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Frontier (2016 TV series)

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Frontier
Genre
Created by
  • Rob Blackie
  • Peter Blackie
Starring
ComposerAndrew Lockington
Country of originCanada
Original languages
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes18 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerJohn Vatcher
Production locations
EditorJames Patrick
Production companies
  • Take the Shot Productions
  • Factory Backwards
  • 20th Century Fox and Dream Waves
Original release
Network
ReleaseNovember 6, 2016 (2016-11-06) –
December 21, 2018 (2018-12-21)

Frontier is a Canadian historical drama television series co-created by Rob Blackie and Peter Blackie, chronicling the North American fur trade in colonial Canada/Rupert's Land, sometime in the late 1700s or early 1800s. The series is co-produced by Discovery Canada, as the channel's first original scripted commission, and Netflix. The series premiered on November 6, 2016.

The series was renewed for a second season in October 2016, ahead of its premiere, which premiered on October 18, 2017. Frontier was renewed for a third season on September 20, 2017, also ahead of the previous second season. The entirety of the third season premiered first on Netflix on November 23, 2018, and was broadcast in Canada between December 7 and 21, 2018.

Synopsis

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The series chronicles the North American fur trade in late 1700s Canada, and follows Declan Harp (Jason Momoa), a half-Irish, half-Cree outlaw who is campaigning to breach the Hudson's Bay Company's monopoly on the fur trade in his native land, which has become corrupt and engages in illegal activities to enrich itself.[1]

Cast

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Main

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  • Jason Momoa as Declan Harp, a ruthless trapper, infamous for his brutality, wanted by the Hudson's Bay Company
  • Alun Armstrong as Lord Benton, member of the Hudson's Bay Company also known for his iron-fisted tactics.
  • Landon Liboiron as Michael Smyth, a tumultuous thief who, after sneaking aboard a Hudson's Bay Company ship, is recruited by the company to spy on Declan Harp.
  • Zoe Boyle as Grace Emberly, an ambitious bartender in Fort James who collects and peddles information.
  • Jessica Matten as Sokanon
  • Christian McKay as Father James Coffin (season 1), a lustful missionary who purports to be a priest; offers himself as a "guide" to Michael.
  • Evan Jonigkeit as Captain/Governor Jonathan Chesterfield (season 1–2), Lord Benton's second-in-command.
  • Shawn Doyle as Samuel Grant, head of Low River Company
  • Greg Bryk as Cobbs Pond
  • Zahn McClarnon as Samoset (seasons 1-2)
  • Lyla Porter-Follows as Clenna Dolan
  • Diana Bentley as Imogen
  • Breanne Hill as Mary
  • Paul Fauteux as Jean-Marc Rivard
  • William Belleau as Dimanche (season 1)
  • Allan Hawco as Douglas Brown
  • Michael Patric as Malcolm Brown
  • Stephen Lord as Cedric Brown (season 1), a Scott who captures the son of the Lake Walkers tribe's chief
  • Katie McGrath as Elizabeth Carruthers (season 1–2)
  • Charles Aitken as Captain Johnson (season 1)
  • Tantoo Cardinal as Kamenna
  • Raoul Trujillo as Machk (season 1)
  • Kiowa Gordon as Kitchi (season 1)
  • Cameron Roberts as Chogan (season 1)
  • Jean-Michel Le Gal as Commander Everton (season 2, recurring season 1)
  • Demetrius Grosse as Charleston 'Charlie' (season 2–3)
  • Karen LeBlanc as Josephette (season 2–3)
  • Joel Thomas Hynes as Darragh (season 2)
  • David Schaal as Captain Grey (season 2)
  • Rémy Girard as Marquis de Beaumont (season 2)
  • Jamie Sives as Magnus McTaggart (season 2–3)
  • Natar Ungalaaq as Inuit hunter (season 2)
  • Nagliniq Amagoalik as Inuit child (season 2)
  • James Preston Rogers as Vladimir 'The Siberian' Tetukin (season 2)
  • Brendt Thomas Diabo as Aki (season 2)
  • Kathryn Wilder as Chaulk (season 2–)
  • Paul Ewan Wilson as Vanstone (season 3, recurring season 1–2)
  • Paul McGillion as Major Vinnicombe (season 3)
  • Jay Simpson as Lord Winston Fisher (season 3)
  • Ellyn Jade as Kahwihta (season 3)
  • Michael Raymond-James as Fortunato (season 3)
  • Temuera Morrison as Te Rangi (season 3)
  • Gary Lewis as Edward Emberly (season 3)
  • Gordon Brown as Barclay (season 3)
  • Cal MacAninch as Angus (season 3)
  • Stephen Oates as Patrick O'Reilly (season 3)
  • Evan Mercer as Mercer (season 3)

