The Industry (1998–2002) User Reviews

Fantastic!

[markgorys · 9/10 · 6 August 2018]

This was a fantastic show. Rick Mercer is great in this and the other actors are very good as well. The writing is very good. Lots of great laughs and the stories are very good too.

So far ahead of its time

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 9/10 · 24 November 2018]

Made In Canada (aka The Industry) was The Office before there was The Office (British or American versions). Before Arrested Development. Before Curb Your Enthusiasm. Cameras that move. Creatively built sets. No stupid laugh track. Clever and funny writing. Characters that are variously ruthless, greedy, venal or stupid. So far ahead of its time. So under-appreciated. Gawd I love it. There hasn't been a decent thing on Canadian TV since. But it's been imitated elsewhere over and over again. See the original.

PLEASE, somebody release the whole series on DVD

[ziegl027 · 10/10 · 6 June 2006]

This is one of the best sitcoms I have ever seen, which I stumbled across on PBS as "The Industry". Fabulous, wicked dark humor. Great one-sided characters you love to hate set in the Canadian television industry. In one episode one of the actors goes to Mexico for cheap hair transplants and dies--there's no sadness or warmth amongst the remaining characters, only a desperate scramble to cover it up and figure out a way to write 'im out of the series. Sadly, my PBS affiliate no longer shows it, preferring to air the same old 30+ year old britcoms and RedGreen. I eventually found one disc of 5 or 6 episodes out there, but there are something like five seasons that languish in a vault somewhere. SET THEM FREE!!!!

Perhaps Canada's best show to date

[hypernode1 · 13 January 2004]

I always liked Rick Mercer, he was my favourite cast member of "This Hour has 22 Minutes" and that show really went to pot when he left. CBC should look at "Made in Canada" and aspire to make more shows of this calibre. The whole cast was brilliant, but Leah Pinsent was especially good in my opinion. And for those wondering why mainstream television (Hollywood or not) cannot write anything as brilliant as this show has been - you need to pay much closer attention, the answer is contained within.

Doesn't get much better...

[TheSkeletonFactory · 10/10 · 19 February 2004]

This show deserves any and all the recognition that it gets as television doesn't get much better than this show.

Yes, Made In Canada is a biting satire, nicely set up by its placement: Canadian television production. But at the same time, it is so undeniably quirky that I'm always left in stitches. Constant running gags like that of "Network Brian" always wearing white running shoes with his suits, one cast member at the end of almost every episode saying either "I think that went well" or "This is not good", the references to 'Prom Night At Horny High' and the fun looks that Rick Mercer (Richard Strong) will occasionally give the camera.

Typically Canadian and truly awe inspiring, Made In Canada is show I watch now in reruns whenever possible, and without fail. There isn't an episode not worthy of a multiple viewing and thankfully both Showcase and CBC run it daily.

If you've never seen this show, you are incredibly disadvantaged as a television viewer; nothing comes close to this calibur. If I were you I would find a way to watch it.

My only hope is that eventually this show's five seasons will come out on DVD. Keeping my fingers crossed!!!

***** out of *****

One of the best shows about the film/TV industry, regardless of country of origin

[Narce · 10/10 · 3 August 2018]

As others have already said, this is one of the best shows out there for depicting the "behind the scenes" aspects of Film/Television production.

The real tragedy is that only Season 1 was ever released on DVD, for some reason known only to the producers. I myself have never even seen Season 5, the last one made, and have been completely unable to find any source for it.

The original production was made by Salter Street Films, which was subsequently bought out by Alliance Atlantis (shades of Pyramid Prodigy in the series?) So it can be hard to find who owns the rights to the series if you wanted to track it down.

Where has this series been all my life?

[mathmaniac · 10/10 · 15 September 2017]

Ho hum. Canadian television - who wants to watch that wholesome politely amusing stuff that Canadians find knee-slapping hilarious?

Surprised to see just five minutes of this series that was offered for viewing free on amazon prime video (streaming) and unable to stop watching because it is so very funny. Witty, clever, cynical, sarcastic, and above all - the industry laughing at its own phony clichéd business practices!

This series could be matched against any number of more polished American comedy series - "Schitt's Creek," for example (starring a Canadian actor, Eugene Levy). Or "Episodes," starring Matt LeBlanc. I don't think I even enjoyed "The Office" as much as this.

The first episode feels uncomfortably lower-budget (but very well- acted) and it is by the second episode that the viewer realizes how hilarious this is and accepts what is just a Canadian style of set design.

I am SO glad I found this. It's utterly delightful. These Canadians are a hoot!

The best

[shrek2004 · 19 September 2003]

This is one of the very best shows CBC has ever produced (they don't produce many shows by the way these days). It's interesting, political, the actors all have impeccable comedic timing and they have PETER KELEGHAN!!! Yummy :P Every episode is great.

a dry biting satire

[tovachanah · 12 January 2001]

Made in Canada isn't a knee=slapping sitcom; its ironic biting satire.

