Friday, June 3, 2011

A Day In The Life Of Little Mosque On The Prairie

Deb: Here we are in the thick of shooting season six of Little Mosque on the Prairie. It is the last season that we are doing right now, and I thought it would be nice to pay a little farewell to it here at The Middle Ages.

For those of you who watch, I want to be clear that the final season will air this fall on CBC. For those of you who don’t watch it, you may enjoy it anyway. I wasn’t able to shoot any actual scenes out of respect for the dreaded “spoiler alert”, but I wanted you to meet some of the cast and get an insight into a day on a set.  Not everyone was in on the day I shot, so there are some wonderful actors missing. I hope they are represented by the spirit of the film.

Thanks to my boys, Luke for editing, and Colin for posting this for me. And a special thank you to the Little Mosque team who over these last six years have given me employment, laughs, and a pay-cheque, not in that order. I will always be proud of this little Canadian show seen around the globe, which has shone a light on understanding and tolerance. 


Barbara: I just loved this, Deb. I spend time on sets and yet still found this adorable and sweet to watch. Thanks so much for taking the time to put it together. And thanks to all your peeps for being so gracious and sweet. For our readers: the show isn't available yet to see if you don't live in Canada ... unless you buy the seasons online (it's a really cute show and Deb is so funny). 

26 comments:

  1. Gads, Deb, that is early. I always wondered how morning news folks do it year after year. I held one job that required me to be at work @ 5 am ( we worked w/ folks in Europe). I hated it.

    Wonder if the show is on Netflix? It looks like a fun show to work on and watch. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Yeah Shawn, it would be a perfect acty world for me if I started at 10 and finished at 4. Guess I should have been a 9 to fiver huh?

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  3. And sadly, the show is not on Netflix yet. We've been hoping and waiting. Maybe soon???

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  4. I can't wait to see it on anything and I will do the whole 6 years.

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  5. Can you give me a synopsis? Is this seen on a cable network or on a main Canadian station? I am trying to see if this would compare to one of our soap operas here in LA. Looks like such fun.

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  6. Madge, the basic story is about a Muslim community trying to live peacefully (amongst themselves and with Christians) in a small town in Prairies Canada. It is a half-hour comedy. Very sweet, very timely, very much about how we are more the same than different...

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  7. Deb, such fun! Except for the 5:16 a.m. There's nothing fun about that.

    I've seen seasons 1 and 2 and part of 3 a long while back. It is very funny but also very sweet. Favorite episode that made me bust out laughing repeatedly: The episode about the hockey boards dividing the mosque and the one character denying her husband sex because of the issue.

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  8. Thanks Rigel, The wind up is great for me as my character is very featured this year. even more so than last which was a huge leap for me. I will miss it.

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  9. What a treat and I'm not at all surprised to hear the glowing things about Deb from her fellow cast members.

    Now I'm going to have to look for episodes online. The show looks great.

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  10. Between you and me, Lisa, Deb was very shy about posting the part of the video with the glowing adoration. But it made me cry and I vetoed her (ah, the power one wields when sharing a blog). And Deb adores Sitara, so there's that :)

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  11. Thanks Barb, I was going to add that comment in the preamble but I forgot. I had no idea that Sitara was going to sing my praises and felt awkward about putting it out there but the boy, Colin and Barb felt otherwise. Sitara was so gracious to say that and I do very very much adore her. Another person I will miss so much.

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  12. This seems like such a fun atmosphere. And getting up early really does stink (having to get up 2 days a week next year at like 5am...)

    And Deb, you are just adorable!!! ^__^

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  13. thanks Kelly, yes outside of the ungodly hour, I love it. Thanks for the kind words.

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  14. Deb, you have the most contagious energy ever! So cute!!! :)

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  15. In case anyone is interested, here's the Canadian Encyclopedia's article on the series:
    http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0012445

    Which, by the way, is seen in countries around the world so I wonder why it's not available stateside?

    Really looking forward to seeing your role expanded, Madam Mayor.

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  16. Available except for the US? Fracking weird....

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  17. Aww Deb Your amazing. You both are amazing. Deb I love Little Mosque and I do watch it often. It's amazing show. Very addicting. I think one of my faviorte shows is when Rian, and amara (Sorry I don't know how to spell them, I tried) Gets married. That is amazing because I never seen it coming. I can't wait for the next season. I love your part as the mayor. The mayor part is so funny,and she says what is on her mind. I know when ever I am having a bad day I can just watch a little of Little Mosque and it makes my day so much better. Your amazing in that show Deb. Love it.

    Lyndsie

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  18. I do have to add just one more thing. Sitara is right when she said that you are an amazing person . Deb you and Barb both are. And very sweet. I just had to add that in.

    Lyndsie

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  19. Thanks Holly! Kate and DMB there is a reason it is not in the U.S. The first year, a U.S. network bought the format from us to do their own version. They did not want our show, just the rights to it. Then it never got done. Thanks Lyndsie for your kind words. This year I have a major story line and I am having such fun with it. Sitara is a doll, that is soooooo true. Love her.

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  20. Why isn't Little Mosque on the Prairie available to the US via netflix? Even shows that have a US version (e.g. Coupling) have their Brit versions available on netflix. (For the record, the Brit versions are much better.)

    Why is it that even here in redneck rural Arkansas, I can readily access pretty much anything BBC I want (whether by netflix, other streaming sources, or driving an hour west to a small city where the Barnes and Noble has bins and shelves of Brit stuff), but CBC stuff is so hard to come by in the US? Back when I had TV channels, I even had BBCA. Yet, I can't get much Canadian stuff in the US? Huh? It doesn't make sense that a huge volume of stuff from another continent is available but not stuff from our neighbor that touches us for thousands of miles of border. You'd think CBC would want as many people as possible to gobble up their products!

    How is it that I've watched a bunch of MI5 (called Spooks in the UK) but can't watch The Border?

    And, please, when will your other show, Getting Along Famously, be available via netflix? And, who/why were all the episodes taken down from YouTube?

    *waves with bouncy enthusiasm at Barbara*

    (P.S. I am jealous of y'all's superior hockey coverage!)

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  21. Yeah we do know how to do the hockey don't we? In our blood, like baseball is in yours. Check answer above Rigel for why it's not in the U.S. I don't know why GAF is not on youtube. Don't know if it will be on netflicks! I'll find out though.

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  22. I had read your above answer. I guess I was unclear (I'm trying to do 5 things at once so I guess my typing was jumbled up.)

    I understand why Little Mosque couldn't be imported as is to our TV because of that rights selling thing. But, that didn't explain why it couldn't be available on netflix in the US. Because, other shows that have 2 versions (e.g. a Brit version and a US version) have the original, foreign version available on netflix. Examples include Coupling and Men Behaving Badly.

    *rereading what I just typed hoping I've made better sense this time*

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  23. Sweet video, Deb! Your TV family is lovely! Totally agree with my fellow Americans- all these Canadian TV shows look awesome, but we don't get to see them! (That includes your hubby's new ones, too... they look fun!) ;) Even where I am (Buffalo), we can't even get Canadian channels by default! Such a bummer- here's hoping we get to see them in the future!

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  24. Great video....so happy that Neil posted your blog on his site.
    I really love the show and have not missed one episode...I am sorry to hear that it will be in its last season ;(

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  25. How sweet! Thanks for the posting the lovely behind-the-scenes video for us to see. I hope one day I'll get to see your show...

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