Endgame (TV series)

Endgame (typographically stylized ENDGAMƎ) was a one-season, 13-episode Canadian drama television series that premiered on the Showcase Television network on Monday, March 14, 2011. The series was developed and produced by Thunderbird Films. The series followed fictional former World Chess Champion Arkady Balagan (Shawn Doyle), a genius who uses his analytical skills to solve crimes.

Endgame
GenreDrama
Mystery
Crime
Created byAvrum Jacobson
Directed byDavid Frazee
Starring
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersMichael Shepard
Tim Gamble
Harvey Kahn
Production locationsVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Running time45 minutes
Production companiesThunderbird Films
Front Street Pictures
Shaw Media
Release
Original networkShowcase
Picture formatHDTV 720p
Original releaseMarch 14 (2011-03-14) –
June 13, 2011 (2011-06-13)
External links
Website

The show starts four months after the death of Balagan's fiancée Rosemary, when Balagan has developed agoraphobia. Balagan uses the faculties he honed playing chess to help him solve cases.

Cast and characters
  • Shawn Doyle as Arkady Balagan – a former world chess champion from Russia. While attending a world championship in Vancouver his fiancée, Rosemary, is killed by an assassin's gunfire in front of the hotel Huxley. His resultant agoraphobia makes him an "armchair detective" like Nero Wolfe or Lincoln Rhyme. Initially, he primarily makes money by charging exorbitant rates for games against "Grandmaster Arkady Balagan" on his website.
  • Torrance Coombs as Sam Besht – a grad student and chess fanatic. He is Balagan's apprentice; because of Balagan's phobia Sam is the one who does the leg work to solve the cases. Sam is a smart kid with a promising future; Balagan pays Sam for his legwork by giving him more chances to play chess with Balagan.
  • Patrick Gallagher as Hugo – the head of hotel security. He and Balagan have their disagreements; Hugo envies Balagan's superior capabilities solving crimes as a mere chess player while he, as a former detective, shows a lower aptitude at deduction. Hugo constantly threatens Balagan about his inability to pay his bills, and wants him to leave. Balagan deceives and outwits Hugo into helping him or staying out of his way.
  • Katharine Isabelle as Danni – a bartender at the hotel. Danni serves as a source of information.
  • Melanie Papalia as Pippa – younger sister of Rosemary (Balagan's deceased fiancée), she is determined to find out who killed Rosemary. She makes documentaries and keeps a video blog.
  • Carmen Aguirre as Alcina – a cleaning lady at the Huxley Hotel. She is a single mother of six, with one grandchild, who works overtime, practically every day. She sometimes skips work time in order to do some field work with Sam, as a favour to Mr. Balagan, who tips generously.
  • Veena Sood as Barbara Stilwell – the manageress of the hotel. Barbara does not help with Balagan's cases.
  • Collin Lawrence – as Homicide Detective Jason Evans (recurring), the newest detective assigned by the police to investigate the murder of Pippa's older sister Rosemary (Balagan's late fiancée). Pippa has confidence in the detective, and that his fresh perspective on the case will enable him to solve the mystery of who murdered Rosemary. Balagan, in sharp contrast, has much less faith in the police, based on his experiences in the Soviet Union with alleged corruption and incompetence.

