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The Detail

Links: The Detail, Season 1

From Bill Brioux of the Canadian Press:

Link: Shenae Grimes-Beech got famous playing teens on 90210 and Degrassi. She’s happy to play a grown-up on The Detail
After launching her career on teen dramas Degrassi: The Next Generation and 90210, Toronto-born Shenae Grimes-Beech embraced the more mature role of Jacqueline Cooper on CTV’s new police series The Detail. Continue reading.

From Michael Pickard of Drama Quarterly:

Link: All in The Detail
The Detail could not be more timely. As the fallout from Hollywood’s sexual harassment scandal continues, alongside the #MeToo and Time’s Up campaigns and the row over gender pay inequality, this Canadian crime series stands apart as a female-led production. Continue reading.

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Wendy Crewson on the ambitious and supportive nature of the women of The Detail
The television industry has found itself at a tipping point over the last several months. Thanks to movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp, more and more women are finding their voices and using it to speak up not only for what’s right, but also for what they want to see. Continue reading.

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Angela Griffin and Shenae Grimes-Beech on why The Detail is more than just “hot cops”
“I fell in love with my character and the storyline that these women are characters and not defined by their gender. Women weren’t the wives or the girlfriends, it was about us, about me and the individual. They are in this male-dominated field and they are kicking ass!” Continue reading.

From Charles Trapunski of Brief Take:

Link: Interview: The Detail’s Shenae Grimes-Beech and Angela Griffin
“Life isn’t perfect and we’re not perfect, so it’s not pretty all the time. I think it’s really exciting to be a female on camera. Just the most tiny details but I think it matters to be in the hair and make-up chair and not feel like we need to walk away and you’re this Glamazon…Who spends so much time in the morning doing that?! Every little thing they’ve managed to humanize these women.” Continue reading.

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: The Detail: Co-showrunner Ley Luins on the exciting challenge of having three female leads
“Right now women are angry and we’re speaking up. There’s a lot that needs to change, a lot of catch up that people need to do and the more we incorporate them into storytelling is how things change. The very nature of this being a homicide show with three strong, female leads means that it’s in the DNA of our show.” Continue reading.

From Peter White of Deadline:

Link: ‘90210’s Shenae Grimes-Beech Hails ‘Badass’ Role On Procedural ‘The Detail’ As eOne Kicks Off Global Sales – Mip TV
“I’ve been on teen dramas my whole life so this was a huge departure for me. I love crime shows and cop dramas as a viewer and it was a character that I could personally relate to. It was fun to be tough and a badass, that comes easier to me than to play the perfect girl next door that I’ve portrayed for so long.” Continue reading.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Murdoch Mysteries: Erin Agostino says goodbye to Nina Bloom

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The good news to come out of Murdoch Mysteries‘ Season 11 finale was that William Murdoch and Julia Ogden are still together. The not-so-great news? Nina Bloom and George Crabtree are not.

Sadly, the burlesque dancer who shimmied her way into George’s heart accepted a gig at Moulin Rouge and departed for Paris, leaving our favourite constable heartbroken. Actress Erin Agostino has received praise from Murdoch Mysteries fans and those behind the scenes on the show. Writer-producer Mary Pedersen recently said of Agostino: “We love Erin Agostino. She has been wonderful and has really won over the fans which is really something because the character, on paper, doesn’t look like someone Crabtree should end up with. That’s really a credit to Erin’s work.”

The Montreal-born Agostino—who stars alongside Mia Kirshner, Erin Karpluk and Randal Edwards in the feature film A Swingers Weekend, debuting next month—spoke with us about Nina and saying goodbye to Murdoch Mysteries.

Before we talk about some specific storylines, tell me how you ended up on Murdoch Mysteries in the first place.
Erin Agostino: I auditioned for a guest-star role at the end of the ninth season. I went in and auditioned. Peter Mitchell was in the room and would be directing that episode. It took about a week or two weeks to find out that I’d got the part. Guest-starring on a show that has been on the air for that many seasons was horrific because it’s a well-oiled machine and you don’t really know what your part in it is. Everyone was so welcoming and warm and just amazing, from Peter to the cast and the crew. It was a family that welcomed you with open arms.

I went into this thinking this was it. I would guest-star in that episode [“From Buffalo with Love“]. There was a chance to recur in the following season but nothing was set in stone. I really connected with Nina. I loved that part and it felt very natural to be her and Jonny Harris and I had a wonderful connection. I guess that’s what sparked the writers to put her back in in Season 10.

