Strays (TV series)

{{short description|Canadian tv sitcom (2021–2022)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=March 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox television | image = Strays (TV series).jpeg | developer = {{Plainlist| * Clara Altimas * Anita Kapila * Kevin White }} | executive_producer = {{Plainlist| * Ivan Fecan * Alexandra Raffé * Kevin White }} | based_on = {{Based on|A character created|Ins Choi and Kevin White}} | starring = {{Plainlist | * Nicole Power * Frank Cox-O'Connell * Tina Jung * Nikki Duval * Kevin Vidal * Tony Nappo * Paula Boudreau * Emily Piggford }} | country = Canada | num_seasons = 2 | num_episodes = 20 | list_episodes = | location = Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | editor = Aren Hansen | runtime = | producer = {{Plainlist| * Sandra Cunningham * Ivan Fecan }} | company = Thunderbird Entertainment | network = CBC Television | first_aired = {{Start date|2021|09|14}} | last_aired = {{End date|2022|11|15}} | related = ''Kim's Convenience'' }}

'''''Strays''''' is a Canadian television sitcom, which aired on CBC Television for two seasons from 2021 to 2022.<ref name=houpt>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/article-the-abrupt-end-of-kims-convenience-why-did-cbc-cancel-its-beloved/|title=The abrupt end of Kim's Convenience: Why did CBC let its beloved sitcom close up shop?|last=Houpt|first=Simon|newspaper=The Globe and Mail |url-access=subscription |date=March 26, 2021}}</ref> A spin-off of ''Kim's Convenience'', the series centres on Shannon Ross (Nicole Power) as she embarks on a new career in Hamilton as executive director of an animal shelter.<ref>Alexandra Del Rosario, [https://deadline.com/2021/03/kims-convenience-andrew-phung-nicole-power-cbc-1234722766/ "‘Kim Convenience’s Andrew Phung & Nicole Power Set New Comedies At Canada’s CBC"]. ''Deadline Hollywood'', March 26, 2021.</ref>

The cast also includes Frank Cox-O'Connell, Tina Jung, Nikki Duval, Kevin Vidal, Tony Nappo, Paula Boudreau, Emily Piggford and Leah Doz.<ref name=advocate>[https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/entertainment/kims-convenience-stars-nicole-power-and-andrew-phung-getting-their-own-cbc-shows/ "Kim’s Convenience’ stars Nicole Power and Andrew Phung getting their own CBC shows"]. ''Red Deer Advocate'', March 27, 2021.</ref> The series is produced by Thunderbird Entertainment.<ref name=advocate/>

The series had been planned to start production in 2020, but was delayed until early 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.<ref name=houpt/> It premiered on September 14, 2021.<ref name=tveh>Greg David, [https://www.tv-eh.com/2021/06/02/cbc-sets-fall-schedule-and-unveils-2021-22-programming-slate-including-over-35-original-series-from-canadian-creators/ "CBC sets fall schedule and unveils 2021-22 programming slate, including over 35 original series from Canadian creators"]. ''TV, eh?'', June 2, 2021.</ref> It was renewed for a second season, which premiered in September 2022. The CBC announced in April 2023 that the show would not be picked up for a third season.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thespec.com/entertainment/opinion/2023/04/14/hamilton-filmed-sitcom-strays-gets-dropped-by-cbc.html | title=Hamilton-filmed sitcom 'Strays' gets dropped by CBC | newspaper=The Hamilton Spectator | date=April 14, 2023 | last1=Nolan | first1=Daniel}}</ref>

==Production== The show initially faced some criticism for the implications of the fact that Shannon, the only white character in the core cast of ''Kim's Convenience'', was being given her own spinoff over any of the show's Asian characters.<ref>{{cite news |title='Kim's Convenience' stars decry 'overtly racist' storylines, lack of representation |first=Christi |last=Carras |date=2021-06-07 |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2021-06-07/kims-convenience-simu-liu-jean-yoon-netflix |access-date=2021-06-07 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> John Doyle of ''The Globe and Mail'' noted the complexities of the situation, explaining that since all of the other major characters in ''Kim's Convenience'' were drawn from Ins Choi's original theatrical play, and Shannon was the only character who had been newly created specifically for the television series, she was the only character who was the intellectual property of the show's producers and thus the only one who could be spun off without Choi's participation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bitterness abounds: More fallout from Kim's Convenience |first=John |last=Doyle |author-link=John Doyle (critic) |date=2021-06-04 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |url-access=subscription |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/article-bitterness-abounds-more-fallout-from-kims-convenience/ |access-date=2021-06-04}}</ref>

==Cast== {{castlist| *Nicole Power as Shannon Ross *Frank Cox-O'Connell as Kristian *Tina Jung as Joy *Nikki Duval as Nikki *Kevin Vidal as Liam *Tony Nappo as Paul *Paula Boudreau as Aunt Peggy *Emily Piggford as Lara *Leah Doz as Tonya *Dennis Andres as Travis }}

==Episodes== {{Series overview | color1 = #C19A6B | link1 = #Season 1 (2021) | episodes1 = 10 | start1 = {{Start date|2021|9|14}} | end1 = {{end date|2021|11|16}}

| color2 = #B67DE4 | link2 = #Season 2 (2022) | episodes2 = 10 | start2 = {{Start date|2022|9|13}} | end2 = {{end date|2022|11|15}} }}

