ICYHW: North of North
You might be able to watch it on Netflix now...but this is not just another Netflix Show.
Yesterday, two of my friends separately texted me about North of North so I figured it was finally time to publish this one that has been in the drafts!
I am going to start with something controversial yet brave: sometimes canadian produced tv and movies are not very good. I’m sorry, but some of the shows I see on CBC Gem are bewildering and I have to wonder who is even watching them? But then again, old people have cable AND love police procedurals.
North of North is not one of those shows. As soon as I saw the trailer, I knew I was in for a good time and —AS PER USUAL— I was right!!! If you weren’t watching this show weekly (like some of us with taste), you can now watch it on Netflix. But let me say this: Although you can now watch it on Netflix, this is not just another Netflix Show. North of North is not just another random Netflix production that popped up out of nowhere, but an incredible show backed by APTN, CBC, and Netflix. Because it’s THAT good!!!!
The Basics:
Where you can watch: APTN if you have that channel/cable. CBC Gem (which is free). lt was also recently added to Canadian Netflix (it was already on the US one).
Episodes: So far there has just been one season - 8 episode which are about ~30 mins each.
Created by: Stacey Aglok MacDonald (Inuk) and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (Inuk)
Starring: Anna Lambe (Inuk), Maika Harper (Inuk), Kelly William, Mary Lynn Rajskub (settler), Braeden Clarke (Cree), Jay Ryan (settler), Zorga Qaunaq (Inuk, Iglulingmiut), Bailey Poching (Ngāti Whatua ki Kaipara, Sāmoa). There is also appearances from Tanya Tagaq (Inuk)!
North of North follows Siaja (Anna Lambe), trying to figure out her life and navigate motherhood after deciding to leave her husband, Ting (Kelly William). Set in the fictional Arctic town of Ice Cove, North of North is helmed by two Inuit creators with a predominantly Inuit cast. You can read a great interview with the women behind the show here!
Siaja ends up living with her mom, Neevee (Maika Harper), who is navigating her own challenges with life and love. I won’t spoil it but suffice to say a familiar-to-Neevee-face returns to Ice Cove and drama ensues.
Siaja gets herself a job working for the local community centre (which is of course led by a white lady, Helen, played by Mary Lynn Rajskub) and tries to land Ice Cove as the location for a research project — and of course a handsome stranger has to enter the equation because this project includes Inuk-Cree city boy Kuuk (Braeden Clarke), who has come to Ice Cove on a short-term research contract to try and reconnect with his roots.
The community of Ice Cove includes an excellent cast of characters, like Siaja’s friends Millie (Zorga Qaunaq) and Colin (Bailey Poching), who runs the local radio station (and moved to Ice Cove for love). Together, Millie and Colin are the queer pals everybody wants (not a couple). There is also resident elder and sassy colleague, Elisapee (Nutaaq Simmonds, Iñupiaq), who delivers some of the funniest lines in the show; and of course Jeffrey (Vinnie Karetak), the owner of the local dump.
While I am not writing from an Inuit or Indigenous perspective, I do think that North of North balances comedy and heavy themes in a brilliant way. The show does not reek of the white gaze we’re so familiar with in canadian settler approaches to Indigenous characters. This show is funny, charming, honest, endearing, and at times, emotional. There’s a great piece in Nunatsiaq News you can read instead of just taking my word for it! This is also a lovely piece on the program/profile of the creators, courtesy of Inuit Art Quarterly.
Season one includes a game of walrus dick baseball, so what more do you want??? Get watching! I’m crossing my fingers for season two.
Loved this show and really hope it inspires CBC/Netflix/whoever to invest in more indigenous-led media! It was really refreshing.
binged this in one day and loved it!!!!! i thought it was actually so funny