Twas The Night Before Christmas in Dog River

People often say that they don't like to blow their own horn. If this is the case why own a horn? Why have a perfectly good horn go to waste. I suppose what they mean is they usually have someone blow their horns for them (steady you ...naughty!). Kings and Queens have those fellas that have the dirty big trumpets they toot on when they enter the room. I have never seen royalty blow their own horn in that respect. What if all the trumpeters were ill with gastroenteritis and the Queen needed to herald her entrance to a room? She would have to do it herself wouldn't she? She would have to run in, pick up the big trumpet, give it a parp, run back to the door and come in the room again. She would be all out of puff doing that all day and ones royal tootsies would be barking!

Six Degrees of Dog River - The Music of Kevin Fox

A wise man once wrote "Never let a man tickle you with the wet end of a dry Stoat." That is something we can all relate to and often live by. Another wise man wrote about the fundamental interconnectedness of all things. His theory being one thing will naturally lead you to another no matter how seemingly unrelated they are. That wise man was Douglas Adams, creator of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and shambolic detective Dirk Gently.

Not A Lot Goin' On - Corner Gas News November 2017

Well November is here, the seasons have changed as fast as the colours of the leaves on the trees.We are giving in to the urge to finally turn the central heating on. The shops can finally start shifting the Christmas cards that they have had on the shelves since the middle of July. Children are starting to make their final demands list for the big jolly man and making sure they eat all their greens as a last ditch effort to try and wipe away all the memories of the incident with the vacuum and the goldfish tank and get on the good list.

We Corner Gas fan's have to wait a little bit longer for our big present. Corner Gas Animated is merely months away now. There has not been an announcement for the official air date but it is expected to hit Canadian airwaves in January.

By Popular Demand - Slow Pitch (Season 2 Episode 17)

When entering the world of hard hitting journalism, such as the type you have become accustomed to on my previous posts, there are many skills that you must bring to the table to produce high quality column inches. The first of which is not to giggle when people say "column inches" to you. It is extremely important to have an eye for detail, remembering to dot the t's and cross the j's. Self editing is crucial, you really shouldn't drone on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on before making your point. Of course you must always, no matter what, corroct yor spolling mistooks.

What Are The Odds - A Lovely Chat with Craig Northey

The universe is a very strange, unusual place. She is full of wonders many that are yet to be discovered and others that have baffled scientists for many a long year and will continue to do so for many more to come. Infinitesimal, microcosms spreading out indefinitely are full of life of unending variety all of which interact sporadically, intellectually and psychically and yet the possibility of which of these disparate bodies, molecules or chemicals will interact together is nearly impossible to calculate. The ratio is almost as high as the chance of the composer of Corner Gas's two theme songs performing a gig at my favourite local venue not twenty minutes from my home. However, the correct celestial bodies aligned and lo it came to pass.

An Evening with The Steven Page Trio

The year is 1993. Every Saturday night myself and three of my closest chums would cruise to Portsmouth. Two of us, with freshly minted licences, would take turns driving, whose turn it was determined by whose mum was feeling brave enough to give lends of her car to a bunch of spotty adolescents.

We would be off to the then brand new, and somewhat trendy, Port Solent complex with a mind of popping to the pub and wooing ladies, the theory being that said ladies would be so impressed that we had arrived in our own car that they would become very keen to rub their lips on our faces and fall helplessly in love with us. Despite all the spots.

Dog River Denizens - Darla Biccum and Amy Matysio

By Popular Demand - Buzz Driver (Season 5, Episode 7)

We all have favourites. You may have a favourite drink, band or pair of underpants. Sometimes the favouritism placed on these items can elevate them to "lucky" status especially in the underpants department, but that is a detail for other, more specialist web sites. The choice we have to make is whether to share these special treats with the rest of the world. If we share them with others will this dilute how special they are? Sometimes when those closely guarded units of joy get taken by the masses your enthusiasm wains and you start looking for something else to treasure. An argument can be made for keeping them secret so it's your thing, a gem to be savoured by you and only you. Look at all that kerfuffle in Middle Earth over a bit of jewelry for example. Underpants should definitely be kept to yourself....well maybe share them with your dry cleaner from time to time

Not a Lot Goin' On - Corner Gas News August 2017

Apparently there is a phrase that suggests that you can wait for an excruciating amount of time for a bus and eventually three will come at once. Why three? You never hear anyone say "I waited alllllll day for the bus and seven turned up at once!" Apparently bus drivers always travel in packs of three, or a heard of three, depending on if you liken busses to wolves or cows. I am sure David Attenborough will do a documentary to explain it to us one day. Corner Gas news can have the same traits as tardy bus drivers. I sit here staring at my laptop for a couple of weeks and nothing. Then my wife tells me I should turn the computer on and check out the internet, suddenly my screen is chock full of new headlines for the discerning Corner Gas fan.

