Blackstone (TV series)
| Blackstone | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre |
Drama Political drama |
| Created by | Ron E. Scott |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 39 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 44 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Prairie Dog Film + Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | APTN |
| Original release | 25 January 2011 – present |
Blackstone is a Canadian television series, which airs on APTN and Showcase. Written, created, directed and produced by Canadian producer Ron E. Scott, the series began filming its first season in 2010 in and around Edmonton, Alberta.[1]
The series has gone on to have four full seasons. Season five started production in spring of 2015 and is scheduled to premiere Tuesday November 3.[2][3] Season 5 is indicated to be the final season.[4]
In 2015, Prairie Dog Film + Television announced a deal which will see the first and second seasons of the series given a second run on CBC Television as a summer series,[5] as well as making it available for download from iTunes.
Cast
Amenakew family:
- Cody Bird as Josh Amenakew
- Tommy J. Mueller as Rick Amenakew
Delaronde family:
- Ashley Callingbull as Sheila Delaronde
- Gordon Tootoosis as Cecil Delaronde
- Gary Farmer as Ray Delaronde
Fraser family:
- Justin Rain as Alan Fraser
- Eric Schweig as Andy Fraser
- Steven Cree Molison as Daryl Fraser
- Andrea Menard as "Deb"/"Debbie" Deborah Emily Fraser (born 1974, age 40[6])
- Ray G. Thunderchild as Tom Fraser
Henry family:
- Jaren Brandt Bartlett as Alex Henry
- Stanley Isadore as Phil Henry
Merasty family:
- Nathaniel Arcand as Victor Merasty
- Quelemia Sparrow or Michelle Latimer as Gloria Merasty
- Sydney Miles as Victoria Merasty
Stoney family:
- Michelle Thrush as Gail Stoney
- Carmen Moore as Leona Stoney
- Roseanne Supernault as Natalie Stoney
- Tantoo Cardinal as Wilma Stoney
- Glen Gould as Smokey Stoney
Tailfeathers family:
- Bernard Starlight as "Jumbo" David Tailfeathers
- Julian Black Antelope as Darrien Tailfeathers
Other surname:
- Mark Anderako as Walt Andrachuck
- Warren Michael as Leonard Morin
- Morningstar Mercredi as Norma DeLorme
- Trevor Duplessis as Greg Nepoose
- Teneil Whiskyjack as Kyra Amos
- Star Birdyellowhead as Carla Janvier
First-named:
- Amanda McLeod as Chrystal
- Michael Holden as Momo
- Jesse Lipscombe as Vance
Last-named:
- Telly James as Mr. Joseph
- Greg Lawson as Mr. Burton
Role-named:
- Dan Bradford as band attorney
- Jodi Stecyk as Momo stunt double
Premise
Blackstone follows the lives of First Nations on the fictional Blackstone First Nations reserve set in Alberta, Canada. The story is told from an Indigenous point of view.
Episodes
Season 1 (2011)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Future? What Future?" | Ron E. Scott | Gil Cardinal | 25 January 2011 |
| In the pilot episode, the Blackstone First Nation struggles with the disintegration of the community brought on by members' own actions. | |||||
| 2 | 2 | "A New Beginning" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Ron E. Scott (teleplay) | 1 February 2011 |
| Newly elected Chief Leona Stoney (Carmen Moore) struggles with her role and responsibilities, while Andy Fraser (Eric Schweig) orchestrates the removal and destruction of incriminating files from his tenure as chief. | |||||
| 3 | 3 | "White Bread Red Class" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Damon Vignale (teleplay) | 8 February 2011 |
| Tensions rise as Leona discovers there are significant funds missing from the Band’s account and deals with the inherent complications of hiring a white substitute teacher. | |||||
| 4 | 4 | "Suffer The Children" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Damon Vignale (teleplay) | 15 February 2011 |
| While Blackstone band members air their concerns over her leadership, Leona allows the police to investigate a child abuse case in the community. | |||||
| 5 | 5 | "Ditch Monkey" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Gil Cardinal (teleplay) | 22 February 2011 |
| Leona faces both a personal and public crisis when her sister Gail Stoney (Michelle Thrush) ends up in the hospital as a result of her acute alcoholism, and Andy leads a movement to unseat her as Chief. | |||||
| 6 | 6 | "Daddy's Home" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Seline Williams (teleplay) | 1 March 2011 |
| When Andy successfully coordinates a vote to replace Leona as chief, she moves off Blackstone and pursues the conviction of Phil Henry (Stanley Isadore). | |||||
| 7 | 7 | "Bingo Night" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Ron E. Scott (teleplay) | 8 March 2011 |
| Leona and members of Blackstone take the stand as the trial of the sexual abuse case is underway. | |||||
| 8 | 8 | "Push Pull Twist Turn" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Damon Vignale (teleplay) | 15 March 2011 |
