Jann is a Canadian comedy television series that premiered on CTV on March 20, 2019. It stars Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden as a fictionalized version of herself and is loosely based on events from her life. The cast also includes Zoie Palmer, Patrick Gilmore, Deborah Grover, Elena Juatco, Alexa Rose Steele, and Jason Blicker.
On June 9, 2019, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on September 21, 2020. On June 10, 2020, it was renewed for a third season, which premiered on September 27, 2021. A one-hour holiday special, titled Jann: Alone for the Holidays, premiered on December 9, 2022. In a 2024 interview with the Calgary Herald, Arden said that while series is not cancelled, it has not been greenlit for a fourth season but is optimistic that it will happen.
Plot Jann is a former pop star struggling to cope with turmoil in her personal life, including the breakup of her relationship with Cynthia, her longtime girlfriend, her mother's diagnosis of early-stage dementia, and trying to rebuild her career in the hope of finally outshining her archrival Sarah McLachlan.
Cast and characters Jann Arden as her fictional self Zoie Palmer as Max, Jann's younger sister Deborah Grover as Nora, Jann's mother Patrick Gilmore as Dave, Max's husband and Jann's brother in law Elena Juatco as Cale, Jann's new manager Jason Blicker as Todd, Jann's long-term manager Sharon Taylor as Cynthia, Jann's ex-partner Alexa Rose Steele as Charley, Jann's eldest niece
Episodes
Season 1 (2019)
Season 2 (2020)
Season 3 (2021)
Special
Production Production on six half-hour episodes for Season 1 began in Calgary on September 11, 2018. Production on Season 2, consisting of eight episodes, began on October 1, 2019, and wrapped in early November 2019. Production on Season 3, consisting of eight episodes, began on February 25, 2021.
Sarah McLachlan appears as herself in a guest role in the second season. Jann has clarified in interviews that she and Sarah get along well in real life, and their fictionalized rivalry in the television series draws as much from Sarah's own ideas as Jann's.A. R. Wilson, "Jann Arden’s clueless alter ego is back in town for Jann’s second season". TV, eh?, September 18, 2020.
Other guests in the second season include Keshia Chanté as Nia Taylor, an up-and-coming new singer signed by Todd after he drops Jann as a client; Elisha Cuthbert as Liz, a school board trustee; and Miguel Rivas as Nigel, a megafan of Jann's.
Guests in the third season include Michael Bublé as himself, Tegan and Sara, and Bif Naked.
Guests in the holiday special included Bryan Adams and Michael Bublé as themselves.
Release Jann premiered on March 20, 2019, with its first season becoming the "most-watched" Canadian television series and comedy of the year.
In October 2020, Hulu acquired American distribution rights to the series. They released the first two seasons in January 2021."Hulu secures U.S. rights Jann Arden’s semi-autobiographical sitcom". Toronto Star, October 21, 2020. In January 2023, the series left Hulu and is now on The Roku Channel in the US, with them acquiring the first two seasons of the series and released the third one at its launch on the platform on January 17, 2023. Roku has since pulled the show from The Roku Channel.
Accolades The series has been nominated for awards such as the Canadian Screen Awards, Canadian Society of Cinematographers, Leo Awards and Writers Guild of Canada. YearAwardCategoryRecipientResultRef.2020Canadian Screen AwardsBest Comedy SeriesJannBest Lead ActressJann ArdenBest Guest PerformanceRick Mercer2021Elisha Cuthbert Best Photography in a Comedy SeriesBrett Van Dyke for "The Tunies" Best Writing, Comedy SeriesJennica Harper for "The Tunies"Leah Gauthier and Jennica Harper for "What Did Jann Do"2022Best Comedy SeriesJannBest Lead ActressJann ArdenBest Writing, Comedy SeriesLeah Gauthier and Jennica Harper for "No Drama"Best Achievement in Casting, FictionLisa Parasyn and Rhonda FisekciBest Guest Performance, ComedyMichael Bublé for "No Drama"2024Variety or Entertainment Special Jann: Alone for the HolidaysVariety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series Leah Gauthier and Jennica Harper for Jann: Alone for the Holidays2021Writers Guild of CanadaBest TV ComedyJann Arden and Jennica Harper
References
External links