Coming up with new sitcom premises can’t be easy – while the TV format has been around for decades now, countless failed entries have shown that bottling lightning can be a challenge. So, when one of the best streaming services, like Netflix, tries to come up with an original approach, it’s always appreciated.
For its new series, North of North, which arrives on 10 April, the streamer has taken “finding new territory” very literally – it’s gone to a physical location that sets the show apart from almost any rival immediately. North of North, like its title suggests, is set way up in the frozen wilds of the Arctic circle.
It revolves around the life and times of Siaja (Anna Lambe), a young Inuk woman who may have gone a little too far with establishing herself a simple domestic life. When she realises that her relationship with her husband isn’t as good as it could be, it seems to set off a chain reaction that shakes up her life in a big way.
All of that is relatively standard sitcom fare, but it’s complicated in a big way by the fact that Siaja lives in a tiny town that’s incredibly remote from other communities. So, she can’t afford to alienate anyone, and needs to find her way without endless options in front of her. We should get a good look at the sort of tight-knit community that thrives in such harsh conditions.
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Interestingly, for such a huge US-centric site, it’s pretty stunning to hear from Netflix that this is its first-ever Canadian original series. I would have assumed that would have happened ages ago, but that shows how much I know. It’s also a really interesting little twist at a time when tensions between the US and Canada are extremely prominent. In fact, I’d imagine there’d be more of a fuss being made about the show’s status if the timing were different.
Still, just as important as all of that is that North of North looks like really good fun, with a bubbly style and colourful direction – this isn’t just a one-set apartment-style sitcom like many of the most famous historical examples of the genre. If it pushes things in a new direction, I’m very muc here for it.
