New poly-friendly show on CBC!

SchrodingersCat

Active member
Hey Canadians! We have one of the first TV shows on network television with an openly polyamorous relationship!!

"Crawford" on CBC features a family where the wife has a boyfriend and the husband knows all about it.

I've only watched 4 episodes, but it's interesting how it's being handled. It's taken for granted in the show that the husband is fine with it, even turned on by it, and they don't even acknowledge that it's unusual.

When the boyfriend shows up at work one day and kisses the wife, a competitive co-worker takes a picture and sends it to the husband, thinking they're busting her cheating. When the husband receives it, he laughs about them sending it all covertly, and then starts making out with his wife.

My main objection so far is that she really treats the boyfriend as an inferior. When he says "I know, I'm #2, work comes first" she replies "No, you're #4. We've been over this. My kids are #1, my husband is #2, work is #3, and you're #4." So that's pretty brutal. They portray him as being all puppy-love and pathetically addicted to her, always showing up when it's not his "scheduled time." So there's definitely room for improvement in the "relationship quality" department.
 
Well at least poly is getting some air time. I doubt poly will be portrayed in a 100% healthy way for quite awhile. I hope I'm wrong.
 
(Though it can't be streamed from the CBC site outside Canada, I may spoof my location so I can get access.)

Hopefully, the series won't fall to turning into Shameless Lite.

I have to admit, I'm hoping for something good from a show that's got Jill Hennessy & John Carroll Lynch at the top of the list. :) And the problem with such a sprawling cast of regulars is that none of the characters gets enough screen time to become interesting to viewers.

It might be too much to hope that the nonmonogamy mentioned onscreen is any more than a sight gag, though if polyfolk are presented as Wise Outsiders -- whose passing comments allow the "real people" to unmesh from the fray & magically fix their differences -- isn't really much better. (Think Wilson on Tool Time.)

Now that I think about it, there's the interesting possibility: that the creators &/or writers intentionally included the rough edges.

I know, that might be too much to hope for :rolleyes: but it'd make sense. If someone on-staff has actually been in ongoing nonmonogamous relationships, it'd be smart to reflect experience/observation.

Plus, it'd afford a longer story arc rather than the usual episodic structure that most TV shows (sitcoms & dramas alike) fall into. While I enjoy watching Modern Family once in a while, it sets up a handful of problems early in the episode &, by the time the final credits roll, everything is neatly tied up, & you can be confident that the original problems AND the learning experience will NEVER be discussed again. The episodes can be shown randomly, or even in reverse order, & it will make no difference whatever to the general plot continuity of the series.

(Oddly, South Park has much more awareness of maintaining multiple arcs over years, yet "white-knuckled realism" like NCIS commonly has almost none.)

Here's hoping that Crawford will reveal such self-awareness & put it to good use.
 
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I wish this available somewhere online for us non residents :D
 
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