First up, some weeks ago we got a little peek at some new pretty pictures from Corner Gas Animated. See if you recognise these Dog River landmarks.

That's right! The Foo Mart, Liquor Store, Dog River Hotel and Oscar and Emma's house. Give yourself a gold star and a rub on the tummy if you got them right. Details on the production of the new show are pretty sparse, so it was exciting to see these fully realised scene setters. There was another little tease of behind the scenes action from Mr Brent Butt who put the following video up on his all new ButtPod You Tube channel, created to co-inside with his podcast. During the video, check out the animatic of "Little Brent" who seems to eat something he ought not have done and the consequences of such flagrant actions!

A quick note to anyone of influence from the Funko company that may be reading. If you create a line of Corner Gas Animated Pop Vinyl figures you have at least one guarenteed sale of a "Little Brent"

Seeing as I have already mentioned it, here's a quick catch up on the latest episodes of The ButtPod. Brent has been up to his Canucks peeked cap (can you still call it a baseball hat if it supports a hockey team?) in busy work with the on going production of the new show, so since I last wrote there have only been two episodes released. As with my last round up of episodes, no spoilers here, just some poorly researched information about Brent's guests with links to their websites available with one swift click on their name below.

Episode Three - Erica Sigurdson

Erica is an award winning stand up in high demand on radio and television. She performs regularly on the comedy festival circuit around Canada. She is best known for her work on CBC's radio show The Debaters which is very popular in Canada. Being a show we do not get in England I imagine it involves witty banter about topics, as discussed - or debated if you will - by the people in front of microphones. See how quick I pick up on a premise? How am I not a professional review writer, or is it reviewist? Review Monger? Erica won a Leo award, along with another Buttpod guest Peter Kelamis, for best comedy screenwriting on the 21st Annual Gemini Awards, which I believe is a commendation given to people who are really good at being born between May 21st to June 21st.

Episode Four - Dave Shumka

Dave is the co-host and producer of the award winning "Stop Podcasting Yourself". On each episode Dave and podcasting partner Graham Clark, chat with a different guest about awide range of subjects to tickle your funny bone with. Brent has been a guest on the show a number of times and no doubt was hilarious, I haven't listened - but I will....eventually. Dave is also currently in the running for the "Least Amount of information about a human being on the Internet" award, currently held by ButtPod guest Ivan Decker. So there is very little I can tell you here other than Dave has a B.A. in Political Science....which is very interesting. This snippet of info actually puts him out of the running for the least info award as I have no idea if Ivan Decker has a B.A. I personally hope Ivan has a City and Guilds Diploma for Crochet and Needlework.

I recommend checking out Stop Podcasting Yourself, the link to the site is above in Dave's name and perhaps we can all learn a little bit more about Dave, and each other, through his comical musings.

Other Corner Gas cast members are keeping very busy at the moment. A couple of months ago I mentioned that Lorne Cardinal is due to appear in The Last Wife, by Kate Hennig. The play, directed by Glynis Leyshon, will be performed at The Martha Cohen Theatre in Calgary by the Albert Theatre Projects company. The play is a retelling of the story surrounding the relationship between Katherine Parr and Henry VIII. The tale has been noted as an examination of patriarchy, sexual politics and womans rights. Here is a brief ad for the play that appeared on various social media last week featuring Lorne as Henry VIII in a very nice suit.

If you are lucky enough to be in Calgary between September 12th - 30th please go and check out this fantastic production. Click the picture above to be taken to the booking site to buy your tickets. Anyone who would like to post a review of the show here on the site can do so by sending your thoughts to me at any of the addresses on our contact page. 

I also had a little look at the following video, although it is from a previous production, it gives you a great idea of what the show is about and a little of what to expect. 

Tara Spencer-Nairn has popped up on SyFy channel opus Killjoys as ominous character Kitaan. Killjoys, now in it's third season, is the story of three bounty hunters, working for the Retrieval and Apprehension Coalition, capturing bad guys with warrants out for their arrests. These agents have a reputation for spoiling the fun these naughty types get up to and are there for known as "Killjoys" across the J cluster. The J cluster is part of a heavily populated area of space known as The Quad, run by the tyrannical "Corporation". J cluster is located between I cluster and K cluster but is very popular due to lower property values and nicer views.

Each episode we follow the adventures of a team of three Killjoys, kicking the butt of that weeks big bad. Killjoys is available to watch on the Syfy Channel, even here in England! Seasons one and two are also streaming on Netflix. I have started to watch and it is certainly creating a very in depth universe in which the show is set. So much so it is very hard to write you a brief synopsis of these later episodes and have you understand what is going on. I will give it a go, what's the worst that could happen?!

