Iqaluit fans offer thumbs-up to ‘North of North’ season ender
Subtle cliffhanger ending hints at potential for 2nd season but that could depend on Netflix
Siaja, played by Iqaluit actor Anna Lambe, rehearses a presentation aimed at attracting investment from southern researchers in episode eight of “North of North.” (Screenshot courtesy of CBC Gem)
Dozens of Iqalummiut came together Tuesday night to watch the Season 1 finale of North of North, the TV comedy that was filmed in Iqaluit last year.
Some fans of the Nunavut-based series attended a live streaming hosted by Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum, while others converged across town at Nunavut Brewing Co. for a viewing party later in the evening.
Longtime Arviat actor Vinnie Karetak attends the screening of episode eight of “North of North” at Nunavut Brewing Co. Tuesday in Iqaluit. (Photo by Daron Letts)
Set in the fictionalized hamlet of Ice Cove, North of North follows the ambitions and struggles of a strong young Inuk woman named Siaja, played by Iqaluit actor Anna Lambe.
All of the more than 30 patrons at NuBrew fell silent around 9 p.m. as bar manager Lovjeet, who goes by one name, switched off Scotties Tournament of Hearts curling on the TVs to reveal North of North’s opening credits.
The calm lasted only about 90 seconds until a dry quip by Lambe’s character earned a chorus of belly laughs around the room. More laughter, empathetic “aaws” and shocked “oohs” emanated from the audience throughout the rest of the 24-minute episode.
“The atmosphere in the tap room was incredible. The audience, which included a diverse mix of ages and backgrounds, seemed to connect deeply with the show’s themes,” said Lovjeet.
“Having lived in Nunavut for the past three years, I found it resonated with me on many levels.”
Arviat actor and filmmaker Vinnie Karetak, who plays Jeffrey in the series, attended the NuBrew screening along with fellow actor Jessica Pearce, who appeared in earlier episodes.
Although Karetak did not speak any lines in the finale, a subtle eye roll by his character late in the show earned some of the loudest laughter and applause of the evening.
Karetak lauded the filmmakers and their script.
“It’s Inuit humour and it’s a universal drama,” Karetak said.
“It’s uniquely northern, but also understandable to a broad audience. It brings out the truer issues that people deal with. It’s very strong that way.”
The series was co-created by Nunavut filmmakers Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril. It airs on CBC and APTN and will be streamed globally on Netflix this spring.
The first season featured eight episodes. The season ender was titled Bad Influences. There is no word yet as to whether a second season will be filmed.
Karetak speculated that the potential for a second season is contingent on its reception on Netflix, which “holds the majority of the purse.”
Co-commissioned by CBC and Netflix in association with APTN, North of North is produced by Red Marrow Media and Northwood Entertainment.
Season finale? Never heard of season ender before.
Why are non-inuit given roles as inuit characters in this show? Same with the grizzlies movie?
Because they are paying for it, as usual.
Is it on Netflix, is it a fun show, I’ll have to check it out.
That is because its called acting, how many trained Inuit actors do you know to make a list? Oh yes that’s right, the pool to choose from is 1 in 1 billion, lol get real ArcticRichard, why do you think they have to outsource actors. Just another ignorant person trying to complain……maybe audition to play ArcticRichard,
Because they are residents of the hamlet as well? Jeez give up on the racism just for this one time will you?
Allow the person to express his opinion without putting the term “racist” in there!
Because they’re not playing themselves, they’re playing characters. When an actor plays a role, their physical/ethnic characteristics are divorced from the character they’re playing. They “become” that person regardless of who they are in the same way that someone playing the President of the USA in a film may not bear any resemblance to the current real life president.
Umm..because they live in the community? What an idiotic question
It’s called acting
What are you talking about? Who? What inuk role is a non inuk playing? Do tell us.
Kelly William playing Ting.
The actor is First Nation. Hmmm, didn’t Anna Lambe play a First Nation woman on that show Trickster a couple years ago? Good for the goose, etc.
Interesting to note that Maika Harper (Neevee) played a Mohawk woman, Anna, in Mohawk Girls, a decade ago.
I wonder if Mohawks in QC were up in arms about that.
How’s ’bout getting Lou Diamond Phillips and Jennifer Tilly in the show.
They were “awesome” acting in a movie as Inuit. Ms. Tilly is gorgeous.🥰
Should watch Lou kill the polar bear by hand. Angu-timmariq!!
I thought it was a great show. It was funny, but also serious. I live in Iqaluit but I am from Lavrador and I understand everything about the show , it was a job well done. I hope another season comes through.
Loved this show! Hopes for another season
I find the show to be dull and boring! Not a trace of any inuk humour! As much I wanted to like it and support local talent it ! It felt like Inuit live in utopian world where everyone has nice homemade parkas
Not enough misery in it for you, Johnny?
I found it dull too. Without the local content, I would have stopped watching after the first half an hour. It had the feel of an ethnic Hallmark movie.
I tried watching this show but as a young Inuk man I did not like how they portray Inuit men, I find this kind of portrayal very toxic and I could not watch it anymore, there were some good things about this show but the underlying themes about Inuit men overshadowed the whole show. It’s really unfortunate it had to be that way and I am hopeful it will be more positive for young Inuit and not take to heart this inaccurate portrayal of Inuit men.
