Mike's Bloggity Blog

With the season premiere of Being Erica just a few days away, I’ve been emotionally preparing myself for what many are saying will be its last season.   I’ve made no secret about how much I love this slow, and I feel proud to say that I’ve slowly converted many of my friends to the addictive Canadian drama.  That’s right, I said addictive.

Erin Karpluk is the series’ star and the other day she tweeted from the set, pictures of the cast and crew as they gathered, for what could be there last time together. For Being Erica fans, the pics also reveal a sneak peek at the show’s final moments….

Being Erica returns to CBC this Monday.

There probably isn’t any one that is more surprised and relieved that CBC’s Being Erica was renewed for a fourth and final season.  I’ve always been a big giant fan of the show, but last year’s ratings were so dismal, I totally didn’t think it would be able to survive CBC’s Fall 2011 schedule.

I was luckily very, very wrong.

The show, which is having an American counterpart developed for ABC, started filming season four this week and thanks to Erin Karpluk‘s twitter account, fans have been able to get a sneak peek at the beginning of the end.

If you’re an uberfan like me, you’ll be happy to know that Adam Fergus will be returning to finish his run as Adam, Erica’s newest and most troubled love interest. Earlier this week, he tweeted: “Day 1, Season 4 tmrw – A nice 5:30am p/up to get things started….”

Okay, so I few tweet pics isn’t much, but it still got me excited!  Can’t wait for the fourth season, which premieres in September!

It’s been several weeks since the finale of Being Erica and fans of the show like me have now had sometime to deal that shocking season finale.  While naysayers are saying that the show won’t be returning for a fourth season, fans have their fingers crossed that the show’s shocking cliff hanger won’t remain unresolved.  So instead of waiting for CBC to make a decision, I went right to the source, executive producers Jana Sinyor and Aaron Martin, to get my burning questions answered!

Warning:  If you live in the USA, season three premieres tomorrow on SoapNet.  Spoilers galore can be found below. Here’s a sneak peek of tomorrow night’s premiere.

Bloggity: Okay, just tell us: Who is Erica’s first patient?
Jana and aaron: Kai. Ha-ha, just kidding. Or are we?

Bloggity: That’s not very helpful. Can you at least tell us if the patient will always be wearing gloves?
Jana and Aaron: Yes, it’s a new trend we’re hoping to start.

Bloggity: Do books about cat lullabies really exist?
Jana and Aaron: Aaron and I are writing one.  It’s our next exciting project.

Bloggity:What was your favourite episode of the season?
Jana and Aaron: We loved the finale – 312, as a finished product. We had the most fun writing the gay pride episode, 306. So much of this season was emotional and heavy, 306 was a lot of fun because it was silly and crazy and sexy and weird. And we like that stuff.

Bloggity: What was with that out of place Christmas episode?
Jana and Aaron: CBC wanted to do a holiday special, and it made sense to air it the week before Christmas. It’s a stand alone episode, something we’ve never done before. It turned out warm and fun and light – which is exactly what we were going for.

Bloggity: When will we know if Being Erica is coming back for season four.
Jana and Aaron: Soon, we hope. We’ve got our fingers crossed.

Bloggity:If Rick Mercer-forbids the show doesn’t come back, can you do a Being Erica season 4 via comic books (ala Buffy).
Jana and Aaron:Yes! That would be great.

Bloggity: Who is your choice for Erica Strange in the upcoming American adaptation?
Jana and Aaron: Erin Karpluk. No one else is Erica in our eyes.

Bloggity: Are you happy with the way CBC has been dealing with the show?
Jana and Aaron: Yes. They’ve been beyond supportive from day one. They take risks, they trust us, they get the show, and we feel that they are behind us 100%.

Bloggity: It seems like you never know who is going to knock on Erica’s door. Does her apartment have the worst security ever?
Jana and Aaron: Are  you kidding? How about the fact that Erica’s apartment and the hallway leading to it repaints itself every other episode. Erica’s apartment adds rooms between seasons, the kitchen changes, gets bigger and a window appears out of nowhere.

