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Book of Negroes, Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Comments and queries for the week of Feb. 20

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By far the biggest focus of conversation was Monday’s most recent episode of Murdoch Mysteries, which saw the relationship between Lillian and Emily move to a whole new level.

Other topics of conversation this week included the early lead Murdoch has taken in our poll of Favourite Canadian TV Show on Netflix—vote now for your chance to win a one-year subscription to Netflix—and cutting the cable cord.

I love Murdoch Mysteries. The characters are wonderful, the sets are outstanding and I look forward to each episode. The most recent one in which Dr. Grace followed her heart where it led her was amazing. Gay, straight, whatever its about love and a person developing into who they are. Kudos to everyone involved.—Carol

Personally, I’m more offended by people dropping a show they claim to love because they introduce an LGBT storyline, especially when they claim it goes against “family values.” Any family that doesn’t value compassion, understanding and acceptance of others is a family I don’t want to know. That being said, I was a bit worried that this storyline might be pandering just a little bit—you know what I mean; a young, attractive supporting character having a lesbian fling with an equally attractive woman, which just happens to air during sweeps—until I read this article. I have faith in the show’s writers, though, and I’m looking forward to seeing how a lesbian relationship in turn-of-the-20th-century ultra-conservative Toronto plays out. (And if it does turn out to be pandering … well, I’ll probably still watch. Can’t guarantee it won’t bug me if that turns out to be the case, though.)—The Crazed Spruce

I have watched this show faithfully since it began and will continue to do so, although I was disappointed in Emily’s newfound love relationship. Not because of the gay/lesbian aspect of it, but I was hoping she would rekindle her attraction to George. A storyline around them would have been interesting and comical, because they play off each other so well. It seems like all the TV shows are incorporating a gay/lesbian person; how about more handicapped people being integrated into the TV shows too!!—Linda

Because that’s what makes them good shows! They create situations that make us talk and debate, they develop characters so well that we care about what happens to them and makes their stories stay with us long after the show is over. How dull would it be if they recycled the same plot points every episode or have their characters never develop or grow? I appreciate how Murdoch Mysteries challenges me on EVERY level, not just an intellectual but on a personal and even spiritual level. I can see this storyline doing just that with our favourite characters. No matter how it turns out, it’s going to make for some pretty great television.—Amy

I don’t want to sound like a snob, but I don’t watch a single program you have in your show categories. I seem drawn to shows like Justified, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Last Week Tonight, Silicon Valley, Breaking Bad, Veep, Peaky Blinders and Penny Dreadful. Why can’t Canadian TV networks make shows like these? I know there are plenty of big-time Canadian actors and most head south. And it seems like we are left with the same group of actors that find themselves playing the same part on another similar show. I haven’t seen The Book of Negroes and I will say this does look like a quality show. Hopefully, there is a generation of new writers and actors just waiting to burst onto the scene. I really do hope so.—Lee

I too cut the cable about four years back and it was a exactly what Diane said: cost vs. benefit. I had a huge cable subscription with all the bells and whistles and surmised I only watched five channels. So spend almost a hundred bucks a month for five channels? It made and makes no sense. I miss a few shows that I am willing to pay specifically for but my wife and I are both happy without extra bill and save a good hunk of change. To me this was a quality issue. I would rather pay for the shows I watch and those shows are more readily available and more convenient streaming.—Marvin

My husband and I compromised: he’s allowed to have cable and I’m allowed to have wine. I never watch TV. Netflix is good enough for me.—Jennie

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? greg@tv-eh.com or head to @tv_eh.

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Featured, Vikings

Kevin Durand goes from Vikings fan to major player

It would seem like a no-brainer to have Kevin Durand join the cast of Vikings. The Thunder Bay, Ont., native is tall, muscular and has piercing eyes, three prerequisites needed to participate in the Canada/Irish co-production’s pillaging of early England.

And yet Durand—who is currently in production on Season 2 of The Strain in Toronto—was a little nervous about hopping on board the show’s longships as it launches into Season 3 on History on Thursday.

“It was scary to commit to a show that you’re a big fan of,” Durand says with a laugh. “Vikings is way up there for my wife and I, but when I read the words he had written, it just set me afire and I wanted to step up and live up to it.”

