Life with Derek

Last updated

Life with Derek
Lifewithdereklogo2.png
Created byDaphne Ballon
Developed byDaphne Ballon
Bernice Vanderlaan
Starring Michael Seater
Ashley Leggat
Jordan Todosey
Daniel Magder
Ariel Waller
Joy Tanner
John Ralston
Theme music composerGary Koftinoff and
Ron Proulx
Opening theme"Livin' Life with Derek", sung by Cheyenne Twiner of Uncensored, performed by Gary Koftinoff
Composer Gary Koftinoff
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes70 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Paul Pope (S1-2)
  • Suzanne French
  • Laura Harbin (S1)
  • Laurie Mclarty
  • Jeff Biederman
Production locations Corner Brook, Canada (season 1)
Toronto, Canada (seasons 2-4)
Camera setup Film; single-camera
Running time24 minutes
Production companies Shaftesbury Films
Pope Productions (season 1)
Original release
Network Family Channel
ReleaseSeptember 18, 2005 (2005-09-18) 
March 25, 2009 (2009-03-25)
Related
Vacation with Derek
(2010 TV movie)
Life with Luca
(2023 spin-off film)

Life with Derek is a Canadian television teen sitcom that aired on Family Channel (English) and VRAK.TV (French) in Canada and on Disney Channel in the United States. The series premiered on Family on September 18, 2005, and ran for four seasons, ending its run on March 25, 2009. Reruns currently air on Family Channel and previously aired on multiplex sister channel Family Chrgd. The series stars Michael Seater as the titular character and Ashley Leggat as his step-sister Casey. These are the two oldest children in a stepfamily.

Contents

It ended having aired 70 episodes, and was followed by one spin-off television film, entitled Vacation with Derek , which was filmed in northern Ontario in fall 2009, [1] and it aired on Family Channel on June 25, 2010.

On May 12, 2020, Shaftesbury Films announced that a spinoff television film, titled Life with Luca and set 15 years after the original series, was in development. [2] The spin-off feature film premiered in February 2023. [3] [4]

Plot

George Venturi (John Ralston), a divorced man from London, Ontario who had custody of his three children from a previous marriage: sons Derek (Michael Seater) and Edwin (Daniel Magder), and daughter Marti (Ariel Waller), marries a divorced woman named Nora McDonald (Joy Tanner), who has two daughters of her own from a previous marriage: Casey (Ashley Leggat) and Lizzie (Jordan Todosey). Up until that point, Casey was perfectly content with her life. Growing up as the oldest child in a household in Toronto with only her mother and sister had suited her well and brought her up as a self-sufficient and independent young woman.

After George and Nora's marriage, the McDonalds moved in with the Venturis in London, Ontario. Casey was originally upset about having to move to London, Ontario from Toronto, a much bigger city (as shown in the episode "How I Met Your Stepbrother"), for many reasons including Derek, but she eventually got over her own problems and agreed to move there for Nora and George's sake once she saw how much they cared for each other.

Cast and characters

Main

The McDonald-Venturi family (left-to-right), Derek, Marti, George, Edwin, Lizzie, Nora, and Casey LifeWithDerekCast.jpg
The McDonald-Venturi family (left-to-right), Derek, Marti, George, Edwin, Lizzie, Nora, and Casey

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 13September 18, 2005 (2005-09-18)January 22, 2006 (2006-01-22)
2 13July 1, 2006 (2006-07-01)December 15, 2006 (2006-12-15)
3 26May 11, 2007 (2007-05-11)July 5, 2008 (2008-07-05)
4 18July 19, 2008 (2008-07-19)March 25, 2009 (2009-03-25)
Series finale June 25, 2010 (2010-06-25)
Spin-off film February 20, 2023 (2023-02-20) [5] [6]

Production

The first season was filmed on soundstages at Atlantic Studios Cooperative Sound Stage in Corner Brook. [7] Seasons two through four were filmed in Toronto.[ citation needed ]

Broadcast

Original broadcast

Life with Derek and another Canadian sitcom, Naturally, Sadie , were both added to Disney Channel in the United States in 2005. In June 2007, Naturally, Sadie was pulled from the channel, but Life with Derek was left on. Though many episodes were originally broadcast on Family in Canada, Disney often advertised the episodes as being new episodes. Life with Derek has not aired on the Disney Channel since January 2, 2010, but reruns continued to air on Family, Family CHRGD until September 2016, and VRAK.TV in Canada.

