Corner Gas

For the past few weeks, before I go to bed, I have been watching episodes of a Canadian sitcom entitled "Corner Gas."  I watch these episodes on YouTube, which is great because it means I don't have to buy the full seasons of the DVDs only to resell them when I'm done.

Is anyone else like that about the TV shows they own on DVD?  I mean, you buy the show if you want to watch it, but honestly how many times do you really watch it again?  When you're looking in the DVD rack for something at home to watch, you smile when you see your collection of say, "Friends."  But you quickly move on to something else since you've seen the show.  While DVDs are great to own, I only keep those I truly know I'm going to watch again.



Back on topic, "Corner Gas" is a non-laughtrack Canadian sitcom that takes place in Dog River, Saskatchewan.  The cast is full of quirky and interesting townsfolk; some are educated, while others are not.  The main character, Brent (played by Brent Butt...what a name), tends to the gas station he and his parents (Oscar and Emma) own.  Also working at the gas station is the town's most educated resident, Wanda. 

The story opens with discussion about the death of a woman named Ruby, who ran a restaurant in Dog River.  Her "city slicker" niece Lacey comes in from Toronto to take over the place where her aunt left off.  The small-town rubes are put off by Lacey's cosmopolitan ways and initially consider her an outsider. She has difficulty fitting into Dog River.  That is, until the end of the first episode when she renames the diner "The Ruby" in honor of her aunt. 

I'd call it a cross between "Scrubs" and "30 Rock."  All of the episodes are self-contained and there are no overriding story arcs.  The characters all work well together, especially the comic relief of Hank Yarbo (Fred Ewanuick, who played "Clark" of "Your names are Clark and Darla?"  in "Just Friends").  He's the village idiot but always has a few great lines per episode. Always near Hank in some form are Brent's parents, Oscar and Emma.  Oscar is a spitfire old man who always has a problem with the way people treat him.  He was banned for life from the Dog River Miniature golf course because he didn't get a free game on the 18th hole, even though he was allowed to play for free.  He lovingly refers to most people as "jackass."

His wife, Emma, the more practical one, keeps him in check.  She always sees through his schemes and anger; she is able to either ignore him or put him in his place. 

Rounding out the cast are the town's only two police officers, Davis and Karen.  Though the town is small, they are  the law, whether it's directing traffic or trying to get cats out of trees.  Major stuff happens in Dog River, clearly.



The show itself is pretty clean in terms of its dialogue, and I'd consider it to be a less subtle version of "30 Rock."  The puns and innuendo on "Corner Gas" are mostly obvious, but you still have to think about it.  It often pokes fun at the eccentricities of the English language. It relies on clever wordplay, and frequently cut-aways, to make it funny.  For example, consider this exchange:

Hank Yarbo: So how's that new doctor guy?
Karen Pelly: Actually, "he" is a she.
Hank Yarbo: He's a transvestite?
Karen Pelly: No, she's a woman!
Hank Yarbo: It's a woman transvestite?

Its comedic timing is impeccable.  Don't be put off by the fact that it is Canadian (as we've seen with "Degrassi," Canada does have some good shows); it's funny, well-written, and there are plenty of running gags to keep the show interesting.

Lacey: Karen, I'm glad you're here. Look, we need to talk about the book club.
Karen Pelly: I thought the first rule of book club was, you don't talk about book club.
Lacey: That's fight club.
Karen Pelly: How do you know about fight club?


Their local paper is the "Dog River Howler," which consistently gets its headlines wrong and simply strives for sensationalism, even when talking about mundane things such as gardening ("Moosejaw lands NBA Franchise" "Hank Loses Dirty Hoe" "Hank is Physic"). 

And, whenever there is a mention of their rival town across the river, Wullerton, everyone in the scene spits in unison. 

So if you're looking for a good show that's funny, punny, and bright, "Corner Gas" is for you.  Enjoy these short clips and if you like this show, you might also like "Dan for Mayor," another Canadian import I surely will be writing about another time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkF3xaMVC3E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uCqrolfm1g&feature=related