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Four Canadian Primetime Soaps Cancelled

© Jael Mehr

This has been a bad season for Canada's primetime soaps. So far this year, four of Canada's primetime soap offerings have been cancelled. Unlike the US, which offers a veritable cornucopia of primetime sudsers (some of which, like "Party of Five" and "Beverly Hills 90210", ARE ending this year, and others like "ER" and "Ally McBeal" are not), Canada offers so few that the absence of four of them will certainly be noticed. The four tanked soaps are "Power Play", "The City", "Riverdale", and "Traders".

The Alliance Atlantis produced "Traders" has, by far, the most history, but is probably the least known outside of it's viewing audience. Offered on Global (which, despite the name, is NOT), this soap has been on the longest (four years), and boasts of a cast including some of the most recognizable faces on Canadian television, including Sonja Smits, Peter Stebbings, and David Cubitt, as well as talented up-and-comers like Gabriel Hogan and Rachael Crawford.

"Riverdale" has slightly less history, having entered the scene a year after "Traders". A primetime soap in the tradition of the British soap "Coronation Street", "Riverdale" has been an excellent way for Canadian up-and-comers to prove their worth. The most well-known of the cast is Jayne Eastwood, but many will remember Jennifer Podemski from her work on the series "The Rez" and Tom Melissis from his role on the "Due South" spin-off. Considered to be "the first successful Canadian prime-time soap", the absence of this show will certainly be noticed by the fans.

"Power Play" debuted in the 1998 season, with less than spectacular results. Although made up of a cast of well-known and talented Canadian actors, including Dean McDermott (both "Due South" shows), Michael Riley (a host of films and guest shots), Gordon Pinsent (also from the "Due South"s as well as a number of films and series over the years), and up-and-comings like Jonathan Rannells, Mark Lutz, and Kari Matchett, the show failed to perform in the ratings. A dismal second season, introducing such well-known faces as Jonathan Crombie and Jennifer Dale, failed to help the show.

The newest of the four, "The City", should be no surprise to most. Although the premiere was hyped at every occasion, the show, a valiant effort from Couture and Sarrazin, failed to stand out as uniquely Canadian. Predictability and stars who are being seen more in American than Canadian productions didn't help, but the greatest failing was possibly timing. The show had tremendous potential, but when the biggest storyline of the season is made obvious (and redundant) by the commercials for the first episode, there's a problem.

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