TORONTO - When Mark Critch stepson the set of 鈥淪on of a Critch,鈥 wearing his dad鈥檚 signature aviator framesand a 1980s-styled fully buttoned suit and tie, it's a chance for the 48-year-old actor to reminisce about his upbringing.
鈥淭he weird thing is that a lot of my family鈥檚 furniture is on set. I鈥檓 dressed like my father, so every now and then while we鈥檙e filming, I have this weird, strange memory,鈥 says Critch, who resumes the role of his father, Mike Critch, in the second season.
鈥淵ou get lost in it and I forget that this show is about me. These characters are ghosts, and these people are making these ghosts real for me.鈥
Based on his 2020 memoir, the second season of 鈥淪on of a Critch,鈥漵et in the 1980s, resumes the St. John鈥檚, N.L., life story of a 12-year-old Critch, played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth.
The 13-episode series, which airs Tuesday nights and streams on CBC Gem, now sees Critch's young self move through a new school year having lost his girlfriend to another and watching those around him mature 鈥 physically and mentally 鈥 at a rate he isn鈥檛 prepared for.
Also returning is Malcolm McDowell as his grandfather Patrick (Pop) Critch, and Claire Rankin as his mother, Mary, among others.
The 鈥淭his Hour Has 22 Minutes鈥 star says he鈥檚 yet to be repelled by the uncomfortable familiarityof miningold ground from some misfit younger years.
鈥淚f I was going to embarrass myself across the country, at least I got to embarrass myself in the way I wanted to,鈥 says Critch. 鈥淚 got one chance at this, and one way to go about this was to try to make this as palatable and sellable as a show as I possibly could.鈥
The first season of 鈥淪on of a Critch" was a successful property for CBC, drawing in about 941,000 viewers and cracking the top 30 programs of the weekwhen it debuted around this time last year, Numeris figures show. It remained in the top 30 until the start of February, however dropping to 710,000 viewers.
鈥淚鈥檓 surprised that different people relate to me even if they didn鈥檛 grow up in Newfoundland in the 1980s,鈥 says Critch. 鈥淲hat I鈥檝e learned is that as different as your life can be, those human emotions of being bullied and falling in love 鈥 we all share those things when you break it down.鈥
Other homegrown events in the new season based on Newfoundland鈥檚 storied history include the visit by Pope John Paul II, Newfoundland's beer strike of 1985 and the ice storm of 1984 that left St. John鈥檚 without power for days.
Critch says that he initially had no clue whether or not the show would resonate with audiences.
But telling his story honestly, alongside co-creator, showrunner and former 鈥淭his Hour Has 22 Minutes鈥 partner Tim McAuliffe, is what Critch says truly mattered to him.
鈥淭his show is like the shell of the house I used to live in, but now it鈥檚 filled up with a different family and different memories,鈥 says Critch when speaking of his fellow actors on set. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not often you get to see an old man in Malcolm McDowell arguing with a kid on set about football.鈥
Returning to set felt like summer camp, says Critch.
Ainsworth also says he felt at home during production of Season 2.
鈥淚t鈥檚 my first time coming back to a character in anything I鈥檝e done, so it was interesting to go through that and realize that it was kind of like putting back on some old clothes,鈥 says Ainsworth.鈥淚 think it鈥檚 just comfortable in terms of how we shot it this season, it鈥檚 like we鈥檝e created a family.鈥
Rankin, whose credits also include 鈥淢olly鈥檚 Game鈥 and the stage production of "Dear Evan Hansen," agrees. She says that fostering relationships on and off set affected the dynamic of the show in a surprisingly meta kind of way.
鈥淲e were always asking each other for ideas through the process and I think that鈥檚 extraordinary,鈥 says Rankin. 鈥淲e鈥檝e built our relationships so beautifully 鈥 it鈥檚 like we were a band and the jazz was just a little smoother this time around where we鈥檙e all just riffing off of each other in a really cool way.鈥
This report by 春色直播was first published Jan. 3, 2023.
