''Strange Empire'' is a Canadian television drama series that aired on

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...

in the 2014–15 television season. Created by Laurie Finstad-Knizhnik, the series is a serialized

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

drama set in Janestown, near the

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

border in the 1860s, in which three women band together for survival after their husbands are murdered. The cast includes

Cara Gee Cara Gee (born July 18, 1983) is a Canadian film, television, and stage actress. She is known for her roles in the television series ''Strange Empire'' and '' The Expanse''. She is described by Forbes as "one of the most prominent indigenous wome ...

, Melissa Farman and

Tattiawna Jones Tattiawna Jones is a Canadian television and theatre actress. She comes from Manitouwadge Manitouwadge is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the Thunder Bay District, at the north end of Highway 614, east of T ...

. The first season began airing on 6 October 2014 and consists of 13 episodes. CBC cancelled the series in March 2015 after one season. ''Strange Empire'' was broadcast on LMN in the US and was renamed ''Strange Empire: Rise of the Women'', it premiered on May 29, 2015.

Cast and characters

as Kat Loving, a

Métis The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which derives ...

woman who loses her child and her husband and struggles to protect her surrogate family. * Melissa Farman as Rebecca Blithely, an autistic woman who was previously institutionalized and who now works as a doctor. *

as Isabelle Slotter, a madam who is grieving after the loss of her child. *

Aaron Poole Aaron Poole (born March 17, 1977) is a Canadian actor. Early life Poole grew up in Barrie, Ontario and attended Barrie Central Collegiate. He is a graduate of the Etobicoke School of the Arts and George Brown College. He is of Italian descent. ...

as John Slotter, a violent mine owner, who is married to Isabelle. *

Michelle Creber Michelle Nicole Creber (born September 7, 1999) is a Canadian actress and singer who is best known as the voice of Apple Bloom (and the singing voice of Sweetie Belle until 2013) in the TV series '' My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic''. Biog ...

as Kelly and

Matreya Scarrwener Matreya Natasha Fedor (born March 11, 1997) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Echo Zizzleswift in '' Mr. Young'', and for her recurring roles as Phoebe Collins in '' The Troop'' and as Allison Weston in '' Cedar Cove''. Life ...

as Robin, sisters who are rescued and adopted by Kat Loving after their gambling father sells them to Slotter for use in his bordello. *

Terry Chen Terry Chen (born February 3, 1975) is a Canadian film and television actor. Early life Chen was born in Edmonton, Alberta, to Taiwanese and Chinese parents originating from Taiwan (father) and mainland China (mother). After primary and secondary ...

as Ling, a Chinese man looking to take over Slotter's coal mine. *

Anne Marie DeLuise Anne Marie DeLuise () is a Canadian actress. Career DeLuise has had a number of supporting roles in film and television. Her most notable roles are Dr. Greene in ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' and Mrs. Briggs on ''Strange Empire'', a role which won h ...

as Mrs. Briggs, a widow who runs a cantine. *

Tahmoh Penikett Tahmoh Penikett (; ; born May 20, 1975) is a Canadian actor. He is known for playing Karl "Helo" Agathon on SyFy's 2004 television series ''Battlestar Galactica''. He has appeared in TV series ''Supernatural'', ''Dollhouse'', the Showcase time ...

as Marshal Caleb Mecredi, a

lawman who is attracted to Kat and determined to bring John Slotter to justice. * Joanna Boland as Morgan Finn, a miner in the town who begins a relationship with Rebecca, while trying to hide that he is actually a woman.

Episodes

Reception

The series premiere was watched by 319,000 Canadian viewers. John Doyle of

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

called it "a remarkable, rugged western drama" and praised the cast. Doyle concluded "Strange Empire wobbles a bit in episodes two and three, but never falls down. Watch and you are carried through on the freshness and zest of it, this dose of hard, rugged TV storytelling."

Canadian Screen Awards

Joey Awards

Leo Awards

Young Artist Awards

Home media release

eOne Films Entertainment One Ltd., trading as eOne, is an American-owned Canadian Multinational corporation, multinational entertainment company. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition, distribution, and production ...

released season 1 on DVD on May 12, 2015.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 3920814 2010s Canadian drama television series 2014 Canadian television series debuts CBC Television original programming 2010s Western (genre) television series 2015 Canadian television series endings Canadian Western (genre) television series Autism in television