Jump to content

Sanctuary (Canadian TV series)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 178.16.0.224 (talk) at 23:55, 4 March 2011. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Sanctuary
Created byDamian Kindler
StarringAmanda Tapping
Robin Dunne
Ryan Robbins
Christopher Heyerdahl
Agam Darshi
Emilie Ullerup
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes8 (webisodes)
36 (TV episodes) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersDamian Kindler
Amanda Tapping
Martin Wood
Keith Beedie
N. John Smith
Sam Egan
Andrea Gorfolova
Carrie Mudd
Running time42 minutes
Original release
NetworkSyfy
ReleaseOctober 3, 2008 (2008-10-03) –
present

Sanctuary is a Canadian science fiction-fantasy television series, created by Damian Kindler. The show is an expansion of an eight-webisode series that was released at no cost through the Internet in early 2007. Seeing the success of the web series, Syfy decided to pick up the series for a more traditional television-based 13-episode season.[2] A second season of 13 episodes aired in 2009–2010,[3] and Sanctuary was renewed for a third season of 20 episodes on December 12, 2009.[4]

The show centers on Dr. Helen Magnus, a 158-year-old English scientist, and her team of experts who run the Sanctuary, an organization that seeks out extraordinarily-powered creatures and people, known as Abnormals, and tries to help and learn from them, while also having to contain the more dangerous ones.

The series premiered on October 3, 2008, in both Canada and the United States, and on October 6 in the United Kingdom. The premiere drew in more than 3 million viewers making it the highest rated original series premiere for Syfy since Eureka debuted in July 2006.[5] The premiere two-parter, "Sanctuary for All", was a combination and rewriting of the first four webisodes and was followed by "Fata Morgana", based on webisodes five through eight. Amanda Tapping, with all of the original cast from the web series, made the transition to the television series. The second season premiered on Friday, October 9, 2009, in the 10 pm timeslot.[6] In Australia the program debuted on Pay Television's Sci Fi and on free-to-air channel, ABC2, where season one started on 1 March 2010 each Monday at 9:30pm.[7] Season two commenced on 12 July 2010 in the same timeslot.[8]

Season 3 premiered Friday, October 15, 2010, on Syfy in its original 10pm timeslot.[9] In January 2011, Sanctuary was renewed for a fourth season.[10]

Series overview

Main article: List of Sanctuary episodes

Sanctuary follows the exploits of Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) and her quest to protect various cryptids, legends, and normal animals/people with certain extraordinary powers and abilities – what most people would consider monsters. "The Sanctuary" serves as a safe haven for these "Abnormals". She is initially aided in her quest by her reluctant protégé Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne); her intrepid, if somewhat reckless, daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup); the talkative lycanthrope geek Henry Foss (Ryan Robbins), a computer and security expert; and her taciturn, Neanderthal-like assistant, played by Christopher Heyerdahl (unnamed, but listed as Bigfoot in the show's credits).

The history of Dr. Magnus is gradually revealed. In her youth she was trained by her father, a gifted Victorian-era scientist, to study the world and protect the unusual. Helen was a member of a group of experimental scientists known as "The Five", which included also Nikola Tesla (Jonathon Young), Nigel Griffin, Dr. James Watson (Peter Wingfield), and Magnus’s lover John Druitt (Heyerdahl again), who wanted to push the boundaries of their understanding of the physical world through unconventional means. At some point during their partnership, Magnus acquired a vial of untainted vampire blood and used it in a serum that "The Five" injected into themselves. After the injection, they each developed Abnormal traits: Magnus experienced drastically slowed aging, and longevity with no clear limit; Nigel Griffin acquired the power to become invisible at will; Dr. James Watson’s intellect was tremendously heightened; Nikola Tesla underwent transformation into a vampire, with the additional power of electrical manipulation; John Druitt developed longevity and the ability to teleport through time and space, but, already unstable and soon possessed by a malevolent energy creature,(explained Season 2 Episode 11), he was driven to give in to his dark impulses and became Jack the Ripper. Episode Three introduces "The Cabal", a powerful shadow organization that captures, studies, and experiments on Abnormals, in the belief that the Abnormal population is a threat to the human species. During the first season finale, "Revelations", they test a small amount of a biological weapon named Lazarus that causes all types of Abnormals to become extremely violent, attacking anyone nearby and then dying painfully. This is part of The Cabal’s overall plan to incite humanity against the Abnormals so that they can wipe out the entire Abnormal population and gain greater influence over humanity. They brainwash Ashley, and in season two, convert her into a vampiric supersoldier, using her as a template for a small army which attacks the Sanctuary network. Against all odds, Magnus and her teams stop them at the Old City Sanctuary, and Ashley, in a moment of clarity, apparently sacrifices herself. Her father, Druitt, hunts down and kills the heads of the Cabal, which seems to disband.