The script was written fictional. Humor.
At the same time, as Inuit, what we say and do is hilarious.🤣
Check out Rez Humor, NDN comedy and what some will do for a can of KLIK.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Alot are AC/DC fans and “got gangster attitude.”
Any gang bangers in Nunavut?🤣🤣🤣🤣
The character of Ting is every is very relatable, and fortunately they didnt go as dark as they could have with him. His form of abuse was just the fact that he is very self centered and only does things that make him look good. but not actually care about anything else. And a show about a totaly functional and caring family would not make the same kinda humor. also would not be realistic either.
Also this was created by NETFLIX. Nunavut is not the intended audience. it is the rest of the world. Netflix does not care if Inuit like it. How many people in the south watched? If all the humor only resonated with our humor then the show would for sure not be renewed. They need a larger audience.
You say “men,” plural — which men did you think were poor representations of Inuit? Ting is self-centered, but I didn’t think any of the other Inuit men were portrayed negatively. Is your real complaint that *one* of the Inuit men on the show isn’t that nice of a guy? Is that really so inaccurate?
I don’t like how they portrayed that french guy. Negative stereotype of quebec transplants in iqaluit
“Quebec transplants?”
Isn’t Iqaluit already pretty much part of Quebec?
French will be the operating language of Iqaluit eventually.And Gambian, Afrikaan, Mozambique, Somalian and…(drum roll…) “Newfoundland-ese”🤣🎵🎵🥳🥳👏👏
Bark! Howl. Super, super funny. It’s exactly what I’ve met to a tee to all francophones living in Ottawa. Very open people, not shy to what they say and do. I thought it was PERFECT character to all francophones men in Ontario.
I thought it was hilarious
I don’t think the portrayal of Ting was negative. He is a bit self centered, yes, but you can see that he is also strong, cares about his community and is a good dad. He’s not a “bad guy” and is still meant to be liked. Every character in this show is flawed, Siaja is plenty flawed and a hot mess and so is Neevee. it shows how good men can have blind spots and how a marriage can fall apart.
We are non-Inuit, long-time NU citizens and we love NofN. It was funny to see ourselves in our younger years when we were so ignorant and so much more ethnocentric reflected in the show and be able to laugh at ourselves so hard. We loved being poked at so gently by the show. We never came out and said “Namaste” but boy oh boy did we channel that vibe in our early years here and sometimes we still find ourselves there! It takes learning and lots of humility to shift from well-meaning ignorance and DNA-ed ethnocentricity to appreciating the gentle humour of NoN. Our hearts resonated with the less humorous, more painful aspects. Dark humour is also a form of resilience. Mostly, we loved how lovely Iqaluit, Apex and Pangnirtung looked; the gorgeous costumes (even that sealskin loin cloth, haha) and beautiful jewellery. It was such fun knowing everyone in the series – that made everything either funnier or more poignant, such as the close-up of the actor in the last episode when Siaja said “We’re tired of white people coming up and telling us what to do”. The actor’s emotion was raw and real: how could one not resonate? I hope NofN will continue its success and I really hope it’s back for season 2. Congratulations to its envisioners, producers, casts, wardrobe crew and makers, filmers – all of you, well done!
I have really enjoyed the show. It makes me laugh, it makes me think it has all the aspects and variables you would finf in any community. I love learning about all our communities in this big magnificent land that are privileged to
An awesome show, made me laugh, cry, and love the people of Ice Cove. I certainly hope it comes back for a second season. It is full of great lessons on so many levels. There is so beauty in the true North.
My daughter and I really loved this show. It is honest and funny and touching and beautiful. It isn’t slick, it is human and true. We want season 2 please !!!!
I am from Western Europe and I am very interested in the Far North, I know Greenland a bit. I loved to watch the show and would like a season 2. I often wondered how realistic it showed the life there. I simply would like to understand the Inuit culture from a deeper level. How life looks through their eyes.
This show does not represent the reality for Inuit and for Nunavut, it’s more of a fairytale, not very accurate portrayal of Inuit so please don’t take this show seriously as portraying Inuit accurately, because it missed the mark on that.
It’s written by people who live here. It’s fictional. Why bother writing that? Go play a your ukulele and cry about it.
It’s been awhile since I watched anything CBC. I’m glad I watched this and love it. I hope Netflix does the right thing and renews it along with international exposure from them.
My daughter and I absolutely love everything about this wonderful cast, story lines and where it’s filmed. May it continue for many seasons to come.
Very high quality. Thank you North of North cast and crew!!
Keep ‘em coming
I just finished the show tonight and came here to see what people thought of it. I am from Calgary so I don’t have much knowledge of what goes on in the north. This show was very cool glimpse into Inuit culture. Glad to see people enjoyed it! I will look forward to season 2.
I loved this series! It is equal parts funny, poignant, and touching.
I sincerely hope season two will be forthcoming.
It is a little bit of insight into a community and region unfamiliar to most of us Canadians, but I’m proud of all who worked on this series.
Please come back for season two. I’ll be waiting.
My family lives on an indigo reservation in NE Arizona {Navajo) and we LIVE VE the show. The struggles are so similar between the People. Poverty, loneliness and “small town and everyone in your business” challenges. This series certainly deserves a second season.