The “he” is Michael Hirst, Vikings‘ creator, showrunner and lone writer, the man who has crafted Ragnar Lothbrok’s (Travis Fimmel) journey from lowly farmer to King. Season 3 picks up soon after the events of the last adventures, with Ragnar, Rollo (Clive Standen), Floki (Gustaf SkarsgÃ¥rd), Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), Athelstan (George Blagden) and Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) once again venturing across the Atlantic to meet with King Ecbert (Linus Roache) and claim the farmland he’d promised them. Of course, things never go exactly as planned, and Ragnar finds himself caught up in a family feud between Princess Kwenthrith (Amy Bailey) and her uncle and brother, who have teamed to steal her kingdom of Mercia.

Durand plays Harbard, a mysterious figure who shows up in Kattegat while Ragnar and most of the men are in England, and he has a almost spiritual effect on Siggy (Jessalyn Gilsig), Helga (Maude Hirst) and Queen Auslaug (Alyssa Sutherland). Punching the name “Harbard” into Google brings up a couple of references, most notably the Norse gods of Odin and Loki.

“It’s so difficult to expand on what you’ve already found out,” Durand admits. “All I can really divulge is that he wanders into Kattegat and there is something influential and magical about him. Some are sucked in by him and others are skeptical. His actions will be felt for a time to come. Who he is will take some time to reveal.”

It didn’t take Durand long to fully immerse himself into the character of Harbard thanks to the show’s incredible sets, wardrobe and, especially, makeup. He recalls the beard created Harbard and thinking how weird it was as it was first being applied to his face. Two hours later and he didn’t recognize himself.

“I’m looking in the mirror at hair that goes down to my waist and a beard that just screams, ‘I am so virile! I will conquer!'”

Vikings airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on History.

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Featured, Saving Hope

Review: Explosive Saving Hope season finale kills off character

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When I figured Alex would have to make her final choice between Charlie and Joel, I never imagined it would come the way it did during the Saving Hope season finale.

Spoiler warning: turn back now if you haven’t seen Wednesday’s game-changing episode.

Sure, it was a given that Alex would end up going into labour at the same time she was writing her surgical boards, as the two most important events in one person’s life usually happen at the exact same time on television. And sure, it was clear something terrible was going to happen given the ominous white horse Charlie kept seeing all around the hospital. But Joel essentially self-sacrificing himself for Zach and getting blown up by the bomb post-surgery? Certainly didn’t see that one happening.

It was predictable, but I’ll admit that it was funny seeing Alex tell herself she’d be able to get through the surgical boards before delivering her baby. There’s absolutely no way I could write any test, let alone an oral surgical board exam, knowing I was inches away from popping a baby out. Erica Durance certainly sold the labour scenes extremely well, but no more so when she screamed at Maggie not to break her baby during the actual delivery. Also deserving serious props was Maggie for ditching the test with one to go to deliver her BFF’s baby.

After missing out on what sounded like a really cool surgical experience to Joel, Charlie wasn’t really up to anything too exciting at the hospital. Instead, what was so intriguing was how he kept seeing the white horse running around the halls, something I wasn’t sure had significance for an earlier episode or not. He had said he hadn’t been sleeping well and that he had a bad feeling, so I wasn’t sure if the horse vision had shown up before another bad incident or if Charlie was just a big equestrian fan. But when Charlie did declare his bad feeling I was on high alert for each of the characters.

Obviously, the birth of Alex’s baby could’ve easily been one where Charlie’s bad feeling came from. And for a few minutes it did look like there was a life-threatening complication. But when the birth of Luke went smoothly, I knew it was going to be either Zach or Joel’s life in danger. For some reason I pegged Zach as the one who’d end up hurt somehow, even going so far as to suspect he’d be in a car accident when Joel tricked him into leaving the dangerous surgical procedure to remove the bomb from the middle of the resident base bomb expert (how ironic, as they said). And the surgery generally seemed to be going ridiculously well, given how difficult it was to get the thing out from the bones of the soldier. Right up until Joel had the bomb in his hands I figured everything would be OK, although I did wonder why no one was on hand to either defuse or get rid of the bomb immediately after it was pulled from the soldier’s abdomen.

But then the horse appeared, and suddenly it all made sense. I jumped a mile when the bomb went off and needed a minute to comprehend that the show had actually just killed off such a serious main character—one of which was about to propose to Alex, nonetheless.

