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The Collector (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Collector is a Canadian
Supernatural drama
television series about a man attempting to help save people who have bargained their souls
with the Devil
. After over 600 years of "collecting" the souls of people at the end of their 10-year deals, Morgan Pym (Chris Kramer
) negotiates with the Devil for the ability to aid the damned
in redeeming themselves rather than sending them to Hell
. Under the Devil's mocking gaze, Morgan assists his "clients" in undoing the damage their deals have done because of the devil shifting good luck towards the client and away from others.
The series is set in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
, where it was also filmed. CHUM
cancelled the program after three seasons.
) is a collector of souls damned by their deal with the Devil. He was a fourteenth-century German monk who fell in love with a woman named Katrina, breaking his vows. She began to show symptoms of the plague
and Morgan sold his soul for her to be cured. The Devil cured her for 10 years, the length of all his contracts. When an angry Morgan confronts him, the Devil claims he didn't cheat on the deal because "You wanted more time with her and I gave you that. You never said she had to outlive you." In return for being spared from Hell, Morgan becomes the first collector. More recently, the Devil agreed to allow him to seek redemption for his clients. Morgan has 48 hours to help redeem each client or they are sent to Hell, and the time remaining is displayed on his cell phone.
Jeri Slate (Ellen Dubin
) is a reporter who regularly encounters Morgan Pym in her investigations and is professionally obsessed with him, as he always seems to be "around" for certain controversial incidents and/or high profile deaths. But as she digs deeper and gets closer to the truth, she begins to sense a prior, unknown influence of Pym in her own life—which renders the obsession increasingly personal.
Gabriel Slate (Aidan Drummond) is the son of investigative reporter Jeri Slate. Gabriel, addressed as Gabe in the series, is an autistic child who is somehow connected to Morgan Pym and is regularly visited by the Devil. Some of Gabe's actions influence the stories and he displays an amazing perception of Morgan's experiences. His connection to Morgan is explored progressively throughout the series.
Taylor Slate (Christine Chatelain
) is Jeri's younger sister. She's sweet and smart, but when introduced, seemingly ill-suited for long term responsibility, as she isn't able to hold a job well or reliably for very long. But this "freedom" in her schedule lets Jeri call on her to look after Gabe when Jeri's out pursuing a story. Taylor's aptitude for responsibility is unexpectedly tested, however, when the burden of Gabe's care and upbringing suddenly and unavoidably becomes hers.
Maya Kandinski (Carly Pope
in Season 1, Sonya Salomaa from Season 2 onwards) used to be a normal child until her father started sexually abusing her at a young age. Eventually she ran away from home and took to the streets of Vancouver, where she became a heroin addict, prostituting herself for the money to buy the drug, and eventually contracted AIDS, which she was dying from when Morgan met her. The first client Morgan tried to save cured her AIDS by inflicting it upon himself, with the Devil's help. Morgan befriends her and helps her with her addiction. It is his meeting with her that makes Morgan decide to make his proposal to The Devil. She bears a great deal of resemblance to Morgan's lost love.
The Devil is portrayed by a different actor in each episode. To identify him (or her) to the viewer, his eyes appear to fill with fire at times. Gabe is the only person besides Morgan who sees through his disguises. He makes deals with people, granting them whatever they wish, in exchange for their souls in ten years. To do this, he manipulates luck, shifting good luck away from others and towards the client. Therefore, it can be said that nothing The Devil does is truly good, as every action usually has a greater than or equal to negative result or consequence. In the last 48 hours of a deal, the Devil begins to undo the effects of the deal on his client (for example in "The Prosecutor" the client starts losing cases and it is revealed his winning streak was at the expense of innocent people). The Devil's collector will normally approach the client at the 48-hour mark to inform them that they can elect to go to Hell early. The Devil states that either the client gives up and goes to Hell early, or the Devil enjoys watching the client squirm for their last hours on Earth, before he takes them to Hell. In both cases, he 'wins'. In the first episode, the Devil agrees to Morgan's deal, to give souls the chance to redeem themselves during this 48 hour time. He claimed one of the reasons for doing this is that it would make the affair more "sporting". While mocking Morgan's quest and hindering Morgan's efforts, he honors the agreement with Morgan, letting the soul go if it attains redemption.
