FOX picks up Halifax-shot Diggstown for U.S. broadcasting

Canadian legal drama Diggstown has been acquired by FOX for broadcasting in the United States.

The network has picked up seasons one and two of the show from Entertainment One, which will mark the American broadcast debut for the show, although it also previously was available to stream on BET+ in the U.S. 

The show, shot in Nova Scotia, stars Vinessa Antoine and Natasha Henstridge. There is also a ton of local talent, including episodes directed by local Cory Bowles. The CBC-TV show, created by Floyd Kane, focuses on a legal-aid office’s innerworkings.

“I hope that this acquisition ups the profile of the show. It will be interesting to see how Americans respond to a legal drama that’s distinctly Canadian,” said creator Kane during a phone interview. “It will be interesting to see how things bounce back, but the reality is Americans are realizing the world we make media in is global.”

Diggstown was made for Canadians, by Canadians, and is uniquely Nova Scotian, containing references and shots of locales Americans may not be familiar with, says Kane.

“I feel like I haven’t quite processed the amazing news yet. I’m aware linear broadcasting has been on the decline, but symbolically, to have a show that’s unapologetically Nova Scotian, that references Halifax, Dartmouth, East Preston and North Preston be acquired by FOX is amazing,” he said.

“We don’t pretend to be some vanilla version of a Canadian city. It’s authentic, and to see the show on FOX, one of the big four networks, leaves me over-the-moon.”

Last year, Diggstown was lauded and nabbed Screen Nova Scotia awards for star Vinessa Antoine and supporting player Gay Hauser. On top of the acclaim for the show, Kane is also proud of showcasing where he grew up.

“The fact we can show Nova Scotia in the way we do is incredible. I can’t wait to see how that plays to a U.S. audience,” he said.

“To see our community embrace this show has meant to much. Having Martinique Beach be a character in this show is incredible, because it’s a significant place for me for a lot of reasons. Another thing is North Preston embraced us and the production.”

He says North Preston has been happy to have the crew there to work.

“Frankly, North Preston has been maligned in a lot of ways in the media, and the fact they’ve been willing to open up to us and understand what we’re trying to do is great. We are working on this show to celebrate and change the perception of the community, and I hope to continue that,” he said.

“Many places we’ve shot are where I spent my childhood and my formative years. I used to hang out on Portland St., go to the comic book shops, and I have an affinity for Alderney and the ferry terminal. It’s emotional to think that a larger American audience will get to see and experience the things so near my heart.”

With Diggstown already renewed for a third season last year, it’s just a matter of when now.

“We are supposed to shoot this April, and we’re planning and trying to get a COVID plan to present to the government. We want to figure out how to do this. Right now we’d need to fly actors down 14 days before,” he said.

“Right now, I’m in Ontario, and Toronto has been pretty much locked down for six months. The good news is numbers are going down, and I’m hoping by the end of February, we are down to less cases and Nova Scotia’s cases stay down.”

With a plan to get ready for the camera and get eight episodes shot, right now Kane is finishing the last week in the writer’s room.

“We have six scripts written, two in the outline stage, and this is going to be a fantastic season. I think it’ll be interesting, because out of the gate we’re setting up in a world where we’re coming out of COVID,” said Kane.

“I think it’ll be interesting. Because we’re a legal show, we can look at cases and theorize lawsuits that come out of COVID. Our opening will deal with an outbreak at a long-term care facility.”

While he’s excited to get shooting, Kane also has another important reason to make it to Nova Scotia: He misses his family.

“I know things on set won’t be business as usual, and we’ll have to hunker down and get it done. But I can’t wait to get to Nova Scotia. It’s been so long,” he said. “When I get there, the first thing I’m going to do is go to East Preston and see my mother.”