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Durham County (TV series)

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Durham County
Created byJanis Lundman
Adrienne Mitchell
Laurie Finstad Knizhnik
StarringHugh Dillon
Michelle Forbes
Michael Nardone
Hélène Joy
Laurence Leboeuf
Greyston Holt
Cicely Austin
Justin Louis
Sonya Salomaa
Kathleen Munroe
Patrick Labbé
Joel Keller
Claudia Fern
Jean-Nicolas Verreault
Country of originCanada
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes18 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time1 hour
Production companiesBack Alley Durham Films
Back Alley Film Productions
Durham Productions
Muse Entertainment Enterprises
Original release
NetworkThe Movie Network
Movie Central
Ion Television
ReleaseMay 7, 2007 –
November 29, 2010

Durham County is a one-hour Canadian dramatic television series produced by Back Alley Film Productions Ltd. and Muse Entertainment Enterprises. It starred Hugh Dillon as Mike Sweeney, a homicide detective who finds that moving back home comes with trouble and danger.

Premise

The series stars Hugh Dillon, as Mike Sweeney, a homicide detective from Toronto who moves his family to suburban Durham County,[1] to start over after his partner was killed and his wife Audrey (Hélène Joy) diagnosed with breast cancer. However, he soon discovers that his neighbour, and childhood nemesis Ray Prager (Justin Louis), may be a serial killer.

Set amidst the landscape of a newer suburban development, the mise-en-scène conveys a palpable sense of alienation, like being cut off from the rest of the world. With shiny hydro towers looming on the skyline, everything appears without history, and homogeneity pervades the neighbourhoods. In this setting, we deal with the aftermath of a serial killer’s impact on his family, his surviving victims and their families. The question is how do the families move on after being so traumatized by the heinous acts of a killer.

Airings

The series premiered on The Movie Network and Movie Central in May 2007. After more than a year, the second season aired in the fall of 2009. The third and final season aired in the fall of 2010. The first season subsequently aired on Global in the 2007-2008 television season. In Canada, the first season came out on DVD on September 9, 2008; and, the second season was released on July 27, 2010.

On September 7, 2009, the series began airing on ION Television, which reaches more than 94 million U.S. television households.[2] The network has secured all U.S. television, digital media rights, internet streaming and video-on-demand rights for the program.[3] It will be the first original series to air on the network since 2004.

Cast

Main cast

  • Mike Sweeney (Hugh Dillon) - Mike Sweeney, a veteran homicide detective having difficulty coming to terms with his past, tries starting afresh by quitting his old position after the murder of his professional partner, and relocating his family back to his hometown. However, he soon realizes he cannot escape his past demons. In trying to cope with his wife's recent cancer diagnosis, he seeks solace with a grieving teacher he meets in a support group.
  • Audrey Sweeney (Hélène Joy) - Audrey Sweeney is the emotionally starved wife of Mike Sweeney, trying to cope with her recent diagnosis of breast cancer.
  • Ray Prager Jr. (Greyston Holt) - Ray Prager Jr. is the self-conscious teenage son of Ray Prager Sr., struggling to find his place despite his overbearing parents, and feeling caught in the middle of his parents' disintegrating relationship. He seems oblivious to his father's shady interests and is often silent about his personal aspirations.

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Episode list

Main article: List of Durham County episodes

Distribution

All three seasons of Durham County are distributed in Canada by Muse Distribution International and internationally by ITV Global.

All three seasons were filmed in and around Montreal, Quebec.

DVD releases

Anchor Bay Entertainment has released the first two seasons on DVD in Canada only.[4][5] The third season will be released on February 21, 2012.[6]

In addition to the DVD releases, all 3 seasons of Durham County became available in Canada on iTunes on August 1, 2011.

