From a media release:
Shawn Doyle Stars in Canwest’s New Original Drama Series Endgame
- Production underway on psychological crime drama to be distributed globally outside of North America by Endemol Group
Thunderbird Films today announced start of production for Endgame, an original drama series centring on a brilliant chess master. Endgame is slated to premiere in Canada on Canwest Broadcasting’s specialty channel, Showcase in spring 2011, and will be distributed globally outside of North America by Endemol Group.
Starring Shawn Doyle (Big Love, Medium) and Torrance Coombs (The Tudors, JPod), Endgame revolves around Russian World Champion chess master Arkady Balagan (Doyle), who uses his extraordinary skills of perception and strategic thinking to solve crimes that have stumped others.
Endgame series regulars include Patrick Gallagher (Glee, True Blood), Kate Isabelle (The Good Wife, Sanctuary), Carmen Aguerre (Tin Man, Da Vinci’s Inquest) and Melanie Papilia (The Assistants, Intelligence).
Traumatized by the murder of his fiancée, Balagan has made himself a virtual prisoner in his luxury Vancouver hotel, terrified to step outside the door. To pay the bills, he begins to solve crimes and help people with problems they cannot bring to the police.
Viewers are invited inside Balagan’s mind to witness his incredible imagination, which allows him to visualize crime scenes, work through various permutations of events, communicate hypothetically with the living and the dead, and anticipate his unknown adversaries’ next move – all without leaving his hotel. Balagan seems poised to solve every case put before him – except his own.
Endgame is the brain child of Creator and Showrunner Avrum Jacobson (ReGenesis, Republic of Doyle) and will be helmed by Director/Producer David Frazee (Flashpoint, Da Vinci’s Inquest). Executive Producers on the series include Michael Shepard (Zigby, Mayerthorpe), Tim Gamble (Zixx: Level Three, In Her Mother’s Footsteps) and Harvey Kahn (Beyond Sherwood Forest, The Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon).
Filmed on location in Vancouver, BC, Endgame is developed and produced by Thunderbird Films in association with Front Street Pictures.
Wow! Can’t wait to see this!
What a cast!
Way to go, Canada!! Will be rooting for you all the way.
From a proud Canadian
I was able to read one of the early scripts – writing is sooo good. And the cast includes many great Canadian actors; Shawn Doyle, Veena Sood, Torrance Coombs. Fantastic!
Just saw filming for this down the block from me in Burnaby. Poor guys out there on such a soggy day.
Sounds to me like another winner!.. I look forward to this series with such an original & novel crime solving premis. I am a big fan of “Shattered” “Intelligence” “Da Vinci’s Inquest” and all of theother unique Vancouver based crime drama’s that have appeared over the past few years.
Vancouver is a beautiful city with very mean streets..”End Game” appearsto keep the tradition of first class crime stories alive and well
I have been a fan of Shawn Doyle for some time. And what an amazing cast these producers secured; Patrick Gallagher, Veena Sood, and Torrance Coombs?? Well done!!
Sounds an awful lot like Monk.
Not like Monk at all. Have seen the first two it looks like it is going to be great. A very different twist from the normal run of the mill programs. Love the twists and turns.
Enjoyed the pilot a lot.
I see a lot of potential from this new drama series.
How’s this for season finale:
Balagan hosts yet another simul game among the countries best chess players at the hotel. However he ends up loosing to a very stunning black lady. (Balagan represents the white King & the black lady is obviously the black queen). It turns out that the black queen had something to do with the death of Balagan’s fiance\wife. ’nuff’ said start writing….
I saw the pilot, and am very impressed with the layout. This is a keeper and will have great ratings and reviews . Great concept!
I love this show and all the characters. Shawn is highly attractive and I want to see more of him . Please do not cancel this show.
This has been a fantastic first season. From the opener to the conclusion (tonight) I’ve been impressed with the writing, the acting, and the wonderful Vancouver locations. Congratulations on such a great show — I only hope that it will be picked up by more networks and that some of us fans can get a chance to watch some of the filming.