced.

Since I didn’t see the original series, I went into A Christmas Fury—airing Sunday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. on CBC—with no preconceived notions or expectations other than being impressed by the all-star cast and looking forward to what I surmised would be a riot of sight gags and salty language. I was not disappointed. And I did not, as I feared, have to have seen Hatching Matching and Dispatching to know what was going on in A Christmas Fury.

When we catch up with the Furey family on Sunday they’re in the midst of assembling for a nativity scene with Troy (Harris) as the “baby Jeebus.” He’s surrounded by Nick Crocker (Hynes), Phonse Furey (Boland), Darlene Furey (Kent), Cyril Pippy (Majumder), Todd Meaney (McKinney), Mamie Lou (Walsh) and Myrna Furey-Meaney (White), who argue who should be playing the Chosen One. As the scene devolves into a all-out donnybrook, Mamie Lou reflects on her spoiled children and holidays past and plans to leave her stunned family (literally and figuratively) for good. The wrench in Mamie Lou’s plan? Troy announces he and his gal pal Alma (Maggs) have got a baby on the way.

Written by Walsh and Ed Macdonald, A Christmas Fury is full of laughs. No surprise, really, since much of the cast can be seen on 22 Minutes. Myrna, sure that Troy and his baby will inherit the family business, is determined to get pregnant or undermine Troy’s plot. Darlene, meanwhile, plans to win the prize for best yard decorations and Nick wants to fornicate in the manger. There’s a lot of heart too. Sprinkled amongst the insults are some truly touching moments like when Cyril delivers a present to Mamie Lou and the family connects with a troubled young girl. (And A Christmas Fury has a killer soundtrack.)

If you’re looking for a truly offbeat—and entertaining—holiday special to add alongside Rudolph, Frosty and Charlie Brown, add A Christmas Fury to your list.

A Christmas Fury airs Sunday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Image courtesy of CBC.

 

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