I stand corrected!

detail from 15th century manuscript

Confession time: since proclaiming in this post my poor opinion of North American television, I've become thoroughly addicted to — nay, obsessed by — a Canadian series...

Have you ever found yourself gazing in wonder at the fantastical creatures depicted in medieval manuscripts and musing, "What if....?" The premise of Sanctuary is that humanity shares this world with a multitude of strange beings (referred to as abnormals) and that, dotted all over the planet, there exists a network of sanctuaries whose mission consists in taking in, studying, protecting and/or containing them.

Perhaps because of a childhood of being mocked and made to feel an outsider due to a congenital deformity, I found myself drawn to the prevailing attitude of compassion and acceptance for the "different", the "unusual", the "atypical", embodied by the motto Sanctuary for All. (Incidentally, this is also why I have such high regard for the work of Philadelphia's Mütter Museum under its former director, Gretchen Worden.) It's far too easy to sensationalize, to use the word "freak"; showing respect requires a deeper understanding.

Although I dearly love it, I could not in all honesty call the show perfect. My biggest qualm is the extensive use of "green screen", which produces a noticeably artificial environment, especially during scenes set inside the Sanctuary headquarters, and can at times detract from the dialogue. Thankfully, a cast of compelling characters saves the day, most notably Dr Helen Magnus (played by the wonderful Amanda Tapping) and forensic psychiatrist Dr Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne). I admit that I get a gleeful kick out of the introduction of historical figures as abnormals. My favourite is no doubt Nikola Tesla, a man I find endlessly fascinating, and Jonathon Young portrays him with irresistible wit and flair. He also gets some of the best lines: his "Nobody hijacks Nikola Tesla!" reduced me to tears of laughter.

I absolutely must mention the beautifully haunting theme music used in the opening and closing credits of the first two seasons; "Symphonie pour un monde étrange", composed by Joel Goldsmith and Neal Acree, can be heard in the first 28 seconds of this audio track. (For some inexplicable reason, it was changed for Season 3...)

Also worthy of mention here is Robin Dunne doing a more than decent job dancing the Rapati Sungu for Kali — yes, the Hindu goddess — in the Season 2 finale! (It would be well worth your while to watch it if you have a thing for Bollywood. I've had this music stuck in my head on a loop for days.) This prompted me to recall that dancing and singing were once closely associated with a warrior's bravery and strength, while today we see artistic expression as being distinct from, even incompatible with, physical courage.

What strange creatures we humans are.