Recurring

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  • Sean Wei Mah as Omaciw
  • Graham Abbey as MacLaughlan (season 1)
  • A.C. Peterson as Governor Threadwell (season 1)
  • Peter O'Meara as Peter Carruthers (season 1)
  • Nathaniel Arcand as Wahush (season 2)
  • Star Slade as Minno (season 2)
  • Ryan Tarran as Wadlow (season 3)

Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
16November 6, 2016 (2016-11-06)December 11, 2016 (2016-12-11)
26October 18, 2017 (2017-10-18)November 22, 2017 (2017-11-22)
36December 7, 2018 (2018-12-07)December 21, 2018 (2018-12-21)

Season 1 (2016)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal Can. air date
11"A Kingdom Unto Itself"Brad PeytonRob Blackie & Peter Blackie & Perry ChafeNovember 6, 2016 (2016-11-06)
Bent on restoring the Hudson's Bay Company's fur trade stranglehold, Lord Benton voyages to the New World to stamp out cutthroat trapper Declan Harp.
22"Little Brother War"Brad PeytonPerry ChafeNovember 13, 2016 (2016-11-13)
While Emberly schemes with Captain Chesterfield behind Lord Benton's back, Harp makes a dangerous raid to secure an alliance with the Cree.
33"Mushkegowuk Esquewu"John VatcherRob Blackie & Peter Blackie & Joseph KayNovember 20, 2016 (2016-11-20)
Harp scrambles to make peace after Lord Benton's intrigues stir up deadly trouble among the independent trading outfits and the Cree.
44"Wolves"Kelly MakinGreg NelsonNovember 27, 2016 (2016-11-27)
A Hudson's Bay Company ship arrives from London with a surprise passenger and troubling news for Lord Benton, who lays a snare for Michael and Harp.
55"The Disciple"Ken GirottiGreg NelsonDecember 4, 2016 (2016-12-04)
Declan, having been captured, is tortured by Lord Benton. With the help of Emberly, Michael and Sokanon hide from the soldiers searching for them. In an attempt to find Michael, Chesterfield drags Clenna to the Ale House where Grace Emberly rescues her and reunites her with Micheal. In Montreal the Brown brothers are arrested for defaulting on their loan to Samuel Grant. Elizabeth Carruthers offers them a deal; give her their company, one of them must marry her, and she will pay their debts. They agree, however only Malcolm is released as Douglas is charged with the murder of Peter Carruthers. While trying to get away Michael is captured and taken to where Declan is being tortured. Sokanon and Clenna rescue them and in their escape Michael kills Captain Johnson. With Johnson dead, Chesterfield's men retake possession of the governor's house and imprison all of Johnson's soldiers. Declan is taken away severally injured.
66"The Gallows"Ken GirottiGreg SpottiswoodDecember 11, 2016 (2016-12-11)
Declan is badly hurt. He returns to the Alehouse seeking Grace Emberly's help. Declan wants revenge on Benton. Emberly tells Chesterfield now is the time to arrest Benton and become Governor. Everton asks Benton for more food for his imprisoned soldiers but Benton refuses. Everton receives 50 lashes in the yard. Samuel Grant visits Fort James and meets with Emberly. He also visits Benton. Michael, Clenna and Sokanon try to make it back to Fort James to stop Declan but Clenna breaks her leg. Malcolm Brown waits for Chesterfield in the Alehouse. Emberly de-escalates a confrontation between them. Chesterfield proposes to Emberly and she refuses. Michael, Clenna, and Sokanon make to the Alehouse and the girls from the Alehouse set Clenna's leg. Declan meets with Samuel Grant. Declan agrees for Samuel Grant to do business with the Black Wolf Company, on the condition that Grace Emberly has safe passage to Montreal and that Samuel takes Benton for a walk the next day. Emberly betrays Chesterfield to Malcolm Brown. Chesterfield and Malcolm fight and Malcolm is badly beaten. Michael goes after Declan. Samuel Grant meets with Benton as promised but informs him that Declan is waiting to attack him. Declan injures Benton but is captured. Clenna and Michael end their relationship. Michael, Sokanon, Emberly and the girls from the Alehouse blow up the magazine while Declan stands on the gallows. Benton aims for Declan but shoots Father Coffin. Michael shoots Benton and Declan escapes.

