Reminiscing about TV shows ABOUT Vancouver
Like anyone who has lived in Vancouver long enough and who has had the opportunity to enjoy this city as much as I have, and who has fallen in love WITH the city and with SOMEONE from this city, I am always looking for familiar references of Vancouver on film, TV shows, and theatre plays. Heck, even in my teaching and research, I get a little excited when my students analyze local policy issues. That’s who I am.
Since I got TV cable again, I have been watching re-runs of Cold Squad, a Canadian forensic science show (that the US Cold Case was modeled after, apparently). I get an extreme (and perhaps kind of stupid) sense of pride and excitement when I hear the names of streets, or references to stuff I know about this city. To the actual location of City Hall, to zones riddled with drug wars and crime.
I know of a few shows who are about Vancouver, like Cold Squad. I remember Da Vinci’s Hall and Da Vinci’s Inquest. I remember Robson Arms. But since I’m not a TV show buff, I’m not really sure about other shows. Which ones do you remember are ABOUT Vancouver (and yes I know Dark Angel, the Fantastic Four, Supernatural and Smallville have been filmed here. I’m more interested in shows, movies, theatre plays ABOUT Vancouver).
Thoughts?
Danger Bay! It was a ‘kid drama’ about a marine biologist at the Vancouver Aquarium who fought environmental crimes and other problems with his family. It aired in the mid ’80s.
The (unfortunately cancelled) Endgame that played this winter is not necessarily about Vancouver, but they don’t hide the fact that it’s in Vancouver either (naming streets, Canadian money, even the Westin Bayshore renamed as the Huxley).
It was refreshing to see a show that uses Vancouver as Vancouver… not as San Francisco (Fairly Legal), Boston and New York (Fringe and V) or anywhere in the rural US (Supernatural).