Words Kelly Finerty
TV Series (2026) – Netflix Original
Teen Drama – TV-MA
8 episodes approx. 45 min. each
The film and TV industry on the Island often involves many of our local businesses and residents. Whether that involvement is a location, employed actors or local crew, the premiere of the Netflix TV series Crew Girl shines a bright spotlight on the Saanich Peninsula and all it and its people have to offer the silver screen.
A teen drama series, Crew Girl was filmed throughout the Saanich Peninsula and Capital Region last year, and stars Canadian actor Miku Martineau (Bet) as Teagan Tao, a champion rower from California who moves with her mother, Ella (Jessica Paré, Mad Men), to a small East Coast town after her father abandons their family while running from the FBI. Teagan starts fresh at Easton Prep, an elite high school for the wealthy with no girls’ rowing program. Bummer. To maintain her time on the water, Teagan wins the role of coxswain for the boys’ rowing team, and must whip them into winning shape while she learns to be a team player as an only child and solo rower.
Something I personally love to see in the Canadian television and film landscape is a show written, directed, and show-run by a team of mostly women (Vivian Lin, Jennica Harper, Amanda Tapping, to name a few). Coupling this with a diverse cast and plot lines of romantic story arcs that portray and normalize both straight and gay characters to ensure same-sex representation in sports on screen, and you have yourself a binge-ready show for a rainy weekend on the couch. With clean camera work and a classic Netflix look to the show, we see heartache and dysfunctional family dynamics front and centre in the pursuit of athletic excellence on the water, with just the right amount of soapiness.
There’s something comforting about watching a TV series on a big streamer and seeing your town as a star all on its own. I found myself often pausing the show to take a screenshot to send to a friend who was nicely placed as a character in the background, which is always fun. This show is in our backyard for many economic and career reasons, and for folks on the Saanich Peninsula, Crew Girl has certainly poured limelight on Sidney, Elk/Beaver Lake and Deep Cove, among other Capital Region landmarks, as a believable East Coast preppy small town. No spoilers, but there is quite an iconic scene at the Sidney Wharf with the Fish Market in all its glory as the beautiful backdrop. How many locations (and local actor friends) did you recognize while watching?
If you liked Crew Girl, you may also like:
Elle – TV Series (Amazon Prime)
Bet – TV Series (Netflix)
Heated Rivalry – TV Series (Crave)
Rebelde – TV Series (Netflix)