Season 2 (2017)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal Can. air date
71"Dead Reckoning"Brad PeytonSherry WhiteOctober 18, 2017 (2017-10-18)
Harp is found half dead by Jean-Marc Rivard. Rivard sends Harp north as he travels Harp sees visions of Samoset. Micheal and Sokanon continue to steal pelts and sell them in Montreal in an effort to keep the Black Wolf in business. Though Micheal gives some of the money from selling the pelts to Clenna who now works in Elizabeth Carruthers' pelt processing factory in Montreal. Benton is bedridden and belittling Chesterfield, encouraging Emberly and Chesterfield to conspire against Benton. Captain Gray arrives and Chesterfield and his men turn Benton in for his crimes, leading to Captain Gray making Chesterfield the governor and locking Benton up on his ship. Elizabeth Carruthers buys pelts out from under Samuel Grant upsetting him. Grant leaves the head of a merchant in Elizabeth's desk. She enlists Clenna to return it to him in a hat box and steal the Marquis' attention away from Grant by having Clenna dress up and tell him her fancy hat was made by Elizabeth. In retaliation Cobbs Pond kidnaps Clenna and rebreaks and resets her leg. Elizabeth in need of a husband marries Douglas Brown after freeing him from prison. Emberly marries Chesterfield after he agrees to pardon Harp of all his crimes, but he goes back on his word. With a bounty on Harp's head, Fort James fills up with bounty hunters and one of them attacks Rivard.
82"Wanted"Brett SullivanAubrey NealonOctober 25, 2017 (2017-10-25)
Bounty hunters find Harp in the North. Benton sails to England at the mercy of Everton, but makes a new friend. Michael has a plan to make the Black Wolf more money. Carruthers and Grant vie for the attention of a French Marquis, and Emberly finds herself in danger of losing her independence.
93"The Wolf and the Bear"John VatcherChris RobertsNovember 1, 2017 (2017-11-01)
Harp is hunted by the Siberian. Michael and Sokanon plot a heist against the Hudson Bay Company. Emberly seeks to protect her father's alehouse from Chesterfield.
104"Mutiny"David FrazeeAdriana MaggsNovember 8, 2017 (2017-11-08)
Michael and Sokanon remain at Fort James preparing to execute the plan for the Black Wolf company. En route to England, Benton proves he is still a skilled manipulator and Chesterfield demonstrates that he is an able student of Benton's.
115"Cannonball"Paul FoxKerri MacDonald & Sherry WhiteNovember 15, 2017 (2017-11-15)
Emberly reclaims the Alehouse, but even caught with his pants down, Chesterfield does not intend to lighten the pressure. The plan for seizing the pelts becomes more dangerous. Grant's and Elizabeth's sparring turns deadly.
126"Keetom Takooteeoo Maheekun (The Return of the Wolf)"David FrazeePeter Blackie & Rob BlackieNovember 22, 2017 (2017-11-22)
Michael meets Pond and negotiates the sale of the stolen pelts but Sokanon has reservations, meanwhile Chesterfield is searching for Harp and Grace is in danger. Douglas and Malcolm Brown find a new ally and set their sights on a weakened Grant. Lord Benton is the chess grand-master and is making sinister plans.

