UPDATE: In Andrew Ryan's very positive Globe & Mail review today, he raises -- without expanding on it -- a very interesting point, when he writes:
More impressive are the two young leads. Honed from four seasons as Derek on the family sitcom Life with Derek, Seater is a naturally gifted comic actor who has mastered the art of delivering witty dialogue with a blank expression. If you think that's easy, talk to Michael Cera.
The winsome Farber is a solid match for Seater and rises to the occasion now that's she's removed from the histrionics of Degrassi. Together, they make the perfectly adorable teen couple, which naturally puts viewers on their side for the wedding brouhaha, while the parents are left to sputter.
The significance just below the surface here is belied a bit earlier in the article where he repeats the tired old canard about Canadians being good or known for comedy... No, we're not. We're known for shipping our talent south before they really get a chance to do anything here because there's such a lack of opportunity.
That lack comes from consistently having to start over. I remember hearing stories from before my time about how when Seeing Things ended, everybody scattered and they lost everybody who'd learned anything. How many vets of TRADERS went on to get shows immediately after? (Without going to the USA?) Pat McKenna won Gemini after Gemini in that show -- why's he not a lead in something?
In the case of Farber and Seater -- one thing we DO have in this country is an actual bonafide tween/teen show industry -- mostly for U.S. partners, but still. The shows keep going, the crews work, and actors like Farber and Seater hone their craft and get really, really good at what they do so that when they're presented with an opportunity like this, they've learned the ropes. They're poised to deliver.
CTV, just out of Gas, gave both Brent Butt and a bunch of Gas writers the chance to create sitcoms. Just rolled them right over. That's how it's done.
It's called "building an industry." And it works for crews, writers, directors, and everybody else too.
4 rumbles:
The problem with 'building an industry' CBC-style is this pilot felt too much like too many of the network's past shows. It reeks of quirk. And when all the characters get similarly quirky lines, none of them gets to stands out.
The show, with its promising premise, needs to be fresher than this ... and hopefully it will be. Given it's paired with Little Mosque and then the Winnipeg Comedy Festival (on a quiet night), it's convenient enough for me to keep watching.
What'd you think, Denis?
Didn't see it. Travelling till the 11th.
But it was a pilot. The bits & pieces I've seen were from later eps and the buzz is it gets good, fast. Which would not make it so different from 30 Rock, Modern Family (which had a great pilot but got even better) Parks & Rec, Big Bang Theory, Community....
You thought G&M review was very positive? Hm. I was left with a less positive impression, mostly from the "it's not bad" in the middle. Blurb that, CBC!
Though I also get annoyed at "slickly produced" being one of the first things Canadian reviewers tend to use as a positive about Canadian shows ("our quality doesn't suck anymore!") so it started off badly for me and my pet peeves.
Yeah, you can't win. Too small a place, too many people parsing words too thinly.
then again, i guess, it's not like Hollywood's really very different on that score.
When was the last time you read a Rave from Andrew Ryan? I mean a Rave-rave?
I'm not sure that's in his DNA. :)
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