As much as I’ve absolutely loved the presence of Daniel Gillies throughout the show’s run, this past season has certainly made me feel like Joel and Alex were meant to be best friends more than lovers. Meanwhile, it was clear Alex’s heart still belonged to Charlie, particularly so at the very end of the season. So in the end if someone had to die, I think it was the right choice to have it be the sweet and beautiful Joel, whose death will certainly shake up everyone’s emotions at the hospital—none more than Zach.

How will Zach cope with survivor’s guilt? And will baby Luke end up being Joel’s after all? Those are two questions we’ll be taking with us until Saving Hope returns for another season.

Notes:

  • Anyone else hope Dawn and the two-finger guitar player start hooking up? Just me? OK.
  • Team Shalex t-shirts forever.
  • I wish we could be given a full list of the paternity pool and whom everyone was betting on.
  • How is Team Joel doing? Remember, you’re all in this together.

Thoughts? Let us know through the comments below or via @tv_eh.

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Featured, X Company

Canada’s secret Second World War role uncovered in X Company

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It’s a story that has never been told on the small—or any—screen before. The dramatic scripted tale of the role Canada played during the Second World War by training spies in Southern Ontario for missions behind German lines. That history is re-told in X Company, debuting Wednesday on CBC.

“This is an idea that we had 14 years ago, and we couldn’t believe it hadn’t been told,” co-creator Mark Ellis recalls. “And whenever we would tell the story to other people, they couldn’t believe it either.” Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern—who co-created a little drama called Flashpoint—now get their chance.

Starring Jack Laskey (Endeavour), Evelyne Brochu (Orphan Black), Dustin Milligan (90210), Connor Price (Being Human), Warren Brown (Luther) and Flashpoint alum Hugh Dillon, X Company spotlights Camp X, the secret base located east of Toronto where the British and Canadian governments trained spies on surveillance, burglary, interrogation, close combat and killing.

Inspired by real-life tales, Wednesday’s debut begins in 1942, with the Germans in control of Europe. Viewers are introduced to Alfred Graves (Laskey), a Brit with an intriguing medical condition: synesthesia, which has fused all five of his senses together. The result? A man bombarded by his senses all of the time … and the perfect spy because he has nearly perfect memory. Along for the ride are the rest of the team in Aurora Luft (Brochu), a half German/half-French Canadian woman; Harry James (Price), a munitions expert; Neil Mackay (Brown); and propaganda expert Tom Cummings (Milligan) who are under the watchful eye of Duncan Sinclair (Dillon), their commander.

“This is an angle we haven’t seen before,” Morgenstern says. “We’ve seen the epic battlegrounds, but this is about ordinary people who didn’t have a life vocation to save the world but each has a very special skill.”

Ellis describes it as a coming-of-age story about Alfred, a man discovering who he is and, ultimately, a hero. Wednesday’s bow is full of drama and gorgeous cinematography. Sinclair’s squad is dispatched to small-town France to not only assassinate German commanders but destroy a bridge, cutting off an important artery in the Nazi transport route. There is tension, violence, fear and jubilation packed into the tightly-wound, highly entertaining hour.

“We want to pay homage to the truth of what it was to be behind those enemy lines, what the ethical choices were and the shades of grey that you had to live in,” Ellis says.

The long-awaited story starts tonight.

X Company airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

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Featured, Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays

A resurrection for Michael: Tuesdays & Thursdays?

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Simon Houpt, the Globe and Mail‘s senior media writer, tweets that CBC’s cancelled series Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays is coming back under the new regime.

This is great news for those of us whose podcast partners mock us for bringing up the show every chance we get. Ahem.

Based on the real-life neuroses of co-writer and star Matt Watts, who played patient to Bob Martin’s therapist, Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays got critical acclaim but “boutique ratings” (in Watts’ words).

Heather Conway, executive vice-president of English services, has stated her intention to move toward more cable-like fare for the public broadcaster. The main criticism Michael faced in its one-season run was that it felt out of place on a populist broadcaster … and had the viewers to match. Its December 2011 finale garnered just 145,000 in overnight ratings.

With a new programming direction and new promotion, could Michael pull a Murdoch Mysteries and rise from the dead to a bigger audience? Here’s hoping.

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