Little Mosque on the Prairie
Encyclopedia
Little Mosque on the Prairie is a Canadian sitcom on CBC
, created by Zarqa Nawaz
and produced by WestWind Pictures
. It is filmed in Toronto, Ontario
and Indian Head, Saskatchewan
. The series was selected and showcased at the 2009 Dawn Breakers International Film Festival
in Zurich.
community in the fictional prairie town of Mercy, Saskatchewan
(population 70,000). The primary institutions of the community are the local mosque, presided over by imam
Amaar Rashid and located in the rented parish hall of the town's Anglican church, and Fatima's Café, a downtown diner run by Fatima Dinssa. The community patriarchs are Yasir Hamoudi, a construction contractor who originally fronted the money to establish the mosque under the pretense that he was renting office space for his business, and Baber Siddiqui, a college economics professor who served as the mosque's temporary imam
until Amaar was hired.
The town of Mercy is governed by Mayor Ann Popowicz. Sarah Hamoudi, Yasir's wife, works as a public relations officer in Popowicz's office. However, since Yasir had to leave Mercy and go to Lebanon
, Sarah manages his contracting company.
The title alludes to the classic American book and drama series, Little House on the Prairie
. The two series are not related aside from the modified version of the title logo.
, but the rest of season one was filmed in the Toronto
area. Indian Head
, where a set has been built for the exterior of the mosque, doubles for the show's exteriors. Film Rescue International's building exterior stands in for the town hall and Certified Plumbing and Heating as the local used car dealership. The Novia Cafe, the front of which is used in the show as a stand-in for Fatima's, is located in Regina.
Actors Zaib Shaikh and Aliza Vellani are Muslims. Sitara Hewitt (Rayyan) is also of partial Pakistani Muslim descent, but was raised Christian as both of her parents are Anglican Christians. Manoj Sood (Baber) is a Hindu
Punjabi
.
Zarqa Nawaz based much of the show on her personal experiences. Many of the characters are partially inspired by her family and friends. The episode "The Barrier" is based on a true happening at Nawaz's mosque when incoming conservative Muslims pressured the imam to put up a barrier separating men and women. The pilot episode also contained a satire of Maher Arar
's 2002 detainment.
In the episode "The Archdeacon Cometh", the archdeacon mentions having to "shut down a church in Dog River", referencing Canadian sitcom Corner Gas
on rival network CTV
. Carlo Rota and Sheila McCarthy, in character as Yasir and Sarah, also later appeared in a crossover
with Brent (Brent Butt
) and Hank (Fred Ewanuick
) from Corner Gas on the sketch comedy series Royal Canadian Air Farce
, debating the location of Mercy and Dog River (both fictional towns) in relation to each other after Yasir and Sarah bought the gas station and fired Brent.
Guest actors who have appeared on the show include Colin Mochrie
, Dan Redican
, Samantha Bee
, Dave Foley
, Maria Vacratsis
, Sam Kalilieh, Peter Wildman
, Sugith Varughese
, Hrant Alianak
, Veena Sood
, Kathryn Winslow, Jayne Eastwood
, Patrick McKenna
and Tom Jackson
, as well as hockey player Darcy Tucker
, curler Glenn Howard
, and sportscaster Ron MacLean
.
, and Allan Magee. Producers are Colin Brunton
and Michael Snook. Associate producer is Shane Corkery, with Jason Belleville, Dan Redican and Zarqa Nawaz as consulting producers.
The writing staff includes or has included Susan Alexander, Cole Bastedo, Jason Belleville, Claire Ross Dunn, Greg Eckler, Sarah Glinski, Karen Hill, Paul Mather
, Jackie May, Zarqa Nawaz, Paul Pogue, Al Rae, Dan Redican
, Sam Ruano, Vera Santamaria, Rebecca Schechter, Rob Sheridan, and Miles G. Smith. Mather and Sheridan were previously writers for Corner Gas
.
The directors for the first four seasons include Michael Kennedy
(33 episodes including the pilot and entire first season), Brian Roberts (14), Jim Allodi (6), Steve Wright (4), Jeff Beesley (4), Paul Fox (4), and Zarqa Nawaz (1).
Islamic views (held primarily by the characters of Baber and Fatima) with more liberal interpretations of Islam
(as represented by Amaar and Rayyan), at its core the show is essentially a traditional sitcom whose most unique trait is the simple fact of being set among an underrepresented and misunderstood cultural community. Nawaz herself has stated that the show's primary agenda is to be funny, not to be a political platform. She has also stated that she views comedy as one of the most valuable and powerful ways to break down barriers and to encourage dialogue and understanding between cultures.
This is represented by the show's current promotional tagline, "Small town Canada with a little Muslim twist": the religious angle, while always present, is largely tied to and sometimes even secondary to standard and universal sitcom themes such as family, friends and the humour in everyday life. For example, while the show sometimes tackles storylines with a political edge, such as a character being unable to attend a conference in the United States after being wrongly placed on a no-fly list or the mosque being raided by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
, even these situations are explored as much for their humour as their politics. The show much more commonly explores purely comedic issues such as whether a Muslim woman still has to cover her hair if the only man who can see her is gay
, whether Muslims can curl
, whether to haggle
with the carpet salesman when buying a prayer rug, or whether a Muslim woman's head scarf is enough to mitigate a bad hair day. Television critics have also credited this very combination of an attention-grabbing premise with conventional and familiar sitcom themes as one of the primary reasons that the show successfully retained an audience after its debut.
