Season Four of Son of a Critch debuted on the CBC on Tuesday, January 7th. Season Four consists of 13 episodes, filmed in St. John's Newfoundland last summer. The coming-of-age comedy is based on comedian Mark Critch's memoir of his boyhood in St. John's, also called Son of a Critch. As the series moves into the 1990s, 14-year-old Mark Critch, portrayed masterfully by British actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, faces new challenge and family issues. As a Grade 10 student, Mark finds himself at the bottom rung during his first year of high school.
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| Mark Critch |
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| Ainsworth |
The school Mark attends is Holy Heart of Mary, the same Catholic high school that the real Mark Critch attended in the 1990s. The scenes were shot during July and August, when classes were not in session.
Here are some things to watch for in the new season: Spoiler Alert: If you'd rather not know what happens in Season Four, skip the information below.
* Mark's grandfather, Patrick "Pop" Critch, played by veteran English actor Malcolm McDowell, finally moves into his own bedroom, after years of sharing a room with Mark. However, the 80-year-old faces a serious illness.
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| McDowell |
* Mark's mother, Mary Critch, played by Clair Rankin of Prince Edward Island, returns to school. Mary also has to deal with menopause and a mid-life crisis.
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| Claire Rankin |
* Mark's brother, Mike Critch Jr., played by Colton Gobbo from Sudbury, Ontario, sets out on a radio career, joining a new FM station called Magic 97, putting him in direct competition with his own father, Mike Sr,, played by the real Mark Critch (Yes, Critch plays his own father, Mike Critch Sr., a real-life Newfoundland radio legend), The senior Critch struggles to feel relevant amid new ownership and possible changes at his radio station.
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| Colton Gobbo |
* Mark's best friend, Richie (Mark Ezekiel Rivera) follows his dream of being a musician and forms forms his first band, Potatobug.
* Mark's red-haired love interest, Fox (Sophia Powers), starts a new job and finds new friends.
Two actors have been added to the cast for Season Four. Labrador native Shawn Doyle plays Kevin Lewis, a well-know local actor and Holy Heart of Mary drama teacher. Doyle's screen credits include 24 and Desperate Housewives and The Eleventh Hour. His Kevin Lewis character becomes Mark's mentor and nurtures his love for acting. He encourages Mark to start a comedy troupe called Cat Fud.
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| Shawn Doyle |
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| The real Kevin Lewis |
The real-life Mark Critch actually had a mentor and friend named Kevin Lewis. Lewis, a pillar of Newfoundland theatre, died last February at the age of 81. Filming Doyle's scenes, many in the Holy Heart stage where Lewis taught, was an emotional experience for Critch. "It's like stepping into a memory, he told The Telegram, a St. John's newspaper, in July when the scenes were filmed. It's bittersweet and Shawn is brilliant in the role."
One of my favourite comedians, Newfoundland's own Rick Mercer, has also joined the cast for two episodes this season. He portrays Bruce Bartlett, a businessman who made his fortune as a car salesman. Bartlett becomes the new owner of radio station VOCM. Here's how Mercer explained his role to The Telegram ." "I'm the guy who buys VOCM and I decide to drag it into the modern world. Of course, Mark's father, Mike, is not really part of the modern world, so he's very concerned what this Bruce Bartlett character might do to the radio station, including changing formats and getting rid of talk."
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| Rick Mercer |
- Joanne
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