In episode five of the latest season, "Attack the Rack", we are introduced to Kitaan a Level 6 agent that has been infected with Hullen. See, one sentence in and already I have absolutely no idea what this means. I have researched on the net and lets just say it's all very complicated and would take me a dozen posts to explain. Basically, it suggests that Kitaan is one tough cookie and has a regenerative superpower that makes her rather hard to dispose of, a bit like those bottle tops that you are not sure of they can go in the recycling bin or not.

Kitaan comes across as Hannibal Lector type, possibly disturbed and under confinement, but holds important plot building information the lead characters need to save the day. She returns in the season penultimate episode "Reckoning Ball" and is the key to the Killjoys plan to trap Aneela by implanting a false memory in Kitaan which she can, in turn, put into the Greens collective memory. Are you still following? Me neither, long and short is it's all very exciting and makes for good telly. In the process of carrying out their plan Kitaan escapes and engages in some pugilism with one of our heroes before meeting her fate, which may or may not lead to her return in a future episode. 

I have read some reviews of these two episodes and the overall consensus is that Tara has done an amazing job of bringing this rather intimidating character to life. I am not sure if she is a method actor but, as her followers on Instagram will know, Tara has been spending a lot of time in the gym getting incredibly ripped, which obviously helps when believing that Kitaan could offer you up quite a biff in chops!

Fred Ewanuick is featured in the new movie "The Prodigal Dad". A comedy drama, or dramedy, telling the coming of age story of a father who should have come of age some time ago. The titular Dad arrives back in his daughters life ready to party and solve everyone's problems, except his own.

The movie is written and directed by Robert Wenzek and is having it's premiere at the Whistler Film Festival in December. It will be competing for the Borsos Award and Corner Gas Fan Corner wishes their team heaps of luck. The trailer for the movie can be seen here on it's Facebook page and features Fred in action. I shall keep you updated on the release of the movie and where you can get to see it when it get's full release.

Gabrielle Miller features in the cast of the new movie Garage Sale Mystery: Murder By Text which
premiered this month on the Hallmark channel. This is the latest in a series of movies based on the novels written by Suzi Weinert about antique shop owner Jennifer Shannon who becomes embroiled in a series of mysteries. A bit like Murder She Wrote only the old dusty things are on the shelves and not solving the mystery. The story revolves around the band of country singer John Dalton. They all receive a text which appears to be a suicide note from their bassist. However, when Jennifer discovers that a taser was used to stun the victim before her death she begins to wonder if the musician is in fact the victim of murder. Gabrielle plays Beth Anne, estranged sister of the co-owner of Jennifer's shop Dani. Her story line is more of a sub plot and covers her relationship with Dani who is wondering why Beth has come to visit her out of the blue. Gabrielle has been noted as a welcome addition to the cast of regulars and there is hope she may return to future entries to the series. The movie can been seen on The Hallmark Channel around the world and Channel 5 in England, check your local listings.

If you are thinking of going on vacation soon why not treat yourself to a trip to Dog River. In conjunction with CTV the town of Rouleau, Sakatchewan, which was used for all the exterior shots when Corner Gas was being filmed, has added a new walking tour of all the major locations used on the show.

The tour has fourteen locations, each having a brass plaque located on them. You can scan a QR code that is on the plaque with an app on your chosen smart device and you will be treated to videos about the making of the show and a sneek peek of what the building will look like in the animated show, which I may have just spoilt for you above. If you don't want to ruin the surprise please do not read the start of this post.

Here is a picture of the map of the tour to wet your whistle as I am going to cover Rouleau in another post, mainly because this one has become insanely long and you are probably asleep by now.

 I will advise however that a chap in Vancouver told me it took four days by car, train, steamer ship and donkey to get to the town, which wasn't exactly accurate. It will take 348 hours, if you walk or 16 hours 41 minutes by car to get there from Vancouver. I don't know! If you can't trust a sales person from Hot Topic to give you accurate travel information who can you trust!

Finally just a little plug for my fellow Corner Gas enthusiasts over at www.cornergasonline.com. Jeremy and Jules are regularly adding their own commentary tracks for episodes of Corner Gas in chronological order. Please check them out, click the link above to go straight to their site. I am sure we will be hearing more from them soon here at Corner Gas Fan Corner.

Phew, that's it for this month. I gotta run, I've a bus to catch.

The Corner Gas Episode Guides - Documenting Corner Gas

There have been many books written that have been deemed classics of the literary form. The works of Shakespeare, Catcher in the Rye by....an author and Dirty Jokes and Beer By Drew Carey. These all have value and merit in that they all contain words, some of them large and clever, but they are all unified by one overwhelming oversight that could wash all the awards and praise heaped upon them away with one metaphorical Johnsons Baby Wipe. None of the so called masters of the form had the forethought to include a Corner Gas episode guide within their pages!