The series also sidesteps issues of stereotyping by having characters in both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities who cross the entire spectrum of political opinion. Baber and Fatima, who represent conservative views within Islam, are balanced by conservative radio host Fred Tupper among the non-Muslims, while Amaar and Rayyan, who represent Islamic liberalism, are balanced by the liberal Anglican Rev. Magee. The more moderate Yasir and Sarah, who try to be good Muslims but aren't particularly strongly defined by their faith, are balanced among the non-Muslims by Mayor Popowicz, who doesn't care what anybody's religious beliefs are as long as they vote for her on election day.
Hewitt's character of Rayyan Hamoudi, in particular, has been singled out in the media as a strong and unique role model for young Muslim women—both for her ability to reconcile a commitment to her Muslim faith with a modern, feminist-inspired Western lifestyle and career, and as a fashion icon who dresses in clothes that are religiously appropriate yet stylish, professional and contemporary.
has released the first four seasons of Little Mosque on the Prairie on DVD in Region 1.
The series logo used for the cover art of the DVD releases does not use the mosque imagery of the televised version, thus rendering it similar to that used by Little House on the Prairie
except for the use of the word "Mosque" instead of "House".
, the Washington Times and the Houston Chronicle
, as well as on CNN
, NPR
and the BBC
The show premiered on Tuesday, January 9, 2007, at 8:30 p.m. It airs Mondays at 8:00 p.m. (all times half an hour later in Newfoundland
). The Monday, January 15 broadcast was a repeat of the pilot.
The series premiere drew an audience of 2.1 million, an exceptionally strong rating for domestic programming in the Canadian television market, and on par with Canadian ratings for popular American series. It was, in fact, the largest audience the CBC had achieved in a decade for an entertainment program. By comparison, Corner Gas
, one of the highest-rated Canadian TV shows, attracts just under one and a half million viewers for a typical episode. The second episode, airing against the second night of the much-anticipated season premiere of American Idol
in most markets, had 1.2 million viewers, a sharp drop but still a high rating for a Canadian sitcom, and very high for CBC Television
, which has had trouble garnering large audiences for its scripted programming in recent years.
At the end of the show's season on March 7, 2007, the show attracted 1.1 million viewers, or an average of 1.2 million for the season. CBC Television renewed the show for a second season consisting of 20 episodes, which began airing on October 3, 2007, and continued to attract an average of one million viewers per episode.
CBC renewed the show for a third season on March 7, 2008. Season three premiered on CBC Television October 1, 2008. In its third season ratings declined and as of December 2008 it was attracting a quarter of its original audience. In its fourth season ratings declined further and as of December 2009 it was drawing 420,000 viewers a week, or twenty percent of its original audience.
On February 11, 2011, it was announced that CBC had renewed the series for a sixth and final season.
(best known for his CBC series The Newsroom
) describes the show as cynical. "There’s deep confusion and racism about the place of Islam in the Western world and it’s the thing that’s broiling up under everything in the world, and the show presents this world where everything is happy."
(Rating/Share)>
, Switzerland
, and francophone
African countries beginning in July. The French television company Canal+ Group
will distribute the show's first season in July to non-subscribers of Canal+
, a channel to which viewers must subscribe in order to watch. French voice-actors will dub the show.
On September 26, 2007, WestWind Pictures announced that the show would soon air in Israel
, the West Bank, Gaza
, United Arab Emirates
, Finland
and Turkey
. On October 2, 2007, Al Jazeera English confirmed that the United Arab Emirates and Finland had signed deals to begin airing the series in 2008.
From June 12, 2008, SRC
, CBC's French-language station in Canada, started to air the show, dubbed in French, under the title La Petite Mosquée dans la Prairie.
. The show was also nominated for Best Television Series – Comedy at the 2007 Directors Guild of Canada
Awards.
Internationally, Little Mosque won awards for Best International Television Series and Best Screenplay at the 2007 RomaFictionFest. Former Canadian federal Member of Parliament Rahim Jaffer
, who is Muslim, and director Michael Kennedy
introduced the program screening.
The show won the Canada Award for media representation of multiculturalism at the 2007 Gemini Awards, and the 2007 Search for Common Ground Award, an international humanitarian award whose past recipients have included Muhammad Ali
, Desmond Tutu
and Jimmy Carter
.
Since the producers of the show are Baha'is, it was selected and showcased in the Dawn Breakers International Film Festival
in both 2008 and 2009 festivals making its first international film festival premieres in the US and Europe.
announced plans to adapt Little Mosque on the Prairie into an American setting, in partnership with the show's production company, WestWind Pictures. The planned deal would not affect the Canadian version if it were to be picked up in the United States by another distributor or network.
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
, created by Zarqa Nawaz
Zarqa Nawaz
Zarqa Nawaz is a British-Canadian freelance writer, journalist, broadcaster, and filmmaker of Pakistani origin.-Biography:...
and produced by WestWind Pictures
WestWind Pictures
WestWind Pictures Ltd. is an independent television production company founded in 1989 in Regina, Saskatchewan. The company, now based in Toronto, Ontario, is co-owned by CEO Mary Darling and President Clark Donnelly. WestWind currently has programs airing in over 80 countries around the world...
. It is filmed in Toronto, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Indian Head, Saskatchewan
Indian Head, Saskatchewan
Indian Head is a town in southeast Saskatchewan, Canada, east of Regina. The town is directly north of the Trans-Canada Highway. The town is known for its federally-operated Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration experimental farm and tree nursery that produces seedlings for shelter...
. The series was selected and showcased at the 2009 Dawn Breakers International Film Festival
Dawn Breakers International Film Festival
Dawn Breakers International Film Festival is an international film festival that is held in various cities throughout the world. The festival originated in 2007 and debuted in Phoenix, Arizona on December 2008. It was held in Zurich, Switzerland in 2009, San Diego in 2010 and Houston in 2011...
in Zurich.
