Lance et compte

"Lance et compte" is a series of Quebec téléromans revolving around a Quebec City ice hockey team. The series aired from 1986 to 1988 on the Radio-Canada network, and a revival series on TVA from 2001 to 2006.

The first season was filmed in both French and English, the English version appearing on CBC Television as "He Shoots, He Scores". It was the first television series to air simultaneously in English on CBC and in French on Radio-Canada. (An earlier series, "La famille Plouffe", had aired on both networks, but not simultaneously; the English version aired approximately a year behind the French series. Each episode of "Lance et compte", however, aired in English as "He Shoots, He Scores" in the very same "week".)

The series was scripted by Réjean Tremblay and Louis Caron for the first season, and by Tremblay and Jacques Jacob after that. Following the end of the regular series, a number of television movies continued to air into the 1990s.

ynopsis

The very popular "cult" series written by Réjean Tremblay and well known novelist Louis Caron for the first season (later replaced by Jacques Jacob), is one of the many distinctive Quebec téléromans, tells the story of the fictional National Hockey League team "Le National" from Quebec City, and its players. The main protagonist is Pierre Lambert, the young, handsome player drafted by "Le National" from the Trois-Rivières "Dragons" junior team.

In the first series, Pierre Lambert is selected to play for "Le" "National de Quebec", his boyhood team, along with his best friend Denis Mercure. During that year, Pierre learns how to control himself in the pro level and how to deal with hockey and his love life.

The second series is focused on the "World Cup of Hockey". Pierre Lambert is selected to play for Team Canada but personal issues make him play at a very bad level. Pierre has to deal with those issues in time to help Canada win the World Cup.

In the third installment of the series, "Le" "National de Quebec" are dealing with big financial difficulties and with an injury plagued Pierre Lambert, the future in Quebec is in doubt. Pierre Lambert and his friends will have to start winning and find a way to keep the National in Quebec.

Background

"Lance et compte" is a common Quebec French hockey expression to "He shoots, he scores". Something the show was known for is its somewhat occasional "risqué" love scenes. The team "Le National" is a direct copy of the real-life Nordiques, up to the logo (the "Nordiques" have the lower case letter "N" as symbol; the "National" has a capital "N"). The "Dragons" are themselves a copy of the Trois-Rivieres Draveurs from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Copies of real organizations are common in Québécois téléromans. Examples: La Presse newspaper is "L'Express" in "Scoop" and the Sûreté du Québec police force is the "Sûreté nationale" in "Jasmine".

Incarnations

In addition to its English airing in Canada, the show was adapted in France as "Cogne et gagne", with France French dubbing. A well known incarnation of "Lance et Compte" is the series of parody sketches of Rock et Belles Oreilles dubbed "Snappe pis Bourdonne".

Several TV movies have been made in the franchise
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A new show called "Lance et compte: La nouvelle génération" aired in 2001 with a new breed of players (and presence of the original characters) and aired on TQS (Télévision Quatre-Saisons) for that year only. In 2004, "Lance et Compte: la reconquête" aired on TVA and during the Fall of 2006 a new series called "Lance et Compte: La revanche" also aired on TVA. A new season, "Lance et Compte: Le grand duel", is currently under production and should premiere in mid-fall 2008, also on TVA.

"Lance et Compte: La Nouvelle Génération" focuses on a new star named Danny Bouchard. Pierre Lambert is now retired and the agent of Bouchard. "Le National de Quebec" are playing very poorly for years now and if the team continues losing they might yet again be threatened to move out of the city. With the help of the new coaches, "Le National" have to find a way to win and fast.

"La Reconquête" focuses on the love life of Danny Bouchard and Marc Gagnon. Bouchard is rapidly turned into a man he is not by his new mistress Valérie Nantel and could result in a dramatic ending. Marc Gagnon also has to find a way to deal with his emotions as he still has feelings for his ex, Suzie Lambert.

"In Lance et Compte: La Revanche", Pierre Lambert's son, Guy, is called up by "Le National de Quebec" in the middle of the season. In his first game he injures and kills a player from the Montreal Canadiens with a body check into the boards. The series primarily focuses on his trial and his love life.

"Le Grand Duel" will focus on the rivalry between Montréal and Québec City and will also include Suzie Lambert's battle with breast cancer.

ee also

*List of Quebec television series
*Television of Quebec
*Culture of Quebec

External links

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