Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
television drama series, created by
Pierre Sarrazin
Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French language, French form of the name Peter (given name), Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via ...
and
Suzette Couture
Suzette (; oc, Suseta) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.
See also
* Dentelles de Montmirail
*Communes of the Vaucluse department
The following is a list of the 151 commu ...
, which aired on CTV from 1999 to 2000.Tony Atherton, "The City: just don't call it a soap opera: Sprawling series breaks rules for TV drama". ''
Ottawa Citizen
The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
History
Established as ''The Bytown Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris (journalist), William Harris, it was renamed the '' ...
'', March 6, 1999.
Set in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, the series starred
Torri Higginson
Sarah Victoria "Torri" Higginson (born December 6, 1969) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles in the ''TekWar'' movies and series, and for portraying Dr. Elizabeth Weir in ''Stargate SG-1'' and ''Stargate Atlantis'' (2004–20 ...
as Katharine Strachan Berg, a society wife who gave up her career in law after marrying wealthy real estate developer Jack Berg ( John Ralston). When her son Strachan (Matthew Lemche) is injured in a shooting in the debut episode, she becomes motivated to return to public life by running for a seat on
Toronto City Council
Toronto City Council is the governing body of the municipal government of Toronto, Ontario. Meeting at Toronto City Hall, it comprises 25 city councillors and the mayor of Toronto. The current term began on November 15, 2022.
Structure
The cur ...
, thus drawing her into contact with a diverse ensemble of characters representing many different aspects of the big city beyond the confines of her privileged and affluent Rosedale life. In the show's second season, she has been elected to a council seat, and must navigate the internal workings of
Toronto City Hall
The Toronto City Hall, or New City Hall, is the seat of the municipal government of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and one of the city's most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Viljo Revell and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in ...
to advocate for change while also dealing with the breakdown of her marriage.
The series was essentially a prime time
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
, although Sarrazin rejected that label because of its association with unrealistic and melodramatic plots, and instead compared the show's intentions to socially realistic antecedents such as ''
The Bonfire of the Vanities
''The Bonfire of the Vanities'' is a 1987 novel by Tom Wolfe. The story is a drama about ambition, racism, social class, politics, and greed in 1980s New York City, and centers on three main characters: WASP bond trader Sherman McCoy, Jewish as ...
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...
.
The shooting of Strachan in the pilot was based on the real Just Desserts shooting of 1994.
The series premiered in March 1999 with a 13-episode first season, and then returned in November 1999 with a 20-episode second season. It was not renewed for a third season.
Awards
The show received three
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards were awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television between 1986–2011 to recognize the achievements of Canada's television industry. The Gemini Awards are analogous to the Emmy Awards given in the United States ...
nominations at the
14th Gemini Awards
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television's 14th Gemini Awards were held on November 7, 1999, to honour achievements in Canadian television. The awards show, which was hosted by Rick Mercer, took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and ...
in 1999, for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (
Shawn Doyle
Shawn Doyle (born September 19, 1968) is a Canadian actor known for his roles in ''The Expanse'', '' The Eleventh Hour'', ''Big Love'', '' 24'', ''Desperate Housewives'', and '' Star Trek: Discovery''.
Early life and education
Doyle was born an ...
,
Michael Sarrazin
Michael Sarrazin (May 22, 1940 – April 17, 2011)
Jan Rubeš
Jan Ladislav Rubeš CM (6 June 1920 – 29 June 2009) was a Czech-Canadian bass opera singer and actor.
Life and career
Rubeš was born in Volyně, Czechoslovakia, to Ružena (née Kellnerová) and Jan Rubeš. Not long after World War II, ...
). It won three awards at the
15th Gemini Awards
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television's 15th Gemini Awards were held on October 30, 2000, to honour achievements in Canadian television. The awards show, which was hosted by Steve Smith, took place at the John Bassett Theatre and was broadc ...
in 2000, for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Higginson), Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ( Shannon Lawson) and Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Geordie Johnson); it was also nominated, but did not win, for Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series (
Sheila McCarthy
Sheila McCarthy (born January 1, 1956) is a Canadian actress and singer. She has worked in film, television, and on stage. McCarthy is one of Canada's most honoured actors, having won two Genie Awards (film), two Gemini Awards (television), an AC ...
