Corruption, greed, violence, betrayal…and recess. HBO Canada, a multiplex channel of Astral’s The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central (Western Canada) brings the mean streets to the schoolyard in The Yard, a mockumentary series from The Movie Network and Movie Central, debuting Friday, July 8 at 9 p.m. ET/MT with two back-to-back episodes.
Back Row: Patti (Olivia Scriven), Frankie (Daniel Lupetina), Alistair(Cameron Mazzei) Mickey (Daryn Karp), Pork Chop (Jared Karp) Middle Row: Johnny (Shemar Charles), Adam (Devan Cohen), Cory (John Fleming), J.J. (Alex Cardillo), Front Row: Sarah Cranmer (Mary), Nick (Quintin Colantoni) and Suzi (Keana Bastidas)
“Only on Pay TV can we provide a platform for a series that is as entertaining, and boundary pushing as The Yard” said Jocelyn Hamilton, Vice President, Original Programming, Kids, Comedy, Drama, Corus Entertainment. “We’re pleased to be working with Paul Gross and the talented team at Whizbang Films, who produced an original Canadian series that is unlike anything else on television”.
“The Movie Network is known for working with distinctly Canadian voices to deliver bold, risk-taking original series for our subscriber and The Yard fits squarely into this framework,” said Aubie Greenberg, Director, Original Programming, Movie Services, Astral Television Networks. “Michael Mabbott and David Eddie and the entire team at Whizbang are to be congratulated for creating such a unique vision.”
In the six-part, half-hour miniseries viewers are taken inside a schoolyard by an unseen Documentarian (voiced by Paul Gross) who records students’ behaviour during recess. Through interviews with the kids, he sees adult-world scenarios played out by two schoolyard gangs: 12‐year‐old leader Nick; his idealistic younger brother J.J., the brains of the outfit; weird pal Johnny, his lieutenant; big girl Suzi, the muscle; and his six-year-old little brother Adam, who just wants to play. Nick’s crew tries to keep the peace while defending their turf against: Frankie Miladic, leader of his gang of self-indulgent, cruel bullies; “Pork Chop” and his brother Mickey; while also fighting his affection for Frankie’s popular and influential sister Mary, leader of the girls.
Starring kids between the ages of 10 and 13, The Yard was created and written by Michael Mabbott (The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico) and David Eddie (House Broken, Globe & Mail’s Damage Control). The series stars Quintin Colantoni, Keana Bastidas, Sarah Cranmer, Daniel Lupetina, Alex Cardillo, Shemar Charles and is Executive Produced by Paul Gross, Frank Siracusa, David Eddie and Michael Mabbott.
The Yard is developed and produced by Whizbang Films. The Movie Network and Movie Central developed, commissioned and invested in the series. It is produced with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, Rogers Cable Network Fund, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Ontario Media Development Corporation and distributed by Entertainment One.
Following its special two-part premiere, subsequent episodes of The Yard will debut Fridays at 9:30 p.m. ET/MT on HBO Canada. All episodes will be broadcast in High Definition. In Eastern Canada The Yard will also be available via HBO Canada OnLine with Rogers On Demand OnLine, Bell TV Online and Videotron’s Illico Web and in Western Canada via HBO Canada Online with Shaw Video On Demand and Bell TV Online.
