Flashpoint (2008– )

A television program about a special tactical team that rescues hostages, busts gangs, defuses bombs, and takes on other tough cases.

Creators:

Mark Ellis, Stephanie Morgenstern

Stars:

Amy Jo Johnson, Hugh Dillon, David Paetkau

19 wins & 53 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Amy Jo Johnson	...	Jules Callaghan (75 episodes, 2008-2012)
Hugh Dillon	...	Ed Lane (75 episodes, 2008-2012)
David Paetkau	...	Sam Braddock (75 episodes, 2008-2012)
Sergio Di Zio	...	Mike Scarlatti (75 episodes, 2008-2012)
Enrico Colantoni	...	Gregory Parker (75 episodes, 2008-2012)
Michael Cram	...	Kevin 'Wordy' Wordsworth (51 episodes, 2008-2011)
Tattiawna Jones	...	Winnie Camden (46 episodes, 2009-2012)

Storyline

When the Strategic Response Unit arrives, the rules change. The bad guy's caught - he just doesn't know it yet. The SRU, inspired by Toronto's Emergency Task Force, is a handpicked team of elite cops. High risk is their business and these men and women do it all: rescue hostages, bust gangs, defuse bombs. Talk down suicidal teens. Protect the Pope. They handle state-of-the-art weapons - sniper rifles, flash-bang grenades, tasers. They climb the sides of buildings. See through walls. But they're different from other SWAT teams. Because their arsenal also includes a gift for words. A knowledge of human intuition. An instinct for when it's time to negotiate - and when the 'solution' calls for something more. On the scene, they're in charge. No one knows their job better. SRU Constables outrank senior Inspectors - and the Inspectors don't like it. Regular uniforms grumble when pushed aside by the SRU 'prima donnas.' While secretly wishing they were in their place. It's a tough job. A job ...

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Plot Keywords:

rescue | sniper | swat team | swat | tactical | 

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Taglines:

There's always a solution.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

CBS [us] CTV [ca]

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Also Known As:

Critical Incident

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avamar Entertainment, Pink Sky Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

41 min 41 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Former working titles were 'Critical Incident' and 'Sniper'.

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Connections

Spoofed in Saturday Night Live: Miley Cyrus/The Strokes (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Flashpoint Theme"
by Amin Bhatia and Ari Posner

User Reviews

A refreshing change from the cop shows out there

The basic premise is that they show the 'flashpoint' of a situation, a brief glimpse at a volatile situation. This teaser provides a context for the story telling that comes afterward as a depiction of the various events that led to the situation, and then goes to resolve the issue.

I really, really enjoy this show. Working in Toronto, I enjoy seeing some of the same places that I travel to in this show. The 'shades of grey' antagonists, the not quite impenetrable armour of the protagonists and the fact that there are unexpected twists to the stories makes for some great watching. Unlike some of the other shows, where you get into a "Oh, we're getting near the commercial, he's going to puke / crash / seize" routine, the show has managed to use believable twists and character development to surprise, despite the 'spoiler' that begins each show.

I sincerely hope that there are many seasons to come, and that it will continue to develop the characters and story lines behind them. Kudos to the wonderful cast for their great performances, and to a show based in Canada that doesn't look like it was crafted on a shoe string budget.