Season 3 (2018)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal Can. air date
131"The Low Road"TJ ScottSherry WhiteDecember 7, 2018 (2018-12-07)
The HBC raids the Norther Metis Village burning it down and killing all the residents. Declan tries to save a young escaping girl but is unsuccessful. He then kills many redcoats but is stopped by Micheal when he tries to kill a young redcoat boy. Declan attempts to encourage the survivors to join the Black Wolf company and join him in finding Emberly who was kidnapped by Benton. Declan puts Micheal in charge of the Black Wolf company and asks him to go take control of Fort James. Declan travels north to Moose Fort with Charlie and McTaggart. A new HBC man, Major Vinnicombe is sent from London to take control of Fort James. Micheal begs Sokanon to rejoin him, she refuses as she is angry with him for taking Pond's deal after the death of Wasush. Major Vinnicombe meets with Samuel and informs him that the HBC is confiscating all the furs in his warehouse as they came from HBC land and were therefore obtained illegally. Vinnicombe also asks that Samuel turn Micheal over. Samuel goes to Douglas Brown to try and make an alliance but Douglas refuses because Samuel killed Elizabeth. Clenna plans to help Samuel by making Douglas fall in love with her. Emberly and Chaulk escape from Moose Fort.
142"La Fin Du Monde"TJ ScottRuss CochraneDecember 7, 2018 (2018-12-07)
Emberly and Chaulk turn the tables on Benton; Michael makes an attempt at forming an alliance.
153"Satanazes"TJ ScottKerri MacDonaldDecember 14, 2018 (2018-12-14)
Chaulk tells Declan Benton is taking Emberly to Scotland. They commandeer an HBC ship and find the captain is a Portuguese man named Fortunado who agrees to get them to Scotland. Vinnicombe searches for Micheal in Fort James. Imogen tells Vinnicombe about his connections to the Lake Walker Tribe, Sokanon, and Rivard. Malcolm travels with Micheal and Rivard back to the Lake Walker Tribe. Clenna seeks out Douglas to find out if Malcolm made a deal with Micheal behind Pond's back. Fortunado intentionally antagonizes McTaggart. Douglas finds out that Malcolm and Josephette went behind his back and made a deal with Micheal. Benton demands Emberly eat dinner with him and tries to change her opinion of him. Sokanon seeks out O'Reily, with the help of Mary, who is kidnapping native girls and selling them as wives to white men. Vinnicombe finds Micheal with the Lake Walker Tribe and a fight ensues. Micheal shoots Vinnicombe when he pulls a gun on Kamenna. Douglas tells Clenna about the deal his brother made and she relays the information to Pond. Charlie has McTaggart read him a letter sent years ago by his wife who had become ill. Charlie then thanks Declan for freeing him and asks him to end his suffering. Benton and Emberly arrive in Scotland at his family home where she find her father, alive.
164"All For All and None For One"Lee RoseSherry White & Michelle LatimerDecember 14, 2018 (2018-12-14)
Declan and his group arrive in Scotland. HBC soldiers arrive looking for Vinnicombe and arrest Malcolm for his death. Declan seeks help from some of McTaggart's old associates, who agree to help them after a drinking competition between Declan and Barclay. Chaulk being left alone in the square is captured by Benton and told that she must help him or Benton will kill Emberly. Emberly learns Benton has released her father from prison to force her write a letter on his behalf blaming Chesterfield for all of Benton's misdeeds. Sokanon confronts Imogen for her part in trafficking native girls to no avail. She then talks to Kaywihta O'Reily's Haudenosaunee wife who tell Sokanon that there are religious men tricking native families into giving them their daughters to improve trade relations but are really turning them into "country wives" for white men. O'Reily helps Micheal free Malcolm from the HBC and when leaving Fort James is confronted by Sokanon. Kaywihta distracts Sokanon and O'Reily knocks her unconscious kidnapping her. Clenna and Douglas become closer sharing a kiss.
175"House of the Lord"John VatcherChristopher RobertsDecember 21, 2018 (2018-12-21)
Lord Benton leverages Grace in his cause with the Hudson's Bay Company. Harp discovers a betrayal. Sokanon faces a perverse imprisonment.
186"The Sins of the Father"John VatcherRob Blackie & Peter BlackieDecember 21, 2018 (2018-12-21)
While the new alliance teeters on collapse Sokanon's crusade leads to bloodshed. Harp invades Lord Benton's castle and faces a dark temptation.

Production

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The series is co-produced by Discovery Canada, as the channel's first original scripted commission, and Netflix.[2] Filming for Frontier took place in several locations in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Ontario, Canada, as well as Cornwall and Northumberland in the United Kingdom.[3][4][5]

Release

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The series is produced in 4K ultra high definition; on January 8, 2016, Bell Media confirmed that Frontier would stream in 4K via the Discovery Go app exclusively on Samsung 4K smart TVs.[6]

The series premiered on November 6, 2016.[7] The series was renewed for a second season in October 2016, ahead of its premiere,[8] which premiered on October 18, 2017.[9] Frontier was renewed for a third season on September 20, 2017, also ahead of the previous season.[10] The entirety of the third season premiered first on Netflix on November 23, 2018, and was broadcast in Canada between December 7 and 21, 2018.[11][12]

Internationally, the series is distributed by Netflix, with the first season available from January 20, 2017.[13] An exclusivity agreement meant that the series would not be available on Netflix in Canada until 2017.[2][14]

Reception

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The first season received mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating from critics of 43% based on 14 reviews, with the site's consensus reading "Jason Momoa's powerhouse performance as Declan Harp is ultimately weighed down by Frontier's often sluggish storytelling".[15] Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 52 out of 100, based on reviews from 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[16]