Not just of office politics, but of the entertainment industry, canada, and human relationships and perceptions etc. rick mercer has a fine eye for distilling the esscence of human insanity into a half-hour form (or is it 22 minutes??) everyone knows an 'alan': the take credit for it but i'm not going to work boss. victor: the spineless syncophant; richard: the aggradizing, self-promoting jerk; veronica: the one who does all the work and gets none of the credit and wanda: the "radar o'reilley" of the office who holds it all together. i even like the 'beaver creek'(aka 'little house on the prairie' etc) send-ups of bloated tv series and even more bloated star egos.

hollywood should take a look at canadian tv. these shows are character driven and entertaining and don't insult my intellegence

now why can't hollywood do this???

9.5 of 10

[sbktex · 27 May 2000]

We get this in Dallas on Friday nights on PBS as "The Industry".

I'm not sure what's stopping this show from being a perfect 10.. great cast and writing, IMPECCABLE cinematography.. maybe Bonus points for veracity of vanity and precision of mannerisms and quirks. Maybe a micron weak when 'out of the office' doing 'Beaver Creek' shoots..

The age old adage.. "Why can't Hollywood.. "

The best, that's all

[vodou · 7 December 2001]

This is my favourite comedy on TV, bar none. The timing and the layering of storylines are beautiful; watching the double- and triple-crosses build is sheer joy. The humour is dry, ironic, sharp as a knife, and it somehow all feels true to life. The fact that the Tragically Hip's "Blow at High Dough" brackets each episode is wonderful. The actors are all amazing. Character-driven and biting, this is what CBC can do when they get everything right.

The only other comedy I've ever enjoyed this much is "Twitch City".

If only ALL Canadian shows were this good

[canuck001 · 30 December 2002]

Forget John Candy, Jim Carrey, Catherine O'Hara - the funniest Canadian to ever live has got to be Rick Mercer. On 'This Hour Has 22 Minutes', Mercer was lost in the other talent & brilliance of the rest of the cast, and wasn't able to shine or showcase his true talent. Until Made In Canada came along.

Critics say it's like the Newsroom. Well, sure, that is slightly true in that both shows have the same leading actor and that both are set in the Canadian television mold where they take a satirical look at them. But Made in Canada is edgier AND funnier (not sitcom laugh-out-loud funny, but rather more intelligent humour)

One of my favourite aspects of the show is the way it pokes fun of the CBC & all Canadian television in general - Beaver Creek is the flagship show of the "network" and the premise sounds an awful lot like that horrendous 'Road to Avonlea' show that seemed to be aired on CBC for about 30 years. 'Sword of Damacles' is a take on the Hercules/Xena syndication garbage that was television in the 90s.

Made in Canada is probably my personal favourite show of all time, and also I would hope that it continues to be aired in years to come on Showcase or CBC or other channels that come along to give good quality Canadian shows a second chance. Not only is the writing & storylines on the show absolutely brilliant, but the acting as well. From Rick Mercer's portrayal of the greedy, ambitious, intelligent script reader-turned head of television production right down to Alex Carter's portrayal of the dimwitted, clueless star of 'Sword of Damacles' there isn't a weak link in the actors on the show, and that is probably another reason the show is as fantastic as it is.

Watch it once, you'll be hooked - trust me. I am only sorry this will be the last season of the show, however it is always good to go out on top. I hope Rick Mercer & the rest of the cast go on to bigger & better things, and I also hope the rest of the seasons end up on DVD like Season 1 has.

Great show and wit and application of sarcasm

[ArtistsAthletes · 24 April 2003]

This show is both entertainment and social commentary. Although the entertainment industry is what is probably best known by the writers and it is more interesting than many other industries, the points made can be applied to many other industries. It is the one show that is both escape and educational. Of course, I also have the same sense of humor (hopefully as good but we will see) so I "get" these show from the start. The writing and cast are top notch.

Hilarious and witty..

[ps95ad · 14 January 2000]

This show is great. A biting satire of Canada and the entertainment industry. Witty, sarcastic and right on the money. ;) Rick Mercer is a genius. He has a knack for insightful and true, yet hilarious insight. Great supporting cast, too. Highly recommended, eh? ;-)

One of the finest Canadian TV shows

[public_image_ltd · 3 May 2005]

I think it's sad to see how underrated Canadian TV is. Especially comedies. There a lots of great Candian TV shows such as Twitch City, Slings and Arrows, 22 Minutes and this one, Made In Canada, probably the best out of the lot.

Made in Canada is a powerful satire of the Canadian film and TV industry. The cast (Mercer, Pinsent, Keleghan, Lett, etc...) are all excellent. Even the way it is filmed makes the show event better. And they always had amazing guest stars such as Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson from the Kids in the Hall, Don McKellar and Gordon Pinsent... The last season, especially the very last episode weren't as good as the first four seasons, but overall, it's an amazing show that's worth seeing!

This is great guys!

[rudebuzztard · 28 January 2003]

They started airing this show on canal+ (cable) a few months ago, and I must say this is really good!. I thought North-America's ability to self-reflect had died out and that only feel good tv and movies were made over there. But shows like this one are a great relief. I think all the characters are great, except for the boss Alan Roy, he is just a bit too stupid, a bit overdone. But still, I give this show a very high rating and I must say it;s better than anything we dutch people will ever make. But on the other hand, out movie and tv industry is not as screwed up as it is in Nort America :p so we have no real need to makes stuff like this ;). I give it a 8 out of 10!.