In one of those odd places where, if I’d known the author of the original book, I probably wouldn’t have ever given the TV show enough of a chance, there lies the CBC produced J-Pod and the book of the same name by Douglas Copland.
I love the CBC. Compared to American TV, I think it’s far more witty, capable of poking fun at foibles on all sides of the political fence. When I discovered they had a show about computer programmers who did drugs and had sex, I was almost sold. When I found out one of their character’s drug-of-chocie was robotusin, I knew I had to watch it all. Add in the fact that Alan Thicke plays a hard-drinkin, oblivious, wanna-be actor, opposite an amazing Sherry Miller, playing a pot-growing just-a-little-nonsense mother, and it all sorts of delicious comedy gravy. I was more than a little annoyed when they ended the season with a cliff-hanger.
Wanting to know how it all works out, without having to wait, and hope that the tv show gets a 2nd season, since I had some extra audible credits, I bought the unabridged audiobook version, and started listening. It was pretty obvious early on, that there were some significant differences between the book and the show. One of the characters is completely missing from the TV version, and more importantly-to-me, alot of the characters turn out to be much more developed and involved, in the TV version. And the book is FULL of fake-disses of Douglas Copland, whereas I don’t think he’s mentioned once on TV. In general, I think the TV version is much better. It seems odd to my American eyes/ears, how the book has more product placement than the TV show. And I hate the book’s happy ending shtick. I much prefer the extended consequences of the TV version, though now, I’m just as stuck for finding out how it all ends.
Dear CBC, you so better have approved a second season of j-pod.