As season two progresses, Magnus grapples with denial, then grief, and finally accepts the loss of Ashley. Meanwhile, the team adjusts to newcomer Kate Freelander (Agam Darshi), a former freelance Cabal operative. They also deal with their relationships (Magnus’s in particular) to the remaining members of the Five, and increased international coordination in the wake of the Cabal’s attacks on the Global Sanctuary Network that Magnus had established. It emerges that an enormous marine Abnormal, Big Bertha, had been preserved rather than euthanized by Magnus, and that Bertha is, somehow, a sapient being named Kali existing on a psychic or spirit plane, intricately tied to nature and Abnormals around the world. At the end of the second season and beginning of the third, a man named Edward Forsythe (Callum Blue) tries to take control of Bertha, and NY Sanctuary House Head Terrence Wexford (Paul McGillion) goes rogue trying to destroy her – he even attempts to depose and kill Helen.

Ultimately, Bertha/Kali is saved and Wexford is ousted, but more questions are raised than answered: Will visits the spirit plane via induced cardiac arrest, and while there he sees two other powerful beings in addition to Kali; encounters Helen’s father, who gives Will a message for her; and then spontaneously returns to life with no brain damage after an unprecedented length of time. The Sanctuary team speculate that the beings are avatars of Abnormals as powerful as Big Bertha, one of which may have been the source of the earthquake that stopped a destructive tidal wave started by Kali’s wrath. Meanwhile, Gregory Magnus’s message leads them to old birthday gifts he gave Helen, which in conjunction produce a tangible holographic map or miniature representing an unknown steampunk-style city.

Characters

Main article: List of Sanctuary characters
  • Amanda Tapping as Dr. Helen Magnus, an English medical and scientific researcher who has devoted her life to both hunting and protecting so-called 'monsters'. She runs a 'Sanctuary for All' in the fictional Old City, where they may find refuge while she studies them and attempts to help them. Magnus is 160 years old.
  • Robin Dunne as Dr. Will Zimmerman, a brilliant forensic psychiatrist who is recruited by Dr. Magnus to help her treat people—specifically those who are difficult to reach emotionally, and need to be convinced to trust her.
  • Ryan Robbins as Henry Foss (recurring Season 1, regular Season 2–), a self-proclaimed geek. He is both a weapons designer and a brilliant computer scientist. He keeps the Sanctuary's defenses working as well. It is revealed that he himself is a werewolf-like Abnormal (classified as a class nine hyper-accelerated protean life form).
  • Agam Darshi as Kate Freelander (Season 2–), a con-artist with Cabal connection and has a vast knowledge of their tactics and movements. After she is hunted by the Cabal, she reluctantly switches sides to the Sanctuary, staying on as a member of the team.
  • Christopher Heyerdahl as Bigfoot,[11] a former patient of Dr. Magnus, she removed "more than a few bullets" from him, and after he recovered, he would not leave so Dr. Magnus gave him a position on her staff, as a butler, chauffeur, and body guard. He appears to be an intelligent Neanderthal and before meeting Dr. Magnus he liked to scare children for fun. Heyerdahl also plays the recurring character of John Druitt, a character who could teleport at will.
  • Emilie Ullerup as Ashley Magnus (Seasons 1–2), Dr. Magnus's daughter with John Druitt. Ashley was an expert monster hunter, and provided a counterbalance to Dr. Magnus's desire to protect creatures. She was apparently killed off early in season two after being subjected to severe genetic manipulation and mind control by the Cabal, who turned her into a super-assassin with multiple powers in an attempt to destroy the Sanctuary network.

Production

The series is produced by Stage 3 Media based in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded in 2006. The webisodes were filmed from January 3 to January 31, 2007, at Bridge Studios.[12] Sanctuary is filmed almost entirely using the green screen technique. Unlike many other shows, elaborate sets are not built for the scenes to be filmed; instead, they are created using CGI technology. Production on the television version of Sanctuary began in early 2008, with a reshooting of the pilot episode, "Sanctuary for All".[13][14][15] The first season cost an estimated $21 million (CAN), and filmed in Burnaby, British Columbia.[16] In December 2008, the series was confirmed to have been picked up for a second season of thirteen episodes.[3] The second season began production in the end of March/beginning of April, 2009. Guest stars for the second season include Agam Darshi, who will play con-artist Kate Freelander,[17] former Stargate SG-1 actor Michael Shanks as Jimmy for the ninth episode, entitled "Penance",[18] and former Stargate Atlantis actor Paul McGillion, who will play Wexford, a character he played in the webseries, in the final two episodes.[19]

