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SO IT LOOKS like the pre-press is starting for The Border. This article comes courtesy of Lee-Anne Goodman at Canadian Press.

Not only is a sale to France cool, but the article features an interview with the Gentlemanliest Writer - Producer in Canadian TV, the inimitable Mr. David Barlow:

TORONTO - It's a blustery day at a desolate lakefront ferry terminal that's serving as the set for the upcoming CBC drama "The Border," and word is spreading quickly among cast and crew: a major French distributor has already bought the rights to the show more than a month before it's set to air.

"This is a show we're all very proud of, so it's really exciting news," David Barlow, one of the writers and producers of "The Border," said Thursday as he wandered the gleaming glass and stainless-steel set, constructed in a federal ferry terminal used only in the summer months by cruise ships, with stunning views of Lake Ontario and the Toronto skyline as its backdrop.

The gods seem to be smiling upon "The Border" - not only has it attracted attention from international buyers like France's Neutra Production, it's also set to air in January when the big U.S. television blockbusters that routinely brutalize the CBC in the ratings will likely be in reruns thanks to the ongoing screenwriters' strike.

"Even if the strike were to end tomorrow, there's still going to be lag time before any new episodes of the big American shows are available," Barlow said. "That will give us an advantage in January - maybe Canadians who wouldn't normally try us will try us. So that little break, the little window, that opportunity to get the show out to people who would not normally try us is a tremendous advantage."

"The Border," premiering Jan. 7, has also attracted some star power behind the camera. Ken Girotti, the Canadian-born director who's been at the helm of episodes of the critically acclaimed "Rescue Me" and "24," was on set Thursday commanding the action.

The parallels to "24" have been frequent, Barlow notes, but says there are key differences between the two shows.

"It is certainly active, it has the energy of '24' and some of the episodes have big international stakes like '24,"' Barlow says.

"But we're more of an ensemble show. There's a core cast of about seven, and it's more collective and it's a show that, in a particularly Canadian way, struggles with the kind of absolute power that these people now have. The characters in 'The Border' - yeah, they try to catch the bad guys and keep Canada safe but they also question what is the right thing to do when you have all these extraordinary powers that immigration people now have here.

You can also get the full piece here.