Train 48

I tried to watch this show. I tried to enjoy it. I watched it for a month and a half, followed the characters, never missed an episode... but I just couldn't take it.

The previews made the show seem like a reality TV show where they just filmed people on a subway, which would have been an amazing idea... but apparently the creators thought TV needed another tacky sitcom.

I saw another episode recently, and I was amazed at how little the show had moved since I left it a couple years before. This show is humiliating to Canadian TV. Before considering watching this, try a better Canadian show, like SCTV, Red Green, or Kids in the Hall.

This show is great you, a bit like heroin, you need a fix every day, and you get that fix everyday cause the show is filmed in the mornings and shown at 7:00 everyday of the week. Its innovative and extremely Canadian, the characters are fresh and funny. You'll fall in love with some of them and love to hate others. All and all it's worth every minute.

It's a shame. Canada produces some very biting programming, but don't look for any originality, cleverness or interest on this show. The premise is simple, a bunch of passengers interact (i.e. talk) while taking a commuter train. The writing attempts to provide a mix of social commentary and ordinary nonsense dialogue (as in Seinfeld) but strives only to highlight uninspired script shortcomings (Hello? Character stakes/goals? Story arcs?) The actors are not bad, but they suffer from inferior lines and direction (this is television, not a play, hence the urgent need for NUANCE.) If I were stuck on a train with these people, I would tune out--which is exactly what I do when I see this playing on TV.

I can't sit through this show because it lacks story structure, drama, action...all the key elements of film and television. It's like a poor soap opera with absolutely nothing going on. While it is symptomatic of the times to see such a cost-saving television project, this show seems to be created without regard for compelling story telling. As a viewer, it is worse than a waste of my time, it doesn't even deserve my consideration. Furthermore, the acting and video/broadcast quality is very low.

A group of strangers converse on a train in the Southern Ontario area, discussing their lives, loves and dreams.

Some people hate this show. Some don't. I belong to the latter crowd, but I can see how it can be seen as an unlikable show. I think it has some very strong, good episodes. The earlier ones are not very good, but that's because the actors are getting used to the improv formula, now the actors have it down to a fine science. It's really getting good and dramatic, still having its humorous moments, especially with the character Johnny. The show is sometimes derailed (no pun intended) by its own actors though, through no fault of their own. Once in a while the writers who write the outline of the show, and make the actors act it out should write a complete script; but then again the show's uniqueness is in the improv formula. A double edged-sword.

3/5