Acting Good is a Canadian television comedy series,[1] which premiered October 17, 2022 on CTV Comedy Channel.[2]

Acting Good
GenreComedy
Created by
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
Production
ProducersTina Keeper
Jennifer Beasley
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCTV Comedy Channel
APTN

The series was the top-rated program on CTV Comedy Channel in its first season. Its second season is slated to premiere October 16, 2023.[3]

Premise

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The series stars comedian Paul Rabliauskas as a young First Nations man who returns home to live in his small reserve community in northern Manitoba following a failed attempt to establish himself in Winnipeg.[4] The series is loosely based around his own experiences having to move back home to live with his family during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.[5]

In the second season, Paul finds that Rose and Agnes have shut him out. With nowhere else to go, Paul decides to move into the elder's lodge. Jo decides to run for chief of Grouse Lake First Nation against Chief Deedee, but faces opposition from Cousin Leon.[6][7]

The third season sees Paul and Rose attempt to start a family after Rose left Stephen Harper at the altar to be with Paul.[8] Jo juggles between raising her daughter and her obligations as chief, while Dean and Greg learn how to run their own community store.[9]

Cast

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Main

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  • Paul Rabliauskas as Paul Bittern, the owner of the Sagatay Lodge. Paul moves back to Grouse Lake after a botched attempt at moving to Winnipeg. Spoiled by his mother Agnes, Paul is sensitive and petty, displaying momma's boy tendencies.[6]
  • Roseanne Supernault as Josephine "Jo" Bittern, Paul's sister who works at the band office as band councillor and later chief of Grouse Lake. She is often picking up the work that Chief Deedee neglects, eventually running for chief herself in the second season.[6]
  • Tina Keeper as Agnes Bittern, Paul's mother and the matriarch of the family. She works at the North Store with entrepreneurial tendencies. Set in her ways and prone to gossip, she serves as a source of wisdom for Paul.[6]
  • Gabriel Daniels as Dean, Paul's cousin who is also Paul's best friend. Dean lives in a converted bus where he sells DVDs to the townsfolk as the town's "movie man", later starting his own business alongside Brady.[6]
  • Cheyenna Sapp as Rose, Paul's on-and-off again girlfriend. She is an influencer specializing in makeup and works as a receptionist at the band office. When she is not in a relationship with Paul, she is with Stephen Harper.[6]
  • Billy Merasty as Roger Laughingstick, radio DJ and narrator. Described as the "voice of the rez", Laughingstick is confident in his skills and previously worked as a radio host in Winnipeg.[6]
  • Pat Thornton as Brady (main in season 1), manager of the North Store and has a crush on Jo. Brady had a tumultuous previous relationship with his ex-wife who would film YouTube prank videos at his expense.[10]
  • Jason Mason as Lips, Jo's right hand man and the sole band constable at Grouse Lake.[6]

Recurring

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  • Michael Greyeyes as Cousin Leon, nobody's actual cousin who was banned from the reserve for ten years and has a habit of rummaging through others' belongings. He returns to Grouse Lake as his ban expires, later mounting a populist campaign for chief against Jo.[6]
  • Avery Sutherland as Chickadee Bittern, Olivia Sinclair as a younger Chickadee, Jo's rebellious daughter. Described as "cool, rebellious and answers to no-one" and with a self-sufficiency that leads people to see her more as a cool uncle.[6]
  • Aqqalu Meekis as Stephen Harper, Rose's on and off again boyfriend. Named after the Prime Minister of the same name, Harper is the "seemingly nicest guy on the rez".[7]
  • Vern Coot Bird as Ed, an elderly man who is involved in various shenanigans on the reserve.
  • Erik Athavale as Greg (guest in season 2, recurring in season 3), the son of the North Store's owner. He quits his position of manager in the second season to pursue starting his own business with Dean.
  • Rosanna Deerchild as Chief Deedee, the absentminded chief of Grouse Lake. A passionate player of electric guitar, she was the lead singer of Big Makwa, her former band.[10]
  • Jonathan Beardy as Blue, a local youth who enjoys freezies that stain his mouth blue.
  • Joyce Delaronde as Mavis "Beanpole" McKay, Jo's rival.
  • Remington Louie as Tatanka, the Indigenous love interest for Bernice in Rose's soap opera, who appears more interested in his horse, Comanche, than he is with her. Sydney Sabiston as Bernice, Tatanka's love interest in Rose's soap opera.

Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
110October 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)December 19, 2022 (2022-12-19)
210October 16, 2023 (2023-10-16)December 18, 2023 (2023-12-18)

Season 1 (2022)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateCanada viewers
(millions)
11"Just Fok’n Missing Her"UnknownUnknownOctober 17, 2022 (2022-10-17)N/A
22"Goosed by a Moose"UnknownUnknownOctober 24, 2022 (2022-10-24)N/A
33"Three Nobodies"UnknownUnknownOctober 31, 2022 (2022-10-31)N/A
44"High Rollers"UnknownUnknownNovember 7, 2022 (2022-11-07)N/A
55"A Steps Too Far"UnknownUnknownNovember 17, 2022 (2022-11-17)N/A
66"Battle in the Bush"UnknownUnknownNovember 21, 2022 (2022-11-21)N/A
77"Under the “B” for Breakup"UnknownUnknownNovember 28, 2022 (2022-11-28)N/A
88"Fresh Meat"UnknownUnknownDecember 5, 2022 (2022-12-05)N/A
99"Mr. Witch Face"UnknownUnknownDecember 12, 2022 (2022-12-12)N/A
1010"The Jig is Up"UnknownUnknownDecember 19, 2022 (2022-12-19)N/A

Season 2 (2023)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
Title [11]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [11]Canada viewers
(millions)
111"One Flew Out of The Kookum's Nest"UnknownUnknownOctober 16, 2023 (2023-10-16)N/A
122"To Catch a Rummager"UnknownUnknownOctober 23, 2023 (2023-10-23)N/A
133"Fasting and Furious"UnknownUnknownOctober 30, 2023 (2023-10-30)N/A
144"L'il Tonys in the Mist"UnknownUnknownNovember 6, 2023 (2023-11-06)N/A
155"The Flighting Grouse"UnknownUnknownNovember 13, 2023 (2023-11-13)N/A
166"Roger That"UnknownUnknownNovember 20, 2023 (2023-11-20)N/A
177"One Point for the Road"UnknownUnknownNovember 27, 2023 (2023-11-27)N/A
188"Dabs of Thunder"UnknownUnknownDecember 4, 2023 (2023-12-04)N/A
199"The Wolf of Paul Street"UnknownUnknownDecember 11, 2023 (2023-12-11)N/A
2010"A Man for All Shack-Up Seasons"UnknownUnknownDecember 18, 2023 (2023-12-18)N/A

Production

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Directors include Michael Greyeyes and Darlene Naponse. The series is being produced by Keeper's Kistikan Pictures.[12]

References

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  1. ^ Brittany Hobson, "First Nations comedian ready to showcase ‘deadly humour’ in new comedy series". Toronto Star, November 17, 2021.
  2. ^ Greg David, "ALL-NEW ORIGINAL SERIES ACTING GOOD MOVES IN WITH CTV COMEDY CHANNEL, OCTOBER 17". TV, eh?, September 27, 2022.
  3. ^ Greg David, "CTV Comedy Channel heads back to Grouse Lake First Nation for Season 2 of CTV original series Acting Good, beginning October 16". TV, eh?, October 11, 2023.
  4. ^ Simon Stones, "New sitcom puts comedic spin on life in a northern Manitoba First Nation community". CTV News, October 4, 2021.
  5. ^ Lenard Monkman, "Anishinaabe comedian back in front of live audiences at Just For Laughs Montreal festival". CBC News Indigenous, July 30, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "ACTING GOOD – THE SERIES – SEASON 2" (PDF). APTN. Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  7. ^ a b Morrisseau, Miles (15 December 2023). "'Acting Good' is Canada's funniest TV show. Get in on the joke". ICT News. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  8. ^ Bianchini, Elisabetta (22 October 2024). "'Acting Good' Season 3: How 'The Simpsons' inspired Paul Rabliauskas' approach to the show's ensemble cast". Yahoo News Canada. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  9. ^ Harris, Bill (17 October 2024). "The Laughter is Free, And So Are The Clothes, in Season 3 of ACTING GOOD - Bell Media". The Lede. Bell Media. CTV. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Acting Good Electronic Press Kit" (PDF). APTN. Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Acting Good - Episode Guide". Zap2It. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  12. ^ Greg David, "Award-winning actor Michael Greyeyes joins directing team for CTV Comedy Channel’s original series, Acting Good". TV, eh?, April 27, 2022.
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