Later, it is revealed that the portal can be seen by any person who sold their soul, as a preview of what will happen when their time on Earth is up.
.
Season 1 could previously be watched for free in the US at http://www.hulu.com/the-collector (until July 12, 2011)
Season 1 & 2 can be watched for free at http://www.blinkbox.com/TV/Series/470/The-Collector (not available in all countries)
Mexico :
Bosnia and Herzegovina :
Poland :
Central and South America:
Brazil:
Israel:
Italy:
France:
United Kingdom:
Australia:
Asia and parts of the Middle East:
Russia:
The Netherlands:
Romania:
Albania:
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Supernatural drama
Supernatural drama
Supernatural drama is a subgenre of fantasy combining elements of supernatural fiction and the drama genre. This genre deals with ghosts and other paranormal topics, but without the tone and scares associated with the horror genre...
television series about a man attempting to help save people who have bargained their souls
Deal with the Devil
Deal With The Devil is the fifth studio album by the American heavy metal band Lizzy Borden released in 2000 .A return to form, featuring a cover by Todd McFarlane.2 covers were recorded...
with the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
. After over 600 years of "collecting" the souls of people at the end of their 10-year deals, Morgan Pym (Chris Kramer
Chris Kramer (actor)
Chris Kramer is a Canadian actor. He is best known for the starring role of Morgan Pym, in the Citytv television show The Collector .-Biography:...
) negotiates with the Devil for the ability to aid the damned
Damnation
Damnation is the concept of everlasting divine punishment and/or disgrace, especially the punishment for sin as threatened by God . A damned being "in damnation" is said to be either in Hell, or living in a state wherein they are divorced from Heaven and/or in a state of disgrace from God's favor...
in redeeming themselves rather than sending them to Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
. Under the Devil's mocking gaze, Morgan assists his "clients" in undoing the damage their deals have done because of the devil shifting good luck towards the client and away from others.
The series is set in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where it was also filmed. CHUM
CHUM Limited
CHUM Limited was a media company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 1945 to 2007. Immediately prior to its acquisition, it held full or joint control of two Canadian television systems — Citytv and A-Channel — comprising 11 local stations, and one CBC Television affiliate, one...
cancelled the program after three seasons.
Character descriptions
Morgan Pym (Chris KramerChris Kramer (actor)
Chris Kramer is a Canadian actor. He is best known for the starring role of Morgan Pym, in the Citytv television show The Collector .-Biography:...
) is a collector of souls damned by their deal with the Devil. He was a fourteenth-century German monk who fell in love with a woman named Katrina, breaking his vows. She began to show symptoms of the plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
and Morgan sold his soul for her to be cured. The Devil cured her for 10 years, the length of all his contracts. When an angry Morgan confronts him, the Devil claims he didn't cheat on the deal because "You wanted more time with her and I gave you that. You never said she had to outlive you." In return for being spared from Hell, Morgan becomes the first collector. More recently, the Devil agreed to allow him to seek redemption for his clients. Morgan has 48 hours to help redeem each client or they are sent to Hell, and the time remaining is displayed on his cell phone.
Jeri Slate (Ellen Dubin
Ellen Dubin
Ellen Dubin is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her part in the television mini-series Lexx, playing the role of Giggerota.Dubin was born in Toronto, Ontario. From 2004-2006 Dubin starred in the TV series The Collector as Jeri Slate. She was nominated for a Gemini Award for this role...
) is a reporter who regularly encounters Morgan Pym in her investigations and is professionally obsessed with him, as he always seems to be "around" for certain controversial incidents and/or high profile deaths. But as she digs deeper and gets closer to the truth, she begins to sense a prior, unknown influence of Pym in her own life—which renders the obsession increasingly personal.
Gabriel Slate (Aidan Drummond) is the son of investigative reporter Jeri Slate. Gabriel, addressed as Gabe in the series, is an autistic child who is somehow connected to Morgan Pym and is regularly visited by the Devil. Some of Gabe's actions influence the stories and he displays an amazing perception of Morgan's experiences. His connection to Morgan is explored progressively throughout the series.
