The Border (TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = The Border


caption = The Border title screen
genre = Drama
creator = Jerremy Hole
Janet MacLean
Peter Raymont
Lindalee Tracy
writer =
director =
creat_director =
developer =
starring = James McGowan
Sofia Milos
Graham Abbey
Jonas Chernick
Nazneen Contractor
Mark Wilson
Jim Codrington
Catherine Disher
theme_composer =
opentheme =
endtheme =
composer = Mark Korven
country = CAN
language = English
num_seasons = 2
num_episodes = 26
list_episodes = List of The Border episodes
exec_producer = Peter Raymont
co_exec =
producer = Janet MacLean
David Barlow
Brain Dennis
sup_producer =
asst_producer =
cons_producer =
co-producer =
editor = Christopher Donaldson
story_editor = Denis McGrath
cinematography = Gavin Smith
camera_setup =
runtime = 45 mins. approx.
network = CBC Television
picture_format = 480i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
audio_format =
first_aired = January 7, 2008
last_aired = Present
website = http://www.cbc.ca/theborder/
prod_website =
imdb_id = 0896527
tv_com_id = 74588

"The Border" is a Canadian drama airing on CBC Television. Created by Peter Raymont, Lindalee Tracey, Janet MacLean and Jeremy Hole of White Pine Pictures; produced by Canadian documentary film director Peter Raymont; the Producer is Brian Dennis. Showrunners are Janet MacLean and David Barlow. Episodes in the first season were directed by John Fawcett, Michael DeCarlo, Ken Girotti, Kelly Makin, Brent Sullivan and Philip Earnshaw. [cite web |url=http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/entertainment/story.html?id=9bed5698-120f-4cac-8f02-cb74d2097680&k=2114 |title=Crossing those acting borders |accessdate=2008-04-02] [cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/theborder/blog/2007/12/longtime_documentarian_peter_r.html |title=Longtime documentarian Peter Raymont in spotlight with new film, TV show |accessdate=2008-04-02] The first season had a total budget of $18 million dollars.cite web |url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080102.wborder0102/BNStory/Entertainment/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080102.wborder0102 |title=24, but with a conscience |accessdate=2008-04-02]

The series is set in post-9/11 Toronto and follows agents of the Immigration and Customs Security (ICS) agency. ICS was created by the Government of Canada to deal with trans-border matters concerning Canadian national security including terrorism and smuggling.

The 13 episodes were aired on the CBC for 13 consecutive weeks. [cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/theborder/blog/2007/11/awardwinning_cast_and_crew_tac.html |title=AWARD-WINNING CAST AND CREW TACKLE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CRISES |accessdate=2008-04-02] cite web |url=http://www.playbackonline.ca/articles/daily/20070727/border.html |title=Raymont on "The Border" |accessdate=2008-04-02] The first episode aired on January 7, 2008. On March 7, 2008, CBC announced they have ordered a second season of "The Border".

Reruns of 9 of the 13 episodes in the first season began on CBC on June 16, 2008. The second season premiered on Sept 29, 2008.

Cast and characters

The show stars many Canadian television actors such as James McGowan, Graham Abbey and Catherine Disher. Sofia Milos is the only non-Canadian actress to star in a Canadian TV drama series as United States Department of Homeland Security special agent Bianca La Garda. [ [http://www.buddytv.com/articles/csi-miami/csi-miami-actress-lands-new-tv-13350.aspx 'CSI: Miami' Actress Lands New TV Series.] Retrieved on August 29, 2008.]

Grace Park has signed on in a recurring role for the second season. She will appear in six episodes of thirteen [ [http://www.dvrplayground.com/blog/entry/17215/Ask-the-Addict-Now-With-100-Real-Scoop/ Ask the Addict: Now With 100% Real Scoop.] Retrieved on July 9, 2008.] as American Homeland Security agent Liz Carver. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2008/08/11/park-border.html Grace Park heads for The Border.] Retrieved on September 28, 2008.] [ [http://www.cbc.ca/cp/entertainment/080811/e081131A.html Grace Park to play Homeland Security agent in CBC crime drama 'The Border'.] Retrieved on September 28, 2008.]

Elements

Immigration and Customs Security

Immigration and Customs Security (French: "Sécurité de l'immigration et des douanes") is a fictional federal agency based in Toronto, with its headquarters in a formerly used ferry terminal used for the former Rochester fast ferry.cite web |url=http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/286468 |title=On location with "The Border" |accessdate=2008-04-02] ICS is said to be under the supervision of Public Safety Canada.cite episode| title = Pockets of Vulnerability| series = The Border | serieslink = The Border (TV series) | network = CBC Television | airdate = 2008-01-07 | season = 1 | number = 1 ]

ICS is led by Major Mike Kessler, an ex-Special forces operator in Joint Task Force 2.