Sanctuary is the first television series in North America to use the RED camera exclusively. The RED camera system does away with tape and film and records straight to a hard drive allowing the Anthem Visual Effects and the series’ post production team immediate access to the day’s footage, and is capable of recording at resolutions up to 4096 horizontal by 2304 vertical pixels, four times the resolution of current day HD.[20] Other than being a primary cast member, Amanda Tapping is also an executive producer on the show, but according to Tapping herself in an interview with The Today Show, she does not get paid extra as an executive producer, mainly because what salary the executive producers would get would go towards paying for the sets, because the series is not backed up by a studio.[21] Although heavily reliant on virtual sets, a few episodes in the first season, including "Kush" and "Requiem", were filmed on practical sets, including the fuselage of an aircraft. The series also took a different filming style for the Cloverfield-esque "Instinct".[3]

Broadcast and release

Unlike traditional TV series, the primary distribution channel for Sanctuary was originally the Internet. Episodes were sold directly to viewers on the official website. The web episodes or "webisodes", are about 15–20 minutes in duration and were released bi-weekly. The success of the webisodes led the Syfy Channel to commission a 13-episode season for 2008.[2] The first four webisodes were rewritten and reshot as a two-hour premiere episode, "Sanctuary for All".[15] After the deal with the SciFi channel, the webisodes were moved to the Sci Fi network on Hulu.com.

In its first season on Syfy, the original series, Sanctuary has averaged a 1.9 Household rating; 1,044,000 Adults (ages 18–49); 1,371,000 Adults (ages 25–54) and 2,366,000 total viewers. The pilot episode, "Sanctuary for All" received a Nielsen household rating of 2.2, the highest rated original series premiere from Syfy since the series premiere of Eureka in July 2006. The 2.2 rating represented more than 2.7 million viewers; 1.08 million among the adult 18–49 demographic and 1.4 million among the adult 25–54 demographic. This placed Sanctuary the number one cable program among adults 25–54, and number four among adults 18-49. The ratings success also boosted the web series to 1.2 million views.[22] In the United Kingdom, both parts placed the series first place on the top ten viewing programmes for ITV4 during the two weeks they aired. The first part was viewed by 565,000,[23] while the second part received a higher viewing figure of 608,000.[24]

The first season was released on DVD on Region 1 for September 15, 2009,[25] Contender Home Entertainment, in the UK (Region 2), released a PAL version of the boxset of four DVDs on October 19, 2009.[26] The boxset was available in Australia on September 9, 2009 (Region 4).[27] A Special Edition 5 Disc Set of Season 1 in Region 4 was released on June 9, 2010, which included the webisodes.[28] Season 2 was released on June 9, 2010, in Region 4.[29] Season 1 and Season 2 were both released on Blu-Ray on June 9, 2010, in Region B.[30][31]

Critical response

See also: List of awards and nominations received by Sanctuary

Sanctuary has a score of 56 on Metacritic, signifying "mixed or average reviews" based on 7 television reviewers.[32] Tori Ireland Mell of IGN called the series an intriguing story, and a mind-blowing concept, and believes the series from a production standpoint was executed well.[33] Some reviewers have made comparisons between Sanctuary and British science fiction series Torchwood and Primeval, as well as drawing comparisons between Dr. Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne) and Daniel Jackson from Stargate SG-1.[34][35] USA Today reviewer Bill Keveney said that Amanda Tapping had reached her "comfort zone," and continued with further positive reaction to the TV series.[36] Rick Bentley from McClatchy Newspapers commented Tapping's role as Dr. Helen Magnus was a way for the actress to make a name of herself outside of Stargate SG-1 as character Samantha Carter.[37]

Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune described the show as "competent if not particularly innovative sci-fi," and said that the series might be of interest to fans of Tapping's earlier works.[38] Mike Hale of The New York Times believed that the series does not have "the narrative force of Battlestar Galactica or the wit and creativity of Eureka," further stating "it's not an embarrassment for the channel, but it doesn't raise the stakes either.[39]

Sanctuary has been nominated for six Constellation Awards.[40] The series has also been nominated for ten Leo Awards and won four of these in 2009.[41]

