In Canada: Tuesdays, 9pm ET, CBC In the UK: Available on Netflix
Every time a new Canadian comedy comes along, like some demented TV-watching dog hopefully expecting the return of its owners, I look up, wag my tail and grin.
“Maybe this is it. Maybe this is the one. Maybe this is the funny one.”
Now, it’s not like these are totally unfounded hopes. After all, Satisfaction was a moderately funny comedy that could have been even better with a cast that knew how to act.
But that was something of a needle in an Insecurity/Seed/Working The Engels/18 To Life/Men With Brooms/Hiccups haystack. Because on the whole, Canadian sitcoms, particularly those on the CBC, suck like Dracula in a dorm room after 10 years on a diet of sparkling water and crackers.
Nevertheless, my tail started awaggling away when I heard that Schitt’s Creek was coming. Look at the risky title! Even before it aired, Canadians were umming and ahhing about that: “When grown adults think the height of witticism is some sort of wordplay on crudity I tend to yawn.” This was going to be daring, by Canadian standards.
But more so, look at the cast: Eugene Levy from American Pie, Catherine O’Hara from SCTV and Home Alone as a rich couple who buy a small, dead-end rural town joke, but end up having to move there when all their assets are seized by the tax inspectors. It’ll be the new Arrested Development, won’t it?
And the reviews! Look at the reviews: “CBC may end up getting the last laugh by having the strongest homegrown sitcom this country has had since, well, that show about not much going on that just recently made a movie.”
That’s right! Schitt’s Creek might be the strongest home grown sitcom since… that other thing he’s talking about that’s probably Corner Gas!
Look out. Here it comes. Here it comes!
Oh crap. It’s rubbish. That’s me fooled again, then.
Amazon Prime/Instant Video is currently doing its level best to be the UK equivalent to Netflix US – given Netflix UK can’t because of licensing issues – by acquiring as many TV shows as it can, some that haven’t even had a UK broadcast yet. Ripper Street, Vikings, Extant, Constantine – the list goes on.
In fact, over Christmas it got a good deal longer, because Amazon Prime bought up five more shows – and then didn’t bother to tell anyone. Not sure what the strategy is there.
All the same, in case you’re interested, the new shows were:
Klondike – haven’t seen it, because it was a mini-series on the Discovery Channel about the Gold Rush
Rogue – Thandie Newton is the least plausible undercover cop ever.
My review: first episode
The Red Road – Ex-con native American Jason Momoa blackmails local sheriff Martin Henderson when Henderson’s alcoholic, schizophrenic wife knocks over a kid with her car.
My reviews: first episode, third episode
Turn – Spies during the American war of independence, featuring Jamie Bell and Burn Gorman among others.
My review: first episode
Also out over Christmas was Amazon original Mozart In the Jungle, but I haven’t watched that yet. I’m sure I’ll get round to it, probably next week. Until then, here’s the first episode so you see if it’s up your street:
