Cancellation of ‘Run the Burbs’ a death knell
On April 25, somewhere between my second coffee and the fifth time I’d opened Instagram to mindlessly scroll my boredom away, I saw the “Run the Burbs” account announce that its third season would be its final one.
CBC decided not to renew it, despite it being nominated for multiple Canadian Screen Awards and having found a home south of the border on the CW and Hulu.
Was I disappointed? Extremely. Was I surprised? No. When you’re an artist in Canada, rejection is as abundant as it is depressing (very). We’ve all faced rejection in this industry, but the “Run the Burbs” cancellation hits hard on a few levels. Professionally, it’s yet another death knell for the crumbling state of Canadian television.
Quick recap, in case you’re not friends with any actors or writers: 1. Two weeks ago, members of the Writers Guild of Canada overwhelmingly approved the first ever strike authorization vote in the union’s history after being unable to reach an agreement on the renewal of the Independent Production Agreement. (The guild and the Canadian Media Producers Association reached an agreement in principle this week.) 2. Ad agencies have been refusing to hire union actors in order to save a couple of bucks on their bottom line, which has led to a two-year lockout for union commercial actors. 3. The Canadian film and television industry is still barely recovering from the effects of the American SAGAFTRA and WGA strikes.
It’s bleak. I wish I had a funny or charming way of putting it but, frankly, it just f-king sucks. The amount of conversations I’ve had with friends and peers that started with “What are we supposed to do?” are as abundant as they are depressing (extremely). And now there’s one less show to work on. This doesn’t just impact the oncamera talent, or the writers, but an entire crew. It takes a literal village to make a show and now that village is out of work.
I should also mention that another CBC comedy, “One More Time,” as well as CTV’s “Shelved” have also recently been cancelled. Both comedies feature the perspectives of marginalized voices, just like “Run the Burbs.”
It’s not lost on me that at a time when these voices are finally being given the spotlight, finally being in leading roles, finally playing the sitcom-perfect family, finally given the chance to speak, it’s the same time purse strings are being tightened. All of a sudden, there’s no more budget for anything. Interesting timing.
On a personal level, “RTB” being cancelled means a friend of mine, Andrew Phung, no longer has a national platform to share his very specific brand of comedy. A brand that focuses on joy, silliness, heart and excellent footwear.
Andrew, and his equally funny and talented co-creator Scott Townend, set a very high bar when it comes to set culture. I was lucky enough to play a small part on seasons 2 and 3 of “RTB,” and coming to set was always a pleasure. Film and television sets can be intimidating, and sometimes toxic, and the tone is often set by whoever has the most power. Andrew and Scott did the opposite: they fostered a supportive, collaborative, inclusive and extremely professional set. One that I’m so grateful for.
“Run the Burbs” is a show that celebrates the mundanity and absurdity of suburbia from an Asian family’s point of view. It’s also a show that celebrates young queer identity, in a world that’s trying to erase not only LGBTQIA-plus joy, but also their lives. It’s a show that celebrates non-toxic masculinity, community, female friendships, and the complexities of intergenerational relationships between immigrant parents and their children and grandchildren.
This show is about so much, and it represents so many people and voices that don’t often get celebrated. What I loved most about “Run the Burbs,” was that the Phams, and everyone in Rockridge, were allowed to be happy. They weren’t the B plot. They weren’t relegated to only being the comic relief best friend character. They weren’t the stereotype. They weren’t in distress. They were thriving.
It feels like a small miracle that this show got to exist at all. Getting anything made in this country is a nearly impossible feat, but Andrew and Scott did it. And I hope they’re so proud of that accomplishment; it truly couldn’t have happened to two cooler dudes. I hope the whole cast and crew know how important their work on “Run the Burbs” was. The show felt like a warm hug from your funny friend. The laughs were as abundant as they were comforting (exceedingly).
Thank you, Andrew, Rakhee, Zoriah, Roman, Ali and the rest of the “Burbs” for normalizing Asian family excellence, while upholding the best of Canadian values: inclusivity and kindness.