A new TV series shot in Gibsons, BC, has been given the thumbs up by Los Angeles-based Variety magazine, a publication considered synonymous with Hollywood and show business.
Murder in a Small Town, which premiers tonight (Sept. 24) at 9 p.m. ET, is described in Variety magazine as having no interest in being “clever or slick.”
“However, because it knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to do anything else, the show hits the nail on the head as a pleasing procedural with a 1990s-esque feel,” the review continues… “Charmingly predictable with a sliver of edge, the show is an all-inclusive crowd-pleaser.”
The crime drama series, which unfolds over eight episodes, is based on the detective novels penned by Saskatchewan-born novelist Laurali Rose “Bunny” Wright, and follows the story of brooding detective Karl Alberg, a big-city police chief who’s just moved to Gibsons in search of a quieter and less stressful life.
Alberg is played by Rossif Sutherland, son of Canadian actor Donald Sutherland, who was originally shortlisted to play the role of the rugged detective in an unsuccessful earlier attempt to develop Wright’s series for television. Vancouver-born actress Kristin Kreuk plays Cassandra Mitchell, Alberg’s love interest, who rose to prominence for her role as Lana Lang in the series Smallville, which aired in the early 2000s.
More than 120 cast and crew members worked at locations around the southern Sunshine Coast during the five-month shoot, which started in January. In excess of 400 locals auditioned for extra roles. Even Molly’s Reach — a mainstay location for the series’ diner scenes — retains its iconic facade, but the characters refer to it as “Molly’s” for short.
Although the novels are set in Sechelt, location photography for the fictional small town took place in Gibsons. Series producer Nick Orchard explained that the proximity of ferry transportation influenced the switch in geography.
Murder in a Small Town was financed by the Fox network, but in Canada the primetime series will air on Global TV, which is owned by the Corus Entertainment Network. The show’s premiere is the first half of a two-part episode titled, “The Suspect,” directed by Milan Cheylov. A trailer for the series is available at coastreporter.net.
One of the show’s filming locations — the High Beam Dreams event venue in Gibsons — is hosting a community viewing party tonight, which was initially listed sold out, but earlier today a post on the Murder in a Small Town Facebook page, said some extra tickets were being released.
With files from Michael Gurney.
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