Hudson Bay, around 1800. Quebec doesn’t exist yet, nor Canada. In this ice-covered wilderness battered by a bitter wind, fur is synonymous with survival. Far away, in Europe, it is the object of a very lucrative trade in hats and coats. For decades, the powerful HBC (Hudson Bay Company) has ensured its monopoly by any means necessary, including murder and massacre. Based in London, HBC benefits from the support of the British army, the “red coats”.
Lord Benton, sent by the HBC, a man of boundless cruelty, has educated and trained a half-breed, Declan Harp. But the two men now hate each other deeply. Harp is determined to get the furs from the Lake Walker tribe and unite the independent companies to break the stranglehold of the HBC. War is declared, and it will be bloody!
Blood on the snow, history in the making: powerful!
The series is based on historical facts: the HBC (which lasted from 1670 to 2025!), the Cree tribe, the French “coureurs des bois”, intermediaries in the fur trade, and the British military presence. This shows the emergence of what was to become a rival local company, the North West Company (NWC). As economic and political interests are always intertwined, a nation will emerge from the chaos of rival interests coming together to confront the HBC.
However, the series’ success comes from a powerful, fast-paced and addictive story, and a flawless cast. The characters are numerous, all delightful and well-written. Villains, heroes, hoodlums, Indians, not to mention strong women… Hats off to the team: every character is interesting, ambiguous and complex.
My only regret is that the disappearance of certain characters, such as Chesterfield and Samoset, deserved a better explanation
In this harsh country where survival is a daily struggle, some people try to keep up appearances and social hierarchy. But others don’t care. When living conditions are precarious and you can’t get by on your own, there are only two options: shut yourself away with your kins, or make do with makeshift allies. Elsewhere, intolerance may have been the winning strategy. But in the future Quebec, it’s tolerance that will build a better world.
3 seasons, 18 episodes (45 mn), 2016-2018, pitifully canceled after season 3, on Discovery Channel and Netflix
Created by Rob and Peter Blackie, WITH :
- Black Wolf company : Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones) as Declan Harp, Landon Liboiron as Michael Smyth, Lyla Porter-Follows as Clenna Dolan, Jamie Sives as Magnus McTaggart
- HBC : Alun Armstrong as Lord Benton, Evan Jonigkeit as Captain/Governor Jonathan Chesterfield, Kathryn Wilder as Chaulk
- Toronto locals : Shawn Doyle as Samuel Grant, Greg Bryk as Cobbs Pond, Paul Fauteux as Jean-Marc Rivard, Allan Hawco as Douglas Brown, Michael Patric as Malcolm Brown, Katie McGrath (Merlin) as Elizabeth Carruthers, Karen LeBlanc as Josephette
- Fort James women : Zoe Boyle as Grace Emberly, Diana Bentley as Imogen, Breanne Hill as Mary
- Native indian : Jessica Matten as Sokanon, Tantoo Cardinal as Kamenna