Could William Shakespeare have been a CBC programmer? Maybe.
The oft-bearded bard did know the appeal of star-crossed young lovers, and his Romeo and Juliet has seemingly had more updates than Ashton Kutcher’s Twitter account.
Plus, it seems our public broadcaster is now taking a cue from the Renaissance man with its latest offering, the domestic comedy 18 to Life.
Part MTV’s Engaged & Underage and part 2000’s big-screener Meet the Parents, it’s a little slapstick, a little risqué and potentially a lot of fun for the whole family.
In it, 18-year-olds Tom (Michael Seater, Life With Derek) and Jessie (Stacey Farber, Degrassi: The Next Generation) decide to get married. Other than their love for each other, the two share something else in common – disapproving parents.
Upon hearing of their kids’ nuptials, Tom’s conservative parents Ben (Peter Keleghan) and Judith (Ellen David) conspire with Jessie’s liberal ones Phil (Al Goulem) and Tara (Angela Asher) to split the pair up.
Well, admittedly their early wedding is a little jarring in our society. The average of marriage in Canada in 2000 was 31 for women and 34 for men, according to Statistics Canada.
“I think it’s a funny family show – family not in the children’s sense, but I think three generations can watch it together and find something amusing,” says a curly-coiffed Seater at a recent press event.
“One of the things that makes it a well-written show is that the storylines tie into each other. Something will happen with us, which spawns something happening with the parents. It just makes for mayhem.”
The show is CBC’s latest entry into the sitcom genre, having already offered audiences the fish-out-of-water series Little Mosque on the Prairie and single-gal-in-the-city laffer Being Erica.
Perhaps it’s a move to compete with Less Than Kind, the dark dysfunctional family series that recently moved from Citytv to the Astral Media and Corus Entertainment stations The Movie Network, Movie Central and HBO Canada.
At any rate, some of 18 to Life’s scenes do seem a little steamy for the CBC, with Tom and Jessie sleeping together in the family attic, and a promo featuring a naked Seater with his privates strategically covered up.
“That was definitely the worst part, having to be intimate,” jokes Farber, as her castmates chortle that the two did seem to practice an awful lot on-set.
Fans of the duo’s previous work certainly will notice their beloved stars all grown up – and buffed up as well.
“My show’s been on for four years; [Stacy’s] has been on for nine years. I think our fans have grown up as well, so I think transitioning into an older role will just transition with the people who already watch our shows,” says Seater.
Farber’s a little more specific about the “transitioning” she thinks will go on. “There are clips on YouTube, and I’d say 90 per cent of the comments underneath say ‘oh my god, Michael Seater’s body and face!’” she says.
“These young girls grew up watching him on Life with Derek and then there was a two-year gap [in filming] and all of a sudden he’s back on TV with a ripped bod. Girls are freaking out.”
And making 18 to Life a lead-in to Little Mosque, with guest-stars like Seán Cullen on tap for future episodes, CBC is doing whatever it can to make sure the rest of the viewing audience freaks out over 18 to Life, too.
18 to Life debuts Monday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m. ET on CBC.
Thoughts? melissa@tvguide.ca
