Vancouver’s television industry isn’t letting up on the gas pedal despite a rainy start to the spring or new tax credit incentives in California. There’s 17 diverse TV shows filming in and around Vancouver this May:
NEW SERIES
Altered Carbon
Season 1
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Martha Higareda, James Purefoy and more
Network: NETFLIX
Until June 20, 2017
This highly-anticipated futuristic drama for Netflix is based on the 2002 ‘cyberpunk’ sci-fi novel of the same name. It shoots at Surrey’s new Skydance Media Studio.
Skydance Studios unveiled today in #Surrey with #AlteredCarbon crew. Thanks to the community for the warm welcome! pic.twitter.com/aoYQyVNOnA
— Skydance (@Skydance) September 21, 2016
Ghost Wars
Season 1
May 1 – September 11, 2017
Local production company Ghost Wars BC Productions Inc. starts shooting the first season of “Ghost Wars” in May. It’s being produced by Petros Danabassis who worked on AMC’s “Hell on Wheels” which was filmed in Alberta.
Hit the Road
Season 1
Network: AT&T Audience Network
May 23 – July 14, 2017
From “Seinfeld” alum Jason Alexander comes the original comedy series “Hit the Road” which AT&T Audience Network just picked up for a straight-to-series order. The first season will consist of 10 half-hour episodes and centers around a dysfunctional family headed up by Alexander.
Thanks, Ed. And here, folks, is what I’ve been developing for the last 16 months. We shoot this summer and on TV in the fall. Hope u will ❤ https://t.co/r2njf8wGHE
— jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) April 24, 2017
Lost in Space
Season 1
Starring: Toby Stephens, Taylor Russel, Molly Parker, Parker Posey
Network: NETFLIX
Until June 26, 2017
Another anticipated a Netflix show is the remake of the American sci-fi classic “Lost in Space” about colonists lost in space.
Somewhere Between
Season 1
Starring: Paula Patton, Devon Sawa, JR Bourne
Network: ABC
Until June 15, 2017
Vancouver’s own Thunderbird Entertainment is producing this supernatural thriller drama based on a Korean format.
RETURNING SERIES
Beyond
Season 2
Freeform
Starring: Burkley Duffield, Romy Rosemont, Michael McGrady
Until August 16, 2017
Chesapeake Shores
Season 2
Hallmark Channel
Starring: Meghan Ory, Jesse Metcalf, Barbara Niven
Until July 18, 2017 (Vancouver Island)
Chesapeake Shores First read through pic.twitter.com/sp95mPjHkP
— Treat Williams (@Rtreatwilliams) April 14, 2017
Dirk Gently
Season 2
Netflix, BBC America
Starring: Elijah Wood
May 8-30, 2017
RELATED: Interviews with Dirk Gently’s Alison Thornton and Viv Leakcock
Haters Back Off
Season 2
Netflix
Starring: Colleen Evans (Miranda Sings)
Until June 5, 2017
Project Mc2
Season 3
Netflix
Starring: Danica McKellar
Until May 1, 2017
The Man in the High Castle
Season 3
Amazon
Starring: Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans, DJ Qualls and more
May 17 – October 17, 2017
Related: Interview with The Main in The High Castle’s Quinn Lord
And so it begins… First costume fitting for S3. #maninthehighcastle #HighCastle #JulianaCrain @HighCastleTV pic.twitter.com/Qs6cFV2B29
— Alexa Davalos (@alexaKdavalos) April 8, 2017
Travelers
Season 2
Netflix, Showcase
Starring: Eric McCorkmack, Mackenzie Porter, Patrick Gilmore
Until July 28, 2017
If you’ve ever wondered how the film crew avoids turbulence on flight scenes… #TravelersNetflix pic.twitter.com/NjG02TvZWB
— Travelers (@TRVLRSseries) April 14, 2017
UnREAL
Season 3
Lifetime
Starring: Shiri Appleby, Constance Zimmer, Genevieve Buechner
Until May 11, 2017
Related: Interview with UnREAL’s Genevieve Buechner
Van Helsing
Season 2
Syfy
Starring: Kelly Overton
Until June 16, 2017
Related: Interview with Van Helsing’s Rukiya Bernard
Looking a little spooky on the set of #VanHelsing tonight. @yvrshoots @vanhelsingwrite Wanda and a lot of the cast filming!! pic.twitter.com/3hr9DhyNrV
— Stacey (@hushrules) April 6, 2017
Zoo
Season 3
CBS
Starring: James Wolk, Kristen Connolly, Billy Burke
Until June 20, 2017
TV PILOTS
A number of television pilots shot around Vancouver last month including “Reverie” for NBC, “Doomsday”, “The Trustee” and “The Good Doctor” for ABC and “Wisdom of the Crowd” for CBS. At least one more is scheduled and one more is rumoured to shoot this May:
Firewall
TV Pilot
Network: CBS
Genre: Legal, Drama
Schedule: May 2017 (rumoured)
A San Fran billionaire experiences a personal tragedy and takes the legal system into his own hands.
Singularity
TV Pilot
Starring: Damon Wayans Jr., Langston Kerman, Michelle Buteau
Network: FX
Genre: Comedy, Sci-fi
Schedule: May 8-17, 2017
Sonny Lee brings his futuristic comedy pilot to life, backed by writing and producing partners Seth Rogen and Adam Goldberg. The local duo is also producing “Preacher” on AMC and “Future Man” on Hulu in addition to the movie Game Over, Man which is currently filming in Vancouver. Lee has produced shows such as “2 Broke Girls”, “Silicon Valley”, “The Real O’Neals” and “Girlboss”.
Singularity is set in the future when artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence. Two shows under the Fox umbrella recently packed-up and moved production to LA for new tax incentives: Lucifer (FOX) and Legion (FX). Here’s to hoping that FX picks up Singularity and keeps it in Vancouver.
Hulu’s drama “Shut Eye” also just announced its moving production from Vancouver to Santa Clara, California for season 2.
Did you know five of your favourite Vancouver-filmed adult dramas have been renewed for another season? The list includes dark comedy “Imposters” on Bravo, insider Hollywood drama “The Arrangement” on E!, fantasy drama “The Magicians” on Syfy, teen drama “Riverdale” on The CW and dark comedy “A Series of Unfortunate Events” on Netflix. Read more here.
*All schedule dates are courtesy of CreativeBC (CRBC) and What’sFilmin (WF), subject to change.
By Amar Mirchandani @amarmirch