Taylor Slate (Christine Chatelain
Christine Chatelain
Christine Chatelain is a Vancouver, British Columbia-born Canadian film and television actress. She had a recurring role on The Collector as Taylor. Originally an art student in Vancouver, she tried acting as a hobby and quickly gained roles in 40 Days and 40 Nights and 3000 Miles to Graceland as a...
) is Jeri's younger sister. She's sweet and smart, but when introduced, seemingly ill-suited for long term responsibility, as she isn't able to hold a job well or reliably for very long. But this "freedom" in her schedule lets Jeri call on her to look after Gabe when Jeri's out pursuing a story. Taylor's aptitude for responsibility is unexpectedly tested, however, when the burden of Gabe's care and upbringing suddenly and unavoidably becomes hers.
Maya Kandinski (Carly Pope
Carly Pope
-Early life:Pope was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, with an older brother, Kris, also an actor, and a younger brother, Alexander. She began acting during her high school years in Vancouver where she appeared in stage classics such as The Odd Couple, playing Mickey, and A Midsummer...
in Season 1, Sonya Salomaa from Season 2 onwards) used to be a normal child until her father started sexually abusing her at a young age. Eventually she ran away from home and took to the streets of Vancouver, where she became a heroin addict, prostituting herself for the money to buy the drug, and eventually contracted AIDS, which she was dying from when Morgan met her. The first client Morgan tried to save cured her AIDS by inflicting it upon himself, with the Devil's help. Morgan befriends her and helps her with her addiction. It is his meeting with her that makes Morgan decide to make his proposal to The Devil. She bears a great deal of resemblance to Morgan's lost love.
The Devil is portrayed by a different actor in each episode. To identify him (or her) to the viewer, his eyes appear to fill with fire at times. Gabe is the only person besides Morgan who sees through his disguises. He makes deals with people, granting them whatever they wish, in exchange for their souls in ten years. To do this, he manipulates luck, shifting good luck away from others and towards the client. Therefore, it can be said that nothing The Devil does is truly good, as every action usually has a greater than or equal to negative result or consequence. In the last 48 hours of a deal, the Devil begins to undo the effects of the deal on his client (for example in "The Prosecutor" the client starts losing cases and it is revealed his winning streak was at the expense of innocent people). The Devil's collector will normally approach the client at the 48-hour mark to inform them that they can elect to go to Hell early. The Devil states that either the client gives up and goes to Hell early, or the Devil enjoys watching the client squirm for their last hours on Earth, before he takes them to Hell. In both cases, he 'wins'. In the first episode, the Devil agrees to Morgan's deal, to give souls the chance to redeem themselves during this 48 hour time. He claimed one of the reasons for doing this is that it would make the affair more "sporting". While mocking Morgan's quest and hindering Morgan's efforts, he honors the agreement with Morgan, letting the soul go if it attains redemption.
Vow of secrecy
Morgan and his clients are bound never to reveal the true nature of their situation to anyone else. Revealing the truth to an innocent results in both parties being sent to Hell.The portal
When a damned soul is about to be sent to Hell, a portal opens up beside them. Only a collector and the Devil's clients are able to see this portal. For people who happen to be nearby, the taking of a soul is witnessed as an accident or some other fatal event.Later, it is revealed that the portal can be seen by any person who sold their soul, as a preview of what will happen when their time on Earth is up.
Season 1
The first fourteen episodes of The Collector, which aired in the summer of 2004 on Space: The Imagination Station and in the fall of 2004 on CitytvCitytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
.
