West Coast Mermaid

Finally a tv show actually based in Vancouver

If you’re looking for something new to binge watch, look no further than Fakes. A CBC Original in collaboration with Netflix, and created by David Turko. What’s super special about this show is that it’s filmed AND set in Vancouver. This is a rare thing to come by, as many films and tv shows are filmed in Vancouver but more likely to be set somewhere else, e.g. Seattle, Portland, New York, or Los Angeles. In this show, there are a lot of iconic Vancouver locations used, and references made to local brands such as Earnest Ice cream, Kumon, and Long & McQuade Musical Instruments. It’s very refreshing to watch from a Vancouverite’s perspective. 

The show gives a “To all the boys I’ve loved before” vibe meets breaking the fourth wall. The storyline follows two West Vancouver teenage girls, Rebecca and Zoe, as they find themselves creating a fake I.D. empire. The writing is very clever and the fashion even more so. The styling choices appeal to the Gen Z audience and it’s great to see another show which cares a lot about costuming, which visually enhances the story.

A great example of this visual storytelling is one of the dresses Rebecca wears, a pink dress from the SHUSHU/TONG 22SS collection. Gen Z, Shanghai based brand, SHUSHU/TONG “features modern women who dares to express themselves by wearing unabashedly feminine details.” This is very fitting for Rebecca as she is of Asian heritage and a strong, independent woman who has all pink everything, never hiding her femininity. 

Overall I would recommend the show to anyone, and especially any fashion girlies in Vancouver. You can watch it for free on the CBC Gem app in Canada, or Netflix everywhere else. Looking forward to the next season after the dilemma of a cliff hanger.