I really believe that SPACE should give serious consideration to renewing “Blood Ties”for the upcoming season and beyond.
Two fundamental factors influencing the ultimate success of any show are quality writing and acting, both of which are abundant and leading factors in the success of this series and in the devotion of fans to “Blood Ties”. It has its pacing down and is just the right mix of camp, humour and seriousness; yet the writers always ground us in reality just before things get out of hand. They have also done a great job at mixing “stand alone” episodes with the overall story arcs and the developing/deteriorating relationships among the three primary characters.
It’s also well known that the producers went to extraordinary lengths to ensure that the chemistry between the leads was correct – lengths that are obviously more than justified in the finished product. The power, charisma and skill with which the cast portray their characters have given us fully realized people in whom viewers can become emotionally invested. These are what make this show so compelling - the on-screen chemistry between the cast and the tongue in cheek banter between them that leaves you wanting more.
As a result of the unique blending of the technical and artistic talents that make up “Blood Ties”, since January of this year the show has been nominated for no less than five awards, including:
· CFTPA Indie Award: Best Prime Time Drama Series
· Leo Award: Best Cinematographer, Danny Nowak
· Constellation Award: Best Female Performance in a 2007 Science Fiction Television Episode, Christina Cox, Blood Ties; Episode “5:55”
· Constellation Award: Outstanding Canadian Contribution to Science Fiction Film or Television in 2007, Tanya Huff; “Blood Ties”
· Houston International Film Festival: Special Jury Award, David Winning, Blood Ties; Episode “5:55”
The fact that the original 22-episode run has been purchased by networks in more than 10 foreign countries should attest to its broad-based appeal. Also of note is the fact that, in the United Kingdom, the DVD of “Blood Ties” first season sold out on the first day of its release.
At the end of the day, a driving factor for any show’s survival is viewers. “Blood Ties” has continued to attract new fans since the conclusion of its original North American run. Most of this new viewership is reported to have come from the most powerful form of fandom – word of mouth. A large number of websites and fan communities continue to provide new viewers with an introduction to the show.
Can a network bank on the investment it makes in any particular show? No, however, the novels that are the source material are popular the world over and have never been out of print. The original 22-episode season is being aired in various corners of the globe and a solid fan base continues to grow. The author of the novels and series creative consultant, Tanya Huff, recently won the Constellation Award for Outstanding Canadian Contribution to Science Fiction Film or Television. I think any network would be hard-pressed not to seriously consider a show with a pedigree this persuasive for its line up.
“Blood Ties” boasts compelling writing and a fabulous cast. It is a Canadian production with a Canadian cast and crew based on Canadian source material and benefits from the superior production values that have become standard for productions originating from this country. These are features that we, as Canadians, can and should be justly proud of and need to continue to support. What better reason to invest in a show having a ready-made audience that is clamouring for more?
SPACE/CTV has at its disposal a hidden gem, one which the viewers themselves are promoting the merits of. Renewing “Blood Ties” would preserve one of the few programs that provides what I find television, in general, seems to be lacking recently – intelligent and engaging entertainment.