Fighting Terrorism and Crime

Sofia Milos, who plays Bianca LaGarda, had said that "The Border" demonstrates how people should be fighting against crime and terrorism of all types. She said that the show hopefully would make a dialogue with viewers and ask themselves if they "believe in your government? Whose point of view is right? There is a border between justice and crime.", hence the show's title. [cite web |url=http://entertainment.aol.ca/article/border-mcgowan-milos/28884/ |title=Toeing the Line With "The Border" |accessdate=2008-04-02]

Another viewpoint in the show is the reference between the American and Canadian ways of handling situation involving criminal and terrorist suspects. The show highlights typical American pragmatism in handling a situation with Canadians going all the extra mile to ensure that an innocent person is not in their way while conducting anti-terrorist duties.cite web |url=http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=261a32d9-0b7f-41ef-b9a3-2873e0b7e4d3 |title=Different show, same message |accessdate=2008-04-02]

Production Influences

Lindalee Tracey had been following immigration issues before she had started to work with her husband, Peter Raymont, starting with the National Magazine Award-winning article "The Uncounted Canadians" written for Toronto Life in 1991 with the 1997 documentary "Invisible Nation" on the underground illegal immigrant community in Toronto. She then collaborated with Raymont to create the 2002 documentary "The Undefended Border".cite web |url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080102.wborder0102/BNStory/Entertainment/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080102.wborder0102 |title=24, but with a conscience |accessdate=2008-04-02] cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2008/01/07/border-cbc.html?ref=rss |title=Raymont makes leap into drama with "The Border" |accessdate=2008-04-02] Raymont had used his work on various headlines on the news as basis for the episodes on "The Border", in addition to his work on "The Undefended Border" with research on various immigration issues.cite web |url=http://www.playbackonline.ca/articles/daily/20070727/border.html |title=Raymont on "The Border" |accessdate=2008-04-02]

Raymont said that the series and the issues in the show are drawn out from issues that currently face Canada and the rest of the world such as the Darfur Crisis, human rights violations in China and trans-national crimes such as pedophiles and international crime rings.cite web |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/01/07/arts/NA-A-E-TV-Canada-The-Border.php |title=Canada launches its first TV show on border security, complete with a Canuck spin |accessdate=2008-04-02] He also said that he wanted to show the Canadian perspective in facing national security issues that would affect the country as Raymont wanted to show viewers that Canadians are more understanding and open-minded than the Americans are.

To honor Linda's work on creating the series, Raymont had given cards out to the cast and crew of the show to remind them that they should give credit to his wife, whose photo was on it, for being the driving force of the show as a means of honoring Linda for her work, after she passed away on October 2006 from breast cancer.cite web |url=http://www.thewesternstar.com/index.cfm?sid=94976&sc=29 |title='‘The Border'’; CBC’s eagerly anticipated series premieres as American shows are in reruns |accessdate=2008-04-02]

yndication

Local

In Quebec, the show's first season has been aired in French on the cable channel Séries+ since September 11, 2008.

International

Rights to air "The Border" had recently been bought by French media company Midnight Media to air the show in France. [cite web|url=http://news.therecord.com/arts/article/276287|title=A run for The Border|accessdate=2008-07-14]

Several United States-based television networks have expressed interests to purchase the rights to air the series in American television networks, including ABC, USA, TNT and CBS.cite web |url=http://www.publicairwaves.ca/index.php?page=1966 |title=Writers' strike may help the CBC |accessdate=2008-04-02] cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2008/01/07/border-cbc.html?ref=rss |title=Raymont makes leap into drama with "The Border" |accessdate=2008-04-02] [cite web |url=http://tvfeedsmyfamily.blogspot.com/2008/02/cross-border-election-win.html |title=Cross Border Election Win |accessdate=2008-04-02] CBC Television had also given a portfolio of its programs to British media company ContentFilm as they are interested to broadcast CBC Television programs to other countries. [cite web |url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080109.CBCLIBRARY09/TPStory/TPNational/Television/ |title=CBC quietly sells off catalogue of programs to British company |accessdate=2008-04-02]

"The Border" has been sold to some undisclosed broadcasters by Fireworks International in Europe. [cite web |url=http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=1&article=40685 |title=Fireworks' Border crosses into Europe |accessdate=2008-04-02] They include Denmark, the Netherlands (Veronica will air shows in the Netherlands), Norway, Sweden and the UK. [ [http://www.worldscreen.com/newscurrent.php?filename=fireworks082608.htm Fireworks Scores Deal for The Border.] Retrieved on August 28, 2008.]

Production

Origin

Conception of the series had started in 2006 when Peter Raymont and his late wife, Lindalee Tracey, were commissioned by CBC Television to do a television series five year after the September 11, 2001 attacks. [cite web |url=http://www.thestar.com/article/243732 |title=Hot Box: TV to talk about |accessdate=2008-04-02] Raymont had said that "The Border" is similar, but a bit different from "24" with a conscience."

