One thing Canada does really well every couple of years is create a show that is quintessentially 'Canadian'. 'Beachcombers' was one of the earliest examples of this and now we have 'Corner Gas', which if you haven't seen it, is a all-ages half hour sitcom about life in a small Saskatchewan town.
It's a town so small it doesn't have a street light and doesn't need one. We have lots of rural towns like that in the west. Everyone knows someone that is exactly like Brent or Wanda or Karen or especially Brent's dad, Oscar. The characters are never mocked for the eccentricities in ways that are hurtful. They are goofy and the show has goofy fun with them.
In reality, the kind of Canadian small towns that the show portrays are really interesting places. They often try to stand out by building something that is BIG to attract tourists. Glendon Alberta has a giant perogie (a dumplet filled with potatoes and cheese - as Worf would say, "A warrior's food").
Vegreville Alberta has an Easter egg. Both are symbols of the Ukrainian people (like my ancestors) who settled there. Of course Vulcan Alberta has it's giant UFO landing pad and Star Trek themes.
In Corner Gas the town decided to build a giant hoe (the farming tool) - not everyone realizing the duel meaning of the word 'hoe'. The wordplay is especially funny in that episode as it is in all the episodes.
Last year they stopped production not because the show was not popular but because it was at it's height, popularity wise and quality wise. Creator Brent Butt (who plays the gas station's owner - Brent) decided to go out on top.
Creatively he wisely choose (like Jerry Sienfeld and Ray Romano) to play the straight man and to give everyone around him the best lines and the funniest character ticks. This is often what distinquishes a OK sitcom from a great one.
I already see how this show is popular in countries the world over. If this becomes the image a whole new generation of viewers have in their heads when they think of Canada it is okay with me.
This is how we are. Eccentric, gentle, funny and a group of people who like nothing better than throwing off sarcastic retorts to most everything we see. It's our release valve from the stresses of everyday life - Just like 'Corner Gas' always was.
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10 comments:
Yup. That's us.
My favourite character was Oscar, Brent's dad. He was played by the fabulous Gemini Award winning Canadian Actor Eric Peterson (The original Billy Bishop in Billy Bishop Goes to War")
It was a fabulous show.
He was also in 'Street Legal' as Leon for all those years. Oscar is my favorite character too. One second away from stroking out all the time because of his bitchin'.
I own the box set. I bought it pre-flood and it survived unharmed. There be magic in that there show.
You are Canadian wherever you go. Anyone hassles you about that you tell them to call me. They all know who I am here.
I have seen about 10 episodes of this and loved it to death. This show truly is awesom. One of the storylines I saw was the charging for coffee refills and another was one where they were fixing the roof and the ladder kept falling.
darn it, not at our library on DVD.
My favorite is when Karen (the cop) goes fishing with Hank and everyone is surprised that she didn't sleep with him because he becomes this magically attractive guy when he is fishing. He is irresistable to women. Usually he is a bum they wouldn't give the time of day too. But when he fishes he becomes Hemingway.
Man, I gotta see this!
Corner Gas was classic Canadian Humour, and yes "we all know each and every cliche, gag, and character stereotype from personal experience - which is what made it so funny... at least for a Canadian, small town resident!
Man I miss this Show! Was on late at night here in Iowa, and my wife and I fell in love with every character. We'd laugh so hard at times, we'd wake up the kids. I need to get these on DVD!
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