There are plenty of great Canadian movies to see, and they certainly shouldn’t be missed. But our current Golden Age of Television has produced some incredible TV shows, from dramas like The Sopranos and The Wire, to sitcoms like The Office and Modern Family. And streaming services like Netflix, HBO Now, Hulu, and Amazon have made it easier than ever to check out all of these shows — and binge watch them.
But what are some of the best Canadian TV shows of the new Golden Age? Below are just a few of the shows you must check out.
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Schitt’s Creek
Created by Daniel Levy and Eugene Levy, the show stars Eugene Levy as the father, Catherine O’Hara as the mother, Daniel Levy as the son, and Annie Murphy as the daughter. It just finished season five earlier this year, and season six is set to be its final season. The sitcom is about a wealthy family that winds up losing all of their money and property. With nothing left to their name, they’re forced to relocate to a small town they own called Schitt’s Creek — the one thing they have left — which they had purchased decades prior as a joke. The show then follows the family as they get used to their new lifestyles.
Big Brother Canada
If you’re a fan of ultra-competitive, eviction-based reality TV shows, then you’ll be a fan of Big Brother Canada. The show premiered in 2013 and is currently on season seven. It’s a part of the Big Brother TV franchise, which is a long-running, massively popular reality TV show that has aired versions in more than 50 countries, including Canada. In case you’re wondering, the name was inspired by George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four — Big Brother is always watching!
In the show, more than a dozen strangers share a house together. They are cut off from the outside world: They cannot leave the house or contact family and friends. One house guest serves as the Head of Household, and the house guests will periodically vote to evict other house guests throughout the run of the show until one house guest remains and prizes are awarded. There are also several twists that occur in the show: the Power of Veto competition, the reveal of a secret room, and a “Secret Assassin” power, among others.
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Kim’s Convenience
Based on Ins Choi’s play of the same name, Kim’s Convenience premiered in 2016. There are currently three seasons available, and the show has been renewed for a fourth season. The sitcom focuses on a Korean Canadian family and the convenience store they own in downtown Toronto. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee stars as the father, Jean Yoon as the mother, Andrea Bang as their daughter, and Simu Liu as their son. The show has been praised for its clever writing and screwball comedy, and its portrayal of immigrants on television.
Orphan Black
This thrilling science fiction series ran from 2013 to 2017 for a total of five seasons. Its success has led to the creation of a comic book series, an audio series, and an upcoming spin-off series, which is in early development. The show centers around a female con artist, Sarah Manning, who’s played by Tatiana Maslany. Early on, Manning assumes the identity of a woman after she dies, a woman who appears to be her doppelganger. But it’s soon revealed that Manning is actually a clone, and that there are several clones that look exactly like her around the world. What will happen next?
Trailer Park Boys
This Canadian mockumentary series first ran from 2001 to 2007. In 2014 the show returned, eventually partnering with Netflix for the release of future seasons. The show now has 12 seasons, several movies, and dozens of webisodes, specials, and mini-seasons. And earlier this year, a spin-off animated version of the show was released.
Robb Wells, John Paul Tremblay, and Mike Smith play the lead characters in the show, which follows the lives and antics of several men who live in Sunnyvale Trailer Park in Nova Scotia. They’re fond of petty crime and crazy schemes that never work, and they often run into trouble with the park’s supervisor.
Not sure what show to binge next? Try out one of the above for a dose of thrills or laughter!