===Season 1 (2021)=== {{Episode table |background=#C19A6B |overall= |season= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate=|episodes= {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 1 | EpisodeNumber2 = 1 | Title = Cat Condo | DirectedBy = Pat Mills | WrittenBy = Clara Altimas and Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|09|14}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 2 | EpisodeNumber2 = 2 | Title = The Snowball Effect | DirectedBy = Pat Mills | WrittenBy = Anita Kapila and Zlatina Pacheva | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|09|21}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 3 | EpisodeNumber2 = 3 | Title = New Neighbours | DirectedBy = Renuka Jeyapalan | WrittenBy = Anita Kapila and Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|09|28}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 4 | EpisodeNumber2 = 4 | Title = Trivial Pursuits | DirectedBy = Pat Mills | WrittenBy = Clara Altimas | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|10|5}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 5 | EpisodeNumber2 = 5 | Title = Girls Night | DirectedBy = Renuka Jeyapalan | WrittenBy = Anita Kapila | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|10|12}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 6 | EpisodeNumber2 = 6 | Title = Hot for Pappa | DirectedBy = Pat Mills | WrittenBy = Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|10|19}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 7 | EpisodeNumber2 = 7 | Title = Empty Nesters | DirectedBy = Joyce Wong | WrittenBy = Rosamund Small and Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|10|26}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 8 | EpisodeNumber2 = 8 | Title = Speak Your Truth | DirectedBy = Joyce Wong | WrittenBy = Clara Altimas and Allana Reoch | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|11|2}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 9 | EpisodeNumber2 = 9 | Title = Animal Passion | DirectedBy = Aleysa Young | WrittenBy = Clara Altimas and Anita Kapila | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|11|9}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 10 | EpisodeNumber2 = 10 | Title = Eggs Anyone? | DirectedBy = Aleysa Young | WrittenBy = Anita Kapila and Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2021|11|16}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = C19A6B }} }}

===Season 2 (2022)=== {{Episode table |background=#B67DE4 |overall= |season= |title= |titleR=<ref name="Zap2it">{{cite web |url=https://tvlistings.gracenote.com/overview-affiliates.html?programSeriesId=SH03995352&tmsId=SH039953520000&from=showcard&aid=gapzap |title=Strays |website=Zap2it|date=September 2017 |access-date=September 12, 2021}}</ref>|director= |writer= |airdate= |airdateR=<ref name="Zap2it"/> |episodes= {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 11 | EpisodeNumber2 = 1 | Title = Friends & Neighbours | DirectedBy = Jasmin Mozaffari | WrittenBy = Anita Kapila & Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|9|13}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 12 | EpisodeNumber2 = 2 | Title = Puppy Love | DirectedBy = Jasmin Mozaffari | WrittenBy = Clara Altimas & Anita Kapila | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|9|20}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 13 | EpisodeNumber2 = 3 | Title = Mama Madness | DirectedBy = Pat Mills | WrittenBy = Lief Ramsaran & Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|9|27}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 14 | EpisodeNumber2 = 4 | Title = Kristian's Therapist | DirectedBy = Pat Mills | WrittenBy = Clara Altimas & Allana Reoch | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|10|4}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 15 | EpisodeNumber2 = 5 | Title = Shannon's Reign | DirectedBy = Joyce Wong | WrittenBy = Anita Kapila & Zlatina Pacheva | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|10|11}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 16 | EpisodeNumber2 = 6 | Title = Testimonials | DirectedBy = Joyce Wong | WrittenBy = Matt Kippen & Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|10|18}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 17 | EpisodeNumber2 = 7 | Title = Attractor | DirectedBy = Jasmin Mozaffari | WrittenBy = Clara Altimas & Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|10|25}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 18 | EpisodeNumber2 = 8 | Title = House Sitting | DirectedBy = Jasmin Mozaffari | WrittenBy = Anita Kapila & Matt Kippen | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|11|1}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 19 | EpisodeNumber2 = 9 | Title = Promoting from Within | DirectedBy = Clara Altimas | WrittenBy = Matt Kippen & Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|11|8}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} {{Episode list | EpisodeNumber = 20 | EpisodeNumber2 = 10 | Title = Work Is Its Own Award | DirectedBy = Clara Altimas | WrittenBy = Anita Kapila & Kevin White | OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2022|11|15}} | ShortSummary =  | LineColor = B67DE4 }} }}

==Critical response== Doyle favourably reviewed the first episodes of the series, writing that "The sheer energy of Strays is admirable. It's gags galore and it can be fiendishly clever contrivance, often anchored in the style of that theatrical staple, the British bedroom farce. At the same time, it's a distinctly contemporary Canadian series, with a diverse cast, and if there's a tincture of subtext that subtext is tolerance. But you'd hardly notice with all the exuberance on display. Besides, there are cute animals almost everywhere."<ref>{{cite news |title=CBC's Strays: The funny, unlucky cousin of Kim's Convenience |first=John |last=Doyle |author-link=John Doyle (critic) |date=2021-09-27 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |url-access=subscription |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/article-cbcs-strays-the-funny-unlucky-cousin-of-kims-convenience/ |access-date=2022-06-23}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website}} * {{IMDb title}}

Category:2021 Canadian television series debuts Category:2022 Canadian television series endings Category:Canadian television spinoffs Category:2020s Canadian sitcoms Category:2020s Canadian workplace comedy television series Category:English-language Canadian television shows Category:CBC Television original programming Category:Television shows filmed in Hamilton, Ontario Category:Television shows set in Hamilton, Ontario Category:Television productions postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic