Leading up to the Writers Guild of Canada awards on April 23, TV, eh? will be posting a series of interviews with some of nominees. Mark Farrell was nominated in the TV Comedy category for the “Ethical Dilemma” episode of Dan For Mayor.

Can you describe the episode, and how it fit into the Dan For Mayor season?
We had pitched a slightly serial show in the first season, but in the second season we decided to go more stand-alone. The episode was first thought of in the writers room and Jenn Engels, Carolyn Taylor and Tim McAuliffe helped me out. Later Mark DeAngelis, Kevin White and Paul Mather made some important suggestions. I originally thought of it to make fun of all the commissioners you always hear about in government. There was an ethics commissioner, then integrity commissioner, then a privacy commissioner but it was a little … okay a lot … over-written and arch and, well, shitty, so I simplified it.

What about this episode are you particularly proud of?
There was a scene that made fun of bad stunt doubling that I really liked and that the director and actors pulled off fantastically. I also liked that in this episode Claire was getting Dan in trouble instead of the other way around.

What does this recognition mean to you?
I always like that it’s writers picking and it’s based on the script and not the finished, packaged episode the way the Geminis does its writing awards.

And finally (imagine my best Joan Rivers impression): what will you be wearing to the ceremony?
Something that I’ll look good in watching Matt Watts win.