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The BeavertonBԪַs sharp satire thrives in polarized political climate

Canadian TV seriesBԪַ third season to air Tuesday on CTV after BԪַThe Amazing Race CanadaBԪַ
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Jonny Harris of BԪַMurdoch MysteriesBԪַ and Emma Hunter of BԪַThe BeavertonBԪַ co-hosted the Canadian Screen Awards gala in 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-George Pimentel)

ItBԪַs a few days before the season 3 premiere of Canadian satirical news series BԪַThe Beaverton,BԪַ and co-hosts Emma Hunter and Miguel Rivas are mulling over which headlines to cover.

BԪַJust hilarious stuff like children in cages and the Epstein case,BԪַ Rivas jests in a phone interview, referring to stories about migrant children at U.S. border facilities and sex trafficking accusations against financier Jeffrey Epstein.

BԪַOur message overall is usually that almost anything is on the table, as long as we can have a take that doesnBԪַt come across as unkind or punching down,BԪַ adds Hunter.

BԪַWe always want to make sure that weBԪַre punching up.BԪַ

Season 3, launching Tuesday, is a big one for BԪַThe Beaverton.BԪַ

Not only is the Toronto-based weekly series moving over to CTV from The Comedy Network BԪַ in a plum 10 p.m. ET/PT time-slot after the hit series BԪַThe Amazing Race Canada,BԪַ no less BԪַ itBԪַs also airing simultaneously around the world for international audiences on CTVBԪַs YouTube channel for the first time.

The Canadian Screen Award-nominated show also has a quicker turnaround this season, shooting in front of a live studio audience the night before it airs, giving the feel of a more current and high-paced news environment.

BԪַWe absolutely deserve a seat at the table with all the late-night talk shows in the U.S.,BԪַ says Hunter, an actress and comedian whose other credits include BԪַMr. DBԪַ and BԪַRoyal Canadian Air Farce.BԪַ

BԪַCanada hasnBԪַt had one in a long time and we think we absolutely deserve to have an international take on the international things unfolding. So weBԪַre ready, baby.BԪַ

Yes, that means BԪַThe BeavertonBԪַ will not only be covering Canadian news but also global stories.

The co-hosts note thereBԪַs already an appetite for the brand outside of North America through TheBeaverton.com satirical news site, which inspired the TV series and seems to have BԪַgrown enormouslyBԪַ in popularity, says Rivas.

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In an era of outrageous headlines and accusations of so-called BԪַfake news,BԪַ it seems the deliberately fake news is thriving.

BԪַWhenever thereBԪַs a wildly unpopular government, IBԪַm referencing Donald TrumpBԪַs in the States, I wonBԪַt quote any real study but I think you could find that civic engagement tends to go way up,BԪַ says Rivas, who is also an actor and comedian, with credits including BԪַBaroness von Sketch ShowBԪַ and BԪַGary and His Demons.BԪַ

BԪַI donBԪַt think people gave a crap about, for instance, a lot of municipal Toronto politics, but then once Rob Ford was elected and started doing his thing, everybody started to be like, BԪַWait a minute, I suddenly care about my ward so much,BԪַBԪַ Rivas continues.

BԪַSo I think the difficult political climate in the Western world, and specifically in North America, has caused Canadians to pay a lot more attention and care a lot more and get excited and outraged more. And they need something to reflect that and talk about that with and make jokes about stuff BԪַ and then enter us. ItBԪַs such an amazing opportunity, that people have the appetite for this like they never had before.BԪַ

This season will have eight episodes and return for a separate Canadian federal election special on Oct. 18.

Victoria Ahearn, The Canadian Press

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