Perhaps, this is because the task is one of considerable responsibility. How do you capture such a fantastical oeuvre of work within your oeuvre of work? I would take a brave person of incredible skill, pluck and stamina to take on such a Herculean task. Luckily such a person exists.

MICHELE SPONAGLE

Michele Sponagle has written what are the essential guides to the making of Corner Gas. Michele is an extremely accomplished writer, editor and author. She has contributed to many magazines and worked on projects for publishers and companies covering a wide range of subjects. The wealth of her experience is particularly evident in the Corner Gas guides.

 Available in two volumes, "Tales From Dog River" (TFDR) covers seasons one to three and "Dog River Confidential" (DRC) continues from season four to season six. As I have mentioned before, I am aware that when I heap praise on Corner Gas related items on my site that it could be construed by the reader as being somewhat redundant. No point in having a fan site and say your muse is a crappy one! However, in my geeky lifetime I have read many episode guides and making of tome's and I have to say the Corner Gas books are by far two of the best I have ever read (another good one is The Mystery Science Theatre 3000 Colossal Episode Guide - but let their fan site inform you about that one).

The amount of detail Michele has included is fantastic. Most episode guides are glorified lists. Titles of episodes, with a few scant plot details, air dates and cast and crew members included in their pages. Such books are often no more than expensive photo albums, containing more to look at than read. TFDR and DRC are chock full of behind the scenes details, interviews and photo's covering every aspect of the show. There are even recipes for Chilli Cheese Dog's and The Ruby's Apple Pie!

Each book starts with a foreword by Brent Butt, both of which are very enjoyable, however Michele is careful not to devote the book to the stars of the show. There is plenty of information about the main cast, particularly in TFDR, however every man and his dog (river) are included here which really helps create a rounded picture of the amount of people involved and the effort that goes into the creation of every episode of Corner Gas. There are interviews and thoughts from conceivably every person of interest involved in the making of the show, which is a lovely touch. The episode section of each book is contained in the middle of the volume, book-ended by all the meaty details of the behind the scenes action. Each episode listing includes a plot synopsis and episode specific behind the scenes details and also includes quotes, snippets of dialogue and cast and crew anecdotes. We are even given a count of how many times we hear the word Jackass in that broadcast and how many cups of coffee are consumed! If this is not enough also included in both books are resource guides with website addresses for other places to look for more Corner Gas related information. If we are lucky enough that Michele is tasked with writing a new book to cover Corner Gas Animated perhaps www.cornergasfan.com may be included in this wonderful little section (nudge, nudge, wink, wink #cheekypoorlyvailedrequest !)

Some lucky ducks having their episode guides signed by Michele and Brent!

The only problem I have with these magnificent books is, how in the blue blazes am I going to be able to top them here on my site. What in fact are blazes, how are they blue and why is importance heaped on them so?

Well the simple answer is, I'm not going to attempt it. You are! I am going add a new page with a list of episodes in each season so you have a guide to the content of all six seasons. In essence a tick list so you can make sure you have not missed an episode of Corner Gas where ever, or however you choose to watch it. If the broadcasting of sit coms where you are is the same as we get here in England, episodes are vary rarely shown in order. It is rarer still for a season of a show to be shown
in it's entirety. So our guide will help you keep track of what you have and haven't seen.

Here is where you come in. I would like readers to submit to me their favourite episodes. Let me know which you like and why, go into as much or as little detail as you like. Also include your star rating for the episode, out of five. I say stars so you know what I am on about - I will however be using a gas pump rating system which works the same as stars ...only the stars are pumps, it fit's my remit! I know, creative genius! Try and be as honest as you can, even the greatest show can't have all five star episodes. Why not let me know if there is an episode you think isn't quite so hot as others and give that a rating.

Any episode recommended by you the reader will then be reviewed in full by myself and I will add your "pump" rating to the episodes listing in the episode guide along with a snippet of your own review. I will include your name and rough area in the world that you come from unless you say not to, none of your other details will be given. Eventually we should have a handy dandy one stop guide to which episodes are the true greats and I will one day write up some sort of top ten as voted for by the public.

Whilst that get's up to speed, I highly recommend buying Tales From Dog River and Dog River Confidential as the perfect resource for all things Corner Gas. For our English audience I have included links to the Amazon listings for both books in their cover pictures above. I am sure the rest of the world can pick them up at all good bookshops, and some of the bad ones too.

Once you have the books don't stop coming here for all the latest news and shenanigans - don't want to write myself out of a job or anything!