| Andy and son Daryl (Steven Cree Molison) argue over money while Leona returns to Blackstone as a counselor focused on healing the community. | |||||
| 9 | 9 | "Time's Up" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 22 March 2011 |
| Andy’s world starts to unravel when he is forced out of the strip-club expansion; Leona faces opposition from some Band members in her role as the school’s new counselor. | |||||
Season 2 (2012)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1 | "Blood is Thicker than Water" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Ron E. Scott (teleplay) | 11 January 2012 |
| Water problems cause widespread sickness among Band members and threaten to expose Andy. | |||||
| 11 | 2 | "By Their Sins" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Damon Vignale (teleplay) | 18 January 2012 |
| The police arrive on Andy’s doorstep with questions about a missing woman, the result of tips from the strip club; meanwhile Child Services visits Blackstone and removes a young resident. | |||||
| 12 | 3 | "A Girl Walks Into a Bar" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Ron E. Scott (teleplay) | 25 January 2012 |
| Gail grapples with self-control after an explosive visit to a foster home leaves her furious. Alan (Justin Rain) conceals his new job in the city. | |||||
| 13 | 4 | "50/50" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Damon Vignale (teleplay) | 1 February 2012 |
| Andy schools Walt Andrachuck (Mark Anderako) on business matters while Gail visits her estranged mother about Leona’s illness. | |||||
| 14 | 5 | "Hitchin" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Damon Vignale (teleplay) | 8 February 2012 |
| Daryl takes matters into his own hands when rumors begin to threaten his business. Tracey has her day in court but struggles to live up to her promises. | |||||
| 15 | 6 | "Forgiveness" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Penny Gummerson (teleplay) | 15 February 2012 |
| Alan confronts Andy about his indiscretions and Leona is visited by an unwelcome guest. | |||||
| 16 | 7 | "I'm Not A Racist" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Gil Cardinal (teleplay) | 22 February 2012 |
| Leona struggles to get media attention for a missing Aboriginal woman, while the dump's excavation moves forward. | |||||
| 17 | 8 | "Human" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Damon Vignale (teleplay) | 29 February 2012 |
| Andy faces the grim possibility of losing everything after a body is discovered during the excavation of a Blackstone dump. | |||||
Season 3 (2013)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 1 | "Some Things Never Change" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Ron E. Scott (teleplay) | 25 September 2013 |
| Consumed by guilt and and worried about self-preservation, Andy starts to lose the stranglehold he has on Blackstone, while Victor (Nathaniel Arcand) tries to position himself as leader of the community. | |||||
| 19 | 2 | ""Bull in a China Shop" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Damon Vignale (teleplay) | 2 October 2013 |
| Tracy's sister Sarah returns to Blackstone and threatens to take Wendy away from Leona and Gail. | |||||
| 20 | 3 | "Reap What You Sow" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Ron E. Scott (teleplay) | 9 October 2013 |
| A shooting rocks Blackstone testing the community’s notions of justice, violence, and retribution. | |||||
| 21 | 4 | "Never Gonna Stop" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale (story), Damon Vignale (teleplay) | 16 October 2013 |
| Daryl faces consequences from the Russian mafia, while Gail and Leona receive further threats from Sarah and Darrien, who want custody of Wendy. | |||||
| 22 | 5 | "Still My Kid" | Ron E. Scott | Jason Long, Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 23 October 2013 |
| A shroud of domestic violence hangs over Blackstone; Debbie (Andrea Menard ) and Alan are lured back into Andy’s life. | |||||
| 23 | 6 | "Burn Baby Burn" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 30 October 2013 |
| Andy’s business venture fails as the murder case against him tightens; Leona and Gail ask their ailing mother to move back to Blackstone. | |||||
Season 4 (2014)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 1 | "Payback's a Bitch" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 11 November 2014 |
| Andy is threatened in prison, while his family struggles to make it without him. Leona counsels Blackstone's young people after the fire, and Gail struggles to cope with the stabbing. | |||||
| 25 | 2 | "Deeper and Deeper" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 18 November 2014 |
| Gail falls deeper into her addiction. Andy continues to feel the pressures of prison life. Daryl’s girlfriend takes a bet from Jumbo (Bernard Starlight). | |||||
