Jake and the Kid

Just saw this series on PureFlix and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great seeing Shaun Johnston before his portrayals on Heartland! I have one question about Benedict Campbell who plays the boy Ben Osborne. IMDb says that Benedict Campbell was the actor and that he was born in Montreal in 1957 so he would be 40 years old when Jake and the Kid was made (1995 - 1999). Am I missing something here? I am trying to find out more about the young man who played Ben on this wonderful series. Ian Ridpath

W.O. Mitchell's serial "Jake and the Kid" takes place in the 1930s. 30 years later(1960s), it became a TV series. 30 years later(1990s), it became a TV series again. This latest incarnation is a modern classic that recalls "The Waltons" or "Andy of Mayberry" and, on this side of the 49th, "Wind at My Back" and "Emily of New Moon". Although at first glance the characters seem to be harmful stereotypes(Repeat, the stuttering barber, Moses Lefthand, the token Indian, and Daddy Johnson the dotey elder), the acting is sincere and the scripts, if not written are at least inspired by W.O.. These elements allow the characters to rise above stereotypes and to be developed as real people. For anyone who recalls the Canadian prairies during the first half of the 20th Century, this series will bring back memories as the costumes, set and dialogue is a pseudo-time capsule to 1930 Saskatchewan. This alone is worth watching this charmy-farmy series.

"Jake and the Kid" is a wonderful family show about the adventures of Ben Osborne, a young boy growing up in the small prairie town of Crocus, Saskatchewan during the middle of the 20th century. His best friend is Jake Trumper, the man who was hired to run Ben's mother's farm after the death of Ben's father. Jake's an all-around good guy, who loves a tall tale and has seen and done a lot of different things. The other characters that make up the town of Crocus are equally entertaining and bring this small prairie town to life. "Jake and the Kid" is a humorous, charming and heartwarming show.