Plot
The series focuses on the MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community in the fictional prairie town of Mercy, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
(population 70,000). The primary institutions of the community are the local mosque, presided over by imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Amaar Rashid and located in the rented parish hall of the town's Anglican church, and Fatima's Café, a downtown diner run by Fatima Dinssa. The community patriarchs are Yasir Hamoudi, a construction contractor who originally fronted the money to establish the mosque under the pretense that he was renting office space for his business, and Baber Siddiqui, a college economics professor who served as the mosque's temporary imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
until Amaar was hired.
The town of Mercy is governed by Mayor Ann Popowicz. Sarah Hamoudi, Yasir's wife, works as a public relations officer in Popowicz's office. However, since Yasir had to leave Mercy and go to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Sarah manages his contracting company.
The title alludes to the classic American book and drama series, Little House on the Prairie
Little House on the Prairie (TV series)
Little House on the Prairie is an American Western drama television series, starring Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, about a family living on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s. The show was an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books...
. The two series are not related aside from the modified version of the title logo.
Characters
- Amaar Rashid (Zaib ShaikhZaib ShaikhZaib Shaikh is a Canadian actor, writer and director. He is best known for his current roles as Amaar Rashid, an imam in the CBC Television sitcom Little Mosque on the Prairie, and Jayesh in Metropia, an evening soap opera broadcast on Omni Television....
) – A Toronto lawyer who answers an ad to become the imam at Mercy's mosqueMosqueA mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
, much to the dismay of his family. He tends to support liberal movements within IslamLiberal movements within IslamProgressive Muslims have produced a considerable body of liberal thought within Islam or "progressive Islam" ; but some consider progressive Islam and liberal Islam as two distinct movements)...
, sometimes putting him in conflict with the more conservative Muslims in the community. Amaar tends to be sarcastic, which he blames on his work as a lawyer. His wealthy parents (Hrant AlianakHrant AlianakHrant Alianak , also billed as Harant Alianak or Grant Aljanak, is an Armenian-Canadian actor and playwright. In 1988 he was nominated for the Genie Award "Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role" for his role in the 1987 film Family Viewing. He played Pete in the 1995 movie with Adam...
and Veena SoodVeena SoodVeena Sood is a Canadian-based film and television actress of Punjabi descent.She works in both the UK and Canada. She starred in ITV's Compulsion featuring Ray Winstone and Parminder Nagra. She has also starred in the UK film Nina's Heavenly Delights,as well as the Canada/UK film Touch of Pink,...
) are not religious at all, and continue to pressure Amaar to return to his much more lucrative law career. He tends to say "I am the imam!" to prove his point or to show that despite his age, he has authority. He usually uses this when other characters (particularly Rayyan and Baber) are fighting and won't listen to reason. Amaar is married to Rayyan. - Yasir Hamoudi (Carlo RotaCarlo RotaCarlo Rota is a British-born Canadian actor, best known to Canadian audiences for his role on Little Mosque on the Prairie and to international audiences for starring on the FOX series 24.-Early life:...
) – A contractor who runs his business out of an office at the mosque, he is a practical man who seeks compromise. He puts in an effort to observe his religion, mostly when pressured by his wife or daughter (or his domineering mother when she comes for a visit) or when he can get something out of it, but he tends to slip up. It is implied that the only reason he helps out with the mosque is because he does not want to lose his free office space, but he lost that privilege when the church's bishop learned of the arrangement and ordered Rev. Magee to pay appropriate rent to the Church organization for it which was passed on to Yasir. Yasir is a card-carrying member of the Conservative Party of CanadaConservative Party of CanadaThe Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
, although more for the networking opportunities than out of any particular interest in being politically active. His role was reduced in seasons four and five, due to Rota's other acting commitments; within the show, his absence was explained as a temporary return to LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
to care for his ailing mother. - Sarah Hamoudi (Sheila McCarthySheila McCarthySheila McCarthy is a Canadian film, stage, television actress, and singer. She is one of the most honoured actors in Canada, having won two Genie Awards , two Gemini Awards , and two Dora Awards among multiple nominations. As of 2007, she can be seen on the Canadian television series Little...
) – A former AnglicanAnglicanismAnglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
who works as a public relations agent in the mayor's office, Sarah converted to Islam to marry Yasir. Like her husband, she struggles with Muslim customs and regulations and is often shown up by their more pious daughter Rayyan. She wears the hijabHijabThe word "hijab" or "'" refers to both the head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women and modest Muslim styles of dress in general....
when attending services at the mosque, but not day-to-day. - Rayyan Hamoudi (Sitara HewittSitara HewittSitara Hewitt is a Canadian film and television actress.-Background:Sitara Hewitt, who is the daughter of two professors from Wilfrid Laurier University, was raised primarily in Elora, Ontario...
) – Yasir and Sarah's daughter, a doctor. She follows Islamic feminismIslamic feminismIslamic feminism is a form of feminism concerned with the role of women in Islam. It aims for the full equality of all Muslims, regardless of gender, in public and private life. Islamic feminists advocate women's rights, gender equality, and social justice grounded in an Islamic framework...
, keeps the sartorial hijabSartorial hijabThis list of types of sartorial hijab indexes styles of clothing found in predominantly Muslim societies commonly associated with the word hijab...
, and takes her religion very seriously. Her Western medical treatments are met with disapproval by Fatima, who uses traditional Nigerian remedies. She is occasionally foiled by her own ambition; in one episode, she insists on being named as the mosque's representative to the local Interfaith Council as her price for letting go of an argument with Amaar, only to discover at her first meeting that the council is really little more than an interfaith bake sale committee. Rayyan has long had feelings for Amaar and they are currently married. - Baber Siddiqui (Manoj SoodManoj SoodManoj Sood is a Kenyan Canadian film and television actor. Manoj immigrated with his family to Canada in 1964 when he was 18 months old. He grew up in Calgary, Alberta. Later, he went to filming school in St Michaels University School in Victoria, BC.- Life and career :Manoj Sood was born in...
