What if Boba Fett had a TV show? Killjoys is the answer
In the opening scenes of the Canadian science fiction action series Killjoys, a shrouded figure navigates through a desert wasteland.
The scene is a throwback to Star Wars and the harsh desert world of Tatooine. Except this is not shot in Tunisia; it’s in the town of Caledon, Ont.
Perhaps just as well, since the actual Tunisian city where Star Wars was first shot is now reportedly a waypoint for Islamic State fighters.
The Star Wars opening is a sign of things to come, because Killjoys — with its own Canadian spin — is an unapologetic homage to the George Lucas classic, with some Flash Gordon and perhaps a little Barbarella thrown in. It’s a space western in the best sense. As pure escapism, it works. The action scenes are muscular, and the dynamic between the characters played by Canadians Aaron Ashmore ( Smallville) and Luke Macfarlane ( Brothers & Sisters) with the show’s star Hannah John-Kamen ( Viva Forever) makes you think the Millennium Falcon never left orbit.
Like most decent action shows, Killjoys has a remarkably simple premise. Three intergalactic bounty hunters called “Killjoys” team up to find bad guys and bring them to justice. It is Boba Fett meets Dog the Bounty Hunter in space.
In the first episode we learn the world is defined by the Quad, a complex planetary system on the brink of war with different political factions.
Killjoys hold no allegiance, moving between the factions and acting as a kind of justice for hire. In each episode, the Killjoys bring back a new bad guy — essentially turning the show into a police procedural in space.
John-Kamen plays Dutch, a former assassin whose father figure trained her to kill as a child. Ashmore plays a technical wizard, and Macfarlane plays his brother, a former elite soldier.
“This is a show that’s not afraid to refer to the roots of early science fiction,” London, Ont. native Macfarlane told the Star. “There is a real sense of nostalgia throughout the show.”
He does draw the line at the Dog the Bounty Hunter comparison though.
“I would like to think we’re a little more sophisticated than Dog the Bounty Hunter’s setup, although I wouldn’t take away from his success,” says the Julliard-trained actor with a grin. “I see us as a little more Blackwater. Kind of like stealthy mil- itary guys, and maybe a little Boba Fett thrown in there.”
The 10-episode, one-hour series is created by Michelle Lovretta, the creator of the fantasy thriller Lost Girl. Along with the mystery thriller Dark Matter, which debuted last week, it is the second new high-profile science-fiction series produced in Toronto. The show will also air on Syfy in the U.S.
“I grew up wanting to be Han Solo, but it looks like they pegged me for the Luke Skywalker role,” Richmond, B.C., native Ashmore joked. “I can tell you, though, that I got good at taking a punch because there were so many physical action scenes.”