TV Shows Off the Beaten Path – Corner Gas

by Jackie Schnoop

Yes, this one is definitely a bit off the beaten path. That is, unless you live in Dog River which is near Saskatchewan, at least on a fictional level. Corner Gas is a series from CTV in Canada. As far as I know, the only station airing the show in the U.S. is WGN. It used to be on nightly late nights. Alas, that’s no longer the case.

But if you have a hankering to watch it, WGN airs a block of episodes “late Mondays at 4 AM ET.” I’d personally call that early Tuesday, but that’s just me. If you’ve never watched this little gem, it might be worth the TIVO. It’s light, refreshing, and just a step away from the rat race or … off the beaten path.

The show features an ensemble cast in the previously mentioned fictional town of Dog River. Nothing ever happens there, so they have to make it happen. In a way, except for the setting in almost another life, it reminds me of a Barney Miller type of atmosphere. No, I know I’m talking city versus outright country. That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about the atmosphere in regard to the characters’ interaction. For me, it’s the the same sort of quality writing, outrageous and some not-so-much outrageous characters. What Barney Miller did for the NYPD detectives, Corner Gas does for life on the prairies.

You see, in Dog River, there isn’t much to do. Brent LeRoy runs the corner gas station which is the hub of action for miles around. Series creator Brent Butt plays LeRoy. I could come up with jokes about his real name, but I refuse to do so. Maybe the next time I stop in at the corner gas station, I’ll say something and see how it flies with the locals. But, back to Dog River — it’s a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business and a stranger like me would probably have the phone lines all abuzz.

The show has won several awards and it’s definitely worth a look-see if you have the chance. The casting is excellent, the writing is amusing. But, even better, this is an ensemble cast which really works. The humor isn’t all that scandalous … more of a light romp than constant sexual references. Why, I do find that refreshing after all.

That video was the first scene of the series. Thankfully, most of the seasons have been released on DVD so you don’t have to keep watching at 4 AM!