Fakes: Check Out This New TV Series Set in Vancouver

CBC’s new Rashomon-esque dramedy explores the exploits of two teens who start a fake I.D. business—as told from two very different perspectives

Friendship may be the best ship, but the relationship between high school BFFs Zoe (Emilija Baranac) and Rebecca (Jennifer Tong) is about to run aground in a new series from David Turko about two teenagers who accidentally build an empire manufacturing fake I.D.s. Yet, like the best of stories, it is not the crash itself that matters, as much as how rock bottom is reached.

In creating his dramedy series, Warrior Nun writer Turko was inspired by an urban legend about two Vancouver teens who were rumoured to have started their own highly successful fake I.D. business. “I turned that idea over and over in my head and thought it would be really interesting to marry that with themes of your best friends at that age,” he says. “I was really interested in the idea of one of them getting away and one of them not. What would it look like if those best friends were each trying to tell their side of things?”

As unreliable narrators tend to, each protagonist paints herself in a favourable and slightly less culpable light than her counterpart… if such a thing is possible when describing a joint criminal endeavour. “The end result is probably the same, but certain details they might have switched around to look better,” says Turko, adding: “They can’t change the ending.”CBC GemThough partners in crime, Rebecca and Zoe could not be more different on paper. “Rebecca grew up in West Van, privileged and bored with everything that’s been given to her, always seeking new adventure, new excitement,” says Tong. “She’s not thinking of consequence, because she’s never really had to face that before.” Zoe, however, comes from more humble beginnings. “Zoe’s very much focused on the future. She did not grow up well off, so she really has to work hard for anything that she wants,” says Baranac. “She wants to mostly follow the rules, whereas Rebecca is a little more rebellious.”

If the two teenagers are not quite on the same page in terms of which one of them is responsible for their master plan, what they can agree on is what—or whom—pushes the activity from idea to reality. Once they consult Tryst, a drug dealer whose role varies depending on who is asked, he becomes a key player in the scheme. “I don’t get to tell my side of the story. I’m a pawn in both of their sides of the story,” maintains The 100 actor Richard Harmon about his nebulous character. “That was such a fun exercise, to be able to change the character depending on who’s telling the story. Is he scary? Is he stupid? Is he just out of his mind? I don’t know.”

For all the actors, getting to explore their characters from two viewpoints was exciting, but also an opportunity to work closer together. “It was much more of a collaborative effort than I’ve been used to having. The way that this show went, it just lent itself to that,” says Turko. “We all had to look out for each other and hold each other up. I think it made for a pretty great television show and also for some pretty great friendships.”

What also sets the series apart from others is a frantic tone and a pace that feels specific to Fakes and its ambiguous narrative. “I didn’t want to spend time on establishers if we can just cut right to the start of the scene,” says Turko. “Through writing, our philosophy was we want to start a scene as late as possible and end as early as possible. But for that to work, you still have to juxtapose it with longer moments where you can sit and breathe in it. We slow down and that tells the audience, you need to pay attention here. I think having that balance contributes to the humour and the style.”

“We’ll put their friendship through a lot and we’ll see how much they still love each other at the end of the day. But by the end of it, it’s still going to be a love letter about two best friends.”

As the show begins at the end, there is no question where the two best friends are headed, but for the viewer, that is not meant to be a deterrent. As said, it’s the journey to the slammer that matters. “We’ll have some resolutions to what we saw, but the story doesn’t end there,” teases Turko. “We’ve set them up on this path that gets a lot more serious and scary. The stakes increase for them. We’ll put their friendship through a lot and we’ll see how much they still love each other at the end of the day. But by the end of it, it’s still going to be a love letter about two best friends.

Fakes premieres Thursday, September 1st on CBC Gem (streaming)