MVP (TV series)
MVP: The Secret Lives of Hockey Wives (known as Trophy Wives in the United Kingdom) is a 2008 Canadian television series that debuted January 11, 2008 on CBC Television.
| MVP | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) Cast of MVP | |
| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Mary Young Leckie, Kent Staines |
| Directed by | T. W. Peacocke Michel Poulette Chris Grismer Stefan Scaini |
| Starring | Lucas Bryant Dillon Casey Matthew Bennett Peter Miller Kristin Booth Anastasia Phillips Deborah Odell Natalie Krill Olivia Waldriff |
| Composer | Gary Koftinoff |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Heather Haldane |
| Producer | Mary Young Leckie |
| Cinematography | Glenn Warner |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBC |
| Original release | January 11 – March 11, 2008 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
| Production website | |
The program was cancelled by the CBC on March 7, 2008. Poor ratings and high production costs were cited as reasons for the cancellation.[1]
Summary
The show portrays the lives of hockey players and their wives when they are off the ice. The show is set in Canada, where hockey is a favourite sport.
The show centres on the Mustangs, a professional hockey team. After the death of veteran captain Adam McBride, there are many changes in store for the team and others connected: Gabe McCall, the coach's son, becomes the team captain; a rookie named Trevor Lemonde is controversially added to the team; McBride's wife, Evelyn, and their daughter Molly, must adjust to a new lifestyle after there is no money left to them.
According to producer Mary Young Leckie, the show is inspired by, although not a direct adaptation of, the British series Footballers' Wives.[2]
Cast
- Lucas Bryant as Gabe McCall
- Dillon Casey as Trevor Lemonde
- Matthew Bennett as Malcolm LeBlanc
- Peter Miller as Damon Trebuche
- Kristin Booth as Connie
- Anastasia Phillips as Tabbi
- Deborah Odell as Evelyn McBride
- Natalie Krill as Molly
- Olivia Waldriff as Grace Morris
- Amanda Brugel as Megan Chandler
- Alec McClure as Owen Chandler
- Deanna Dezmari as Katrina
Production
The Screen Door production began filming in 2006 in the Toronto, London and Hamilton, Ontario areas and generated wide interest including from the National Hockey League itself. The budget for the first ten episodes was approximately $14 million. It was distributed by Screendoor International.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Game On" | T. W. Peacocke | Kent Staines & Sherry White | January 11, 2008 | |
| The Mustangs' star centre suddenly dies they acquire the league's number one draft pick Trevor Lemonde. | |||||
| 2 | "Truth and Consequence" | T. W. Peacocke | Kent Staines & Sherry White | January 18, 2008 | |
| Trevor becomes acquainted with Molly McBride; Damon's rape charge impacts Connie and Gabe's relationship. | |||||
| 3 | "Cover Your Man" | T. W. Peacocke | Kent Staines & Sherry White | January 25, 2008 | |
| Tabbi comes into town and disrupts the relationship between Trevor and Molly. | |||||
| 4 | "Two for Interference" | T. W. Peacocke | Kent Staines & Sherry White | February 1, 2008 | |
| Damon sets up a rookie initiation with his Mustang teammates for Trevor. | |||||
| 5 | "Double Over Time" | T. W. Peacocke | Kent Staines & Sherry White | February 5, 2008 | |
| Trevor's life gets complicated when his agent hires the groomers and stylists to give him a makeover and the scheming Molly strikes up a friendship with Trevor's girlfriend Tabbi. | |||||
| 6 | "Trades and Rumours" | T. W. Peacocke | Kent Staines & Sherry White | February 12, 2008 | |
| Connie fears she may lose Gabe when a new coach is hired and rumours of a trade run rampant. | |||||
| 7 | "The Code" | T. W. Peacocke | Tim Kilby | February 19, 2008 | |
| With the team on the road, all hell breaks loose when Trevor goes wild with the puckbunnies. Molly turns 18 and finally discovers the secret of the key. | |||||
| 8 | "Reality Check" | T. W. Peacocke | Sherry White | February 26, 2008 | |
| The Mustangs' world is turned upside down when Damon seriously injures another player on the ice. Meanwhile, Molly goes missing and everyone's a suspect, including her mother, the distraught Evelyn. | |||||
| 9 | "Sudden Death" | Stefan Scaini | Tim Kilby | March 4, 2008 | |
| Just as they are preparing to play a game, the Mustangs find themselves held hostage by an enraged Donald. | |||||
| 10 | "Mad Scramble" | T. W. Peacocke | Kent Staines | March 11, 2008 | |
| Desperate to find Molly and the police search going nowhere, Evelyn turns to a psychic for help to find her missing daughter. | |||||
United States
MVP premiered Thursday, June 19, 2008 on SOAPnet, and had a special promotional airing Friday, June 20, 2008 on ABC after the Daytime Emmy Awards, where it was the lowest-rated Big Four network program of the week.[3] The promotional subtitle in the United States was changed to He Shoots, She Scores.
United Kingdom
Digital broadcaster Living TV has secured the rights to MVP in the UK, but only showed four episodes since airing it on May 4, 2009. The series has been re-titled Trophy Wives for the British market. After re-branding itself from Living Loves to Sky Living Loves starting January 2011, episodes have been re-shown (including those not previously broadcast on Living TV) every Thursday and Saturday.
References
- "CBC axes Hockey Wives, jPod", The Globe and Mail, March 8, 2008.
- "Sexy MVP worries NHL" Archived 2008-01-09 at Archive.today, canoe.ca, January 8, 2008.
- Lisa de Moraes - Disney's 'Camp Rock': Lodged at the Summit - washingtonpost.com