It’s no secret that Being Erica is probably on it’s last legs.  While bloggers like myself have done everything they can to promote the show, the ratings just never showed.  So as Erin Karpluk wraps up her third season as Erica Strange, it might not be a bad idea to start preparing your goodbyes.

BUT there is some good news.  Of course, this news being interpreted as “good” totally depends on the eye of the beholder. According to Variety, ABC is currently developing an American version of Being Erica.  The article says that Maggie Friedman (“Eastwick”) will write the U.S. version and exec produce. David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, who head up Toronto-based Temple Street Prods., which produces the original series, will also exec produce.

While I’m excited that the show will still see life in some form or another, I think it’s weird that they are re-making a show that already does quite well on American airwaves on SOAPNET.  I guess this is what fans of the original ‘The Office’ felt like!

There’s no word on casting but for the execs at ABC, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Erin Karpluk made Being Erica. You know what to do.  (That, or cast in Grey’s Anatomy.)

If you’ve ever read this blog before you know that I couldn’t be more proud about being from Fredericton, New Brunswick.  Not only is it a beautiful city, it is also the home of Kel, the second person eliminated from Survivor: Australia.  (Remember him?  The Beef Jerky Guy?).

Anyway, Fredericton is an amazing place and besides failed reality stars, it also has produced some of the most amazing talent this country has ever seen.  (Shockingly, I’m not talking about myself.)

If you want an example of what I’m talking about, make sure you check out tonight’s Being Erica on CBC.  The episode features not one but TWO Fredericton actresses who are eqaully making their way up in the ranks of the Canadian acting world.  Anna Silk (Lost Girl) returns to Being Erica as Erica’s lesbian friend Cassidy.  As I say lesbian not to identify her but to help you remember that she once tried to seduce Erica…topless.

Natalie Roy makes her BE debut as one of Sam’s best friends.  Interestingly enough, these two Fredericton natives don’t have any scenes together but it will still be so much fun to see actresses from New Brunswick on such a great show.

Now all the show is missing is a cameo from Measha Brueggergosman.

Want a fun fact?  Natalie Roy and I were co-students of the year when we graduated high school!

Tonight’s Being Erica promises to be a great one as the gang finds themselves thrown into the middle of Toronto’s biggest party: Gay Pride!  If I’m being honest, I was supposed to have my brand new Erin Karpluk/Adam Fergus interview to post for this episode but I’m dreadfully behind.  I promise to have it up by next week’s episode, mmmkay?

Tonight CBC’s Being Erica makes its big move to Wednesday night.  It’s a big move because, when it comes to ratings, Being Erica is turning into being a problem for the CBC.

A few weeks ago the show dipped to a dangerously not good 362,000 viewers. In comparison, Glee was airing at the same time as Being Erica and was easily pulling in more than two million gleeks.  While the two shows can’t really be compared, it certainly doesn’t help make a case for keeping Erica Strange around for too much longer.

For me the show has never been better.  While TV critic Bill Brioux disagrees, I think the show has finally found its footing and like LOST doesn’t need to explain everything, just as long as you happy to enjoy the ride.  The problem is that the show has become so involved and a little complicated, that it is extremely difficult to pick up new viewers.  Last week’s “Previously on Being Erica” seemed to go on for about five minutes.

Everyone knows that there is no bigger fan of Being Erica than me.  In its three short seasons I think it has showed that Canadian writers can make different kinds of shows that include a mixture of women-friendly program with a dash of sci-fi.

Being Erica has never been the rating success that it should have been.  But either was Friday Night Lights and even that got five seasons.  Let’s all do our part to make sure Being Erica stays exactly where it is!

Being Erica airs tonight on CBC.

Being Erica‘s third season premiere just finished and what did I tell you, was it shocking or was it SHOCKING?  We found out what was behind the door (group therapy!), Erica got a new office (goblins), a new crush (Adam!) and someone doesn’t think Dr. Tom is doing a very good job (Nadia!). Bet you didn’t see that stuff coming!?

If there is one thing that Being Erica is good at it is covering a lot of ground in 43 minutes.  So to help explain a little more about the episode, I asked series-star Erin Karpluk to help break it down!

