Setting
While initially, and according to Enrico Colantoni, the setting for the show was not identified, a Canadian flag was included on the officer's uniforms. As the show has progressed, the setting has become more significantly identifiable. This is especially true of the third season. Toronto landmarks, such as the CN Tower and York University, a fictional Toronto Interpreter newspaper (designed in the style of the Toronto Star, though "The Star" was mentioned during the premiere of Season 3), and Toronto Transit Commission stations and patrol cars are now regularly shown, identical to a Toronto Police Service vehicle but without the city name and with a fake division number. Dialogue also references Tim Hortons, and local streets, as well as communities within the Greater Toronto Area. In the first episode, someone mentions that the character Sam Braddock, was in JTF2 which is a Canadian Forces special operations unit. Similarly, in "He Knows His Brother", a subject's gun is described as a family heirloom carried by his grandfather on D-Day on Juno Beach, which was mainly fought by Canadian forces. In "Between Heartbeats", a shooting victim is carried to an ambulance by a paramedic whose shirt reads "Toronto EMS Paramedic", and in the seventh episode of the third season ("You Think You Know Someone"), firefighters are shown to have "Toronto" on the back of their uniform overcoats. Also, in the episode "He Knows His Brother", there is a brief scene in a military school in which Canadian Forces combat uniforms are being worn as well as the cap badges on their berets are those of the Royal Canadian Regiment (RCR) a regular force Canadian infantry unit. Police forces in York and Durham Regions are mentioned in "Exit Wounds". The fourth episode of the third season features a shot of an Ontario driver's licence with a Toronto, ON address which is visited by the SRU officers. Finally, in the Season 2, Part 2 (aka episode 218) finale episode "Behind the Blue Line" the name "Toronto" is finally spoken for the first time in the series, in a reference to the city's pro hockey team.
Finally, in the Series Finale (Part 1), police forces in Peel, Halton as well as the aforementioned York and Durham police are brought up as reinforcement by Sgt. Parker. Also, CFB Borden is mentioned to be providing a triage hospital and troops.
At the start of the series, Bill Mustos, founder of co-production company Avamar Entertainment, commented that "you're not going to see a show that is screaming 'Canada.' It's a show in a big sophisticated urban city where crises take place. The stories we're trying to tell are universal stories." CTV's press release regarding the series did identify Toronto, and noted that the SRU is based on Toronto's Emergency Task Force.
Read more about this topic: Flashpoint (TV Series)
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