jPod

2008

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1
7.5| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 08 January 2008 Ended
Producted By: No Equal Entertainment
Country: Canada
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.cbc.ca/jpod/
Synopsis

jPod is a comedic television series based on Douglas Coupland’s novel of the same name. It premiered on CBC Television on January 8, 2008. Starting with the fifth episode, the show began airing Fridays at 9:00. On April 4, 2008, it was announced that the CBC had cancelled the show because of low ratings. However, all but one of the remaining episodes aired. The cancellation of jPod sparked a fan-led protest. The show's opening title theme is Flutter by Bonobo. Produced by I’m Feeling Lucky Productions for the CBC, jPod was created by Douglas Coupland and Michael MacLennan. Coupland also co-wrote many of season one’s episodes.

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Reviews

RyothChatty ridiculous rating
Lancoor A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action
Usamah Harvey The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
Sammy-Jo Cervantes There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.
little_matty70 By reading the earlier reviews of unsatisfied viewers, it's easy to see that it was only the first few episodes that did not meet expectations. I personally loved the book and found it's off-beat humour to be hilarious and interesting. When I heard the sitcom was in the works, I was skeptical it wouldn't meet my expectations.Granted, I did not think the first episode was excellent and I worry that too many people judged it right off the bat. It did take the first episode to develop the story but once underway, it is very catchy and one of the few television shows I've had to watch on each new episode day.Jpod is definitely of interest for anyone who is into satirical comedy and a lover of the original novel. Even if you haven't read the book, the show is a huge success in my mind. I crave each new episode each week.
nephalinesyenite I haven't read the book, but I have read almost every other work of fiction by Coupland and I am a fan of his earlier novels. Coupland's movie Everything's Gone Green was majorly disappointing, so I had hoped for better when watching the first two episodes of jPod. The show has the feeling of Microserfs(Coupland's 1995 book) updated for 2006-2008 - with Coupland once again having his finger on the current culture(ex: googling your co-workers). The young characters who work in jPod are reasonable facsimiles of real people, except for the character of Cowboy. Their work environment in the gaming industry is relatable to anyone trying to be creative while in a corporate climate. I found myself laughing a bit when looking around the office in various scenes, especially in Bree's work area and when looking at the graphics of the game being produced. There are many quirky element that made me want this show to work.But jPod doesn't come off as very original because it has too many elements of Everything's Gone Green: the parents who had lost their jobs and so now grow marijuana, the brother in the real estate business who provides the main character with a free empty condo owned by rich Hong Kong citizens(in case they need to flee China), and instead of the Yakuza in EGG there is a dangerous Chinese criminal boss in jPod which the main character has to contend with. Instead of a potential girlfriend who works as a set designer in the movie business(EGG), the father in jPod is a movie extra, so we can look at bad movies being produced. Alan Thicke is over the top in the role, and I really wish they could of found an actor with a bit more subtlety to work with the wonderful Sherry Miller as the main character's mother. Alan Thicke isn't boring to watch, but all his scenes are excruciatingly terrible.As well, I found the pacing of the episodes to be slow and boring and the main character to be blank(though the main character of many of Coupland's novels are blank while the friends and family around them are more eccentric and interesting). The role of Steve the boss could have been written/or acted better (it's hard to tell who to blame the writers or the actors), because I've seen better versions of this type of character on many British sitcoms who actually manage to make you hate them and feel sorry for them at the same time....instead of just feeling like they do nothing to help the story. I've had bosses who could just be themselves and provide more laughter to the audience and irritation to the other characters that Steve does.ADDENDUM: I stick by what I wrote about the pilot and second episode. Since then, I've read the book and watched more TV episodes. I've discovered that this show has grown on me. The quality of comedy and writing varies from episode to episode, but I have laughed much more than I expected. This is much better than most Canadian made TV comedies(even Corner gas went downhill after the second season),a pity jPod wasn't renewed.
foreignall I have to admit I was a bit pessimistic about this show until I saw the first episode. I've read the book and loved it; and, like with all the books I love, was a bit apprehensive about its adaptation (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, anyone?). I needn't have worried. It's quirky, funny and a little absurd - just like the book.The soundtrack by Bonobo is the cherry on the cake. Can't wait to see the rest of the episodes!To natan-333: don't be such a party pooper. Kudos on working in the industry and everything (in the UK? This is BC, Canada), but the show portrays a work environment that is *fictional* and something with which a larger part of its audience can identify. I, for one, have been shunned for microwaving popcorn in the office. Showing overweight people working through the night while guzzling Coke and talking about Dungeons and Dragons might not have been as entertaining as it sounds. Besides, as it happens, the grow-op looks very authentic, so at least they got something right.
nathan-333 Some elements are entertaining, however this series seems completely out of touch with the industry it's portraying. Working in the games and Animation industry myself I'm aware of the funny and entertaining aspects, and this hits none of them.The series appears to have two tangents, If i was the creator I would focus on the side story involving one of the employees, as the 'work' side of it COMPLETELY misses. Yet another example of a lack of research and advisers.The characters themselves aren't bad, production quality good.Completely out of touch with reality, and not in the interesting and entertaining way.

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