) – A divorced college economics professor and the most conservative member of the Muslim community in Mercy, he acted as the imam prior to Amaar's arrival in the pilot episode; when Amaar briefly quits his job in Season 3, Baber again takes over as imam, and proves to be one of the reasons the community is so determined to get Amaar back. His conservatism often conflicts with the wishes of his teenage daughter Layla, although he loves her dearly (in fact the main reason he has custody of her is that when his ex-wife came to visit him after he moved to Mercy she saw that the only thing he had bothered to unpack was his daughter's picture on the wall). He wears a taqiyahTaqiyah (cap)The taqiyah is a short, rounded cap worn by some observant Muslim men. When worn by itself, the taqiyah can be any color. When worn under the keffiyah scarf, it is always white. Some Muslims wrap the turban around the cap. The turban is called an imama in Arabic...
and a shalwar kameezShalwar kameezShalwar kameez — or salwar kameez or shalwar qameez — is a traditional dress worn by both women and men in South Asia and Central Asia. Shalwar or salwar are loose pajama-like trousers. The legs are wide at the top, and narrow at the ankle. The kameez is a long shirt or tunic...
and constantly rants and raves and complains about everything, to the point that most of his acquaintances consider him obnoxious. He once falsely claimed that he was on the American no-fly list to cover up his own fear of flying, resulting in Rayyan and Amaar taking him to the American consulate in ReginaRegina, SaskatchewanRegina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
three separate times to help him clear his name. He calls most non-Muslims "imbecileImbecileImbecile is a term for moderate to severe mental retardation, as well as for a type of criminal. It arises from the Latin word imbecillus, meaning weak, or weak-minded. "Imbecile" was once applied to people with an IQ of 26-50, between "moron" and "idiot" .The term was further refined into mental...
s" and "infidelInfidelAn infidel is one who has no religious beliefs, or who doubts or rejects the central tenets of a particular religion – especially in reference to Christianity or Islam....
s", although it is rather obvious that he is not any sort of dangerous fanaticReligious fanaticismReligious fanaticism is fanaticism related to a person's, or a group's, devotion to a religion. However, religious fanaticism is a subjective evaluation defined by the culture context that is performing the evaluation. What constitutes fanaticism in another's behavior or belief is determined by the...
but just a harmless crank. In the episode "The Letter", Baber takes an interest in a female motivational speaker who is stranded in Mercy (played by Andrea MartinAndrea MartinAndrea Louise Martin is an American and Canadian actress and comedienne. She has appeared in films such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, on stage in productions such as My Favorite Year, Fiddler on the Roof and Candide, and in the television series, SCTV.-Personal life:Martin, the oldest of three...
), who in turn becomes interested in him. Everything goes well until Baber utters some anti-Semitic remarks. The motivational speaker takes offense, and reveals to Baber that she herself is Jewish. Baber comes to Amaar for guidance. Amaar reminds him that anti-Semitism is not tolerated in the Muslim faith. - Fatima Dinssa (Arlene DuncanArlene DuncanArlene Duncan is a Canadian singer/actress from Oakville, Ontario. She is currently in the CBC sitcom Little Mosque on the Prairie. Her half brother is Canadian Olympic sprinter Donovan Bailey.-External links:...
) – A conservative Nigerian immigrant and the widowed owner of a diner. She is also sarcastic and enjoys engaging in verbal sparring matches, frequently with Fred Tupper, the local bigot and radio "shock jock" who has a crush on her. She hates the Mercy Diner, her competition. She has a son, Jamal (Demetrius JoyetteDemetrius JoyetteDemetrius Joyette is a Canadian film actor best known for portraying Michael Theodore Davies in the sitcom The Latest Buzz and Porter Jackson on Wingin' It.-Filmography:...
), who hates being forced to play ayoOwareOware is an abstract strategy game of Akan origin. Part of the mancala family, it is played throughout West Africa and the Caribbean. Among its many names are Ayò , Awalé , Wari , Ouri, Ouril or Uril , Warri , Adji , and Awélé...
by his mother. She officially becomes a Canadian citizen during the show's run. - Rev. Duncan Magee (Derek McGrathDerek McGrathDerek McGrath is a Canadian actor.He is known for his roles in Cheers as "Andy-Andy" Schroeder , Dr. Benjamin Jeffcoate in My Secret Identity, Crewman Chell in Star Trek: Voyager, and as Dr. Derek Hebert in Doc...
) – The priest of the Anglican Church which also houses the mosque, he is a good friend of Amaar and the two religious leaders often turn to each other for advice. He is liberalLiberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, once offering to perform a gay marriage at the church, and is willing to stand up to the church hierarchy when he believes that it is acting inconsistently with the true message of ChristianityChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. He often laments the sad state of his own church and congregation. He suddenly left the church after the events of season three, replaced by the ambitious younger and distinctly less accommodating Rev. Thorne, played by Brandon FirlaBrandon FirlaBrandon Firla is a Canadian actor and comedian, currently best known for his role as Clark Claxton on the television sitcom Billable Hours...
, who feels it is his religious duty to compete with Amaar for the souls of the residents of Mercy. - Mayor Ann Popowicz (Debra McGrathDebra McGrathDebra McGrath is a Canadian actress and comedienne.-Education:Debra McGrath was born in Toronto in 1954. She studied theatre at Ryerson University.-Career:...
) – The mayor of Mercy, who supports the Muslim community in return for their votes. She is primarily concerned with maximizing the perks of her office and minimizing the amount of work that she actually has to do. She has an uncharacteristically wild streak for a woman in middle age, having been known to date members of the Hell's Angels and has more skeletons in her closet than the local cemetery. - Fred Tupper (Neil CroneNeil CroneNeil Crone is a Canadian voice actor and comedian who does the voices of Gordon the Big Engine, Splatter and Diesel 10 from the film Thomas and the Magic Railroad. He does Phillip the Concierge in the My Secret Identity episode "Sour Grapes"...
