By Richard Therrien, Le Soleil
COLUMN / Are you afraid of earthquakes? Of the atomic bomb? Of the end of the world? Those who are called survivalists have planned for everything in case of a catastrophe: they are ready. In the docu-reality series "Survivalists," airing Wednesday at 7:30 PM on Moi et cie, actor Patrice Godin introduces us to a few specimens, from the most lucid to the most alarmist.
"Stop burying your head in the sand, it's coming," warns Christine, who lives with her partner Claude in an undisclosed location; survivalists generally live off the grid, sheltered from attacks. If the couple has chosen to live at an altitude of over 850 meters, it's to avoid tsunamis and even radioactive clouds. For them, the Saguenay flood and the ice storm crisis are just signs that worse is on the horizon. Have you forgotten the solar storm of 1989? The couple refuses to be labeled as paranoid, but bases their fears on the news they consume every day on LCN.
I couldn't help but smile at the sometimes excessive means employed by the people we met, who sometimes seem like members of a cult. What we see is that one must not be poor to live a survivalist lifestyle, like Benoît and Nancy, who also call themselves autonomists, on their estate. The couple invites us to try living without electricity for just one weekend to understand the consequences of a major outage. If it's all the same to you, I'll take a pass. One thing's for sure, Benoît is ready for any eventuality: rabbits that reproduce will ensure meals for a long time. And against marauders who would want to plunder his goods? Beware of the cables that surround his property, which make a gunshot noise when someone dares to approach.
With great openness, Patrice Godin never judges those he meets and has even learned valuable tricks from their teachings. But he admits to having been perplexed in the case of Bruce, a survivalist who will be featured in the second episode and who has built an underground bunker. This American living in Ontario has even planned a "cry room," a space as big as a closet, intended for restless or distressed children. As someone who played a psychopath who kept his victims captive in his basement in District 31, Patrice Godin would rather die than take refuge in such a bunker in the event of the end of the world.
The case of Michaël seems much more moderate. The former military man who runs a survival school in Portneuf tries to break the stereotypes about survivalists. And unlike the others, he is capable of living with the bare minimum. Each of these individuals has their reasons for adhering to this philosophy, and you will get to know them through the encounters. And if you don't know what a "break in normality" is, you will find out by watching "Survivalists," which unfolds in 10 half-hour episodes, directed by Félix Trépanier at Trio Orange.
THESE HEROES OF 911
The 911 call made by Alexandre Bissonnette struck a chord with the public when it was released. Many highlighted the calm and control demonstrated by the dispatcher, Simon Labrecque, who kept the perpetrator of the shooting on the line for 50 long minutes.
Also broadcast on Moi et cie, but at 10 PM starting Tuesday night, the series "Première ligne : chaque seconde compte" (Front Line: Every Second Counts) focuses on these unsung heroes from three 911 call centers, in Quebec City, Laval, and Sherbrooke. Here too, survival is a theme, but the focus is primarily on urgency. Whether it's for a fire in a barbecue, a victim of internet extortion, or a suicide attempt, dispatchers must find the right tone, ask the right questions, all while keeping their cool. It's a colossal job of coordination.
It's the first time a docu-reality show has been given access to these critical locations. The series truly captivates, accurately conveying the urgency and chaos that dispatchers deal with daily. With cameras on-site over a period of 10 months, viewers witness the calls, as well as the work of police officers and paramedics in the field.
Of course, there are increasingly cases involving mental health issues; when a woman calls from a hospital to warn that someone is trying to inject her brother against his will, it quickly becomes clear that the call is coming from the psychiatric wing. Some more unusual cases might initially seem amusing, but are not funny at all. Like the one about a three-year-old boy who got his head stuck in a plastic container, causing his grandparents to panic.
Annie, who has worked for 14 years at the Sherbrooke call center, states that she has to put her emotions aside in order not to skimp on organization. But she admits that cases involving children and teenagers, or those concerning elderly people, can be more difficult to forget once the work is done.
The 15 half-hour episodes were produced by Hyperzoom, from which comes the excellent series "Infractions," about the work of lawyers, currently broadcast on Thursdays at 9:30 PM on TVA. Catherine Dubé Nadeau produces with her mother Marie Nadeau, who directs the series. I came away from the viewing full of admiration for these people who literally save lives.
**All translations are made from the original article written in French.