References

  1. ^ Ian Cullen (2010-07-06). "'Sanctuary' Returning To Its Steampunk Roots". SciFiPulse.net. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
  2. ^ a b Sumner, Darren (2008-01-31). "SCI FI picks up Tapping's Sanctuary". GateWorld. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  3. ^ a b c Fox, Erin (December 4, 2008). "Sanctuary Gets Caught in the Bermuda Triangle". TV Guide. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  4. ^ Hibberd, James (December 13, 2009). "Syfy renews 'Stargate: Universe' and 'Sanctuary'". The Live Feed. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  5. ^ Cochran, Jay (November 13, 2008). "Sanctuary is a hit". Entertainment News International. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  6. ^ Thielman, Sam (July 20, 2009). "Syfy announces fall schedule". Variety. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  7. ^ "ABC2 Programming Airdate: Sanctuary (season one, episode one)". ABC2 Television Guide. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  8. ^ "ABC2 Programming Airdate: Sanctuary (season two, episode one)". ABC2 Television Guide. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  9. ^ Seidman, Robert (September 8, 2010). "Surprise! Syfy's Caprica Returning Sooner Than Planned; Sanctuary Moved Back to Friday Night". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  10. ^ Gorman, Bill (January 18, 2011). "Sanctuary Renewed For A Fourth Season By Syfy". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  11. ^ Simpson, Michael (May 1, 2008). "Sam Egan reveals who plays Bigfoot". CinemaSpy Entertainment. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  12. ^ Read, David (2007-01-31). "Stargate cast and crew seek Sanctuary". GateWorld. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  13. ^ Lowry, Brian (October 2, 2008). "Analysis of Sanctuary the TV Series". Variety Magazine. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  14. ^ Romanello, Linda (2010-10-09). "Finding Sanctuary in CG". Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  15. ^ a b Eramo, Steven (2008-09-10). "Green Screen Cowboy: Directing SCI FI's 'Sanctuary'". Newsarama.com. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  16. ^ Price, Nic (October 8, 2008). "Made-in-Burnaby show gets Beedie's backing". Burnaby Now. Canada.com. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  17. ^ Amith, Dennis (April 6, 2009). "Sci Fi's Sanctuary Begins Production on Season 2". J-ENT. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  18. ^ Busch, Jenna (June 10, 2009). "SG-1's Michael Shanks will guest-star in an episode of Sanctuary". Sci Fi Wire. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  19. ^ Moody, Mike (July 21, 2009). "Stargate's Dr. Beckett to guest star on Sanctuary". TV Squad. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  20. ^ Pachel, Peter (January 13, 2009). "How the RED One camera makes SCI FI's Sanctuary look good". Sc Fi Wire. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
  21. ^ Carnevale, Alex (October 3, 2008). "Tonight's Sanctuary Premiere Is Green, But Green's Good". io9. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  22. ^ Gorman, Bill (October 6, 2008). "VIEWERS SEEK 'SANCTUARY' ON SCI FI, #1 Program Among Adults 25-54". tvbythenumbers.com. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
  23. ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes (Go on w/e 12/10/08, and scroll down to ITV4)". barb.co.uk. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
  24. ^ "BARB's multichannel top 10 programmes (Go on w/e 19/10/08, and scroll down to ITV4)". barb.co.uk. Retrieved June 13, 2009.
  25. ^ "Sanctuary-1st Season". Amazon.com. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  26. ^ "Sanctuary Complete Season 1 [DVD][2007]". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  27. ^ "Sanctuary - Season 1 (4 Disc Set)". EzyDVD. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  28. ^ "Sanctuary - Season 1: Special Edition (5 Disc Set)". EzyDVD.
  29. ^ "Sanctuary - Season 2 (4 Disc Set)". EzyDVD. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  30. ^ "Sanctuary - Season 1 (4 Disc Set) (Blu-ray)". EzyDVD.
  31. ^ "Sanctuary - The Complete 2nd Season (4 Disc Set) (Blu-ray)". EzyDVD.
  32. ^ "Sanctuary reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
  33. ^ Ireland Mell, Tori (October 2, 2008). "Sanctuary: "Sanctuary for All" Review". IGN. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  34. ^ Wilson, Mark. "Review: 'Sanctuary' Premiere". about.com. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  35. ^ Hughes, Jason (October 4, 2008). "Sanctuary: Sanctuary for All (series premiere)". TV Squad. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
  36. ^ Keveney, Bill (May 10, 2009). "Amanda Tapping finds her comfort zone in 'Sanctuary'". USA Today. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  37. ^ Bentley, Rick (October 10, 2008). "Star's new role more than a change of accents". McClatchy Newspapers. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  38. ^ Ryan, Maureen (3 October 2008). "Amanda Tapping provides 'Sanctuary' to freaky critters". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  39. ^ Hale, Mike (October 3, 2010). "TV Review - 'Sanctuary' - Amanda Tapping as a Sci Fi Channel Doctor With a Digital Menagerie". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
  40. ^ "And the 2009 nominees are..." constellations.tcon.ca. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
  41. ^ Schaefer, Glen (May 10, 2009). "Sci-fi projects roar at Leo Awards" (PDF). The Province. Retrieved 2010-10-08.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sanctuary_(Canadian_TV_series)&oldid=417171325"