Strange Empire 

In 1869 Janestown on the Alberta-Montana border, three women band together for survival after the men in their town are murdered.

Creator:

Laurie Finstad-Knizhnik

Stars:

Cara Gee, Tattiawna Jones, Melissa Farman

2 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Cara Gee	...	Kat Loving (13 episodes, 2014-2015)
Tattiawna Jones	...	Isabelle Slotter (13 episodes, 2014-2015)
Melissa Farman	...	Dr. Rebecca Blithely (13 episodes, 2014-2015)
Aaron Poole	...	Captain John Slotter (13 episodes, 2014-2015)
Michelle Creber	...	Kelly (13 episodes, 2014-2015)
Matreya Scarrwener	...	Robin (13 episodes, 2014-2015)
Terry Chen	...	Ling (12 episodes, 2014-2015)
Anne Marie DeLuise	...	Mrs. Briggs (12 episodes, 2014-2015)
Marci T. House	...	Ruby Slotter (11 episodes, 2014-2015)
Ali Liebert	...	Fiona Briggs (11 episodes, 2014-2015)
Joanne Boland	...	Morgan Finn / ... (11 episodes, 2014-2015)
Teach Grant	...	Franklyn Caze (9 episodes, 2014-2015)
Christie Burke	...	Miss Logan (9 episodes, 2014-2015)
Bill Marchant	...	Dr. Thomas Blithely (8 episodes, 2014)
Mitch Duffield	...	Neill (8 episodes, 2014-2015)
Tahmoh Penikett	...	Marshal Caleb Mecredi (8 episodes, 2014-2015)
Woody Jeffreys	...	Chase Sloat (7 episodes, 2014-2015)
Anja Savcic	...	Mary Collacut (7 episodes, 2014-2015)

Storyline

A fateful meeting in 1869 Alberta-Montana border country leads to tragedy, a struggle for survival and the search for justice and renewal. STRANGE EMPIRE is a Western whose heroes are women. With most of their men gone, and those who remain battling for control, the women struggle to survive, to find their independence, and to build a life in which to thrive and raise families. As the stories of Janestown's citizens unfold we see the clash between a power-hungry father and son and the deep prejudices among races, but also the start of something akin to community in this Wild West. Western stories take civilization as a goal; they begin in blood, and end in the morality of Main Street. Starring Cara Gee as Kat Loving, Melissa Farman as Dr. Rebecca Blithely and Tattiawna Jones as Isabelle Slotter.

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Plot Keywords:

wild west | female lead | chinese canadian | racism | female doctor | 

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Genres:

Drama | Western

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 October 2014 (Canada)

Filming Locations:

Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 6,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Annuit Coeptis Entertainment II

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

Kat is supposed to be a fugitive after killing a man at Batoche, which was not founded until 1872 - Métis (and white) settlers moved to the area in the aftermath of the events at Red River and Louis Riel fleeing south in 1869, the supposed year this story is set in.

User Reviews

Strange Empire has everything!

Strange Empire is more than just a Western, although there's plenty of Western action. It's a female-driven, sexy, well-plotted drama. Beautifully shot, well-written, it's really the characters who drive the story. A small wagon train traveling into the west between Montana and Canada border, runs into a mining community that has little more than a brothel, mine, and railroad running through it. When two young girls are hidden from the brothel and mine owner, he extracts his revenge by sicking his men on the wagons, killing all the husbands, fathers, and male children, in order to force the women to work the brothel. The plan mostly blows up thanks to Kat Loving, a fierce wife-made-widow. From then on, it's pretty much war. Hopefully CBC won't cancel this one prematurely while it finds its audience. Hear that, CBC? Don't you dare!