Todd and the Book of Pure Evil
Encyclopedia
Todd and the Book of Pure Evil is a Canadian comedy
/horror
television series that follows a group of high school students who confront the effects of a demonic book. The series premiered on Space Channel on September 29, 2010 with two back-to-back episodes. The show was created for television by Craig David Wallace
, Charles Picco, and Anthony Leo.
Todd and the Book of Pure Evil is based on the short film of the same title written by Craig David Wallace and Max Reid, and directed by Wallace. The short film was produced through the Canadian Film Centre
’s Short Dramatic Film Programme, and kicked off an international festival tour by premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival
in 2003. The series was developed for television through the National Screen Institute
's Totally TV Program. A pilot for Todd and the Book of Pure Evil was shot for Space in 2009 in Winnipeg
, Canada
. Like the low-budget short film, the series uses supernatural elements, profanity, graphic violence and non-sequitur lines. Sci-Fi veteran David Winning
directed four episodes.
Each episode was produced with two variations of the audio track: a pre-watershed
version with "clean" replacement dialogue dubbed in by the actors, and the original uncensored version with profanity
.
On April 4, 2011 Space Channel announced that they had renewed Todd and the Book of Pure Evil for a second season, with principal photography being set for spring 2011. The new 13-episode season premiered on Space on October 30, 2011 at 10pm.
On May 2, 2011 Fearnet
announced that it had picked up the rights to air the series in the United States
beginning August 2, 2011 at 10pm. Amazon Instant Video and iTunes
United States added each episode after its US premiere date, in both standard definition and high definition
, and the first season is also available on Vudu at up to 1080p.
Reruns air in Canada on The Comedy Network
(from June 5, 2011) and MuchMusic
(clean versions, from September 6, 2011 in HD). In addition, the first season can be viewed on Space's website or purchased on iTunes Canada in standard definition widescreen.
released the first season on DVD in Canada with a MSRP
of $29.99.
The Original Score Soundtrack for season 1, which includes both score and the original songs heard in the musical, is sold on iTunes, Amazon, Zune, eMusic, and Napster.
described the show as having the "feel of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with potty-mouth ... [which] is a good thing," and went on to say the show is "generally is good fun, if not quite good clean fun." The show's premiere became the highest-rated premiere for a SPACE original series ever, and was the highest-rated program on Non-Sports Specialty for the demo A18-49. The first season was nominated for eight Gemini Awards, of which it won Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series for "The Phantom of Crowley High".
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
/horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
television series that follows a group of high school students who confront the effects of a demonic book. The series premiered on Space Channel on September 29, 2010 with two back-to-back episodes. The show was created for television by Craig David Wallace
Craig David Wallace
Craig David Wallace is a Canadian film and television director, writer and producer.He is the co-creator, executive producer, and showrunner of the live action half-hour supernatural-comedy high school series, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, broadcast in Canada on the Bell Media Network's Space,...
, Charles Picco, and Anthony Leo.
Todd and the Book of Pure Evil is based on the short film of the same title written by Craig David Wallace and Max Reid, and directed by Wallace. The short film was produced through the Canadian Film Centre
Canadian Film Centre
The Canadian Film Centre is an advanced training institution for film, television and new media. Based in Toronto, Canada, CFC offers residents education, industry partnerships and production experience...
’s Short Dramatic Film Programme, and kicked off an international festival tour by premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
in 2003. The series was developed for television through the National Screen Institute
National Screen Institute
The National Screen Institute of Canada is a non-profit organization headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The organization describes itself as "Canada's national film, television and digital media training school for writers, directors and producers." The NSI was created in 1986 as a...
's Totally TV Program. A pilot for Todd and the Book of Pure Evil was shot for Space in 2009 in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, 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...
. Like the low-budget short film, the series uses supernatural elements, profanity, graphic violence and non-sequitur lines. Sci-Fi veteran David Winning
David Winning
David Winning is a Canadian and American dual Citizen film and television director, screenwriter, producer, editor, and occasional actor. Although Winning has worked in numerous film and TV genres, his name is most commonly associated with science fiction, thrillers and drama.-Biography:Winning...
directed four episodes.
Each episode was produced with two variations of the audio track: a pre-watershed
Watershed (television)
In television, the term watershed denotes the time period in a television schedule during which programs with adult content can air....
version with "clean" replacement dialogue dubbed in by the actors, and the original uncensored version with profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
.
On April 4, 2011 Space Channel announced that they had renewed Todd and the Book of Pure Evil for a second season, with principal photography being set for spring 2011. The new 13-episode season premiered on Space on October 30, 2011 at 10pm.
