Mixed Blessings (2007)

"Mixed Blessings" is a half-hour dramatic comedy series set in Fort McMurray, the ultimate Alberta boomtown. A Ukrainian plumber and a Cree waitress, both widowed with kids, fall in love and set up a new family together.

Mixed Blessings stars Gary Basaraba ("Charlotte's Web", "CSI", "NYPD Blue", "Boomtown") as Hank Kowalchuk, and 2008 Alberta Film & Television Awards Best Actress Tina Lameman ("Road to Saddle River") as Josie Fraser and we are pleased to announce that Francis Damberger ("Due South", "Mentors", "Honey I Shrunk The Kids") directed all six episodes for the second season.

In addition to locally-born Basaraba, other homegrown actors on the show include Kirklin Maclise as Hank's daughter; Jesse Freschette as Hank's son; Emma Duncan as Hank's sister and Allen Belcourt and Griffin Powell Arcand play Josie's sons. The cast is rounded out with Michelle Thrush ("Moccasin Flats", "North of 60") as Josie's sister; Emma Ashbaugh as Josie's daughter; and stand-up comic Big Daddy Tazz as Hank's best friend. The series was created by Ron E. Scott of Prairie Dog Film & Television ("My Green House", "Little White Lies", "Cowboy Country"), Ric Beairsto, of Laughing Mountain Communications, Vancouver (Close to Home, Code Green Canada), and Drew Hayden Taylor from Curve Lake, Ontario ("Street Legal", "North of 60"). "Mixed Blessings" is produced in association with APTN, and produced with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund created by the Government of Canada and the Canadian cable industry. The series is produced with the assistance of the Government of Alberta, the Alberta Film Development Program, the Canwest Alberta Fund and the assistance/participation of the Canadian Film or Video Tax Credit. (Source: http://www.aptn.ca/content/view/102/1/)