Well Go USA has released the first season on DVD in the US.[7] Season 2 was released on November 23, 2010.[8]

DVD Name Ep# Release Date (CAN) Release Date (US)
Season 1 6 September 9, 2008 January 19, 2010
Season 2 6 July 27, 2010 November 23, 2010

Awards and nominations

Durham County - Season 3

  • Gemini Award Wins
    • Best Achievement in Casting - Marissa Richmond, Libby Goldstein, Andrea Kenyon, Suzanne Smith, Randi Wells
  • Gemini Award Nominations
    • Best Direction in a Dramatic Series - Charles Biname
    • Best Sound in a Dramatic Series - Steve Moore, Alex Bullick, Yann Cleary, Christian Cooke, Andrea Higgins, Jill Purdy, Marilee Yorston
    • Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Lead Dramatic Role - Hugh Dillon
    • Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role, Dramatic Series - Michael Nardone
    • Best Performance by an Actress in Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series - Benedicte Decary
  • 2011 EMPixx Awards
    • Platinum Award - Entertainment Category - Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell, Michael Prupas and Laurie Finstad Knizhnik
    • Platinum Award - Writing - Laurie Finstad Knizhnik
    • Platinum Award - Art Direction and Set Design - Donna Noonan
    • Platinum Award - Cinematography - Eric Cayla
    • Platinum Award - Editing - Teresa De Luca
    • Platinum Award - Editing - Michele Conroy
    • Platinum Award - Directing - Adrienne Mitchell
    • Platinum Award - Music Composition - Peter Chapman
  • 2011 WorldFest-Houston Remi Awards
    • Winner of a Gold 2011 Worldfest Remi Award in the category of TV Series - Dramatic.
  • 'WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival 2011
    • Nominated for 5 awards including: Outstanding International Producers (Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell, Michael Prupas), Outstanding Actor (Hugh Dillon, Michael Nardone) and Outstanding Actress (Hélène Joy, Laurence Leboeuf).
  • WGC Screenwriting Award
    • Script for "Distance, Hunting and Home", written by Laurie Finstad Knizhnik, was chosen as a finalist

Durham County – Season 2

  • Gemini Awards
    • Best Achievement in Main Title Design - Kevin Chandoo
    • Best Achievement in Make-Up - Eva Coudouloux and Adrien Morot
  • Gemini Nominations
    • Best Dramatic Series
    • Best Direction in a Dramatic Series - Adrienne Mitchell
    • Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role - Helene Joy
    • Best Achievement in Casting - Andrea Kenyon, Wendy O'Brien, Marissa Richmond, and Randi Wells
  • Monte-Carlo Television Festival Nominations
    • Outstanding Actor – Hugh Dillon (Drama TV Series)
    • Outstanding International Producer – Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell, Laurie Finstad Knizhnik and Michael Prupas (Drama TV Series)
  • Directors Guild of Canada Award Winners
    • Best Direction- TV Series - Adrienne Mitchell
    • Best Production Design- TV Series - Donna Noonan
  • EMPixx Awards
    • Platinum Award for Best National Cable Program in the Entertainment Category

Durham County – Season 1

  • Gemini Awards
    • Best Writing in a Dramatic Series
    • Best Direction in a Dramatic Series
    • Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
    • Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
    • Best Sound in a Dramatic Series
  • Gemini Nominations
    • Best Dramatic Series
    • Best Photography in a Dramatic Program
    • Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Program
    • Best Costume Design
    • Best Achievement in Casting
    • Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Series
    • Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Role
  • 2008 WorldFest – Houston International Film Festival
    • Winner of Gold Award
    • Best TV Series - Dramatic
  • Leo Awards Nomination
    • Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series
    • Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series

References

  1. ^ To be accurate, "Durham County" is the name of an historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario that was dissolved in 1974 and generally replaced by the creation in the same year of the Regional Municipality of Durham, called Durham Region for short.
  2. ^ ION Television Acquires the Award-Winning Original TV Series Durham County, January 6, 2009.
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001CQS7B0
  5. ^ http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003OCJL7Y
  6. ^ http://www.amazon.ca/Durham-County-Season-Hugh-Dillon/dp/B006K1PNIM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328653356&sr=8-1
  7. ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Durham-County-Season-1/13087
  8. ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Durham-County-Season-2/14512
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