On May 2, 2011 Fearnet
FEARnet
Fearnet is a cable channel, website and Video on Demand television service owned by Horror Entertainment LLC, a joint venture between Comcast, Lions Gate Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment...
announced that it had picked up the rights to air the series in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
beginning August 2, 2011 at 10pm. Amazon Instant Video and iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
United States added each episode after its US premiere date, in both standard definition and high definition
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
, and the first season is also available on Vudu at up to 1080p.
Reruns air in Canada on The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media specializing in comedy programming.The channel operates two time shifted feeds, East and West ....
(from June 5, 2011) and MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
(clean versions, from September 6, 2011 in HD). In addition, the first season can be viewed on Space's website or purchased on iTunes Canada in standard definition widescreen.
Plot
Todd, Curtis, Jenny, and Hannah are students at Crowley High, the only high school in a small town secretly founded by Satanists. After encountering a cursed magical tome with a mind of its own, the Book of Pure Evil, which grants the wishes of those who hold it in dark and sinister ways they didn't intend, they team up in an attempt to track down and destroy the Book, although it has an unfortunate tendency to fly away after its spells are undone. Each episode revolves around a student at Crowley High using the Book to try and make their life better, though this usually results in chaos, mayhem, and bloodshed at the school. Todd and his gang then fight against whatever the Book has done, and try to keep Crowley High from being totally destroyed. Supposedly friendly school guidance counsellor Atticus Murphy helps them in their quest to destroy the Book, though secretly he is a member of the cabal of Satanists who run the town from behind the scenes, and has been tasked with returning the Book of Pure Evil to their leader, who happens to be his own father.Cast
- Alex HouseAlex HouseAlex House is a Canadian actor.House started his career as a child actor. Among his many credits include the role of Lance Stone on Dark Oracle for YTV....
as Todd Smith - Maggie CastleMaggie CastleMaggie Castle is a Canadian actress, most notable for her appearance in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Starstruck.-Filmography:-External links:...
as Jenny Kolinsky - Billy Turnbull as Curtis Weaver
- Melanie LeishmanMelanie LeishmanMelanie Leishman is a Canadian actress.-Career:Leishman began acting, singing, and dancing at the age of eight. Leishman was in her first play while attending The North York Montessori, in grade three, starring as Annie in the play Annie. She graduated grade 8 at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts...
as Hannah B. Williams - Chris LeavinsChris LeavinsChris Leavins is a Canadian actor and writer based in Los Angeles, USA. He has appeared in a number of successful Canadian television shows and been nominated for two Gemini Awards...
as Atticus Murphy Jr. - Jason MewesJason MewesJason Edward Mewes is an American television, film actor, and internet radio show host best known for playing Jay, the vocal half of the duo Jay and Silent Bob, in longtime friend Kevin Smith's films.-Early life:...
as Jimmy the Janitor - Julian RichingsJulian RichingsJulian Richings is an English-born Canadian actor. He appeared in over 50 Canadian films and 20 separate television series.-Life and career:...
as Hooded Leader - Norman Yeung as Eddie
- Steve ArbuckleSteve ArbuckleStephen "Steve" George Arbuckle is a Canadian born actor born in the small town of Donkin , Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. He started his career as a theatre actor at Cape Breton University, then made his first move into film in 2003 with the lead role in the short film Todd And The Book Of Pure...
as Rob - Dan PetronijevicDan PetronijevicDaniel Petronijevic is a Canadian actor, who performed the role Thad Guerwitcz on ESPN's football series Playmakers and is also the voice actor of Geoff in Total Drama Island, Total Drama Action, and Total Drama World Tour, a role which he had to sing for, and even got an entire solo song. He...
as Brody
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...
released the first season on DVD in Canada with a MSRP
Suggested retail price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
of $29.99.
| DVD name | |Box set release dates | |
|---|---|---|
Region 1 ( Canada only) |
||
| Season 1 | 13 | October 11, 2011 |
The Original Score Soundtrack for season 1, which includes both score and the original songs heard in the musical, is sold on iTunes, Amazon, Zune, eMusic, and Napster.
Reception
The Winnipeg SunWinnipeg Sun
The Winnipeg Sun is a daily tabloid-sized newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.It is owned by Sun Media, a subsidiary of Quebecor Media, and shares many characteristics typical of Sun Media tabloids, including an emphasis on local news stories, extensive sports coverage, a Canadian conservatism...
described the show as having the "feel of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with potty-mouth ... [which] is a good thing," and went on to say the show is "generally is good fun, if not quite good clean fun." The show's premiere became the highest-rated premiere for a SPACE original series ever, and was the highest-rated program on Non-Sports Specialty for the demo A18-49. The first season was nominated for eight Gemini Awards, of which it won Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series for "The Phantom of Crowley High".