The moment I saw a preview for Son of a Critch, I had a hunch it would be something special. The childhood story of one of Canada’s most revered comedians had to be good. Then add into the mix that it’s set in St. John’s, and you can’t go wrong. The Province of Newfoundland and Labrador has a pretty unique culture within our country. From it’s picturesque landscapes to the friendly people, Newfoundland and Labrador holds a special place in the hearts of many Canadians.
Son of a Critch is a sitcom that tells the story of Mark Critch’s childhood in Newfoundland. Critch has long been a fixture on Canada’s comedy scene. He is perhaps most recognizable from his time with This Hour Has 22 Minutes, where he started as a writer and then became a host in 2003.
In 2018 he released a memoir recounting his youth in Newfoundland, as the son of local radio reporter Mike Critch. The book was a commercial and critical success, and writer/producer Tim McAuliffe suggested they develop it into a television series. The show was picked up by the CBC, and is co-produced by Project 10 and Hawco Productions.
The series premiered on January 4, 2022 and due to it’s success, it was renewed for a second season. In Canada it airs on CBC and is available for streaming on CBC Gem. In the UK, the series is available on Paramount+. The series was picked up by American network The CW, and made it’s debut south of the border on July 24th, 2023. The 3rd season premiered on January 9th, 2024.
The show was renewed for a fourth season in Spring 2024. Filming took place throughout the summer, and will air in winter 2025.
At the bottom of this page you’ll find my interview with Mark Critch, and we discuss the show and it’s locations. Please check it out!
The Setting
As the story takes place in Newfoundland in the 80s, most of the filming occurs in the city of St. John’s. While Canada has long been a big player in the film and television industry, most of it was concentrated in Toronto and Vancouver. A successful series like Son of a Critch not only puts Newfoundland and Labrador on full display for viewers, but is also a big boost to the local film industry.
During production of the third season, I was invited by the Son of a Critch team to visit the sets and locations. As Son of a Critch is one of my favourite shows, I’d already done a fair amount of research into the locations. Between these locations and visiting the set, I’m really excited to share all this info here. At the end I’ll share some of my personal reflections from the visit.
The Set
On a Monday in August, I pulled up to an unremarkable warehouse located just outside St. John’s. I was met outside by Vicky, the show’s social media manager, who would be showing me around. I’ll share some reflections towards the end of this page, but I will share a bit about the layout here.
The Critch House Layout
The main section of this old warehouse has been turned into a large studio, where the complete set of the Critch house interiors are located. When you see the house on TV, you only see the characters. In reality, there are dozens of crew members, all performing important jobs to bring the show to life. In the below photos, you’ll see some of these amazing crew members at work, as I took all these photos while filming was taking place. You’ll also notice a lot of Christmas decorations, as they were filming their Christmas episode “The Ghosts of Christmas Presents” when I visited.
I was able to take a photo of the floorplan to give you a idea of the layout of the studio. You’ll see the Critch house, along with the sets for the Enterprise Bridge and the Reach For The Top sets, which both appeared in season 3.
Mike Jr’s Bedroom
We entered the house set through the closet of Mike Jr.’s bedroom. The room has his bed, a dresser, and a night table. As he is a big music fan, you’ll see posters all over his walls. There is also a picture of his VOCM mentor Dick Dunphy.
The Bedroom Hallway
Walking out of Mike’s bedroom, we enter the hallway, which leads to the bedrooms and bathroom. The walls have wood paneling and wallpaper, which was classic decor for the time period.
The Bathroom
At the end of the hallway is the family bathroom. It has the usual bathtub, toilet and sink. The decor and colours look like they can straight out of anyone’s grandmothers house. We routinely see Mark using the mirror to prepare his various outfits.
Mark and Pop’s Bedroom
Since Mike Jr. has his own bedroom, Mark gets to share a room with his grandfather. They have two single beds, and each side is decorated to reflect the two characters. Mark still has a poster of Hudaro, the hypnotist he met in season 2.
Mike and Mary’s Bedroom
Mike and Mary’s room also has two single beds, which they occasionally push together when everyone else is out of the house.
The Main Hallway
After the bedrooms, there is another hallway that leads from the front door to the back door. It has a large closet by the front door, and also opens to the kitchen and the living room. There are a couple cabinets in the hallway, including a frame with individual photos of the family.