Production of "The Border" had hit some problems in Oshawa, Ontario where residents expressed concern when a Piaggio P.180 Avanti twin-engine plane landed near Stevenson Road, which was located near Oshawa Municipal Airport. [cite web |url=http://newsdurhamregion.com/news/oshawa/article/83224 |title=Series lands in Oshawa |accessdate=2008-04-02] cite web |url=http://www.insidethecbc.com/the-plane-truth |title=The plane truth |accessdate=2008-04-02] The plane's presence, as well the filming of gunfire scenes, had prompted residents to make calls regarding its unusual appearance in the area. Oshawa Municipal Airport manager Stephen Wilcox, in a press statement, assured the public on the events in Oshawa that "Today is the one day it's OK if you see a plane on the road."

According to Kristine Layfield, the CBC executive director of network programming, it was fortunate that the show had aired on January 7, 2008 as the Writers Guild of America-led strikes continue to go on in the United States as it would give the audience something different from watch, especially if CBC Television would benefit from the strikes in order to gain more viewers. [cite web |url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080104.wtv0105/BNStory/Entertainment/home |title=U.S. strike may deliver Canadian TV homeruns |accessdate=2008-04-02]

James McGowan had said that he eagerly agreed to be casted as the show's protagonist after meeting with Raymont and Tracey because "Their humanity really influences this show ... it's their convictions that are at the heart of the whole show". [cite web |url=http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/290707 |title=CBC premiering slick new show "The Border" |accessdate=2008-04-02]

et

For the set of the fictional headquarters of the Immigration and Customs Service, "The Border" production crew had used the abandoned Rochester fast ferry building that fell to disuse in January, 2006. Brian Dennis, one of the producers on "The Border" commented that the use of the abandoned ferry building was "great, it was a production designer's dream" since the interior of the building had "customs hall and the interrogation rooms that are brand, spanking new and the jail cells."

DVD

The release of The Border's 1st season is due for release on November 18, 2008 with 13 episodes from the 1st season. [ [http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Border-Season-1/10558 The Border - 1st Season of the CBC Dramatic Hit Coming to DVD Soon.] Retrieved on September 29, 2008.]

Reception

In its series premiere, the drama was able to draw 710,000 viewers. [cite web |url=http://www.mediaincanada.com/articles/mic/20080111/cbc.html |title=Strong start for CBC's mid-season |accessdate=2008-04-02] This news had pleased Kirstine Layfield. In a press release, she said that she is optimistic that "with the numbers given the difficulty Canadian dramas have in trying to tear viewers' attention away from U.S. fare". [cite web |url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080110.wbuzz10-1/BNStory/Entertainment/Television/ |title=Ratings cheer CBC |accessdate=2008-04-02]

In the second week, the show drew out 600,000 viewers. [cite web |url=http://heywriterboy.blogspot.com/2008/01/thanks.html |title=Thanks |accessdate=2008-04-02] This was a contrast to the first week, with a difference of 110,000 viewers. The ratings had improved when on January 30, 2008, around 760,000 viewers had watched the show.cite web |url=http://www.thestar.com/article/298583 |title=Hot Box: Television worth talking about |accessdate=2008-04-02]

Ratings dropped to its lowest on February 20, 2008 when 548,000 viewers turned up to watch "The Border". [cite web |url=http://tvfeedsmyfamily.blogspot.com/2008/02/mvp-doa-viewers-went-with-women.html |title=MVP DOA; Viewers Went With Women |accessdate=2008-04-02] Ratings improved again when on February 25, 2008, 716,000 viewers watched "The Border". [cite web |url=http://tvfeedsmyfamily.blogspot.com/2008/02/viewers-run-back-to-border.html |title=Viewers Run Back to "The Border" |accessdate=2008-04-02]

In iTunes Canada, "The Border" was among the Top 30 downloads with numbers around 800,000.

The series was nominated for Best TV Drama at the 2008 Monte Carlo Television Festival, including nominations to James McGowan for Best Actor and Sofia Milos for Best Actress. [ [http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/Television/article/440816 Beyond Its Borders.] Retrieved on July 9, 2008.] In addition, it was also nominated for 9 Gemini Awards. [ [http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/entertainment/story.html?id=74bffa74-aca6-47c4-a7c3-88bbb5f498fc Border on slow road to improvement.] Retrieved on September 29, 2008.]

Criticism

In a February 4, 2008 article of the National Post, it blasted the show on the basis that it had some elements similar to the American show 24. [cite web |url=http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=5c038521-c2ee-4a0e-bede-0c30b8377cb3&k=99732&p=1 |title=Bullet-proof vetted |accessdate=2008-04-02] There had been some claims of Anti-Americanism bias in the show via Bianca LaGarda and the portrayal of the American government. [cite web |url=http://heywriterboy.blogspot.com/2008/01/border-bias.html |title=Dead Things ON Sticks: "The Border" Bias? |accessdate=2008-04-02]

The show had been criticized for lack of portraying cooperation between Canadian law enforcement and intelligence agencies, but acknowledges that it was done in order to avoid making the show complicated. [ [http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hyPKl7CbO1AwqrfgxX6lrjIQhIAw 'The Border' a sophisticated but sometimes unrealistic look at real issues.] Retrieved on September 28, 2008.]

See also

* List of The Border episodes

References

External links

* [http://www.cbc.ca/theborder/ CBC's Official Site]
*