Everything about Caught, eh?

Moonshine’s Allan Hawco talks Lidia and Gale in Season 2

Allan Hawco’s appearance on the first season of Moonshine was a surprise for fans of the rookie series, as well as the character of Lidia Bennett. Played by Jennifer Finnigan, Lidia’s attempt to keep the family campground, the Moonshine, out of debt and make a profit meant doing what she hoped was a one-time drug drop for Hawco’s outlaw biker, Gale.

Turns out there’s a lot more dirty dealing—and Gale—in Moonshine.

“[Creator] Sheri Elwood and I were talking about other things, and she asked me point-blank if I wanted to be in it,” Hawco says on the line from Nova Scotia, where filming of Season 3 is currently underway. “We discussed one role that we didn’t feel was the right thing and then she called me back with this other idea that eventually ended up being Gale.”

Returning for its sophomore go-round on CBC this Sunday at 9 p.m., Episode 1, “Three Sisters of Fate,” written and directed by Elwood, picks up just a few days after the Season 1 finale. In it, a mysterious package arrives at the Moonshine, which makes the Finley-Cullen clan question what their goals once were, and if they are still attainable. For Bea (Corrine Koslo) and Ben (Peter MacNeill), that means a career change; for Rhian (Anastasia Phillips), it shapes up to be a career boost; for Nora (Emma Hunter), a committed relationship; for Sammy (Alexander Nunez) a deep dig into his past; and Ryan (Tom Stevens), finding a purpose.

Moonshine‘s strengths, to me, are Elwood’s knack for creating characters that are immediately relatable, a world that is wistful and easily recalled, and a killer soundtrack. Hawco, who has experience with that through Republic of Doyle and Caught, agrees.

“It’s not something that you’re going to see anywhere else,” he says. “Being inside Sheri Elwood’s head is a terrifyingly hilarious place. I love the way she writes, I love her sense of humour and I love her approach to things that we may see situations or scenarios in other circumstances but she treats them with her own lens and it truly feels original.”

But back to Lidia and Gale.

Sunday’s return sees the pair reunite both in Lidia’s mind—there is a hilarious scene where she’s driving and caught up in a fantasy about the denim-clad miscreant—and discussing a new project Gale proposes. Their scenes crackle with energy and animal magnetism. There is no will-they-or-won’t they question for this pair; rather it’s when and how often?

“It’s the most fun, ridiculous experience I’ve ever had,” Hawco says of the fantasy scene he filmed with Finnigan. “Jennifer Finnigan is the most generous actor and a wonderful human being. She is so much fun to play with. We clicked right away. She’s a wonderful leader and she leads the cast with all the spirit you would hope for a No. 1.”

Moonshine airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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East Coast dramedy Moonshine set to return for Season 2 on CBC next fall, with Allan Hawco joining the cast

From a media release:

Following last week’s Season 1 finale of original east coast Canadian family dramedy series Moonshine (8×60), CBC is revealing casting and production details for Season 2. Created by Sheri Elwood (Lucifer, Call Me Fitz) and produced by Six Eleven Media and Entertainment One (eOne), the series follows the Finley-Cullens, a dysfunctional clan of adult half-siblings battling for control of their family business – a ramshackle summer campground called The Moonshine. Production on the eight-episode second season recently wrapped in Nova Scotia and is set to premiere on CBC in fall 2022, with the entire first season now available to stream on CBC Gem.

The new season will see renowned Canadian star, Allan Hawco (Republic of Doyle, Caught, Frontier, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Another Life) join the cast as biker Gale Favreau, following his steamy meeting with Lidia (Jennifer Finnigan) in the Season 1 finale. Picking up where the first season ends, Season 2 will include epic dance routines, dirty bingo, snow crab-jacking and a high stakes turf war with a band of outlaw bikers. Fate will manifest very differently for the entire family, with characters fighting their destiny tooth and nail as Lidia goes to extremes to save the business from financial ruin.

Moonshine stars Jennifer Finnigan (Salvation), Anastasia Phillips (Reign), Emma Hunter (Mr. D), Tom Stevens (Wayward Pines), Alexander Nunez (Avocado Toast), Corrine Koslo (Anne with an E), Peter MacNeill (This Life), Erin Darke (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Farid Yazdani (Suits), Allegra Fulton (The Shape of Water), James Gilbert (Salvation), Celia Owen (A Small Fortune), and Calem MacDonald (Umbrella Academy).

