CBC launched a new series yesterday based on Douglas Coupland’s novel from a few years ago, jPod. I’ve long been a fan of Coupland’s books, though unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to read jPod yet. I read a preview of the show on Canoe yesterday which basically gave the show the thumbs up, though implored people to keep watching past the first episode. The first episode is a bit plodding as it attempts to introduce the quirky cast of characters. The show centres around a bunch of misfits working for a video game company in Vancouver, and specifically Ethan Jarlewski and his pot growing mom and wannabe philanderer father, played by former Growing Pains star Alan Thicke. The cast of characters are pretty much exactly what you would expect from a Coupland novel, everyone is somewhat maladjusted, but they come off as lovable all the same.

So far I like the show, though as the Canoe preview mentioned, the first episode was a bit awkward and clumsy. I’m willing to check out episode 2 and hopefully the show will move onward and upward. I can’t say I’m an avid watcher of CBC programming, but I can see this show doing well for them. The show sticks pretty well to the geek humour palette, though I kinda wish the show would stick with real websites or games that they’re referencing. In the first episode 2 of the characters ended up bonding over a game of Defendoid, which was a made up game for the show. Having an Atari when I was growing up I kinda wish they referenced an actual game that existed instead of conjuring up a fictional game that was pretty much a slight spin on Defender. But that’s just me splitting hairs.