Canadian pop culture vs American pop culture: a dilemma

[locker_monster]

Here's a silly question for the university students on my flist: I want to make a reference to the American TV shows that are filmed and produced in Canada, but are essentially American productions, in my term paper. How the heck do I prove that these shows (Battlestar Galactica, Stargate SG-1/Atlantis) have mostly Canadian cast and crew? I'm trying to say that Canadian broadcasters are getting around CanCon requirements by airing these shows and that American popular culture still manages to get into the country despite all the requirements and regulations. The only way I can work this in and back it up with research is to find a paper about American TV shows filming in Canada but at this point I'm really not in the mood to go look.

Or should I just bug my prof? Or should I not even bother, because working in some of my favourite shows into a paper is a sign of lunacy?

But I think it also raises another point. If these crews are largely Canadian does that mean a Canadian perspective is finding its way into American TV? Just look at Stargate. A majority of the crew are Canadian. Even some of the writers are Canadian. Heck, one of the executive producers is Canadian. And Atlantis has the added bonus that it has a Canadian character. I think Atlantis is the only show where a major character is Canadian and it's not a Canadian TV show.

Or is Atlantis actually a Canadian show? Canadian money is obviously going into the production. If you argue that then you can argue shows like Doctor Who and Torchwood are also Canadian since the CBC provides funding to help pay for the show. In fact, the only reason the CBC can air Doctor Who and Torchwood is because of the Canadian money going into the production.

I think I'm going to leave the reference hanging for now and maybe look for a paper or article later. My brain can only take so much at a time.

Comments

[hjea.livejournal.com]

Hee, I was just about to say that! Go, Robin Sparkles.

*dances to "Let's Go to the Mall"*

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

I can't help myself. Would you say Robin is portrayed like a true Canadian? I'm not really sure how to define "Canadian"; everything I've read says we're pessimistic and "loser figures" but we can easily laugh at ourselves. Or is there really no difference at all from the other characters? I suppose if Robin doesn't seem that different, it works for the argument that Canadian pop culture is just a reflection of American pop culture and we have no distinctions.

Gah, I'll shut up now. :-)