The Red Green Show - A Retrospective, Review & Some Facts

Written & Edited by: Lee Fenton

The ‘Red Green Show’.

As far as Canadian properties go - this one’s a mixed bag. Is there such a thing as a parody that’s too self aware? 

If so, it might be the ‘Red Green Show’.

There are many aspects of this television series I love.  It is (maybe was?) a staple of many households in rural Canada. Yet there are certain elements of the show that I originally found rather grating. That being said, growing up with only four or five channels, rather than prime time cable - meant that I was able to experience this show on a regular basis and became accustomed to its folksy sense of humour. 

On the whole, ‘The Red Green Show’ is a quaint look at regional customs in Eastern Canada, delivering some solid anecdotes and one-liners.

Once I got past the initial disconnect (as I spent my earlier years in Victoria, BC - a much larger population center than was being depicted) ‘The Red Green Show’  turned out to be highly enjoyable!

And there’s a reason for that - what the show lacks in overall nuance is made up for in its earnest attempt to elicit a chuckle. 

The characters are all well rounded and seem like they were ‘plucked’ from real life. And it is apparent that the creator(s) had a sincere love for the community they grew up in - that their comedy is a way to pay tribute to their surroundings, and to make light of the hardships that the people of rural Canada endure. In fact, it really speaks to anybody that comes from a blue collar background or happened to grow up in the ‘boonies’.

I was somebody that spent my first six years in the Canadian city of Victoria, BC (which I mentioned already) after which, I moved to the area I’ve spent most of my time in - The Kootenay/Cariboo Region, also located in British Columbia. This area is rather small and similar to the one being shown on screen, due to its lack of people and over-abundance of wildlife: deer, otters, mountain lions, grizzly bears, and the like. 

Even though they are on opposite sides of the country, BC vs Ontario, ‘The Red Green Show’ is something that speaks to almost any Canuck that doesn’t reside in a densely populated area. At the time of first viewing; ‘The Red Green Show’ I had just recently been relocated to the countryside, a place that felt foreign to me, and that I was wholly unprepared for.

Like I said, grizzly bears, mountain lions, oh my!

I resisted the host of dry jokes and ‘cringe’ moments that this little Canadian public access show offered, but in the end - it won me over. 

Hell, I would even go as far to say: ‘The Red Green Show’ is essential viewing for anybody living in Canada. 

Although… maybe go watch ‘The Trailer Park Boys’ & ‘Letterkenny’ first.

But make sure to come back to ‘Red Green’ after….

and get some advice on how to fix your toaster with duct tape, some fishing line, and an old 9 volt battery. 

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Rating: 6.5/10

I dunno, how about some Moose meat & Poutine 

(fries with cheese curds, gravy). 

Seems culturally relevant, if you ask me.

The Red Green Show

Merry Xmas from welldonemovies.com
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Some More Facts:

-‘The Red Green Show’ has been nominated for 23 Gemini awards over the years, only snagging one in 1998 - Patrick McKenna (as Harold Green) for Best Performance in a Comedy Program or Series.

-‘The Red Green Show’ has spawned a feature length film, called ‘Red Green: Duct Tape Forever’

-Steve Smith is the creator and star of ‘The Red Green Show’ and has been nominated for five Gemini awards.

-Steve Smith was born in Toronto, Ontario in Canada.

- Renowned Canadian actor Graham Greene (who has starred alongside the likes of Kevin Costner, Tom Hanks, Kevin Spacey, and Mel Gibson) played a recurring role as Edgar Montrose on the ‘Red Green Show’. The character was used to great comedic effect.

-Interestingly, both the spelling (and pronunciation) ‘Duct Tape’ and ‘Duck Tape’ are correct. If we follow the etymology, original heavy duty tapes were made by using “duck cloth”, a heavy canvas material. The term “duck cloth” (also “cotton duck”) is derived from the Dutch word doek which means linen canvas. However this same tape weas later used for repairing ventilation ducts, apropos in common nomenclature the more commonly heard became ‘duct tape’. However there are still brands to this day that choose to label themselves as ‘Duck Tape’. The oldest brand known predates the usage of ‘duct tape’.

CORRECTION NOTED I originally claimed something that was incorrect about duck tape being related to goose and duck fat. I was wrong. I apologize. These are the correct facts. You can double check, if you would like. I did my homework this time.

-The Red Green Show is not yet rated on the Rotten Tomatoes website, which is a shame.

-The Red Green Show ran from 1991 to 2006.

-Possum Lake (the setting for the show) is a fictional place located in the Muskoka region of Ontario, Canada.

The Muskoka region is a real place. I swear.