Guest stars rounding out the cast in Season 2 include Jonathan Silverman (Weekend at Bernie’s), Shelley Thompson (Trailer Park Boys), Jonathan Torrens (Mr. D), Leigh Ann Rose (The Young and the Restless), Ernie Grunwald (Call Me Fitz), Joe Cobden (The Sinner), and Kirstin Howell (Diggstown).

A CBC original series, Moonshine is produced by Six Eleven Media and eOne. Created by Sheri Elwood, who is also showrunner, the show is executive produced alongside Six Eleven Media’s Charles Bishop. Jocelyn Hamilton serves as executive producer for eOne. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual & Sports; Trish Williams is Executive Director, Scripted Content; Sarah Adams is Executive in Charge of Production; and Gosia Kamela is Executive in Charge of Production, Drama. The series is produced with the assistance of the Government of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Film & Television Production Incentive Fund. Additionally, funding comes from the Canada Media Fund, Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit and the Canadian Film or Video Tax Credit. Moonshine is distributed internationally by eOne.

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CBC Music provides the soundtrack to your favourite shows

Sometimes it’s not only the visuals and storylines that make a television series great. The right music can really make a scene shine. The CBC knows what makes a good show, and with that in mind, have created playlists for numerous primetime programs on their platform to connect us with the series and characters we love. Even if some of the shows are have come to an end, CBC Music wants you to keep the sweet memories and enjoy your favourite series through the music. Here a just a sample of the sweet playlists CBC Music has put together to accompany your faves.

The TV Show: Heartland

Key songs on the playlist: Matthew Barber, Distant Cousins, Ben Rector, Royal Wood

The mood: Heartland is full of heartwarming family moments. And the music is part of what makes it so special. This soundtrack is warm and sensitive. It is perfect for a family ride to the park or beach. Or even for a small family gathering in the backyard.


The TV Show: Frankie Drake Mysteries

Key songs on the playlist: Alabama Red Peppers, Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven, Read and Miff’s Stompers

The mood: Whether you’re cooking dinner or gathering for a family game night, this soundtrack is what you’re searching for. Light but full of harmony, jazz makes the mood bright. You won’t even notice how your body starts moving to the rhythm.


The TV Show: Burden of Truth

Key songs on the playlist: The Barr Brothers, Andreya Triana, Adam Baldwin

The mood:  You want to be as confident as Joanna Hanley? This music is gonna make you work hard. Perfect for your brain, but relaxing at the same time. Make your studying and working more enjoyable with The Weather Station or Etiquette.


The TV Show: Hello Goodbye

Key songs on the playlist: Stephanie Rainey, Andrew Simple, Samantha Watt

The mood: Hello Goodbye makes you cry with happiness. It is what brings you pleasure and lets you discover incredible stories. The music is great for a date or just a quiet night with yourself, to understand and remember how family, friends and your loved ones are important.


The TV Show: Workin’ Moms

Key songs on the playlist: The Black Eyed Peas, Kelis, She-Devils

The mood: Girl’s night out? You definitely know what songs you need to have on your playlist! Something like “Love Fool” by Tanika Charles will make that girly atmosphere. A few glasses of wine, a little talk, the most important people and energetic music.


 The TV Show: Caught

Key songs on the playlist: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foreigner, The Rolling Stones

The mood: Caught is a story about drug dealers and prison breakers set to the perfect 70s soundtrack. Whether you’re going on a long trip or just want to survive in the morning traffic jams, the smashing hits from your favourite bands are gonna rock you. It doesn’t matter if you’re a 70s child or a freshman to the exciting world of free and unlimited self-expression, hits like “Tumbling Dice” by The Rolling Stones, “Crazy on You” by Heart and “Up Around the Bend” by Creedence Clearwater Revival will make you scream and sing along.

 

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Caught: Enuka Okuma discusses the “very modern character” of K.C.

K.C. Williams (Enuka Okuma) is a take no guff kind of gal. A successful DEA agent tired of not getting the credit for taking down bad guys, she teamed with RCMP officer Roy Patterson to chase down Slaney (Allan Hawco) and Hearn (Eric Johnson) on Caught.

Okuma, who most recently starred in the web series Spiral, Season 1 of Slasher and almost 80 episodes of Rookie Blue, sat down with us last year during a break in filming Caught in downtown Hamilton, Ont., to discuss her K.C. and what it was like to play the only character who was not in the source material.

Allan told me that K.C. Williams is a character he created specifically for the TV series.
Enuka Okuma: Yes, and that’s something I was unaware of when I bought the book! [Laughs.] I was three-quarters of the way through the book and I was like, ‘There is no such woman!’ For me, this is actually really exciting because I feel like this character is speaking to something that we’re talking about in the world today: female equality and diversity. She is a very modern character. I feel very lucky that they included her.

