Made in Canada

I think it's sad to see how underrated Canadian TV is. Especially comedies. There a lots of great Candian TV shows such as Twitch City, Slings and Arrows, 22 Minutes and this one, Made In Canada, probably the best out of the lot.

Made in Canada is a powerful satire of the Canadian film and TV industry. The cast (Mercer, Pinsent, Keleghan, Lett, etc...) are all excellent. Even the way it is filmed makes the show event better. And they always had amazing guest stars such as Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson from the Kids in the Hall, Don McKellar and Gordon Pinsent... The last season, especially the very last episode weren't as good as the first four seasons, but overall, it's an amazing show that's worth seeing!

This show is both entertainment and social commentary. Although the entertainment industry is what is probably best known by the writers and it is more interesting than many other industries, the points made can be applied to many other industries. It is the one show that is both escape and educational. Of course, I also have the same sense of humor (hopefully as good but we will see) so I "get" these show from the start. The writing and cast are top notch.

Forget John Candy, Jim Carrey, Catherine O'Hara - the funniest Canadian to ever live has got to be Rick Mercer. On 'This Hour Has 22 Minutes', Mercer was lost in the other talent & brilliance of the rest of the cast, and wasn't able to shine or showcase his true talent. Until Made In Canada came along.

Critics say it's like the Newsroom. Well, sure, that is slightly true in that both shows have the same leading actor and that both are set in the Canadian television mold where they take a satirical look at them. But Made in Canada is edgier AND funnier (not sitcom laugh-out-loud funny, but rather more intelligent humour)

One of my favourite aspects of the show is the way it pokes fun of the CBC & all Canadian television in general - Beaver Creek is the flagship show of the "network" and the premise sounds an awful lot like that horrendous 'Road to Avonlea' show that seemed to be aired on CBC for about 30 years. 'Sword of Damacles' is a take on the Hercules/Xena syndication garbage that was television in the 90s.

Made in Canada is probably my personal favourite show of all time, and also I would hope that it continues to be aired in years to come on Showcase or CBC or other channels that come along to give good quality Canadian shows a second chance. Not only is the writing & storylines on the show absolutely brilliant, but the acting as well. From Rick Mercer's portrayal of the greedy, ambitious, intelligent script reader-turned head of television production right down to Alex Carter's portrayal of the dimwitted, clueless star of 'Sword of Damacles' there isn't a weak link in the actors on the show, and that is probably another reason the show is as fantastic as it is.

Watch it once, you'll be hooked - trust me. I am only sorry this will be the last season of the show, however it is always good to go out on top. I hope Rick Mercer & the rest of the cast go on to bigger & better things, and I also hope the rest of the seasons end up on DVD like Season 1 has.

This is my favourite comedy on TV, bar none. The timing and the layering of storylines are beautiful; watching the double- and triple-crosses build is sheer joy. The humour is dry, ironic, sharp as a knife, and it somehow all feels true to life. The fact that the Tragically Hip's "Blow at High Dough" brackets each episode is wonderful. The actors are all amazing. Character-driven and biting, this is what CBC can do when they get everything right.

The only other comedy I've ever enjoyed this much is "Twitch City".

I always liked Rick Mercer, he was my favourite cast member of "This Hour has 22 Minutes" and that show really went to pot when he left. CBC should look at "Made in Canada" and aspire to make more shows of this calibre. The whole cast was brilliant, but Leah Pinsent was especially good in my opinion. And for those wondering why mainstream television (Hollywood or not) cannot write anything as brilliant as this show has been - you need to pay much closer attention, the answer is contained within.