The first two seasons were added to CBC Gem on December 26, 2019. [8] The remaining episodes were later added on February 14, 2020. [9] In 2023, all four seasons were added to Roku TV. [10] In 2024, all 4 seasons were made available on byutv.org and the BYUtv App.

Home media

SeasonRelease dateEp #Additional informationBonus features
Season 1 United States/Canada: October 1, 2008 [11] 13This two disc box set includes all 13 episodes from Season 1.
  • Interviews with cast and crew
  • Behind-the-scenes photo shoot
  • Studio tours with Derek and Casey
  • 8×20 inch full-color locker poster
Season 2 United States/Canada: August 11, 2009 [12] 13This two disc box set includes all 13 episodes from Season 2.
  • Interviews with Ashley Leggat, Michael Seater, Jordan Todosey, Daniel Magder, Ariel Waller, John Ralston, and Joy Tanner
  • Interview with creator/writer Daphne Ballon and producer/writer Jeff Biederman
  • On-set tour with Michael Seater, behind-the-scenes footage
Season 3 United States/Canada: March 23, 2010 [13] 26This three disc box set includes all 26 episodes from Season 3.
  • Interview with Ashley Leggat and Michael Seater
DVD titleRelease dateEpisodes featuredBonus features
Life with Derek: Let the Games Begin!United States/Canada: February 17, 2009 [14]
  • "The Room"
  • "House of Games"
  • "Babe Raider"
  • "Prank Wars"
  • "House of Games" interactive challenge
    • Play as either Casey or Derek
  • 8×20 inch full-color locker poster

Awards and nominations

2009 - Television Series - Family (Nominated)
2007 - Television Series - Family (Nominated) [15]
2006 - Outstanding Television Series - Family (Nominated)
2009 - Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series (Won)
2009 - Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series - Michael Seater (Won)
2009 - Best Writing in a Children's or Youth Program or Series - Jeff Biederman for episode "Just Friends" (Nominated)
2008 - Best Original Music Score for a Program or Series - Gary Koftinoff for episode "Fright Night" (Nominated)
2008 - Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series - Ashley Leggat (Nominated)
2007 - Most Popular Website (Nominated)
2007 - Best Cross-Platform Project (Nominated)
2006 - Best Original Music Score for a Dramatic Series (Nominated)
2006 - Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series (Nominated)
2006 - Youth (Won)
2008 - Best Performance in a TV Series: Supporting Young Actor - Daniel Magder (Nominated)
2007 - Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Leading Young Actor - Michael Seater (Nominated)
2007 - Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Leading Young Actress - Ashley Leggat (Nominated)
2007 - Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Supporting Young Actor - Daniel Magder (Nominated)
2007 - Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Young Actress Age Ten or Younger - Ariel Waller (Nominated)
2006 - Best Young Ensemble Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Ashley Leggat, Daniel Magder, Michael Seater, Jordan Todosey, Ariel Waller (Nominated)

Spinoff film

Life with Luca is a spinoff movie announced by Canadian media company WildBrain in August 2022. The film is set to follow the return of Casey and Derek, who are all grown up and have teenagers of their own. "The movie picks up fifteen years later and follows Derek and Casey as they each navigate parenthood and raise distinctly different teenagers," the movie's official logline reads, per The Sun. [16] [ deprecated source ] The synopsis teased that Casey is now a married lawyer with three kids, while Derek is a successful musician who is also a single dad of one daughter. [17] Actors Jordan Todosey and Danny Magder, who played Casey's sister Lizzie and Derek's brother Edwin, won't be rejoining the cast. According to WildBrain Television, the actors are not reprising their younger sibling roles due to "scheduling challenges"; Todosey claimed she was not contacted. [18]

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