One unique item that I had to check out was the telephone chair. It sits in the hallway and gives the characters a place to sit and chat. I’d never seen one before, but my parents have assured me they used to be quite common.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is the most common area where we see the Critch’s interact. Mike Sr. and Pop often sit at the small table drinking their coffees and reading the newspaper. Mary prepares the meals on the other side of the counter, where a collection of 80s dishes wait to be served.
The kitchen is filled with lots of little details. You can often spot a box of Corn Flakes somewhere in the background, and the fridge is adorned with some retro magnets and adorable family photos.
The Dining Room
The dining room is where the Critch Family gathers to eat. The table is at the centre of the room, a China Cabinet along one wall, a door and passe-plat opening to the kitchen along another wall, plus an old TV and two wicker chairs that belonged to the real Critch Family. As I visited during the Christmas episode, you’ll notice the turkey sitting on the dining room table.
The Living Room
The family’s living room has a couch in the centre, with a couple of chairs off to the side. Those face a TV in one corner of the room. Behind the couch is another China Cabinet, along with Mary’s sewing machine.
The moment you step outside the set, you get a stark reminder that it’s not a real house. Creative lighting and large backdrops help create the illusion.
VOCM Set
Outside of the house set, there is also a set of the VOCM Radio booth. The first two seasons were filmed on location at a local radio station (see below) but for the third season, they built a replica set. This allows the crew more freedom to film without going out on location.
Star Trek Set
In the third season episode “Reach For The Top” Mark has a vision of being the Captain of the USS Enterprise, with Ritche, Fox, and Tina as his crew members. When I visited the set, the crew was in the midst of building the sets for this Star Trek scene.
Property Room
In a separate section of the building is the props warehouse. This large room was filled with anything that might be needed on the set. There are shelves of electronics, dishes, decorations, and other household items. Being an 80s kid, I was particularly interested in some of the food items. I saw some old cereal boxes, juice boxes and cans of beer (spoiler, they’re really cans of Diet Coke with beer labels on them). The props team gets permission from the companies to use their logos and then creates the props to be used on the show.
Another job of the props team is to supply any food needed for the characters to eat. They have a full kitchen where they can prepare whatever is needed. I happened to be visiting on the day that they were filming Christmas dinner scenes. This meant a full holiday spread, called a Jiggs Dinner, including turkey. Of course, they actually needed several turkeys, including one for the dining room table. They also needed more to cut up and place on the dinner plates.
Costumes
Outside of the building is a series of trailers for the cast. There is also a trailer that holds all the costumes for the main characters. I was able to go inside and see the various costumes. They’re all organized by character, and item can be altered or tailored on the spot, if needed.
Vehicles
A number of vehicles used on the show are parked on the lot. These include the VOCM truck and a 80s era police car.
The Critch House – Exteriors
Moving on from the studio, I set out to visit the various locations around St. John’s where the show has filmed. To depict the Critch House, producers needed to find a house that would fit the time period, and had a building next door that could convincingly be a radio station. The real Critch house next to VOCM had been demolished so it wasn’t an option (see below for more details on that).
The production team discovered this house on the outskirts of St. John’s and it became the Critch House. The house is used mostly for establishing shots during each episode, but there has also been some filming at the location. In the pilot episode, we see Mike Sr. reporting on a car-moose accident, while Mark gets on the school bus for the first day of school. In the second season we see Mark mowing the lawn, destroying the VOCM logo in the grass.
VOCM – Exteriors
Next door to the Critch house is another building used as the VOCM radio station. It is also used mostly as establishing shots, but we do see Dick Dunphy yelling out of the window in the pilot episode.
VOCM Interiors – Seasons 1-2
The interior shots for VOCM were actually filmed at the real studios of VOWR, another radio station in St. John’s. The station began broadcasting in 1924, and owned by the United Church of Canada. It’s facilities are located within the Wesley United Church.
St. Bridget’s School
Mark and his friends attend St. Bridget’s School. Ritche told me that the original building had been torn down to make room for a new modern building. With the original school unavailable, Son of a Critch decided on Mullock Hall at St. Bonaventure College.
School Exterior
The school exteriors are used extensively throughout Son of a Critch. There is a driveway and some parking directly in front of the building. The building was constructed in sections, with parts dating back to 1857. The college is listed on the Canadian Registry of Historical Places.
Across from the school building is a soccer field. It is often filled with picnic tables for the characters to have lunch. This is where Ritche first shared his Filipino lunch with Mark.
In the field, there is a statue of St. Bonaventure, which is legitimately missing its right hand. This was built into a storyline in the season two episode “Spirit Week” where the school has the hand replaced, but they accidentally attach a left hand.