) – The local bigot and the host of a talk show on the local radio station, he often equates Muslims to terrorists who want to take over the country. However, at times he finds himself in the awkward position of siding with the Muslim community, as evidenced in the first season. A flashback episode revealed that his distrust of Muslims stems more from an unpleasant encounter with Baber than from any deeply-held prejudices. His radio rants are to a significant extent a ratings-grabbing persona; while he can be a bit of a condescending jerk off the air, he is like that with everyone and does not actually treat the Muslims any differently than anybody else. He has also had a crush on Fatima which was requited in an episode when Fatima banned him from her diner, and ended up crying from missing him. - Layla Siddiqui (Aliza VellaniAliza VellaniAliza Vellani is a Canadian television actress, who currently plays the role of Layla Siddiqui in Little Mosque on the Prairie. Born in Vancouver to immigrants from East Africa...
) – Baber's daughter and a representation of an average teenage Muslim girl struggling to find the right balance between her desire to be a good Muslim and her desire for the lifestyle of a regular Canadian teenager who's into music and clothes and boys. She can be rebellious and sarcastic, especially at her father's foibles (she refers to their home as "Baberistan"), but is also very perceptive and insightful. - Junaid Jaffer, also known as J.J. (Stephen LoboStephen LoboStephen Lobo is a Canadian actor, best known for his roles in the television series Godiva's, Painkiller Jane, Falcon Beach and Little Mosque on the Prairie...
) – Son of Yasir's friend Karim and former fiancé of Rayyan, who remembered him as a geeky childhood playmate whom she once pushed out of a tree. She wasn't expecting to meet an urbane, handsome, wealthy engineer when first told that Yasir was inviting him over for dinner. - Joe Peterson (Boyd BanksBoyd BanksBoyd Banks is a Canadian stand-up comedian known for doing edgy material, and actor.-Biography:Banks has appeared in such films as Bruiser , Wild Iris , Dawn of the Dead , Phil the Alien , Land of the Dead , Cinderella Man , Diary of The Dead and Pontypool...
) – A local farmer and a perpetually trouble-making sidekick of Fred Tupper. Basically a stereotypical hoserHoserHoser is both a slang term and a stereotype, originating from and used primarily in Canada. It is not often used by Canadians, but it is sometimes used as "typical" Canadian slang by those imitating Canadians, similar to the expression "eh?" The term "hoser" gained popularity from the comedic skits...
, he mostly trades cheap insults with Fred and occasionally causes mayhem by going for a joyride on his tractor. To their mutual surprise, he and Baber have found themselves agreeing on certain matters more often than they expect, developing a friendship only occasionally hampered by cultural differences. He has also found common ground with Sarah, unexpectedly revealing that he had read and loved the novel that her book club was reading. He is mainly a comic relief character, appearing in almost every episode, but having very little significance to the plot. - Nate Shore (Jeff White) – Editor and reporter for the local newspaper. He has a very Zen attitude to his job as the main news source of a tiny, tiny town. He is a good friend of Amaar, despite Amaar's occasional exasperation at his freewheeling personality.
Production
Although the show is set in Saskatchewan, the actual production is split between Saskatchewan and Ontario. Episodes 1 and 2 were filmed in ReginaRegina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, but the rest of season one was filmed in the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
area. Indian Head
Indian Head, Saskatchewan
Indian Head is a town in southeast Saskatchewan, Canada, east of Regina. The town is directly north of the Trans-Canada Highway. The town is known for its federally-operated Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration experimental farm and tree nursery that produces seedlings for shelter...
, where a set has been built for the exterior of the mosque, doubles for the show's exteriors. Film Rescue International's building exterior stands in for the town hall and Certified Plumbing and Heating as the local used car dealership. The Novia Cafe, the front of which is used in the show as a stand-in for Fatima's, is located in Regina.
Actors Zaib Shaikh and Aliza Vellani are Muslims. Sitara Hewitt (Rayyan) is also of partial Pakistani Muslim descent, but was raised Christian as both of her parents are Anglican Christians. Manoj Sood (Baber) is a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
.
Zarqa Nawaz based much of the show on her personal experiences. Many of the characters are partially inspired by her family and friends. The episode "The Barrier" is based on a true happening at Nawaz's mosque when incoming conservative Muslims pressured the imam to put up a barrier separating men and women. The pilot episode also contained a satire of Maher Arar
Maher Arar
Maher Arar is a telecommunications engineer with dual Syrian and Canadian citizenship who resides in Canada. Arar's story is frequently referred to as "extraordinary rendition" but the U.S. government insisted it was a case of deportation.Arar was detained during a layover at John F...
's 2002 detainment.
In the episode "The Archdeacon Cometh", the archdeacon mentions having to "shut down a church in Dog River", referencing Canadian sitcom Corner Gas
Corner Gas
Corner Gas is a Canadian television sitcom created by Brent Butt. The series ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009. Re-runs still air on CTV and The Comedy Network in Canada; it formerly aired on WGN America in the United States....
on rival network CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
. Carlo Rota and Sheila McCarthy, in character as Yasir and Sarah, also later appeared in a crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
with Brent (Brent Butt
Brent Butt
Brent Butt is a Canadian stand-up comedian actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Brent Leroy on the CTV sitcom Corner Gas, which he also created. The series was an instant hit when it made its debut in 2004....
) and Hank (Fred Ewanuick
Fred Ewanuick
Fred Ewanuick is a Canadian actor of Ukrainian and Italian heritage, known for his role in the television series Corner Gas as Hank Yarbo. He was also a regular in a CTV anthology series, Robson Arms.-Early life:...
