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Power Play: Still the Same Old Show?

© Jael Mehr

On October 15, 1999, CTV debuted the first episode of the second season of one of last year's few hits, the hockey-oriented series "Power Play". Be warned though -- the second season isn't going to center as much on the game of hockey.

The first thing obvious to fans will be a few casting changes in the show. In an effort to draw in the non-hockey crowd, "Power Play" will center more on the behind-the-scenes action. Ergo, two of the players, 'Braniac' Jukka Branny-Acke (Mark Lutz) and 'Shakey' Al Tremblay (Normand Bissonnette), will not be playing with the Steelheads this team. The door has been left open for Branny-Acke, who was sent back to Finland to serve compulsory military service at the end of last season, but Tremblay's knee problem look to be pushing him out of the running. A recurring guest in the first season, he was labelled as "special guest star" at the opening of the second season.

These aren't the only changes to be expected. There could be some major character changes as well. Brett Parker's (Michael Riley) life is falling apart, with his daughter Michelle (Caterina Scorsone, who is still in the opening credits) having left to go to school in England, and his relationship with Colleen Blessed on the skids now that the two have become lovers. Brett is jobless and, thanks to former partner Joe Harriman (played in season one by Greg Spottiswood), unable to return to the US. As it is, he'll be fighting extradition on charges of racketeering. Colleen announced at the end of the premiere that she is quitting her job as a result of team owner Duff McArdle (Gordon Pinsent) going behind her back and making a deal with Sheila Copps (in a surprise cameo as herself) to keep the team in Canada.

With all the changes taking place this season, though, it will be nice to see some familiar faces. Mark Simpson (Dean McDermott) and wife Raeanne (Fiona Highet) are still around, as are the tyrranical Harry Strand (Neil Crone) and good ol' boy enforcer Todd Maplethorpe (Jonathan Rannells), but the question remains if the show can match it's performance of last season.

Hopefully the first episode will not be an indicator of how the remainder of the season will progress. Alert viewers who watched the season premiere will notice a slight difference in the behavior of one of the players -- a very obvious mistake that the directors should have caught before the scenes were aired.