) and Best Direction in a Drama Series (
Jerry Ciccoritti
Jerry Ciccoritti (born August 5, 1956) is a Canadian film, television and theatre director. His ability to work in a number of genres and for many mediums has made him one of the most successful directors in the country.
Biography
Born in Tor ...
).
Cast
*
Torri Higginson
Sarah Victoria "Torri" Higginson (born December 6, 1969) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles in the ''TekWar'' movies and series, and for portraying Dr. Elizabeth Weir in ''Stargate SG-1'' and ''Stargate Atlantis'' (2004–20 ...
Jody Racicot Jody may refer to:
*Jody (given name), a list of people with the given name
*Jody (singer), French singer, real name Julie Erikssen
* "Jody" (song), 1986 single by Jermaine Stewart
*"Jody", a 1982 song by America from ''View from the Ground''
*"Jod ...
as St. Crispin St. James
*Matthew Lemche as Strachan Berg
*
Michael Sarrazin
Michael Sarrazin (May 22, 1940 – April 17, 2011)
Aidan Devine
Aidan Devine is an English–Canadian film actor. He was born in England and immigrated with his family to Canada at the age of 15. He studied at Dawson College's Dome Theatre in Montreal, Quebec and began his acting career in Montreal. He woul ...
as Father Shane Devlin
*
Robin Brûlé
Robin Brûlé is a Canadian actress, who is best known for her role as Susan Hunter in the ''Roxy Hunter ''Roxy Hunter'' is a fictional character played by Aria Wallace in four television films for Nickelodeon in the United States: ''Roxy Hunter ...
as Angie Hart
*
Shawn Doyle
Shawn Doyle (born September 19, 1968) is a Canadian actor known for his roles in ''The Expanse'', '' The Eleventh Hour'', ''Big Love'', '' 24'', ''Desperate Housewives'', and '' Star Trek: Discovery''.
Early life and education
Doyle was born an ...
as Det. McKeigan
*
James Gallanders
James Gallanders (born February 9, 1970) is a Canadian actor. He studied at York University's Faculty of Fine Arts.
Career
Born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, Gallanders began appearing on several television series before receiving his first r ...
as Det. Croft
*
Arnold Pinnock
Arnold Pinnock (born 1967) is a Canadian actor who is perhaps best known for his appearance as Paul Greebie, Casey's guidance counselor, in ''Life with Derek''.
Pinnock was born in Birmingham, England. His career began with sketch comedy at Toro ...
as Tyrone Meeks
*
Noam Jenkins
Noam Jenkins is a Canadian actor, voice actor, and television director. He is best known for his portrayal as Aiden Pearce in the 2014 video game ''Watch Dogs'', and Detective Jerry Barber on Global's ''Rookie Blue
''Rookie Blue'' is a Canad ...
as Lance
*
Lorne Cardinal
Lorne Cardinal (born 6 January 1964) is a Canadian stage, television and film actor, best known for portraying Davis Quinton on ''Corner Gas''. He is a former rugby union player.
Early life
Cardinal was born on a reserve of the Sucker Creek ...
as Gabriel
*
Enuka Okuma
Enuka Vanessa Okuma (; born September 20, 1976) is a Canadian actress, best known for her role as detective Traci Nash in the Global/ABC police drama series, ''Rookie Blue'' (2010–2015). Okuma is also known for her work on the Canadian televisio ...
as Kira
Mel Lastman
Melvin Douglas Lastman (March 9, 1933 – December 11, 2021) was a Canadian businessman and politician who served as the third mayor of North York from 1973 to 1997 and 62nd mayor of Toronto from 1998 to 2003. He was the first person to serve ...
, the real-life
Mayor of Toronto
The mayor of Toronto is the head of Toronto City Council and chief executive officer of the municipal government. The mayor is elected alongside city council every four years on the fourth Monday of October; there are no term limits. While in ...
at the time the series aired, made a cameo appearance in the second season as himself, and Toronto radio host "Humble" Howard Glassman was heard in numerous episodes as a radio personality voicing public commentary on events."Take a fun ride through The City". ''
Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...