) from Corner Gas on the sketch comedy series Royal Canadian Air Farce
Royal Canadian Air Farce
Air Farce Live, also credited as Air Farce, previously Royal Canadian Air Farce, and Air Farce—Final Flight! for the final season, was a Canadian comedy series starring the comedy troupe The Royal Canadian Air Farce that previously starred in an eponymous radio show on CBC radio from 1973 to 1997...
, debating the location of Mercy and Dog River (both fictional towns) in relation to each other after Yasir and Sarah bought the gas station and fired Brent.
Guest actors who have appeared on the show include Colin Mochrie
Colin Mochrie
Colin Andrew Mochrie is a Scottish Canadian actor and improvisational comedian, most famous for his appearances on the British and US versions of television improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.-Early life:...
, Dan Redican
Dan Redican
Dan Redican is a Canadian comedy writer and performer and puppeteer, best known for his work with the comedy troupe, The Frantics. As a founding member of the troupe he has worked since 1979 on numerous stage shows, the Frantic Times radio show, Four on the Floor TV show...
, Samantha Bee
Samantha Bee
Samantha Bee is a Canadian comedic actress and author best known as a cast member on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.-Early life:Bee was born in Toronto, Ontario into an unconventional family...
, Dave Foley
Dave Foley
David Scott "Dave" Foley is a Canadian comedian, writer, director, and producer best known for his work in The Kids in the Hall, NewsRadio, A Bug's Life, and Celebrity Poker Showdown...
, Maria Vacratsis
Maria Vacratsis
Maria Vacratsis is an actress. Among her appearances on TV is the role of Sheila the lunch lady on the Canadian television series Degrassi: The Next Generation and the Lebanese islamic overbearing mother of main character Yasir in "Mother in law" episode of Little Mosque on the Prairie.She also...
, Sam Kalilieh, Peter Wildman
Peter Wildman
Peter Wildman is a Canadian actor, voice actor, musician, writer and member of the Frantics comedy troupe. He voiced Buzz Sherwood on The Red Green Show, Mojo on the X-Men Animated Series and Sergeant Murphy in the series The Busy World of Richard Scarry....
, Sugith Varughese
Sugith Varughese
Sugith Varughese is an Indian-born Canadian writer, director and actor.Born in Cochin, Kerala, into a Syrian Christian family , he immigrated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan as a child when his neurosurgeon father obtained a professional appointment there...
, Hrant Alianak
Hrant Alianak
Hrant Alianak , also billed as Harant Alianak or Grant Aljanak, is an Armenian-Canadian actor and playwright. In 1988 he was nominated for the Genie Award "Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role" for his role in the 1987 film Family Viewing. He played Pete in the 1995 movie with Adam...
, Veena Sood
Veena Sood
Veena Sood is a Canadian-based film and television actress of Punjabi descent.She works in both the UK and Canada. She starred in ITV's Compulsion featuring Ray Winstone and Parminder Nagra. She has also starred in the UK film Nina's Heavenly Delights,as well as the Canada/UK film Touch of Pink,...
, Kathryn Winslow, Jayne Eastwood
Jayne Eastwood
Jayne Eastwood , also credited as Jane Easton or Jane Eastwood, is a Canadian actress most famous for appearing in the 2002 film Chicago. She was one of the original cast members of the Toronto branch of The Second City, and was a semi-regular on SCTV...
, Patrick McKenna
Patrick McKenna
Patrick McKenna born May 8, 1960 in Sylvania, Saskatchewan is a Canadian comedic and actor. He is best known for playing Harold Green on the television series The Red Green Show, Marty Stephens on Traders, and the Trudeau miniseries. McKenna is a member of Toronto's The Second City comedy troupe...
and Tom Jackson
Tom Jackson (actor)
Thomas Dale Jackson, OC , is a Canadian born Métis actor and singer perhaps best known for the annual series of Christmas concerts, called the Huron Carole, which he created and starred in for 17 years...
, as well as hockey player Darcy Tucker
Darcy Tucker
Darcy Tucker is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, who played most of his National Hockey League career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. A sixth round draft choice, Tucker began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens...
, curler Glenn Howard
Glenn Howard
Glenn Howard is a Canadian curler from Penetanguishene, Ontario. He has won three Briers and three world championships in his career. He has also won six straight Ontario provincials.-1980s-2006:...
, and sportscaster Ron MacLean
Ron MacLean
Ronald Harold "Ron" MacLean is a Canadian sportscaster for the CBC who is best known as the host of Hockey Night in Canada.-Early life and career:...
.
Production staff
The show's executive producers are Mary Darling and Clark Donnelly, owners of WestWind PicturesWestWind Pictures
WestWind Pictures Ltd. is an independent television production company founded in 1989 in Regina, Saskatchewan. The company, now based in Toronto, Ontario, is co-owned by CEO Mary Darling and President Clark Donnelly. WestWind currently has programs airing in over 80 countries around the world...
, and Allan Magee. Producers are Colin Brunton
Colin Brunton
Colin Brunton is a Canadian producer and director. After creating the short films The Last Pogo , A Trip Around Lake Ontario and The Mysterious Moon Men of Canada , Genie Award winner for Best Live Action Short), Brunton produced the feature films Roadkill and Highway 61 with director Bruce...
and Michael Snook. Associate producer is Shane Corkery, with Jason Belleville, Dan Redican and Zarqa Nawaz as consulting producers.
