Forbidden Places is a Canadian television documentary series, which aired on Discovery Channel from 1995 to 1998.Michael MacDonald, "Discovery Channel turns on exploration". Kingston Whig-Standard, December 28, 1994. Narrated by Anthony Sherwood,John McKay, "Film explores Canada's animal-part black market". Halifax Daily News, March 30, 1997. the series profiled the science behind complex systems."Discovery Channel starts exploring in the new year". Canadian Press, January 3, 1995. The show's title derived from its original conception as a series that would profile restricted-access places such as military bases, although the show's mandate was expanded to a more general focus on human and mechanical systems by the time it went to air.
It was one of the first new series aired by the channel at its launch in January 1995, and the highest-rated original program on the network in its first year.Christopher Harris, "Discovering the untamed world of scientists". The Globe and Mail, January 28, 1995.
Episodes of the series included "The Professionals", which visited a firefighter training school;Richard Helm, "Alberta firefighters star on Discovery; The Professionals offers a fresh, informative break from TV hockey battles". Edmonton Journal, April 29, 1997. "Wildkill", about the illegal poaching and smuggling of animal parts;John McKay, "Wildkill disturbing look at horrors of poaching". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, March 31, 1997. "Unauthorized Access", about the phenomenon of computer fraud;John Haslett Cuff, "High-voltage emotion in Bramwell". The Globe and Mail, October 3, 1995. "Zone of Separation", about the Canadian peacekeeping mission in the Yugoslav Wars; "Silent Witness", about the role of forensic science in criminal justice;"TV Highlights". Vancouver Sun, January 10, 1995. and "Crash Course", profiling the work of airplane crash investigators.John Doyle, "John Doyle's Critical List". The Globe and Mail, August 17, 1996. Other episodes included documentaries about how heating systems work,Joe Chidley, "Can the seven new channels survive?"]. Maclean's, February 6, 1995. and the construction of the Confederation Bridge."Confederatrion bridge topic of documentary"]. The Guardian, May 17, 1997.
John Haslett Cuff criticized the show's title as being a bit deceptive, as it carried much more sinister and menacing connotations than the show's actual content, but praised the show as a worthy educational series.John Haslett Cuff, "The value of public broadcasting". The Globe and Mail, July 3, 1996.
Awards Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Gemini Awards 1996 Best Science, Technology, Nature and Environment Documentary Program Aiken Scherberger — "Silent Witness" "And the nominees are . . ." Toronto Star, January 24, 1996. Aiken Scherberger — "Zone of Separation" Best Photography in an Information/Documentary Program or Series Roger Williams — "Silent Witness" Best Picture Editing in an Information/Documentary Program or Series Christopher Greaves — "Artificial Environments of Man" 1997 Best Documentary Series Aiken Scherberger Christopher Harris, "CBC-TV tops Geminis News, current affairs lead nominations". The Globe and Mail, January 15, 1997. Best Photography in an Information/Documentary Program or Series Karl Roeder — "Transgenesis" Best Original Music Score for a Documentary Program or Series Robert Hart — "Unauthorized Access" 1998 Best Science, Technology, Nature and Environment Documentary Program Aiken Scherberger — "Wildkill" "Gemini Nominations". Hamilton Spectator, January 14, 1998.
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