Now what we know what is behind the green door.  What did you think was going to be behind the last season’s big mystery?!
Oh gosh!  I was just so curious what they would write.   Part of me was like, “Is it just a rabbit hole and just falls for eternity?” And unless we got cancelled, that wouldn’t be very exciting.  I was wondering if there was going to be a development in time-travel but when I got the script, I was like, “Aha!  There we go!”

We found out that she is now in phase 2 of therapy and that phase 3 of therapy is becoming a doctor. Think you’re ready?
I don’t think Erica is anywhere near ready to be a doctor!  That I know for sure! She has no right giving advice to someone…yet. She’s getting there and if it is the grand scope of things, it’s not going to happen this season.

Erica got to visit a new character’s past.  Adam seem to have a lot of stuff going on, what can you tell us about him?
Adam (Adam Fitzpatrick) is definitely that masculine part that we’ve brought to the show.   He’s got a very assertive energy that balances out Erica.  He really challenges Erica.  He is going through therapy himself and he has a darker past, more like Dr. Tom.  Him and Erica are very different but they learn a lot from each other.  And as we saw in the first episode, they get to go back into each other’s past and help each other.   It is kinda like field trips.

Would you say Adam in the new Kai?
Hmmmm.  Yup.  I would say that.

Things changed for Erica pretty much right away.  How she’s handling it?
The huge thing in the premiere was Erica’s bewilderment that Dr. Tom has other patients.   There is a certain amount of resentment and jealously in thinking she is the only one.  Then she walks into this room and sees that Dr. Tom has been doing these treatments with other people.  The whole episode was really about expressing yourself fully, which I think we really saw in Erica as it progressed.

What can you tell us about the other people in in group therapy with you?
Rebecca (Melanie Scrofano) has been there the longest.  She was an actress who didn’t make and now she owns a clothing store in Kensington.  Jeff’s (Fab Fabrizio) character is a little of a science nerd, a little bit quieter.  He’s been there quite a while.  Camilla (Kim Roberts) is bus driver who was an alcoholic who almost ran a bus into a pole.  And then Adam came from a violent background and now he is a gardener.

What’s group therapy been like so far?
It really reminds me a lot of being in an acting class, you know where you put your trust into everyone and you having your acting teacher.   This adds a lot of different levels to it and it’s nice to have other people to go back with, now we have all these people.

Dear Being Erica fans,

This is possibly the hardest review I’ve ever had to write.  Why?  Because I don’t know how to tell you a single thing about the show’s third season premiere without spoiling it.  Seriously.  The show takes such a drastic turn in the first five minutes, that it makes it impossible to review without ruining the whole surprise.

But what I can tell you is that Being Erica is still great. Especially, now it is infused with some Inception-like confusingness (new word?), which makes the show even more exciting. As with every season it has completely transformed itself and now has the possibility for so many new and different story lines.  Erin Karpluk has amazing control of her role as Erica and can perfectly adapt to comedy, action and drama.  I’m still upset about her missing Gemini nomination.  If CBC was smart, they’d send this episode in for consideration next year.

And that’s pretty much all I can tell you. Maybe we’ll talk more after you’ve all seen it.  I’d love to know what you think. Oh and fans of Julianne will be happy, she’s all over this episode like me to a McLobster.

Favourite line of the episode: “Looks like Fraggle Rock, sounds like Queer as Folk.”

EXCLUSIVE: Make sure you check back after tonight’s episode.  I’ll have a brand new exclusive interview with Erin Karpluk about the season premiere!!!

It is not secret that Being Erica finished its second season with the mother of all cliffhangers….would it come back for a third season.  Luckily CBC did the right thing and renewed the most buzzed about show in Canada.  Sure the ratings have never been through the roof, but the show is good and has lots of story to tell.  Me and all of Being Erica’s fans were relieved that CBC felt the same way.

A couple of week ago, I got the chance to visit the set and chat with Being Erica’s star Erin Karpluk.  It was during this interview that Erin spilled a lot of secrets about the upcoming third season.  Check out what Erin has to say about returning characters, this season’s big changes and why she doesn’t want Erica to have a happy ending!

