Chris Selley, a columnist for the National Post, has lambasted the new CBC/APTN comedy series Northland Tales as a pathetic and unoriginal rip-off of the 2006 film Borat. In his article, Selley describes the show as an unscripted, half-hour comedy where an Indigenous activist trio uses pranks as a form of social action, but he argues it lacks originality and humor.
A Familiar Formula
Selley draws parallels between Northland Tales and Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, a film about a bumbling Kazakh reporter touring the United States. While some praise the movie for its satire, Selley has always despised its smug, mean-spirited approach. He notes that Northland Tales employs similar tactics, conducting interviews under false pretenses to mock unsuspecting targets.
Targets of the Show
The show reportedly targets Lindsay Shepherd, a former Wilfrid Laurier University teaching assistant who faced controversy in 2017 for showing a clip featuring Jordan Peterson. Shepherd later objected to the display of the residential-school Survivors' Flag at the B.C. legislature, leading to her dismissal. Another target is Frances Widdowson, a former professor accused of residential school denialism. Selley argues that these are low-profile individuals, making the pranks seem cheap and easy.
Funding and Production
Selley criticizes the involvement of the Indigenous Screen Office, which received over $13 million in federal funding, and notes that the show includes a member of the U.S. left-wing prankster group The Yes Men. He questions why Canadian producers needed American input for a show about Indigenous issues.
In conclusion, Selley dismisses Northland Tales as a dated and uninspired attempt at humor, lacking the originality and wit that audiences expect from Canadian programming.