What were your thoughts when you first saw this character on paper?
I hadn’t really watched the show mainly because I didn’t have a TV when I first moved to Toronto. As soon as I got the audition—I was in Montreal when I got the role—I put on Murdoch and watched as much as I could. I watched Season 8 and thought about the character. I loved how mysterious she was. There were secrets. She comes across as this woman who knows it all but she is hiding this vulnerable heart that she’s afraid to break. I loved the mix where she is this strong woman but this vulnerable child at the same time.

The relationship between George and Nina was very hot and heavy. What kind of trust did you and Jonny establish so you could play the intense scenes you both did?
It’s scary going in, knowing you have all of these passionate scenes and you have never met the other person or done a chemistry read or anything. Day 1, I remember, was a kissing scene. It was basically, ‘Hey, pleased to meet you. How are you? Let’s make out.’ [Laughs.] It could have been really awkward, right? But it was a relaxed environment. Peter Mitchell always creates that, so I was instantly relaxed, which was key. I’ve worked with a lot of people and Jonny is just not what you’d expect for someone who has the success that he has. I met him and the first thing he said was that he was going to craft services and did I want a tea or anything? I was like, ‘Really?’ There was an instant comfort that developed. Over the years we’ve become closer. I call him a friend, which made those scenes a lot easier.

The last scene we shot, the breakup scene, it was hard. We were crying, some of the crew was crying, it was a beautiful moment but it was tough. We don’t know what’s going to happen, but we felt like if it was goodbye for a little bit it was still really rough.

When did you become aware of the Murdoch Mysteries fandom?
At some point in Season 10. It’s been overwhelming, especially recently. There have been so many messages of love and support. It just means the world to me. To play someone who is, in my opinion, a strong role model who is not afraid to be different … to have her affect so many people is beautiful. The support has been overwhelming.

Peter Mitchell and most recently Mary Pedersen have said they loved what you brought to the role and will miss you. What does that mean to you?
It means everything. It’s my job as an actor to find something real in a character, whether they are someone who is portrayed negatively or positively, there is good and bad in everyone and it’s our job to bring the good and human side forward and make that person whole.

It was sad that George and Nina broke up, but I respect the fact neither of them would give up their beliefs for the other.
They were both willing to bend for that other person. He was going to Paris and she was going to marry him. But I think that love for each other prevented that. They knew the other person couldn’t accept going against what they believed in. It was a realization that we want different things right now and it’s just not fair to watch the other person sacrifice what they want.

You used two key words: right now. Nina is not dead unless something horrible happens on the trip over to France. She could return and I’m assuming you would be happy to return to the show.
If the writers find a way to connect them again, I am all in.

What will you miss most? And did you take anything as a memento?
I didn’t take anything. I should have. I wanted those boots. [Laughs.] I’m going to miss everyone and everything about it. It was a family.

Will you miss Nina Bloom? Do you really think she’s gone from George’s life forever? Let me know in the comments section below! And be sure to support Erin and the Canadian film industry when A Swingers Weekend hits the big screen next month.

 

 

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Featured, The Detail

The Detail: Angela Griffin and Shenae Grimes-Beech bond over murder cases, messy personal lives in new CTV detective drama

While female cops are, thankfully, commonplace on TV, it’s unusual for a crime series to centre on three female homicide detectives, as does CTV’s new crime drama, The Detail, which premieres Sunday, March 25, at 9 p.m. ET.

“You usually get a single female,” says Angela Griffin, who plays Stevie Hall, an experienced and disciplined homicide detective on Toronto’s Metropolitan Police Force. “You get your sole female lead, and you might get a sidekick, but it’s really rare to have three female leads in a show like this–and it’s great that it isn’t punctuated, it isn’t whacked over your head.”

The show focuses on the professional and personal lives of Stevie, her rough-around-the-edges rookie partner, Detective Jacqueline “Jack” Cooper (Shenae Grimes-Beech), and their tough boss, Staff Inspector Fiona Currie (Wendy Crewson, Saving Hope). The fact that these characters come from three different generations makes it all the more compelling.

“We’re on totally different pages in our journeys in life, and I think that gives people a lot to relate to,” says Grimes-Beech. “That, and the fact that these women truly are supportive of each other in today’s whole movement of female empowerment.”

That kind of support is on display in The Detail‘s debut episode, “Wake Up Call,” as the detectives investigate an apparent suicide the day after Jack learns a shocking revelation about her personal life and publicly acts out. The fallout makes Fiona question whether it’s worth keeping her on the team, otherwise known as “the detail,” but Stevie quickly comes to her partner’s defense, pointing out that, despite her screw-ups, Jack “sees things other people miss.”

According to Grimes-Beech, a Toronto native best known for Degrassi: The Next Generation and 90210, Jack’s penchant for trouble actually helps her on cases. “She definitely is a bit of a rule breaker because she thinks outside of the box,” she explains. “I think if Jack got her shit together, she may not be as good at what she does. But I think it lands her in hot water at work, and it certainly does not play out well in her personal life.”

That makes Stevie the apparent adult in the partnership. “Stevie’s really methodical, she comes from a family of cops,” says Griffin, a British actress with dozens of TV credits, including Coronation Street, Inspector Lewis and Brief Encounters. “There was never really any chance of her doing anything else, she always wanted to be a cop, and she absolutely plays by the rules. I think that’s one of the draws to Jack. There’s a real attraction because she’s so much more raw, she plays so much more on instinct. And Stevie can’t do that.”

However, while Stevie appears to have her professional act together, Griffin says the mother of two is dealing with some very real family problems. “There’s an honesty to Stevie that I think you don’t often get on TV,” she says. “Which is sometimes, when she closes the door on her family to go to work, she breathes a sigh of relief because it’s actually sometimes easier to go and deal with the dead bodies and deal with the murderers than it is to deal with a teenage daughter.”

As the season progresses, things will get messier for Stevie and Jack, as their professional and personal lives intersect in painful ways. An old lover (David Cubitt, Medium) and an old case present problems for Stevie, while the personal trauma Jack encounters in the pilot continues to evolve and fester, eventually threatening a case and straining Stevie and Jack’s partnership.

But, again, it comes down to support. “These women are putting their lives in each other’s hands every single day,” says Griffin. “They have to trust each other. They have to have a really quite incredible bond, and I think that they work at that.”

As for Griffin and Grimes-Beech, The Detail–which is very loosely based on the U.K. series Scott & Bailey–has provided each of them the opportunity to grow as actors.

Grimes-Beech never envisioned herself landing a detective role. “When I was in the audition waiting room, I felt very out of place,” she says. “But once I read the dialogue, I felt I had stepped right into this girl’s shoes.”

Executive producer Ilana Frank (Rookie Blue, Saving Hope) felt the same way and fought for her to play Jack. “Because of my age or whatever, people were a little unsure of giving me the job,” Grimes-Beech says. “But she really had my back the whole way along.”

Meanwhile, Griffin had to polish the North American accent she’s been keeping in her “back pocket” since she–and a wave of other British actors–began regularly participating in the annual pilot season for American and Canadian productions. “You’ve really got to get that accent off if you want to have a chance with a part, so I’ve been doing it for a couple of years,” she says. “And I was fortunate that we had an amazing dialect coach who came onto set and helped me out.”

Still, she was nervous about getting it right. “I’ve got to say, the first couple of weeks of filming, I was probably thinking about how I was talking more than what I was talking about,” she says.

To help, Griffin chose to stay in Stevie’s accent “from the moment I got up in the morning” until the show wrapped each night. She would then suddenly revert back to her British accent–a switch that sometimes startled her co-stars.

“We would forget, and then we would wrap, and she would [speak in a British accent],” Grimes-Beech laughs. “We all totally forgot that she wasn’t from here.”

The Detail airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Comments and queries for the week of March 23

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I was so touched by William’s and Julia’s reconciliation [on Murdoch Mysteries]. It warmed my heart, and I could see that their relationship has only strengthened. It’s good for them to take that trip together since it will give them time to heal together. Yannick’s and Hélène’s acting, as well the entire cast’s, were amazing beyond words. Will there be any stories arising out of their trip or from their previous one to the Galapagos? Maybe George will find the woman that his truly for him … maybe Julia’s sister, or is she too much of a free spirit? I absolutely love this show and have been watching it for a long time now. When I first started watching it, it got me through a difficult time in my life. Looking forward to Season 12!!! (P.S. I also hope that Pendrick and Terrence Myers return!) —Linda

My daughter thinks Violet gave a suspicious drink to Julia!! Now why would she do that?? —Karen

If Violet truly wants to take over the morgue, it wouldn’t make sense for her to induce the loss of Julia’s baby. I’m sure quite the opposite is true. If Julia is not in the lab due to maternity leave, then it would be much easier for Violet to take over. You must understand that up until fairly recently, women were not allowed to work if they were married or had a family. My own mother-in-law had to quit her job at Eaton’s when she got married. She was only 25 and the year was 1946! She never really recovered her self-esteem for the rest of her life. She was an excellent homemaker and mother, but I still think she had a lot of regrets about not having a career. “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.” —Kathryn