| 26 | 3 | "Sext Me" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 25 November 2014 |
| Andy finds an unexpected friend among his enemies. Leona urges Stu to investigate a case. Victor seeks a financial opportunity for Blackstone. | |||||
| 27 | 4 | "Truth or Dare" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 2 December 2014 |
| Leona pursues her search for the missing girls. Gail makes a mistake with Wendy that cannot be rectified. Andy comes to the aid of a fellow inmate. | |||||
| 28 | 5 | "Where there's Smoke" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 9 December 2014 |
| Leona, Gail, and Wilma are paid a visit by someone from their past. Jumbo gets in too deep financially. Victor seeks advice from an unlikely connection. | |||||
| 29 | 6 | "Wolves vs. Sheep" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 16 December 2014 |
| Andy gives Alan advice while Debbie's condition deteriorates. Gail returns home to find Leona full of resentment; Daryl discovers unexpectedly of a betrayal. | |||||
| 30 | 7 | "Discovery" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 23 December 2014 |
| Gail seeks psychological help. Andy and Daryl discover one of their father's secrets. Victor is under pressure from the community to make a decision. | |||||
| 31 | 8 | "There Will Be Blood" | Ron E. Scott | Ron E. Scott & Damon Vignale | 30 December 2014 |
| The proposal to drill for oil divides Blackstone, but brings the Stoney family together. Victor’s integrity is questioned while Andy seeks revenge. | |||||
Season 5 (2015)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 1 | "Beginning of the End" | Ron E. Scott | Gil Cardinal | 3 November 2015 |
| The search continues to find Wendy. Alan suffers after the explosion at the Blockade. Andy works every angle he can think of to avoid going to jail. Chief Victor is missing. | |||||
| 33 | 2 | "Super Dad" | 10 November 2015 | ||
| Police standoff. | |||||
| 34 | 3 | "The Worm Has Turned" | 17 November 2015 | ||
| Someone considers a campaign to run for chief. | |||||
| 35 | 4 | "Back in the Saddle" | 24 November 2015 | ||
| Election campaign intrigue. | |||||
| 36 | 5 | "The River's Edge" | |||
| 37 | 6 | "Retribution" | |||
| 38 | 7 | "Bottle Caps" | |||
| 39 | 8 | "Flat Line" | |||
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Gemini Awards | Best Actress in a Drama Series | Michelle Thrush | Won |
| Best Actress in a Drama Series | Carmen Moore | Nominated | ||
| Best Animated Title Design | Steve Seeley and Darren Bierman | Nominated | ||
| Leo Awards | Best Screenwriting in a Dramatic Series | "Suffer the Children" | Won | |
| Best Dramatic Series | Blackstone | Nominated | ||
| Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series | Eric Schweig | Nominated | ||
| Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series | Michelle Thrush | Nominated | ||
| Carmen Moore | Won | |||
| 2012 | Leo Award[7] | |||
| Best Dramatic Program | Blackstone | Won | ||
| Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series | Steven Cree Molison | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Dramatic Series | Frank Cassini | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series | Tantoo Cardinal | Won | ||
| Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series | Carmen Moore | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenwriting in a Dramatic Series | Damon Vignale | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | Canadian Screen Award | |||
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Steven Cree Molison | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Series | Georgina Lightning | Nominated | ||
| Best Achievement in Casting | Rhonda Fisekci for the episode "Forgiveness" | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | Canadian Screen Award | |||
| Best Dramatic Series | Blackstone | Nominated | ||
| Best Writing in a Dramatic Series | Damon Vignale and Ron E. Scott | Nominated | ||
| Shaw Media Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Michelle Thrush | Nominated | ||
References
- ↑ "TV Series ‘major shot in the arm’ for Edmonton". CBC News, July 16, 2010.
- ↑ "The countdown continues...". 28 October 2015.
6 days left until the Final Season of BLACKSTONE premieres Tuesday, November 3 on APTN! — with Cheri Maracle.
- ↑ "The 5th and Final Season of the Hit Drama Blackstone Premieres on APTN Tues., Nov. 3" (PDF). 5 October 2015.
Blackstone season five (8 x 60') airs Tuesdays starting November 3 on Aboriginal Peoples Television Network
- ↑ "APTN's Blackstone Ending After Five Seasons" (PDF). 5 October 2015.
- ↑ "Award-winning Blackstone Drama Set to Air on CBC, Download from iTunes". Broadcaster, June 9, 2015.
- ↑ "There Will Be Blood". Blackstone.
- ↑ "Leo Awards Official Results".
External links
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