@vga256 oh, and another relevant book perhaps
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@vga256 hey now, I talk about Canadian tv when I can!!
Honestly though Canadian tv is a lot "better" on average than it used to be, to the point that it doesn't really stand out anymore. Some shows like North of North and Shoresy are so unmistakably set in Canada, but the production values are about normal for network tv of their calibre so it still doesn't feel like "Canadian tv" somehow. And stuff like Family Law only occasionally makes a point of being set in Toronto or flashing Canadian bills so it flies under the radar better.
So there's just like.. Less to say about them being Canadian than there used to be I think.
@megmac it's funny because, when i think back to the most canadian tv shows of the 90s - like Highlander or First Wave - what sets them apart is their low-budget, canadian scenery, and everyday sensibilities. they try SO hard to look american ("The City of Seacouver, Washington" 😅) and fail utterly at every turn.
maybe i'm too romantic about the past, but a critical part of canadian tv identity was that it *was* low budget, and that it stood out precisely from american productions because we did more with less. what we think of as big budget tv is really just hollywood-style tv, and i think for that reason Shoresy, Schitts Creek, etc, fall flat for me.
i guess what i'm saying is: i'm still in love with shitty tv.
@vga256 yeah for sure. I feel kinda bad for the newer shows though, because for all that they've kind of assimilated to a more American style the reputation still dogs them. Lots of people will tune out the moment it's clear something is Canadian.
I think North of North is the closest thing I've seen in recent years to capturing that vibe, tbh.
@megmac i’ll have to check out north of north.
i found out last summer that the North of 60 set still exists near bragg creek and it is still open to the public. i love that.
@vga256 I don't have any good ideas about what/how but I do talk about CanCon quite a bit, on here and elsewhere.
I've been more focused on older media, stuff from the 80s or earlier, to fill in gaps in my knowledge in tv/film and music. I've got some holds on DVDs at the library for Canadian shows not on streaming. (Why do I sound like I'm writing a cover letter?).
Most of my followers and mutuals on fedi aren't Canadian, though, and it would be cool to have a community to annoy with my appreciation of, say, "The Starlost".
@giflian you've already outcanadianed me with Starlost because i hadn't even *heard* of that until now 😆
that's *exactly* the kinds of conversations i want to have with other people. they don't have to be canadians even! some of the biggest Raccoons and Degrassi and North of 60 appreciators are from elsewhere. what matters to me is their passion for our obscure teletrash!
@vga256 I know of at least one non-Canadian on here who is a fan of Kids in the Hall. Lots of GenX/millennial Brits know and love The Raccoons and The Littlest Hobo.
As for "The Starlost", I only heard of it maybe a month ago. It's on YouTube. Definitely a show worth talking about, as it's got the expected 70s low budget vibes and bad acting but some of the scifi themes hold up really well. There's also a Ben Bova novel parodying the making of the show.
@vga256 oh, and another relevant book perhaps
@giflian i can't believe that's a real book 🤣 this looks amazing
@vga256 I started reading a preview of the book but it sort of spoilers a later episode of the series, which I haven’t finished yet. But it looks right up my alley.
Here’s the YouTube link, though the person has the ordering mixed up https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw6gg897HVfsPC8CbxZm4WIHRBFF9_-2w
@giflian hahah that sounds fantastic. it's interesting that canada produced a *ton* of sci-fi tv, but a lot of it was lost in the sea of american broadcasts.
i still watch very 90s series like First Wave and Highlander. they do their damndest to try making themselves appear american, but you can see vancouver and mission and hope everywhere 😆
@vga256 I thought The Odyssey was really good, for a 90s low budget YA scifi show. My mom was the one who got me into it.
I've never even heard of First Wave. I'm slowly watching Fringe for the first time with friends, pointing out the Vancouver landmarks and neighbourhoods to their annoyance. I've been sad to see fewer and fewer productions filmed in Vancouver in recent years.
