Tag Archives: Featured

Featured, Orphan Black

Orphan Black 509: Clone Club races to save Helena

Last week on Orphan Black, Clone Club suffered its most devastating loss of the series with the death of Mrs. S. In this week’s episode—the penultimate instalment of the series—things are also looking bleak for Sarah et al., as they discover that Helena has been abducted by P.T. Westmorland/John Mathieson in a last desperate bid to extend his life.

Here’s what Bell Media has to say about “One Fettered Slave,” written by Alex Levine and directed by David Frazee.

The sisters band together in a race against time, determined to find Helena before an unmasked, and unhinged John Mathieson lays hands on her babies.

And here is our spoiler-free peek at the episode.

Darkness abounds 
And not just because Clone Club is dealing with the loss of Mrs. S. This is Helena’s episode, and like all the previous clone-centric episodes this season, we learn a lot about her background through flashbacks. It’s pretty disturbing stuff.

Darkness abounds, Part 2
We chatted with Orphan Black writer Alex Levine about this episode (check it out after Saturday’s broadcast), and he said that he considered P.T. Westmorland and Virginia Coady to be the “joint grand villains” of the series. While P.T./John runs the horror show, it is hardcore eugenicist Virginia who actually gets the science—and its dirty details—done. This episode unmasks both villains in terrifying new ways.

There will be more than one death
That shouldn’t be a shock, seeing as it’s the penultimate episode. However, one death is especially chilling both because of the reason it happens and because of the person who does it.

All hands on deck
Clone Club is out in force to save Helena. Expect help from old trusted friends like Art and Scott—as well as from less-trusted sources.

Nooooo!
We won’t say why, but that’s we shouted while viewing a shocking scene with Helena near the end of the episode.

Cliffhanger ending
This episode essentially serves as Part 1 of the series finale, so be prepared to be left in suspense.

The Orphan Black series finale airs next Saturday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Space.

Image courtesy of Bell Media.

 

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Featured, Saving Hope

Comments and queries for the week of August 4

2 Comments

The fans say goodbye to Saving Hope

I have just found this show and have been binge watching it for five days now to only find out that this season, Season 5, is the end of the show!! Every time I find a show I truly love it goes off the air. I wish you were going to continue this show, I love it! Thank you, though, for what I have gotten to watch, the actors are great and I will greatly miss it! —Tammy

I wish Saving Hope would continue! The good ones always leave too soon. Hopefully, they get married and not one or both killed off! Love Charlie and Alex! —Marcy

Thanks for five loving years. Haven’t missed a single episode, some we watched twice and really enjoyed every one of them. Almost cried when Joel got blown up; that was a bummer. Thanks to all the cast for their superlative acting. I am not clear why Saving Hope was not renewed. The cast and crew were great and Michael, Erica and Huse Madhavji, Wendy and all. Hope somewhere in the near future we could see more of SAVING HOPE!!! —Jean

I’ve been trying to write this post for more than an hour, trying to say something 100 per cent nice, but not succeeding. It kept sounding like an underhanded compliment. So I’m just going to be honest and tell you how I feel. I loved the show, but I didn’t like Season 5 quite as much—which I’ve seen in its entirety. And when I say I LOVED the show, I mean I was part of the fan videos made for the cast before the show began, and watched all seasons from the beginning and sometimes had to go through a crazy international scramble to get copies of the show, and now I help run an 800-member Facebook group dedicated to Saving Hope. I’ve had that kind of commitment and love for this series, and a great deal of appreciation for all the heart cast and crew put into making this program. I often hear that it is better not to say anything unless you are going to say something nice. Alas, I believe in honest feedback. I wish it weren’t so, but I feel let down. —Solstice

Man, I love this show, the entire cast, the Canadian content, amazing acting and writing. Wendy Crewson especially blows me away. I will truly miss this show and characters (goes for guest stars like Missy Peregrym and others). Michael and Erica rock! Looking forward to more from these actors and producers. One of my favourite shows EVER! You did your audience and country proud with this one! —Gail

I am going to miss Saving Hope so much. Seeing my favourite stars of my TV show for the last five years has been such a joy. I absolutely love Michael and Erica and all of the Saving Hope guys and girls. I wish them all of the luck for the future and I hope to see them all again one day soon. xx —Jess

Thank you to all the actors, writers, and crew. Quite possibly my favourite show of all time, and the fact that it’s over will outweigh the heavy content of the finale for quite a while. —Hallie

Why do all the endings have to be like this now? Why can’t we have a happy ending to a great show? You just ruined five years of Saving Hope. This is why I don’t watch series. I made an exception and now I’m sad. I will stick to science-fiction from now on. Very dissatisfied and disappointed. —Crys

I did not like the ending at first but, overnight, I realized that it makes sense actually. It ended as it began. Charlie should have died in the first accident. The five years that he lived partly in both realms was a gift. A time for them to grow and have two children as the legacy of their love. —Ruth

As a Canadian, I couldn’t be more proud of this show. I am so very sad it’s really over. I certainly was disappointed and overwhelmed with emotions seeing Charlie’s death, but then very relieved that the very end brought him and Alex together again. It was a thing of beauty after all. I will miss it terribly. —Sheri

 

Got a question or comment about Canadian television? Email greg.david@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

 

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Featured, Killjoys

Killjoys: Old friends—and enemies—return

Last week on Killjoys, Aneela upped the ante in her upcoming battle between the Hullen and Dutch and #TeamAwesomeForce. Tara Spencer-Nairn brought a massive amount of creepy to a secondary storyline involving Fancy, and Aneela and Seyah Kendry shared a sultry smooch before Aneela destroyed the RAC stations. Yup, a lot went on last Friday night.

