TORONTO - CBC-TV says it's confident its upcoming fantasy drama "Camelot" can conjure up a Canadian following despite an inauspicious debut in the United States that effectively killed the series.
The sprawling Canada-Ireland co-production debuted south of the border in March, where it garnered mixed reviews and respectable ratings. Nevertheless, specialty channel Starz said in June it would not order more episodes.
The big-budget Arthurian spectacle had been promoted as a prospective ongoing series in the vein of "The Tudors," but a CBC executive says the 10 completed episodes work just fine on their own.
"We're really excited to present it as a limited series," said Tom Hastings, CBC's creative head of drama. "It's a self-contained, very satisfying season."
Based on the fantasy-rich legends of King Arthur and his realm, "Camelot" traces his rise to power from his days as a young man unaware of his royal lineage.
Jamie Campbell Bower (of "The Prisoner," and the upcoming "Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn") stars as Arthur, an illegitimate son of King Uther who is raised by commoners until he is plucked from obscurity by the wizard Merlin, played by Joseph Fiennes ("FlashForward," "Shakespeare in Love").
Former Bond girl Eva Green ("Casino Royale") is Arthur's magical half-sister Morgan, who believes she is the rightful heir to the throne and wages a supernatural battle for the crown.
"Camelot"'s U.S. run garnered reviews ranging from "surprisingly satisfying" (Miami Herald) to possessing "a fatal lack of lyricism" (USA Today). But none of that should have an impact on the show's prospects north of the border, said Hastings.
"Canadian audiences are different," he said, pointing to the success of CBC miniseries "Pillars of the Earth" and drama "The Tudors."
"These types of productions do especially well for us. Our audience is an intelligent audience, aware of history and it's no surprise that these big historical epics ... have at the core the theme of monarchy and court. I think that that is a theme and a historical period that resonates with English Canadians."
The Canadian stars of "Camelot" touted the lavish saga for offering a brawny update to the famous myths, thanks in large part to a gruelling three-week boot camp that whipped its male cast into sword-fighting shape.
"I'd say (to girlfriends): 'You just have to come to work and see the men that I work with,'" laughed Lara Jean Chorostecki, who portrays Bridget, the maid and best friend of Guinevere. "Because those boys, they got ripped. They got big and they worked hard."
Stacked with eye candy, sex appeal is clearly an integral part of the pseudo-historical series, co-created by "Tudors" writer/creator Michael Hirst.
"He's got a shaved head and lots of tatts," said Mooney, whose previous roles include stints on "Zone of Separation" and "Falcon Beach."
"We hit all the points that people come to expect (and) are hoping to see — The Lady of the Lake, The Sword in the Stone, Merlin, Arthur — but we deal with them in a whole new way," said Mooney, who trained at Montreal's National Theatre School.
"It goes back to maybe what the original story could have been, maybe what originally happened that has changed over time," added Chorostecki, whose previous credits include stints on "Dan For Mayor," "Republic of Doyle," and "The Listener."
Shooting took place at Ardmore Studios, about half an hour south of Dublin, with a lot of the exteriors done in the Wicklow Mountains.
Chorostecki, raised in Brampton, Ont., said the stunning surroundings, along with the elaborate sets and costumes, made it easy to imagine life in the mythical and magical Middle Ages.
"You can't really complain about your job when during your day (you're) sitting on a horse overlooking the Irish sea and going, 'Huh. This is what I do,'" said Chorostecki, who began acting with the Stratford festival and completed a master's degree in classical acting in London, England.
"There's something about those stories ... they come from the gut and they're human," she said. "You can see yourself on a grand level and everyone wants to be seen on a grand level, I think."
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