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TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television

Review: Lost Girl’s lucky day

Things are certainly heating up on Lost Girl—and I don’t just mean that surprise hook-up between Bo and Tamsin, although it does feel like this week’s biggest development. Rookie Blue’s Noam Jenkins made his first move as a resuscitated corpse, bringing the ominous words “beginning and end” to screens and teasing something cataclysmic in the offing.

Considering how long things between Bo and Tamsin have remained at the casually teasing phase, I was pretty stunned to see Tamsin finally make a bold move—and, admittedly, even more surprised to see Bo, after a moment’s hesitation, opt for the second of Tamsin’s gifts. Maybe it’s because their friendship has been so rocky, or maybe because I was sort of digging the banter-creating tension between them as they started working together, but I’m not entirely sure how I feel about these two launching into something that looks like more than a chi-swapping fling.

I guess that for all the hints and chemistry between the two, I’ve always assumed Lost Girl would head to some kind of resolution involving the Bo/Lauren/Dyson triangle—though maybe this move is suggesting the show is considering something a bit less predictable for our loving fae and her friends. Either way, it gave Bo someone to confide in, and I can’t think of anyone who would be more understanding about Bo’s need to separate herself from her father’s legacy than Tamsin.

And while I’m certain that whatever’s brewing with Lauren and Dyson’s elevator crash case is closely tied to Bo’s father—both did, after all, begin with a trip to Hell and one cryptically named candle—I’m guessing that final shot of Horatio, a.k.a. the recently-deceased Kevin Brown means solving the elevator crash might take priority over that rune-covered Jack-in-a-box present from daddy dearest.

It’s certainly more pressing for the fae world now that their signatures—and powers—have been taken from the safety of Trick’s lair and are now being used by Kevin, and, presumably, that mysterious blonde woman responsible for his death, to hunt for whatever fae they need to take out (or collect pieces from). With the oracles now blind to any other visions, there’s no one to warn Bo and the rest about what’s coming, or what it may want from the rest of the fae.

Except maybe Dyson’s new kid, Mark, if he somehow manages to get over being a ridiculous stereotype of a teenage brat in time. Right now it seems like he’s on his way to being recruited to the Dark side—a process Dyson should probably explain to him a bit more clearly, and soon. Because while the kid’s aware his new friend stole the book, he doesn’t seem to have any idea what that means, or why it’s important. And sure, he’s dreaming Bo’s dream of being unaligned, but right now I don’t think he’s savvy enough to pull that off. Especially since Vex seems to be the only friend he’s capable of making, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out Vex is the one who orchestrated the whole hook up in the first place. Mark’s recklessness may have been cute enough for Bo last week, but it’s quickly turning into something dangerous. And if Dyson doesn’t step it up in the paternity department soon, there may be more problems than a few broken pint glasses.

And as fun as it was to watch Tamsin deal with Bo’s slow transformation into a kitten (note: a napkin is not a suitable cover for the sudden appearance of paws), or to at least watch Anna Silk take up residence in the soothing confines of a cardboard box, I’m still itching to make a bit more progress on what the hell (pun intended) is going on with, well, everything. Or at least see the team start to connect a couple of the dots and give us something a bit more substantial to speculate with.

Lost Girl airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showcase.

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Link: Blood and belonging in the Book of Negroes

From Brian Bethune of Maclean’s Magazine:

Blood and belonging in the Book of Negroes
For a historical artifact essentially forgotten for more than two centuries, the Book of Negroes has taken on a remarkable contemporary life since it inspired Lawrence Hill’s award-winning and much-loved novel of the same name in 2007. Even its very title became a bone of politically charged contention. Now, both document and novel resonate more than ever, during yet another fraught period in American race relations, as Hill’s epic tale of freedom for some and slavery for others comes to TV in an exquisite six-part series showing on CBC in Canada and Black Entertainment Television in the United States. Continue reading.

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Tonight: Lost Girl, Pirate’s Passage

Lost Girl, “It’s Your Lucky Fae,” Showcase
When an oracle goes missing, Bo poses undercover on a Fae dating website to lure the suspect.

Pirate’s Passage, CBC
Set in 1952 Grey Rocks, Nova Scotia — a centuries old town that was famous 250 years ago as a favoured port of pirates – PIRATE’S PASSAGE follows the story of 12-year-old Jim. Fraught by the death of his father and forced to endure schoolyard bullying each day, Jim manages to carry on, buoyed by his optimistic imagination and fueled by his sense of adventure. His widowed mother struggles to keep their livelihood, the Admiral Anson Inn, from being sold. It is an ongoing battle until the sudden arrival of Captain Johnson, whose small sailboat has been thrown off course by a storm, changes the family’s life.

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Preview: Sutherland’s magical Pirate’s Passage sails onto the small screen

There’s no better way to learn about history than to be immersed in it. Literally. That’s what young Jim learns when Captain Charles Johnson sails into his life in Pirate’s Passage.

Based on the Governor General’s Literary Award-winning novel of the same name by William Gilkerson of Mahone Bay, N.S., CBC’s Sunday night animated TV-movie was produced, co-written and voiced by Donald Sutherland. Sutherland and Brad Peyton (Republic of Doyle) have weaved an entertaining story and, paired with exceptional animation from Sheridan College grads Jamie Gallant and Mike Barth, created one heck of a good time. (Check out the teaser below.)

Sutherland voices Captain Charles Johnson, a scallywag who magically jumps from the 18th century to 1952 Grey Rocks, N.S., where he sails ashore and befriends 12-year-old Jim (Gage Munroe, PAW Patrol). Jim has been assigned a school project on pirates, so Capt. Johnson’s arrival is fortuitous. Jim learns first-hand about pirates through the old codger’s stories, detailed adventures that not only entertain Jim (and viewers) but also educate via a stop amid the Vikings and a visit with Calico Jack (Paul Gross, Slings & Arrows). (Jim does, after all, have to learn enough to win over his teacher.) He’s also educated in how to handle bullies. Jim’s mother, Kerstin (Carrie-Anne Moss), learns that too; she’s battling with the town’s most powerful man, Roy Moehner (Kim Coates, Sons of Anarchy), who wants to buy her ramshackle inn and turn it into a luxury location.

Other Canadian actors voicing characters in Pirate’s Passage include Gordon Pinsent as the town barber, Megan Follows as saucy Meg O’Leary and Colm Feore as Jim’s father.

The A-list talent is almost outperformed by the animation, which takes on the effect–to me at least–of watercolour paintings on the move. Flying snow and seagulls a blurred shapes in the sky and piles of melting snow are smears of white on top of green grass. The characters move amid a cool palette of colour highlighted by stunning greys the make up the churning sea off the coast of fictional Grey Rocks.

I’ve never read Gilkerson’s book, but thanks to Sunday’s flick, I’m going to.

Pirate’s Passage airs Sunday at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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