The writing staff includes or has included Susan Alexander, Cole Bastedo, Jason Belleville, Claire Ross Dunn, Greg Eckler, Sarah Glinski, Karen Hill, Paul Mather
Paul Mather
Paul Mather is a Canadian comedy writer.Along with Donovan Workun, he is a founding member of the Edmonton improv troupe Atomic Improv. While living in Edmonton, he also worked with Rapid Fire Theatre and Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie. He has won four Canadian Comedy Awards for his work on This...
, Jackie May, Zarqa Nawaz, Paul Pogue, Al Rae, Dan Redican
Dan Redican
Dan Redican is a Canadian comedy writer and performer and puppeteer, best known for his work with the comedy troupe, The Frantics. As a founding member of the troupe he has worked since 1979 on numerous stage shows, the Frantic Times radio show, Four on the Floor TV show...
, Sam Ruano, Vera Santamaria, Rebecca Schechter, Rob Sheridan, and Miles G. Smith. Mather and Sheridan were previously writers for Corner Gas
Corner Gas
Corner Gas is a Canadian television sitcom created by Brent Butt. The series ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009. Re-runs still air on CTV and The Comedy Network in Canada; it formerly aired on WGN America in the United States....
.
The directors for the first four seasons include Michael Kennedy
Michael Kennedy (director)
Michael Kennedy is a Canadian film and television director, writer and composer born in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.-Career:...
(33 episodes including the pilot and entire first season), Brian Roberts (14), Jim Allodi (6), Steve Wright (4), Jeff Beesley (4), Paul Fox (4), and Zarqa Nawaz (1).
Themes
While the show does derive some of its humour from exploring the interactions of the Muslims with the non-Muslim townspeople of Mercy, and the contrast of conservativeConservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
Islamic views (held primarily by the characters of Baber and Fatima) with more liberal interpretations of Islam
Liberal movements within Islam
Progressive Muslims have produced a considerable body of liberal thought within Islam or "progressive Islam" ; but some consider progressive Islam and liberal Islam as two distinct movements)...
(as represented by Amaar and Rayyan), at its core the show is essentially a traditional sitcom whose most unique trait is the simple fact of being set among an underrepresented and misunderstood cultural community. Nawaz herself has stated that the show's primary agenda is to be funny, not to be a political platform. She has also stated that she views comedy as one of the most valuable and powerful ways to break down barriers and to encourage dialogue and understanding between cultures.
This is represented by the show's current promotional tagline, "Small town Canada with a little Muslim twist": the religious angle, while always present, is largely tied to and sometimes even secondary to standard and universal sitcom themes such as family, friends and the humour in everyday life. For example, while the show sometimes tackles storylines with a political edge, such as a character being unable to attend a conference in the United States after being wrongly placed on a no-fly list or the mosque being raided by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
, even these situations are explored as much for their humour as their politics. The show much more commonly explores purely comedic issues such as whether a Muslim woman still has to cover her hair if the only man who can see her is gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, whether Muslims can curl
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
, whether to haggle
Haggle
Haggle may refer to*Haggle , a party game*Haggle an autonomic networking architecture*Bargaining, English word meaning to haggle or to bargain...
with the carpet salesman when buying a prayer rug, or whether a Muslim woman's head scarf is enough to mitigate a bad hair day. Television critics have also credited this very combination of an attention-grabbing premise with conventional and familiar sitcom themes as one of the primary reasons that the show successfully retained an audience after its debut.
The series also sidesteps issues of stereotyping by having characters in both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities who cross the entire spectrum of political opinion. Baber and Fatima, who represent conservative views within Islam, are balanced by conservative radio host Fred Tupper among the non-Muslims, while Amaar and Rayyan, who represent Islamic liberalism, are balanced by the liberal Anglican Rev. Magee. The more moderate Yasir and Sarah, who try to be good Muslims but aren't particularly strongly defined by their faith, are balanced among the non-Muslims by Mayor Popowicz, who doesn't care what anybody's religious beliefs are as long as they vote for her on election day.
Hewitt's character of Rayyan Hamoudi, in particular, has been singled out in the media as a strong and unique role model for young Muslim women—both for her ability to reconcile a commitment to her Muslim faith with a modern, feminist-inspired Western lifestyle and career, and as a fashion icon who dresses in clothes that are religiously appropriate yet stylish, professional and contemporary.
DVD releases
Entertainment OneEntertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd is a leading international entertainment business operating in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand...
has released the first four seasons of Little Mosque on the Prairie on DVD in Region 1.
Little House on the Prairie (TV series)
Little House on the Prairie is an American Western drama television series, starring Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert, about a family living on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s. The show was an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books...
except for the use of the word "Mosque" instead of "House".
Reception
Unusual for a Canadian television series, Little Mosque received extensive advance publicity in international media, with stories appearing in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, the Washington Times and the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
, as well as on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
The show premiered on Tuesday, January 9, 2007, at 8:30 p.m. It airs Mondays at 8:00 p.m. (all times half an hour later in Newfoundland
Newfoundland Standard Time Zone
Newfoundland Standard Time ' is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting 3½ hours from Coordinated Universal Time , resulting in UTC−3:30, or 2½ hours during daylight saving time...
). The Monday, January 15 broadcast was a repeat of the pilot.
The series premiere drew an audience of 2.1 million, an exceptionally strong rating for domestic programming in the Canadian television market, and on par with Canadian ratings for popular American series. It was, in fact, the largest audience the CBC had achieved in a decade for an entertainment program. By comparison, Corner Gas
Corner Gas
Corner Gas is a Canadian television sitcom created by Brent Butt. The series ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009. Re-runs still air on CTV and The Comedy Network in Canada; it formerly aired on WGN America in the United States....
, one of the highest-rated Canadian TV shows, attracts just under one and a half million viewers for a typical episode. The second episode, airing against the second night of the much-anticipated season premiere of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
in most markets, had 1.2 million viewers, a sharp drop but still a high rating for a Canadian sitcom, and very high for CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
, which has had trouble garnering large audiences for its scripted programming in recent years.
