North of 60

''North of 60'' is a 1990s Canadian television drama depicting life in the sub-Arctic northern boreal forest (north of 60° north latitude, hence the title). It first aired on CBC Television in 1992 and was syndicated around the world. It is set in the fictional community of Lynx River, a Canadian Indigenous community depicted as being in the Dehcho Region, Northwest Territories.

Most of the characters were Dene. Some non-native characters had important roles: the restaurant/motel owner (a Ukrainian immigrant), the band manager, the nurse (a white Canadian woman) and (during the show's first season) the town's RCMP Detachment Commander. The show explored themes of Native poverty, alcoholism, cultural preservation, conflict over land settlements, and natural resource exploitation.

Originally somewhat light-hearted (a CBC response to the very successful '' Northern Exposure'' on CBS), it quickly became a more sombre dramatic series which explored subplots including murder, band corruption, economic depression, mental health and the death of a child (owing to actress Selina Hanuse, who played Hannah Kenidi, leaving the show to pursue her education in Season 3). There were also romantic and sexual subplots between unlikely characters, giving the show a distinctive soap opera-like atmosphere not hugely common in Canadian government-sponsored media at the time. This included scenes depicting brief sex, nudity and profanity, as well as discussion in one episode about HIV/AIDS and the social stigma faced by a young boy who was a male prostitute with the disease.

Casting

Starring in the series were Tina Keeper as RCMP Constable, later Corporal, Michelle Kenidi, Tracey Cook as Sarah Birkett (nurse during first year), Tom Jackson as Peter Kenidi (band chief in first year, Michelle's brother), Gordon Tootoosis as Albert Golo (bootlegger, then band chief), Dakota House as Trevor 'Teevee' Tenia (teen trouble-maker, then band chief), Lubomir Mykytiuk as Gerry Kisilenko (restaurant/motel owner/justice of the peace), Jimmy Herman as Joe Gomba (elder) and Simon R. Baker as Charlie Muskrat. Adam Beach and Tantoo Cardinal also starred. Elsie Tsa Che (Wilma Pelly) was a fan favorite, playing Teevee's grandmother, a community elder. John Oliver led the cast as Corporal Eric Olsen during the show's first two seasons and entered into an off-screen relationship with co-star Keeper; he left the show when his relationship with Keeper soured. Keeper subsequently became the show's lead actor for the remainder of its run. Oliver was replaced by Robert Bockstael as Corporal Brian Fletcher, who was replaced later by Peter Kelly Gaudreault as Constable James Harper.

One of the stars was Michael Horse, as Andrew One Sky, previously best known for his portrayal of Tonto in the 1981 film ''The Legend of the Lone Ranger''. Tom Jackson also performed as Billy Twofeathers on '' Shining Time Station''.

List of characters

Series

The series ran weekly until 1997.

Telefilms

After the end of filming on the series, a series of telemovies were made. From 1999 through 2005 there were five made-for-TV films featuring various members of the show's recurring cast. These movies include ''In The Blue Ground'' (1999), ''Trial by Fire'' (2000), ''Dream Storm'' (2001), ''Another Country'' (2003), and ''Distant Drumming'' (2005).

Production

A soundtrack album was produced in 1994, including theme music, background music and songs performed by Tom Jackson and others.

This series was filmed in Bragg Creek, Alberta. Its provincial park appears in many episodes as well as the television films.

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0106087, North of 60

First Nations television series
CBC Television original programming
Dene culture
1990s Canadian crime drama television series
1992 Canadian television series debuts
1997 Canadian television series endings
Television shows set in the Northwest Territories
Television series about dysfunctional families
Television series by Alliance Atlantis
Television series by Entertainment One