Show Review - Terminal City

[pilot episode, aired Sep. 13 on City TV]

Well, I watched it and I guess I get it but this was one of those artsy-try-too-hard shows that leaves me to wonder if I want to tune in to later episodes. I wanted to like it. I really did. After all, the show won and was nominated for numerous ACTRA, Leo and Gemini awards. It also happens to be Canadian, and patriotic nutcase that I am, I always try to give homegrown drama a chance--after all, we don't get too much of it. But this show failed to get my adoration for several reasons.

The main character, Katie (played by Maria Del Mar) finds out she's terminally ill with breast cancer. Plenty of drama ensues as the rest of her family finds out about it. Normally you'd expect a sentimental gal like me to be crying her eyes out (I tend to cry through sad TV moments) but not a single tear went down my cheek. I failed to identify with any of the characters, save one, Katie's teenage daughter, Sarah (played by Katie Boland). While the rest of the characters seem rather cold and distant too me, there were several points where I found myself really understanding and feeling sorry for Sarah. When her mother asked her to come with her to a biopsy, Sarah, though wanting to turn tail and say no, reluctantly went with. The tension at the hospital proves too much for her and she finds herself unable to be in the room with her mother while the procedure is being performed so she exits guiltily. This one character is enough to get me to tune in to the next episode. After all, Terminal City is a 10-episode miniseries so it's not as if they can drag the story too much. Plus I got my mother to watch the first episode and she loved it so I don't think she'd appreciate it if I bailed on her now.