Leading up to the Writers Guild of Canada awards on April 23, TV, eh? is posting a series of interviews with some of nominees. Ken Cuperus earned one of three nominations for My Babysitter’s a Vampire in the Children and Youth category, for the “Blood Drive†episode.
Can you describe the episode, and how it fit into the My Babysitter’s a Vampire season?
“Blood Drive” takes place early in the season as Sarah struggles to keep herself from drinking blood, which would turn her from a fledgling into a full vampire. But temptation comes knocking in the form of a school blood drive, and Erica is piling on the peer pressure to get Sarah to drink. Everything gets more complicated when it is revealed that the two nurses who are running the blood drive are, in fact, vampires themselves… and the blood drive is a long-running scam to stock up on fresh blood. Rory and Erica try to steal the blood from the blood truck, but get captured by the vamp nurses — and Ethan, Benny and Sarah are forced to give chase, to rescue their pals. That’s where the title comes from. It’s a blood drive … but also they are driving in a blood truck. Forget the script, the title alone is award worthy, right? (crickets)
What about this episode are you particularly proud of?
Did I mention how clever the title is? I mean, it’s a blood drive, right? But also … there’s the driving of a truck that contains actual blood. Rarely is an episode as aptly titled as this one. Also, I managed to cram in a “Sarlacc Pit” reference, which will be mildly interesting to Star Wars fans and nobody else.
What does this recognition mean to you?
It’s really great to have my work recognized, and I love that I am up against some of my favourite people in the industry. I’ve been working alongside both Ben and Alice since my earliest days as a preschool writer, and I would be thrilled to see either one of them take home the award. I don’t know Evan, but I have no doubt he is equally deserving, and I’m rooting for him as well. Of course, if I do win, I will rub it in all of their faces mercilessly.
And finally (imagine my best Joan Rivers impression): what will you be wearing to the ceremony?
Probably the same outfit I wear to every single event ever. I mean, I own maybe three pairs of pants. And my “good” shirt has holes in the sleeves. I’m not what you’d call a sharp dresser. If it wasn’t for my wife, I’d probably just show up in my pajamas. I have serious issues.
