(Calgary, AB) – APTN and Prairie Dog Film + Television’s new one-hour crime drama series, TRIBAL, will premiere Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020.
Following the groundbreaking success of the television series Blackstone, creator, showrunner and director Ron E. Scott introduces TRIBAL, one of the first series on TV focused on a strong Indigenous female protagonist. The new crime drama follows the interim Tribal Police Chief Sam Woodburn (Jessica Matten) as she navigates the oversight of the Department of Federal Justice. Partnered with a big-city cop (Brian Markinson), she must prove herself amongst the old-white-boys club.
Season 1 of TRIBAL examines First Nation crime stories based on real world cases, including mistaken identity, pipeline controversy, healing lodge justice, social services, tobacco and missing Indigenous Peoples.
TRIBAL’s award-winning cast includes Jessica Matten (Frontier, Blackstone) and Brian Markinson (Mad Men, Unspeakable). The series also features Michelle Thrush, Justin Rain, Garry Chalk, Adam MacDonald and Julian Black Antelope.
“It is my lifelong pursuit to set a new standard of how Indigenous women should be viewed worldwide,” says series star Jessica Matten.
“Ron and I worked closely to create this detailed character, designed to reflect how Indigenous women truly are – strong, intelligent and healthy. I hope TRIBAL gives audiences a glimpse of who we’ve always been and where we will continue to go.”
TRIBAL’s award-winning showrunner and director Ron E. Scott is a prolific producer and innovator. He’s contributed to over 190 episodes of TV that have been broadcast globally on Netflix, including the one-hour dramatic series Blackstone, now streaming on APTN and Amazon Prime Video.
Scott describes TRIBAL as the next step in Indigenous storytelling. “On the surface, it’s a one-hour crime drama, but the core themes reflect the journey of a young Indigenous woman,” he says. “And despite the futility of government contradiction, racism and sexism, she rises above the noise with her intelligence, cultural conviction, character and ability.”
Check local listings or aptn.ca/tribal for airtimes.
APTN has greenlit season 2 of TRIBAL, with more details about production and broadcast to be shared at a later date.
TRIBAL is produced by Prairie Dog Film + Television’s Ron E. Scott and Janet Hamley, as well as Adam Frost and Nancy Laing.
TRIBAL is produced in association with APTN, in participation with the Canada Media Fund and the Rogers Cable Network Fund, with assistance from the Government of Alberta, the Screen-based Production Grant and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.
