EXCLUSIVE: Newfoundland's favorite Son of a Critch is back in January and here's your first trailer for Season 4.
The CBC comedy series, based on comedian Mark Critch's childhood in Canada and his best-seller memoir, sees Critch portraying his own father, Mike, with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth playing a young Mark. Malcolm McDowell is his grandfather, Pop; Claire Rankin plays his mother, Mary; Colton Gobbo as his older brother Mike Jr; Mark Rivera is his best friend, Ritche; and Sophia Powers is Fox, Mark's girlfriend. Shawn Doyle (Cardinal) is joining the cast as drama teacher Kevin Lewis, who influenced Critch into becoming a performer.
Season 4 sees a 14-year-old Mark and his friends donning new mauve blazers, as they transition to high school during a time of change for Newfoundland, as local fish plants begin to close and the province begins to modernize. At home, Mike Sr. and Jr. are faced with a challenge when the owner of the radio station they work at retires and sells to the ambitious Mr Barlett (Rick Mercer).
The trailer begins with Mark fretting that his new uniform has the previous school name, Holy Heart of Mary School For Girls, stitched into the blazer. "No-one's going to be able to read that," counters Mary, before a jump cut sees Mike Jr. ripping on him about it. There's more on Mark's burgeoning relationship with Fox, who befriends a school bully, and we see Mr Lewis tell Mark he is an actor. As the trailer comes to an end, Mike tells Mark, "You know a ship is always safe when it's tied up at the dock, but that's not what it's made for," before voiceover from adult Mark says, "Like a ship on the ocean, if you don't get lost, you'll never be found."
"This season is almost like a reboot of the whole series," said Critch, who co-creates and co-showruns the series with Tim McAliffe. "We have a new school, new uniform and, really, a new Mark. But the biggest thing about this year for young Mark -- and for me in 1990 -- is meeting Kevin Lewis, my theater arts teacher. He really encouraged me to become an actor, to become a comedian."
Son of a Critch is produced by Project 10 Productions and Hawco Productions in association with CBC and Lionsgate Television. Shooting on Season 4 began in July after the she was renewed in May.
Executive producers are Critch, McAuliffe, Andrew Barnsley (Schitt's Creek) and Allan Hawco (Republic of Doyle). Perry Chafe and Amanda Joy serve as co-executive producers, Janine Squires, Erin Sullivan and John Vatcher are producers and Shelby Bronstein is series producer. Series directors this season are John Vatcher (Caught), Deanne Foley (Hudson & Rex), Joyce Wong (Sort Of), and Vanessa Matsui (Ghost BFF).
The season will launch on January 7 in a 8.30 p.m. ET slot. The CW has acquired all three seasons to date, but there's no word on a Season 4 deal just yet.