Forbidden Places is a Canadian television documentary series, which aired on Discovery Channel from 1995 to 1998. [1] Narrated by Anthony Sherwood, [2] the series profiled the science behind complex systems. [3] The show's title derived from its original conception as a series that would profile restricted-access places such as military bases, although the show's mandate was expanded to a more general focus on human and mechanical systems by the time it went to air.
It was one of the first new series aired by the channel at its launch in January 1995, and the highest-rated original program on the network in its first year. [4]
Episodes of the series included "The Professionals", which visited a firefighter training school; [5] "Wildkill", about the illegal poaching and smuggling of animal parts; [6] "Unauthorized Access", about the phenomenon of computer fraud; [7] "Zone of Separation", about the Canadian peacekeeping mission in the Yugoslav Wars; "Silent Witness", about the role of forensic science in criminal justice; [8] and "Crash Course", profiling the work of airplane crash investigators. [9] Other episodes included documentaries about how heating systems work, [10] and the construction of the Confederation Bridge. [11]
John Haslett Cuff criticized the show's title as being a bit deceptive, as it carried much more sinister and menacing connotations than the show's actual content, but praised the show as a worthy educational series. [12]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini Awards | 1996 | Best Science, Technology, Nature and Environment Documentary Program | Aiken Scherberger — "Silent Witness" | Nominated | [13] |
| Aiken Scherberger — "Zone of Separation" | Nominated | ||||
| Best Photography in an Information/Documentary Program or Series | Roger Williams — "Silent Witness" | Nominated | |||
| Best Picture Editing in an Information/Documentary Program or Series | Christopher Greaves — "Artificial Environments of Man" | Nominated | |||
| 1997 | Best Documentary Series | Aiken Scherberger | Nominated | [14] | |
| Best Photography in an Information/Documentary Program or Series | Karl Roeder — "Transgenesis" | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Music Score for a Documentary Program or Series | Robert Hart — "Unauthorized Access" | Nominated | |||
| 1998 | Best Science, Technology, Nature and Environment Documentary Program | Aiken Scherberger — "Wildkill" | Nominated | [15] |
The John Drainie Award was an award given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to broadcasting in Canada. Although meant to be presented annually, there have been years where it was not presented.
SexTV is a Canadian documentary television series that explored a variety of topics related to human sexuality and gender. It was created by the Canadian media executive Moses Znaimer. It premiered in 1999 and ran for ten seasons, concluding in 2008.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television presents an annual award for Best Dramatic Series. Formerly presented as part of the Gemini Awards program, since 2013 the award has been presented as part of the expanded Canadian Screen Awards.
Allan Novak is a Canadian television director and editor.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television presents an annual award for Best Comedy Series.
The Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role is an annual Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best leading performance by an actor in a Canadian television series. Previously presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards.
The Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role is an annual Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television to the best leading performance by an actress in a Canadian television series. Previously presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards.
It's Only Rock & Roll is a Canadian television variety show, which aired on CBC Television as a summer series in 1987. Produced by Joe Bodolai and directed by Allan Novak, Henry Sarwer-Foner and Joan Tosoni, the series mixed rock music-themed comedy sketches with live performances by real musicians.
The Donald Brittain Award is a Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to honour the year's best television documentary on a social or political topic. Formerly presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards. The award may be presented to either a standalone broadcast of a documentary film, or to an individual full-length episode of a news or documentary series; documentary films which originally premiered theatrically, but were not already submitted for consideration in a CSA film category before being broadcast on television, are also considered television films for the purposes of the award.
Robert Fresco is a Canadian cinematographer and documentary filmmaker. He is most noted for his 1981 documentary film Steady as She Goes, for which he won the Bijou Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary and was nominated for Best Director of a Documentary, and as a Juno Award nominee for Video of the Year at the Juno Awards of 1984 for his video for The Parachute Club's "Rise Up".
Make the Politician Work is a Canadian documentary television series, which aired on CBC Television from 2009 to 2011. The series concept was to place Canadian politicians in a working class physical job for two days to help foster greater understanding between politicians, who are often perceived as privileged and out of touch with the concerns of everyday citizens, and the viewing public, as well as to educate viewers about jobs that even they may not be familiar with.
Grahame Woods was a Canadian cinematographer and writer. He is most noted as a cinematographer for his work on the television drama series Wojeck, for which he won the Canadian Film Award for Best Black-and-White Cinematography at the 19th Canadian Film Awards in 1967 for the episode "The Last Man in the World"; as a writer, he is most noted for the television films War Brides (1980) and Glory Enough for All (1988).
Saying Goodbye is a Canadian television drama anthology series, which aired on TVOntario in 1990. The series consisted of five half-hour short drama films about people grappling with death, either dealing with grief after the death of a loved one or confronting their own mortality. Each episode was paired with a half-hour studio panel discussion on bereavement moderated by Roy Bonisteel.
The Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series or Program is an annual Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best supporting performance by an actor in a Canadian dramatic television series or television film. Previously presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards.
The Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series or Program is an annual Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best supporting performance by an actress in a Canadian dramatic television series or television film. Previously presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards.
Scales of Justice was a Canadian series of docudrama television films, which aired on CBC Television between 1991 and 1995. Based on an earlier CBC Radio series of the same name, the films dramatized notable Canadian court cases, with actors reenacting the real-life events of the trial.
Spoken Art is a Canadian dramatic anthology series, which premiered in 1995 on Bravo!. Initially airing one new episode per month, but later becoming more frequent, the series presented Canadian actors performing literary or theatrical works, such as short stories, monologues or short one-act plays.
Road Movies is a Canadian television series, which aired on CBC Television in 1992. The series sent eight young Canadians to locations throughout Canada, to create short reports on local life and culture for television broadcast.
Coming of Age is a Canadian dramatic television film, which was released on the pay-per-view channel Viewers Choice in 1993. The film stars Marion Gilsenan as Jane McKenzie, a widow who takes a number of boarders into her home to make ends meet after the death of her husband.
Inside Stories is a Canadian television drama anthology series, which aired on CBC Television from 1988 to 1991. The series aired half-hour short dramas telling stories written and directed by members of ethnic minority communities.