A few days before we begin shooting a new episode we do what’s called a ‘table- read’. A highly technical term that sees the writers, directors, producers, and who ever else can make it, gather around a big table and the actors read the script out loud.
The “Remedy”; table-reads take place in a fluorescent lit, hard carpeted, windowless room on our lunch break… I know, sounds gloomy right? But I swear, its not! These gatherings are one of the only opportunities we have to sit down all together and pay respect to the amazing material that our show is built on. There’s a happy family reunion vibe, an atmosphere of kinship and connectedness that was planted by our show runner, Greg Spottiswood, at our very first table-read.
He made a request of us all for something that set the tone for the rest of our shoot. He made a request for trust. And in return we would receive… trust. That simple contract released us all from the destructive anxiety that anyone of us could be fired at any point, gave us the creative license to take risks in our work and allowed us the kind of respect for each other that is essential to tell the personal stories “Remedy”; is all about. It made working on the show special and I think, it also made for a better quality show to watch.
Our tenth and final table read was unique. No one had seen the script yet. And we were to begin shooting the next day… that bond of trust was being tested. It felt as if we were on a roller coaster, approaching a summit and all we could do was hold on. As we filed in to the room the scripts were still being printed. And as we read the words with each other not knowing what was going to happen next, there were gasps, bursts of laughter, shocked silences, and as the last page turned an eruption of applause.
The final episode of “Remedy”; will air this Monday night at 9pm ET on Global. Mel, Jerry. Griff, Zoe. Allen, Rebecca, Sandy, Brian, Kanaskie, Tuttle, Lonnie, Bruno…we get to be with them one last time. Then that’s it, that’s all… for season one. And, honestly, I’m worried for the Conners. There is a darkness looming, a “winter is coming”; foreboding and as confident as I am in their resilience and ability to cope… It’s not going to be easy. But I do trust that it’s going to make for more highly engaging episodes.
Fingers crossed for a season 2 and beyond… a whole big fancy box-set of “Remedy”;!
– Sarah Allen
Share your favourite “Remedy”; moment with Sarah Allen below in our live chat, beginning at 1 pm ET on Monday April 28!
