'NORTH OF NORTH, Ep. 4: Joy to the Effing World' REVIEW [4/5]
Engaging Performances Based On A Lot of Teasing
[Rating 4/5] - dir. Aleysa Young - 2025 - Canada - 14A - 23m - Comedy
One of the best things about North of North is it likes subverting its audience’s expectations. Sometimes that comes in the form of its unique characterization. Other times, it’s plot. Other times… a stunt, perhaps.
In the case of episode four, “Joy to the Effing World”, directed — like the last — by Aleysa Young, the subversion comes via the ticking clock-plot established off the top, and the ways in which we predict struggling single mom Siaja will react.
A helicopter descends upon a particularly raucous crowd in Ice Cove. Cut to: 11 hours earlier, and Siaja’s boss, played by the always game Mary-Lynn Rajskub, finally cedes some responsibility to the aspirational young woman after three episodes of nagging and poking.
So we presume this doesn’t end well for Siaja, but why? That’s the fun. North of North knows it’s got a fun, engaging, charismatic cast on its hands and uses multiple scenes to show them off. One standout comes in the form of quippy co-worker “Colin”, played to perfection by Bailey Poching. Another highlight remains Siaja — Anna Lambe, a sun around which the show’s established planets happily orbit. Last but not least is “Bun” (Keira Cooper).
Scene stealers!
Sure, there’s a running story throughout the season, but for the most part this is a true sitcom, which means from week to week not that much will significantly change; an incremental inch forward in the direction of a situationship or one small step towards securing a job is all there’ll be.
The actors and the show’s bright writing makes the journey often more interesting than the plot destination.
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‘North of North’ is out weekly on Tuesdays on CBC Gem and elsewhere on Netflix.
Selected TV Show Quote: “Welcome to being a single mother.”
[Rating 4/5] - dir. Aleysa Young - 2025 - Canada - 14A - 23m - Comedy