So, what goes on this Friday? As always, we were keen to find out, especially since Andrew De Angelis is the writer credited for “Necropolis Now,” with Samir Rehem directing. The pair teamed for De Angelis’ hilarious What Would Sal Do?—check it out on CraveTV—so I was interested in what the duo would do in the sci-fi realm.

“It was amazing,” De Angelis said during a one-on-one at the Toronto Screenwriting Conference earlier this year. “I was lucky to be able to watch two seasons of the show. It’s already so well-defined. When the relationships [between Dutch, Johnny and D’avin] are so well-defined, it’s not hard to write for them. The world is all there. We delve into some history and explore that.” Here’s what Space said with regard to an official synopsis for the instalment:

As John faces off with someone from his past, Dutch faces her own personal hell, trapped in a space elevator with a bunch of pompous Qreshis, who one by one, mysteriously begin to die.

And, as always, here are a few more tidbits to tide you over until Friday night.

Dutch fights her guilt
The deaths of the RAC members and being wrong about Banyon (and her death) are weighing heavily on Dutch when the episode begins. She’s trying her best to forget it all with the help of a bottle and D’avin is there to talk. But will she listen? D’avin is certainly known for his comic timing, but he can be serious too; that’s evident in a couple of key scenes.

Zeph!
She’s back and shares information on what’s inside the Remnant.

Alvis has re-entered the building
It feels like we haven’t seen Alvis since Episode 1 of this season—and a quick peek at IMDB—confirms it. But the monk with the startlingly chiselled abs chimes in as part of a juicy murder mystery storyline that pulls in Dutch and the Jaqobis brothers.

Louella Simms makes an appearance
With the RAC wiped out, Dutch et. al need more fighters and firepower. Cue Louella Simms (Kimberley-Sue Murray), Pawter’s sister. Now, if only Johnny can win her—and the Nine families—over and score the support they need.

Gander fights back
After being a whipping boy ever since Seyah Kendry awakened, Gander makes a strategic move against the ladies and a stunning revelation about Aneela comes to light. Samir Rehem’s direction brings a unique and effective look to a pair of scenes involving Aneela. You’ll know them when you see them.

Killjoys airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Space.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

 

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Dark Matter, Featured

Dark Matter delivers its biggest “Holy crap!” moment of Season 3

I’ve made a public statement that last week’s episode of Dark Matter, “Isn’t That a Paradox?” was my favourite of the season. It was the perfect blend of science fiction and comedy and allowed the cast to let loose and show their comedic sides.

With that in mind, how did this week’s new instalment, “Built, Not Born,” serve as a follow-up? Quite well, in fact. Here’s what Space has released as the official synopsis for the episode written by Joseph Mallozzi and directed by Melanie Orr.

A distress call from the Android’s friend, Victor, leads to answers about TWO’s past.

And, as always, we’ve got a few more plot points to reveal after watching a screener.

The Android takes centre stage
Zoie Palmer has been given a lot to do this season and takes on even more this Friday. After revealing her “robot” friendships to the Raza crew and that they gave her the upgrade, Android reunites with Victor. Turns out Victor and another android need help getting out of a major bind. As an aside, Mallozzi’s script allows for some very sweet moments; Android really comes off like a teen in the midst of her first real relationship. Nerves abound and emotions are a jumble. And Two and Six are like her parents.

A question of free will
Yes, there’s sweetness on Friday, but also some pretty deep discussion into android ownership and free will. Some members of the Raza have very rigid beliefs while others are more open to change. As if that wasn’t deep enough, Victor has big plans for his group of androids and suggests Android join them.

Three consults with Sarah
Some vital information revealed to the crew has everyone scratching their heads, so Three meets with Sarah to get her take. We learn some pretty major stuff about Three’s thoughts on freedom and that he’s got a pretty good sixth sense about situations.

Two’s past revealed
We’ve been waiting for more intel on the Raza’s captain and we get it this week … big-time. See below.

Say WHAT?!
There is a HUGE reveal midway through “Built, Not Born,” that will leave you spinning. Easily the biggest “Holy crap!” moment in a season chock full of them. It involves the Android, Two and Five and … nope, we won’t spoil it.

Dark Matter airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Space.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

 

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Featured, Saving Hope

Saving Hope co-executive producer previews the series finale

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When you have a chance to talk to one of Saving Hope‘s writer-co-executive producers, you take it. I ran into Patrick Tarr earlier this week in North Bay, Ont., where he is doing pre-production work as the showrunner on Season 3 of Cardinal. Tarr, who has written for Showcase’s King and CBC’s Cracked and the Murdoch Mysteries web series The Curse of the Lost Pharaohs, penned several instalments of Saving Hope, including last week’s “First and Last.”

Now, with the finale “Hope Never Dies” just two days away, we asked Tarr to tease his thoughts on Charlie and Alex’s final storyline.

“I don’t think that there is another ending that is true to what the show is about,” Tarr says. “I asked Adam [Pettle, Saving Hope‘s showrunner], when we were breaking the final episode and we had the idea we did: ‘What is Saving Hope about?’ This is what we’ve been doing for five seasons.”

Tarr acknowledges that, after a handful of seasons, fans are definitely going to have strong feelings if anything untoward were to happen to any of the key characters they’ve fallen in love with. To have something other than a happy ending for Charlie, Alex, Zack, Shahir, Dawn, Dana or Jackson would be incredibly upsetting. That said, Saving Hope is about life, death and everything in between. And, as the writers have proven over the show’s run, no one is safe from injury.

Tarr joined Saving Hope in Season 3 and has been involved in the last 54 episodes and exits with fond memories.

“I’ve been lucky to come on board a successful show that works really well and has great characters and directors,” he says. And now it’s coming to an end this week.

Saving Hope‘s series finale airs Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

 

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