In the end, it really wasn’t close. Durham County trumped SCTV to take the title of Top Canadian TV Series of All Time.
The Movie Network/Movie Central drama starring Hugh Dillon, Hélène Joy, Louis Ferreira, Laurence Leboeuf, Greyston Holt and Michelle Forbes captured 82 per cent of the vote in the Great Canadian TV Playoff final round to SCTV‘s 18 per cent.
The Great Canadian TV Playoff featured homegrown head-to-head matchups of television shows with eight from the 1970s, 80s, 90s and 2000s facing off against one another. The final four were SCTV (70s), Degrassi (80s), Due South (90s) and Durham County (2000s).
Durham County star Dillon has had quite the spring on TV, Eh? His former Flashpoint character, Ed Lane, was named Canada’s Favourite TV Cop earlier this month.
Boo. Just like the Stanley Cup playoffs I watched as all the teams I liked got taken out and one I didn’t like at all won. Durham County just never caught my interest. I watched the first episode and found it too dark and depressing. I’m not a fan of most mystery series and cop shows (rare exceptions are Life, Life on Mars and The Bletchley Circle).
I recognize that this show was a huge hit when it was on and had a rabid fandom, many of whom I encountered at conventions. But as for groundbreaking and career exploding, SCTV will always rule.
Side note: I followed Hugh Dillon more as a musician than as an actor, and quickly learned his spitting distance. I’ve never been hit once.
Ha! How far back did you have to stand?