At the end of the show's season on March 7, 2007, the show attracted 1.1 million viewers, or an average of 1.2 million for the season. CBC Television renewed the show for a second season consisting of 20 episodes, which began airing on October 3, 2007, and continued to attract an average of one million viewers per episode.
CBC renewed the show for a third season on March 7, 2008. Season three premiered on CBC Television October 1, 2008. In its third season ratings declined and as of December 2008 it was attracting a quarter of its original audience. In its fourth season ratings declined further and as of December 2009 it was drawing 420,000 viewers a week, or twenty percent of its original audience.
On February 11, 2011, it was announced that CBC had renewed the series for a sixth and final season.
Critical reception
Canadian writer/producer Ken FinklemanKen Finkleman
Ken Finkleman is a Canadian television and film writer, producer and actor.In Canada, Finkleman is best known as the writer, creator and producer of the CBC Television series The Newsroom, in which he starred as television news producer George Findlay...
(best known for his CBC series The Newsroom
The Newsroom
The Newsroom is a Canadian television comedy-drama series which ran on CBC Television in the 1996-97, 2003–04 and 2004-05 seasons. A two-hour television movie, Escape from the Newsroom, was broadcast in 2002....
) describes the show as cynical. "There’s deep confusion and racism about the place of Islam in the Western world and it’s the thing that’s broiling up under everything in the world, and the show presents this world where everything is happy."
Weekly ratings
| # | Episode | Air Date | Viewers (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Little Mosque" | January 9, 2007 | 2.178 |
| 2 | "The Barrier" | January 17, 2007 | 1.232 |
| 3 | "The Open House" | January 31, 2007 | 1.311 |
| 4 | "Swimming Upstream" | February 6, 2007 | 1.085 |
| 5 | "The Convert" | February 14, 2007 | 1.112 |
| 6 | "The Archdeacon Cometh" | February 21, 2007 | 0.906 |
| 7 | "Mother-in-Law" | February 28, 2007 | 1.001 |
| 8 | "Playing with Fire" | March 7, 2007 | 1.128 |
International syndication
On May 8, 2007, WestWind Pictures announced that the show would be airing in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
African countries beginning in July. The French television company Canal+ Group
Canal+ Group
Canal Plus Group is a French film and television studio and distributor. It is controlled by Vivendi and has a film library in excess of 5,000 films. Vivendi has sold some parts of Canal Plus to private investors which are still using the name of Canal Plus...
will distribute the show's first season in July to non-subscribers of Canal+
Canal+
Canal+ is a French premium pay television channel launched in 1984. It is 80% owned by the Canal+ Group, which in turn is owned by Vivendi SA. The channel broadcasts several kinds of programming, mostly encrypted...
, a channel to which viewers must subscribe in order to watch. French voice-actors will dub the show.
On September 26, 2007, WestWind Pictures announced that the show would soon air in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, the West Bank, Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. On October 2, 2007, Al Jazeera English confirmed that the United Arab Emirates and Finland had signed deals to begin airing the series in 2008.
From June 12, 2008, SRC
Télévision de Radio-Canada
Télévision de Radio-Canada is a Canadian French language television network. It is owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, known in French as Société Radio-Canada. Headquarters are at Maison Radio-Canada in Montreal, which is also home to the network's flagship station, CBFT-DT...
, CBC's French-language station in Canada, started to air the show, dubbed in French, under the title La Petite Mosquée dans la Prairie.
Awards
The show was nominated for Best Writing at the 2007 Canadian Comedy Awards. The episode "The Convert" was nominated for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Program or Series and Best Direction in a Comedy Program or Series at the 2007 Gemini Awards2007 Gemini Awards
The 22nd Gemini Awards were held on October 28, 2007 in Regina, Saskatchewan to honour achievements in Canadian television. The ceremony was broadcast on CBC Television...
. The show was also nominated for Best Television Series – Comedy at the 2007 Directors Guild of Canada
Directors Guild of Canada
The Directors Guild of Canada is a Canadian labour union, founded in 1962, which represents more than 3,700 professionals from 48 different occupations in the Canadian film and television industry. The DGC represents directors, assistant directors, location managers, production assistants and...
Awards.
Internationally, Little Mosque won awards for Best International Television Series and Best Screenplay at the 2007 RomaFictionFest. Former Canadian federal Member of Parliament Rahim Jaffer
Rahim Jaffer
Rahim Nizar Jaffer is a former Canadian politician and a former Member of Parliament. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2008, representing the Alberta riding of Edmonton—Strathcona as a member of the Conservative Party. He was the first Muslim elected to the Canadian Parliament...
, who is Muslim, and director Michael Kennedy
Michael Kennedy (director)
Michael Kennedy is a Canadian film and television director, writer and composer born in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.-Career:...
introduced the program screening.
The show won the Canada Award for media representation of multiculturalism at the 2007 Gemini Awards, and the 2007 Search for Common Ground Award, an international humanitarian award whose past recipients have included Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
, Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
and Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
.
Since the producers of the show are Baha'is, it was selected and showcased in the Dawn Breakers International Film Festival
Dawn Breakers International Film Festival
Dawn Breakers International Film Festival is an international film festival that is held in various cities throughout the world. The festival originated in 2007 and debuted in Phoenix, Arizona on December 2008. It was held in Zurich, Switzerland in 2009, San Diego in 2010 and Houston in 2011...
in both 2008 and 2009 festivals making its first international film festival premieres in the US and Europe.
United States version
In June 2008 FoxFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
announced plans to adapt Little Mosque on the Prairie into an American setting, in partnership with the show's production company, WestWind Pictures. The planned deal would not affect the Canadian version if it were to be picked up in the United States by another distributor or network.