Focus on Vancouver: Cold Squad and Canadian actors

I had previously written about Canadian content policy (Cancon) and how the fact that Cancon had been implemented as a national policy. In particular, I think that it has allowed me to gain a better understanding of Canada as a multicultural nation. Sure, we do see Canadian actors in American television, but I really enjoy watching Canadian actors in Canadian TV shows.

One of my favorite shows was (and still is) Cold Squad, even though it's been cancelled. The show's premise revolved around the Vancouver PD Homicide Squad, tasked with solving cold cases. The main character, Ali McCormick, is played by actress Julie Stewart. It was a good show, with a smart premise, excellent writing and great filming. But the best part is that it showcased Vancouver.

In many episodes you could easily recognize landmarks or elements of Vancouver (such as Commercial Drive, or the Downtown Eastside, Cordova Street, or the bus 20 Victoria). I feel such warm fuzzies about Intelligence as well, DaVinci's Inquest, and Robson Arms, all shows that depict the day-to-day life of Vancouverites as we know them.

Of course, I'd like the depiction to be realistic yet not so grim. The fantastic movie Mount Pleasant (which I reviewed here a couple of years ago) does have a lot of location work done around the area near Fraser and Kingsway, but it still paints a sketchy neighbourhood, which is getting better and nicer through time.

Perhaps one idea for a new show would be to film something on Mount Pleasant or South Main. Trust me, there's enough action and day-to-day drama to fill a new soap opera!