- The Rapper, 2 June 2004
- The Prosecutor, 9 June 2004
- The Supermodel, 16 June 2004
- The Ice Skater, 23 June 2004
- The Photographer, 30 June 2004
- The Actuary, 7 July 2004
- The Roboticist, 14 July 2004
- The Medium, 21 July 2004
- The Old Man, 28 July 2004
- The Children's Book Writer, 4 August 2004
- The Yogi, 11 August 2004
- The Miniaturist, 18 August 2004
- Another Collector, 25 August 2004
- 1348 AD, 1 September 2005 (not aired in original run by TV.com)
Season 1 could previously be watched for free in the US at http://www.hulu.com/the-collector (until July 12, 2011)
Season 2
- The Cowboy, 9 January 2005
- The UFOlogist, 16 January 2005
- The Dreamer, 23 January 2005
- The Pharmacist, 30 January 2005
- The Tattoo Artist, 6 February 2005
- The Comic, 13 February 2005
- The Campaign Manager, 20 February 2005
- The Mother, 27 February 2005
- The Tour Guide, 6 March 2005
- The Superhero, 13 March 2005
- The Ripper, 20 March 2005
- The Historian, 27 March 2005
- Beginnings, 3 April 2005
Season 1 & 2 can be watched for free at http://www.blinkbox.com/TV/Series/470/The-Collector (not available in all countries)
Season 3
- The Jockey, 10 January 2006
- The Chef, 17 January 2006
- The Customer Service Rep, 24 January 2006
- The Vampire, 31 January 2006
- The VJ, 7 February 2006
- The Farmer, 14 February 2006
- The Junkie, 21 February 2006
- The Watchmaker, 28 February 2006
- The Person With AIDS, 7 March 2006
- The Media Baron, 14 March 2006
- The Spy, 21 March 2006
- The Alchemist, 28 March 2006
- The Exorcist, 4 April 2006
Releases
Morningstar Entertainment has released the first two seasons on DVD in Canada. They have not announced any plans to release the third season.| DVD name | |Box set release dates | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
| The Complete Season 1 | 14 | November 4, 2008 | ||
| Complete Second Season | 13 | May 26, 2009 |
Broadcasters and syndication
Canada:- CitytvCitytvCitytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
(former) - Space (removed once S3 completed airing in April 2006; re-added in 2011)
- ASNAtlantic Satellite NetworkCTV Two Atlantic is a Canadian English language cable television channel serving Atlantic Canada owned by Bell Media, with its studios located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is currently part of Bell Media's secondary CTV Two television system....
(former) - ZtéléZtéléZtélé is a Canadian French language Category A specialty channel owned by Astral Media. Ztélé focuses on programming primarily from the science fiction, fantasy, and technology genres consisting of dramas, films, documentaries, and more.-History:...
(French-dubbed) (former)
Mexico :
- AXNAXNAXN is a Pay television, cable and satellite television channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which was first launched on May 22, 1997. The network is now spread across several regions in the world, including Japan, Europe, other parts of Asia and Latin America...
Bosnia and Herzegovina :
- OBN
Poland :
Central and South America:
- AXNAXNAXN is a Pay television, cable and satellite television channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which was first launched on May 22, 1997. The network is now spread across several regions in the world, including Japan, Europe, other parts of Asia and Latin America...
Brazil:
- AXNAXNAXN is a Pay television, cable and satellite television channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which was first launched on May 22, 1997. The network is now spread across several regions in the world, including Japan, Europe, other parts of Asia and Latin America...
Israel:
- AXNAXNAXN is a Pay television, cable and satellite television channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which was first launched on May 22, 1997. The network is now spread across several regions in the world, including Japan, Europe, other parts of Asia and Latin America...
Italy:
- AXNAXNAXN is a Pay television, cable and satellite television channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which was first launched on May 22, 1997. The network is now spread across several regions in the world, including Japan, Europe, other parts of Asia and Latin America...
France:
- Canal Jimmy
United Kingdom:
- Zone HorrorZone HorrorHorror Channel is a television film channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel shows horror movies....
Australia:
- Fox8FOX8Fox8 is an Australian cable and satellite channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television's subscription platforms...
Asia and parts of the Middle East:
- Star Asia
Russia:
- TV3, AXN Sci FiAXN Sci FiAXN Sci-Fi is a European movie channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. It is available in Italy, Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Kazakhstan and Bulgaria on Sky Italia, Boom TV, Bulsatcom, Cyfra Plus, Cyfrowy Polsat, Digi TV, Dolce, iNES, Max TV and N...
The Netherlands:
- Zone HorrorZone HorrorHorror Channel is a television film channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel shows horror movies....
Romania:
- TVR2
Albania:
- Top ChannelTop ChannelTop Channel is a commercial television station with national frequency coverage in Tirana, Albania founded by media mogul Dritan Hoxha, and part of Top Media Group. Since September 2003, Top Channel became present on satellite broadcasting all over Europe through DigitAlb, and North America through...