So many people wanted Being Erica to be renewed for a third season, but it wasn’t a sure thing. What were your thoughts leading into this season?
You know what, I was hopelessly optimistic. Based on things that you here through the grapevine. But I always have a little safety-guard on myself from previous experiences. And I like to be a realist and prepare for the worst and if it does happen, then I’m somewhat prepared for it. But obviously it is doing great on CBC and SoapNet and we’ve been picked up by over thirty countries, so we were hoping we’d get another shot at it.

Despite all the buzz, the ratings for Being Erica have never been through the roof. Are there things that we can expect in hopes of brining in bigger ratings?
Honestly we just keep wanting to better and better and better. But this year it feels there is more of masculinity to it. It kinda got “man-ed up” a little bit. It just isn’t a show for girls.

How so?
Certainly by the new characters that are introduced. With the last two seasons, the first halves always felt like we were warming up to the second half, but the third season just starts off with a bang! And it is a darker Being Erica. I don’t want to offput people who might think it is a different show, there is still comedy but the writers have gone darker.

Is it harder to play darker?
I prefer to play the comedic beat, but that said, Erica is a really well-rounded character and the highs come with the lows. It is definitely a balance, the darker we go, the lighter we go too and it pushes the envelop more. I think some of this year’s storylines will shock people, but in a good way, much like in the past.

Will there be lots of big changes this year?
Goblins is still around, the coffee is really good. There will be renovations to the shop too. And we get to meet Dave who has a business partner and significant other and it leads to a lot of comedy.

A huge aspect of the show is Erica’s family. What can we expect from the Strange family this year!
We just finished an episode about Leo. Yup Leo is back! And it isn’t like the first season finale. I’ve made amends with the death of my brother, there is no way you could tie that into a new show. So we are doing one with Leo and it is a little darker, but it helps Erica answer some questions about her brother’s struggles in school. It is very intense but I think people will identify with it. And we get a lot more into Barbara Strange and my sister Samantha. But there are some dark things that happen to Erica’s family that brings us together.

And how about Erica’s new business with Julianne?
Business is good. They are still struggling to make her way up in the world. But at least she is in a better place then she was.

And what about Brent?
Yup Brent will be back! I love working with Morgan Kelly!

Ethan and Erica have finally broken up, have we seen the last of him?
There will be a whole episode devoted to Ethan! But that doesn’t necessarily mean that he is in it either. And Clare comes back too. There are some pretty cool things that happen between Claire and Erica.

Will Erica find love this season?
I think so. Where just getting to the point in the season where I’m like: “Where is this going!?!” I don’t have the scripts yet, but it is nice to her single because she hasn’t been single for the past two seasons.

What’s the fan reaction been like in the States?
I haven’t had as much time down there as I would like. But the ones I’ve had are very similar to Canada. But what I didn’t realize was that a lot of the show is edited. A lot of the more risqué stuff is chopped out. It is a lot tamer there. The bad words and of course the orgasm in the canoe were all cut out. There is going to be a lot of stuff they’ll have to edit this year too!

Heaven forbid this is the last season. What do you think will happen to Erica?
I hope it is not happily ever after, because it never is in real life. I’m not saying that to be pessimistic. But we have highs and lows in life and there is good days and there is bad days and it is what we choose to do with those obstacles that come in our way. I would love to see Erin fall in love and have children. We just a scene where she wonders if she could see children in her life. And I think that is a question that we all ask ourselves. Especially our generation.

Being Erica’s third season premieres September 21st.  To catch up on the show, picked up the season two DVDs on September 14th.

Hi calendar,

Can it please be September 14th?  I don’t think I can wait another month for Being Erica season 2 to be on DVD. It has been a long and hard 2010 and me (and everyone else) needs some more Karpluk in our lives ASAP.  Plus the DVD is going to feature a lot of extras like bloopers, deleted scenes and Erica’s hilarious weblogs.

And let’s be honest, no one really likes August anyway.

Thanks,

Mike