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.