In a positive review, John Doyle of The Globe and Mail described the series as "an action-packed, uncomplicated and very entertaining yarn about the cutthroats who created this country by plundering it, when they weren't busy killing each other". Doyle felt the opening episode's handling of interactions with First Nations was handled "delicately," commenting that Frontier was "far from being a whitewashed tale about the English, Scots, Irish and French battling out for possession of fur and land".[17]

The second season was better received and has a 100% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 5 reviews.[18]

Awards and nominations

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Canadian Screen Awards

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Year Category Nominee Result Ref
2017 Best Achievement in Casting Denise Chamain, Sara Kay, Jenny Lewis, Danielle Irvine Nominated [19]
Best Direction in a Dramatic Series Brad Peyton Nominated
Best Achievement in Make-Up Elizabeth Kuchurean Won
Best Costume Design Michael Ground Nominated
Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role Jason Momoa Nominated
Landon Liboiron Nominated
Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Fiction Program or Series Gordon Barnes Nominated
2018 Best Achievement in Make-Up Elizabeth Kuchurean, Norma Richard Nominated [20]
Best Costume Design Michael Ground Nominated
Best Photography, Drama Glen Keenan Nominated
Best Production Design or Art Direction, Fiction Gord Barnes Nominated
Best Sound, Fiction Marco Dolle, David Yonson, John Elliot, Clive Turner, Alastair Gray, Orest Sushko, Janice Ierulli, Dave Johnson, Mark Shnuriwsky Nominated

Directors Guild of Canada Awards

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Year Category Nominee Result Ref
2017 Best Production Design - Television Series Gordon Barnes
(Episode 101 – A Kingdom Unto Itself)		 Nominated [21]
Best Sound Editing - Television Series Matthew Hussey, Alastair Gray, Mark Shnuriwsky, Clive Turner
(Episode 104, Wolves)		 Nominated
2018 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series John Vatcher
(Episode 203, The Wolf and the Bear)		 Nominated [22]

References

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  1. ^ "Jason Momoa to Star in Netflix Adventure Drama Frontier from San Andreas Director". Variety. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Netflix Picks Up Canadian Period Action Series Frontier Starring Jason Momoa". Deadline Hollywood. 16 November 2015. Archived from the original on 15 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  3. ^ "That's a wrap! Frontier finishes filming in Newfoundland". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2017-03-01. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
  4. ^ "Fortress Louisbourg acting as backdrop for new TV series Frontier". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2017-03-01. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
  5. ^ "Behind-the-scenes pictures of Netflix drama Frontier during filming in Northumberland - Northumberland Gazette". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
  6. ^ "Discovery GO Ups Ante on Home Cinematic Experience with 4K Ultra HD". Bell Media press release. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  7. ^ "It's a Cutthroat, Untamed New World as Discovery's Frontier Premieres, November 6 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT". CNW Group. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20.
  8. ^ "Netflix Renews Jason Momoa Drama Frontier for Season 2". 25 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  9. ^ "Discovery Announces 2017/18 Original Programming Slate; Canadian Hits Headline Network's 2017 Fall Lineup". Bell Media. Archived from the original on 2017-09-04. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  10. ^ "Discovery's Original Dramatic Adventure Series Frontier Returns for World Premiere of Season 2 on October 18, as Series Renewed for Season 3". CNW Group. 2017-09-20. Archived from the original on 2017-09-22. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
  11. ^ "Netflix's Frontier Season 3 — Premiere date November 23". RenewCancelTV. 2018-10-26. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  12. ^ "Season 3 of Frontier, Discovery's Original Dramatic Adventure Series, Premiering Dec. 7". TV eh?. November 9, 2018.
  13. ^ Petski, Denise (November 14, 2016). "Jason Momoa's 'Frontier' Gets Netflix Premiere Date". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 15, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  14. ^ "More Than Half a Million Viewers Make Discovery's FRONTIER the Most-Watched Canadian Original Scripted Series Debut on Specialty TV This Year – Bell Media". www.bellmedia.ca. Archived from the original on 2017-09-04. Retrieved 2017-09-03.
  15. ^ "Frontier: Season 1 (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  16. ^ "Frontier : Season 1". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  17. ^ Doyle, John (4 November 2016). "John Doyle: Frontier is a lively, bloody yarn about Canada's fur trade wars". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  18. ^ "Frontier: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  19. ^ "2017 TV Nominees - Academy.ca". Academy.ca. Archived from the original on 20 January 2017. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  20. ^ "2018 TV Nominees".
  21. ^ "2017 Dorectors Guild of Canada Awards — Nominees Announced". Directors Guild of America. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  22. ^ "Television Nominees Announced for 17th Annual DGC Awards". CNW Group. September 6, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
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