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateCAN viewers
(millions)
1"Opening Moves"David FrazeeAvrum JacobsonMarch 14, 2011 (2011-03-14)0.232[1]
Balagan's first case is launched when Danni pleads with him to find a missing boy and, in a race against time, he enlists Sam and Alcina to help.
2"Turkish Hold'em"David FrazeeAvrum JacobsonMarch 21, 2011 (2011-03-21)0.154[2]
A clever robbery during a high-stakes poker game forces Hugo to ask Balagan for help, prompting the chess master to create his own complex plot to trap the culprit.
3"The Caffeine Hit"Anne WheelerJeremy BoxenMarch 28, 2011 (2011-03-28)0.106[3]
Hired by a desperate amnesiac, Balagan begins to unravel the man's complicated identity while fighting with Pippa over the investigation into his fiancée's murder.
4"The Other Side of Summer"Anne WheelerSarah DoddApril 4, 2011 (2011-04-04)0.179[4]
In order to help his former mentor on the police force, Hugo is forced to ask Balagan for help in solving a baffling, old cold case about a missing teenage girl.
5"I Killed Her"James HeadAvrum JacobsonApril 11, 2011 (2011-04-11)N/A
A mysterious doctor tells Balagan that he is responsible for the murder of a woman found in the hotel pool during a psychiatric conference, drawing Balagan into a complex and dangerous game that reveals the truth about a murder.
6"Fearful Symmetry"David FrazeeSteve CochraneApril 18, 2011 (2011-04-18)0.075[5]
Enlisted by a terrified family to help solve the inexplicable bombing of their car, which leaves their son too terrified to leave the house, Balagan is sidetracked by an unexpected match with a 16-year-old world chess champion.
7"Gorillas in Our Midst"Rachel TalalayKatherine Collins & Avrum JacobsonApril 25, 2011 (2011-04-25)0.128[6]
Smitten by a beautiful Chinese cryptologist, Sam convinces Balagan to try to solve an intricate puzzle involving a vital secret and an attractive, conniving female journalist.
8"The White Queen"Charles BinaméJeremy BoxenMay 2, 2011 (2011-05-02)0.103[7]
When the imperious heiress of the Huxley Hotel empire descends for an inspection, she coerces Balagan into helping her find her son, who has mysteriously disappeared.
9"Huxley, We Have a Problem"Anne WheelerGraeme MansonMay 9, 2011 (2011-05-09)0.122[8]
A boisterous reunion between Balagan and his longtime buddy, a Russian cosmonaut, is interrupted when an aerospace engineer plunges to his death and Balagan's friend is accused of the murder, leaving Balagan questioning his friend's innocence.
10"Bless This Union"David FrazeeKate Miles MelvilleMay 16, 2011 (2011-05-16)0.094[9]
When the hotel safe is robbed during an extravagant Indian wedding celebration, the distraught couple asks Balagan to help recover their stolen gifts -- but is it an inside job or the work of professionals?
11"Mr. Black"David FrazeeJeremy BoxenMay 30, 2011 (2011-05-30)N/A
Balagan is forced to match his chess skills against a computer when his anonymous online opponent reveals that he is playing for lethally high stakes – the lives of a group of innocent hostages.
12"Polar Opposites"Kari SkoglandKatherine CollinsJune 6, 2011 (2011-06-06)N/A
An entitled rock star hires Balagan to find $200,000 stolen from him – a mystery that also involves colourful groupies, a missing polar bear, and the kidnapped grandmother of Danni's estranged husband.
13"Deadman Talking"David FrazeeAvrum JacobsonJune 13, 2011 (2011-06-13)N/A
After Balagan investigates the sudden death of a hotel security guard, he is forced to face his worst nightmare. Ends in cliffhanger.

Cancellation

In early June 2011 Showcase announced that it would not renew Endgame for a second season. In February 2012, it was reported that Shawn Doyle had been contracted for a possible return of the series, pending continued success of its Hulu premiere.[10] In June 2012, it was announced that the show would not be continued.[11]

Distribution

The series is available through streaming services Amazon Video and Hulu. It is also available in the free with ads section of Vudu.

References
  1. Brioux, Bill (March 22, 2011). "Ratings across Canada March 14 to 20". TV Feeds My Family. Archived from the original on January 14, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
  2. Brioux, Bill (March 30, 2011). "Ratings across Canada March 21 to 27". TV Feeds My Family. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
  3. Brioux, Bill (April 5, 2011). "Ratings across Canada March 28 to April 3". TV Feeds My Family. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
  4. Brioux, Bill (April 13, 2011). "The Kennedys, Big Bang Theory Big Winners In Weekly TV Ratings Race". Toronto.com. Torstar. Archived from the original on April 18, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  5. Brioux, Bill (April 27, 2011). "The Brioux Report: Hockey-mad Viewers Elbow Idol Out Of Top Spot". Toronto.com. Torstar. Archived from the original on April 30, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  6. Brioux, Bill (May 5, 2011). "Ratings across Canada show Canucks in control (in subsequent comment)". TV Feeds My Family. Archived from the original on March 16, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  7. Brioux, Bill (May 11, 2011). "The Brioux Report: Big bang Beats Canucks, Race To Top". Toronto.com. Torstar. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  8. Brioux, Bill (May 18, 2011). "The Brioux Report: Winners, Survivors and shows that will never come back again". Toronto.com. Torstar. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
  9. Brioux, Bill (May 25, 2011). "The Brioux Report: Oprah's exit up, but it's no big bang in Canada". Toronto.com. Torstar. Archived from the original on May 30, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
  10. Brioux, Bill (February 8, 2012). "More moves ahead for Hulu hit Endgame?". TV Feeds My Family. Archived from the original on June 5, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2012.
  11. http://www.facebook.com/214228915276587/timeline/2012/6
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