Looking at the characters in the book from my perspective and getting to know what the other characters were thinking, going after and what their desires are … it felt like a little bit of cheating because I had more information than I would visually.

What’s her background?
She’s the DEA agent in the mix and, I think, is the only American in the story. She is coming at this case differently than the RCMP and how they are trying to catch the bad guys.

What is their relationship like? Do they get along?
Paul and I have been trying to figure out who these two people are to each other. Roy is a little curmudgeonly and I am a little acerbic, so together it could be combustion, or if we decide to work together there can be a little magic.

What did you take away from reading Caught?
With a book, you always get the layers no matter what the project is. Being immersed in the world was really interesting. And, theatrically, they needed to do some things to move the story along. It works. I feel like everything that they changed makes perfect sense. But the book really lets you know, for Slaney and especially for Patterson, what is going on in these guys’ heads. Plus, for me, just delving into what they were going through at the time just puts you in that headspace.

The wardrobe on Caught is fantastic.
Michael Ground has really knocked it out of the park with this stuff because a lot of it has been built for us. You want to get vintage stuff to make it look realistic, but if you’re doing stunts and you have doubles you need more clothing. These boys have been rocking their looks. Eric and Allan, in their flashback scenes … it’s a little Hall & Oates inspired. Eric sent me a picture of the two of them in the makeup trailer and they literally looked like Hall & Oates.

Caught airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

Image courtesy of CBC.

 

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Caught: Charlotte Sullivan teases Jennifer’s tragic twist

With the first episode of Caught under our wide, leather belts—catch up on “The Break” here—Monday night’s new instalment “Old Wounds” promises to dig more into Slaney (Allan Hawco) and Hearn’s (Eric Johnson) past. I can’t help but wonder if that will include Jennifer.

As played by Charlotte Sullivan (Rookie Blue, Mary Kills People), viewers have gotten a taste of what Jennifer is all about. She has a daughter Slaney thinks of as his own even though the infant is not his. And Jennifer hates the fact Slaney got roped into Hearn’s drug boat purchase. Of course, she had a right to be upset; Slaney got caught and put into prison.

I spoke to Sullivan during a break in filming last summer in downtown Hamilton, Ont., about Caught, adapting a novel for the screen and saying goodbye when a project wraps production.

Had you worked with Allan Hawco on anything before? Did you ever guest-star in an episode of Republic of Doyle?
Charlotte Sullivan: No, I had never met him. He’s so sweet.

What can you tell me about Jennifer?
It’s a bit of a tragic story. Without giving away too much—because there is a major twist coming—she has a secret and she has been keeping it from Slaney to keep him. And she has to make a choice between Slaney and her daughter. And you know how that’s going to go. It’s a horrible decision. They have a very passionate love affair that’s very intense and I think it’s based solely on tragedy.

What were your thoughts on this miniseries after reading the book?
It’s a little bit different. There’s a lot of pressure to take a book that is so critically acclaimed and then turn it into a TV or film project. I always say that it’s a bit of a poison chalice because it’s an honour to get to do it, but there will be people who are pissed off.

What was your takeaway of the story after reading Lisa Moore’s novel?
If there is a book, I always want to read it before I watch the film. I love to see how close they got it, or how off the mark they were. You also pick up on little nuances that maybe you wouldn’t have picked up on before. But it is tough to take something like this but from what I’ve seen of the esthetic so far, it’s going to be stunning. It’s the 70s and you get to play with that time period. I just love esthetics. I mean, look at these clothes. We went to a couple of stores and didn’t find Jennifer in there. And then we went to a vintage store and said, ‘Jennifer is in there!’ That’s the creative collaboration.

Did you audition for the role of Jennifer?
Oh yeah. I put myself on tape and sent it in. I was in the middle of shooting something else and I needed the time to take away from that before I could send them a tape because I get so emotionally caught up in [the current role].

Does a short-run project like Caught excite you because it’s not an 18-episode season?
I find it kind of tragic, actually. Just because I don’t want it to end. Even with the longer seasons, you’d be amazed at how fast they go. Filming is tragic for actors because you’ve built your own community and connection with people and it’s wonderful and magical. And then it completely dissipates. I actually go through a little bit of depression when I’ve had a really great experience. I come home and I’m like, ‘Ah, that was so beautiful and lovely.’ And you feel so lucky because you were able to do it. After Rookie Blue it took me a month to get over it. I just moped around.

Caught airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

Image courtesy of CBC.

 

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