Terrible episode! :( As if the writers went crazy by the end of the season. Bitter, destructive, bleak, depressing. There are a lot of other shows with this kind of intrigue and negativity (and I don’t watch them for a reason), it’s just not Murdoch Mysteries. —Erinah

Whew! Great ending. Couldn’t have made it through the summer without that reconciliation kiss between William and Julia. Looking forward to Season 12. Thank you to the cast and writers. —Sharon

The mysteries are intriguing, but I like the stories of the characters also. Murdoch Mysteries is the best show on TV. —Barb

 

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg.david16@gmail.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

 

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Corus Studios announces three new docu-series ahead of MIPTV

Today, Corus Studios, a division of Corus Entertainment, introduces three new docu-series for international sale at MIPTV in Cannes. The company continues to grow its slate of distinct original series developed for its portfolio of Lifestyle channels, which feature an array of genres including travel and escape, fashion, automotive, cultural and factual content. New original series available at the international market this year include, Big Rig Warriors (10×30), Rust Valley Restorers (8×60), World Without (9×60) as well as previously announced new original shows Island of Bryan (13×60) and STITCHED (12×60). Additional broadcast details will be announced at a later date.

Newly greenlit original series available at MIPTV are as follows:

Big Rig Warriors (10×30) – Automotive/Docu-series
During the week they earn a living travelling North America’s highways behind the wheels of their big rig trucks. But in their downtime, they meet on tracks where they drive on their own terms – and usually at dangerously fast speeds. Follow five dynamic truckers and the families and friends who support them during the exciting racing season, amid exhaust, roaring engines and burning tires, on their quest to cross the finish line and be crowned the “fastest.” Whether they’re drag racing on the streets of cities or country towns, competing on traditional racing tracks, or going head to head in oval races in Las Vegas, they all share a common obsession: They race big trucks. And they race them fast. Produced by Attraction Images in association with Corus Studios for HISTORY®.

Rust Valley Restorers (8×60) – Automotive/Docu-series
Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains is one of the most unique car communities in the world, also known as “Rust Valley.” It can’t be missed: acres upon acres of old and abandoned cars; a junkyard as far as the eye can see. And at its heart is a remarkable restoration shop run by a team of colourful and charismatic characters who use their impressive skills and experience to restore, trade and sell classic cars – transforming piles of rust into collectible car treasures. Produced by Mayhem Entertainment in association with Corus Studios for HISTORY®.

World Without (9×60) – Pop History/Docu-series
This mind-bending and innovative series examines the butterfly effect of removing key individuals, ideas, inventions and influences from a given nation’s history in order to highlight what that country has contributed to global culture and human history. In each episode, the series imagines the world without a specific country – the United Kingdom, U.S.A., Italy, China, Germany, France –as their game-changing leaders, innovations and social-political achievements are erased from our shared timeline. What transpires? Global catastrophe, societal upheaval and chaos. Produced by Cream Productions in association with Corus Studios for HISTORY®.

Previously announced greenlit original series starting production this spring include:

Island of Bryan (13×60) – Travel/Renovation/Docu-series
Can two parents with four school-age kids drop out of their busy lives, move to a tropical island paradise for eight months and rebuild and restore a rundown beachfront resort? Contractor Bryan Baeumler and his wife Sarah are about to find out. It’s a huge personal and financial gamble, but they’re ready to take the renovation ride of their lives. After more than 10 years of building a construction empire, Bryan and Sarah are about to embark on an unforgettable family adventure thousands of miles from home. Will they turn a ramshackle resort in the Bahamas into a luxurious boutique retreat and make it a buoyant business venture? Is paradise really all it’s cracked up to be? Produced by Si Entertainment in association with Corus Studios for HGTV Canada.

STITCHED (12×60) – Fashion Competition Series
The deadlines are tight, the expectations are high and the judges are hard to please. STITCHED is a fierce original fashion competition series where a new wave of fashion designers match wits and stitches in an epic fashion throw-down in three rounds. In every high-style-meets-high-stakes episode, four competitors face off in dramatic themed challenges with one designer eliminated each round. Facing the oh-so-sharp resident judges and a new guest judge per episode, designers create ambitious outfits inspired by unique materials and concepts under tight timelines. In the end, one designer rises to the top with a couture-level creation that earns them the $10,000 prize. Fashion model Kim Cloutier hosts alongside style expert Joe Zee and ELLE Canada’s Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Craft. Produced by FORTÉ Entertainment in association with Corus Studios for SLICE™.

At MIPTV, Corus Studios will be represented by Rita Carbone Fleury, who will be overseeing the global sales of Corus’ original content slate.

 

 

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