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Son of a Critch

 

Season four of the hit sitcom finds young Mark heading to high school — where fresh opportunity, humiliation and self-actualization await

In the fourth season of Mark Critch’s autobiographical sitcom Son of a Critch, the Newfoundland comedian tackles some of young Mark’s formative years as the now-14-year-old enters high school. “In some ways, it’s a little bit of a reboot for the series,” says the real-life Critch. “Mark got to be a big fish in a small pond, with his little group of friends, and then that all was blown up. This year, he’s right at the bottom of the food chain, going to a much bigger school.”

Son of a Critch on CBC. Pictured: Mark (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and his grandfather, Pop (Malcolm McDowell).
Courtesy of CBC

While new beginnings come with challenges, there is something about the anonymity at a bigger school that allows Mark, played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, a chance to grow. “He becomes more of his true self, is more comfortable being himself and finds this great mentor in the theatre arts teacher, Mr. Lewis [Shawn Doyle],” explains Critch. “He’s encouraged to be more like himself.”

Teenage Mark is not the only character on the series presented with new opportunities and a new life chapter. For his older brother Mike Jr. (Colton Gobbo), the budding radio deejay who has been pushing to distinguish himself from his father, steps into his own. “Like Mark stepping into high school with its new challenges, it’s sort of mirrored in Mike in that he’s stepping into a new radio station,” says Gobbo. “He doesn’t have the safety net of his dad, and he crushes it, I’d like to think. It’s lovely seeing that, 52 episodes later.”

Son of a Critch on CBC. Pictured: Mark alongside his bully-turned crush Fox (North Vancouver native Sophia Powers).
Courtesy of CBC

The boys’ mother Mary (Claire Rankin) is also forced to embrace change during a season that it all about discovering one’s true self. “It’s been three years of taking care of all the men in the house, and it’s her turn to live a little and find some passions of our own,” says Rankin. “She’ll get out of the house, have some fun, meet some new people, and we get to see a little more ‘Mary on adventures’ this year.” As for the family patriarch, Mike Sr. played by Critch himself, he is going to have to reinvent himself for a new station owner portrayed by Critch’s former This Hour Has 22 Minutes cohort Rick Mercer. “With that comes a lot of pressure for everything to be younger and fresher and hipper and newer,” says Critch. “You really start to see Mike Sr. feel the stress this year.”

Son of a Critch on CBC. Pictured (left to right): Mary (Claire Rankin), Mike Jr. (Colton Gobbo) and Mike Sr. (Mark Critch) in the midst of a family discussion.
Courtesy of CBC

For the creator of the series, who has been reliving a version of his youth through Ainsworth’s depiction, the high school years feel most true to his own reality. “When I’m writing an episode, it is always my memories, but when it’s up on his feet and you’re acting, it’s quite different,” he explains. “But this year we’re doing a lot of things where they actually happened. The school we filmed at is the school I went to. So that’s a bit strange. There was that scene where [Benjamin] comes out and you meet Kevin Lewis and the theatre arts students are sitting on the stage. That’s the stage where that happened. It was the most out-of-body experience I’ve had on the show. So, sometimes it could be quite weird.”

Son of a Critch on CBC. Pictured: Mike Sr. (Mark Critch) is feeling renewed pressure on the job with the arrival of a new station owner, played by Rick Mercer (not shown).
Courtesy of CBC

This particular era is also the one that brings viewers closer to the Mark Critch they have come to know and love as a performer. “Before, his has been a love for comedy and now it’s growing into entertainment in general,” explains Ainsworth. “In one episode with his new mentor, Mr. Lewis, he has the opportunity to be part of an educational film and kind of explore that world of entertainment. It’s really him growing from a love of comedy and to now having multiple loves and being able to explore those.” It is also a time for awkward growth. “We see Mark trying to buy beer, we see Mark buying a condom,” teases Critch. “There’s drinking and there’s fighting and there’s pressure. Those things, they’re in a lot of films because they’re milestones. It’s nice to tackle some more challenging topics.”

As the cast receives feedback about how much the show means to its viewers, Critch muses about what it is about his childhood experiences that he believes touches the audience’s hearts. “I think family isn’t people you choose, it’s people who are with you and they’re part of you,” he says. “You might have disagreements, or you might be frustrated, but at the end of the day there’s this ethereal thing that binds you together — no matter what, good and bad. And I think this family’s a little bit different. It might take them a while to say they love each other, but I think their actions show it more than the words. These things have a way of working themselves out and love finds a way.”

Son of a Critch airs Tuesday, January 27, on CBC

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