Front Foyer
When the students enter the front doors of the school, they are in the main foyer. It has several doorways leading to parts of the building, as well as a large wooden staircase leading up to the upper floors.
The Classroom
The student’s classroom is located on the second floor of the school. In addition to the desk and book cases, the front of the classroom has the teachers desk and a white board. Since Son of a Critch takes place in the 1980s, the white board is replaced by a chalk board for filming.
The Music Room
The school’s music room appears in the episode “Cello, I Must Be Going”. Sister Margaret forces Mark into taking up the cello.
The Stage
On the main floor, there is a common room with a large stage at one end. This stage is frequently used in the show for school assemblies. This room is also where special events like the Christmas pageant, the 24-hour famine, and Hudaro’s Hypnotist Show are held.
The Gymnasium
The school’s gymnasium is generally used by Son of a Critch for costumes, catering, etc. while filming. However, it does appear in the second season episode “Old Friends, New Friends”. The school’s science fair is held in the gym.
Ritche’s House
Ritche’s house appears several times on the show. The production team found a local house in St. John’s which is used to film the exterior scenes.
Fox’s Mother’s House
Fox’s parents are separated, and her mom has her own house. It’s located in the same neighbourhood as Ritche’s house.
Fox’s Father’s House
Fox’s Father lives in a small condo townhouse. The housing community is also where Fox teaches Mark to ride a bike.
Mark and Ritche Catch the Bus
In the first season episode “Lordy, Lordy, Look Who’s Dead” there’s a scene where Mark crosses a street and checks a bus schedule. Ritche joins him and then they hop on a bus. That location is right across from Fox’s Dad’s housing complex.
Mark’s First Date
In the same episode, Mark goes on his first date with Tina. They meet at a playground and spend some time on the swings.
During the date, Ritche and Fox hide in the bushes so they can spy on the couple. Ritche tries holding Fox’s hand, and it doesn’t end the way he’d hoped.
Cucumber Store
In 1988, Newfoundland invested in hydroponic cucumber farms, hoping to spur a new industry. This is worked into the Son of a Critch episode “Cucumber Slumber”. Mike goes to a local grocery store to report as the cucumbers hit the shelves. This was filmed at a local Coleman’s Food Centre store.
The Basilica Cathedral of St. John The Baptist
In the second season episode “Family Tree” we get a glimpse of the St. John The Baptist Cathedral. It’s used as an establishing shot before we see Mark, Ritche, and Fox helping the priest in his office.
Pop and Mike go Fishing
Also in that episode, Pop and Mike go on a fishing trip. We see them heading out from Quidi Vidi, a popular and picturesque harbour. There are several shops and restaurants along the waterfront.
Mary’s Mother’s House
Again in “Family Tree”, Mark tracks down Mary’s mother, hoping to form a relationship with her. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go according to plan, but Mary shows up to defend her son. The production used a house not far from Bannerman Park.
Greenland Bunker
In the episode “The Perfect Storm”, there is a flashback to the cold war when Mike was stationed in Greenland. These scenes were filmed at Canada’s Cold War Museum, The Diefenbunker, just outside Ottawa. The museum is an old bunker complex built to house essential parts of the Canadian Government in the event of a Nuclear attack. It is a popular filming location now, including the movie The Sum Of All Fears abd The Amazing Race.
We first see Mike and his military colleagues meeting in the boardroom. The production team added a couple of maps and an American flag, but otherwise the room is exactly as it appears in the episode.
We also see Mike pushing a cart up the tunnel and inspecting a large bomb. These are both located at the entrance to the bunker, prior to passing through the blast doors and into the complex.
St. Pierre Cathedral
In the second season episode “European Vacation”, the students are excited to take a school trip to France. They soon learn they’ll be visiting St. Pierre et Miquelon, a pair of small French islands just off the coast of Newfoundland. Although they filmed much of this episode on location in St. Pierre, I didn’t have a chance to get there. However there are a couple “St. Pierre” locations I can share with you, as they were filmed elsewhere.
The first location is the interiors of the St. Pierre Cathedral, which were filmed at the Anglican Cathedral of St. John’s The Baptist. This is where Pop opens up a floor vent hoping to discover the money and booze he stashed away years ago. The Cathedral is open to the public on certain days.
Bytowne Museum
The other location I can share from that episode is the outside of Al Capone’s hideaway. This was filmed at the Bytown Museum in Ottawa. The museum is located at the base of the Rideau Locks, where the Rideau Canal meets the Ottawa River. Just above is Parliament Hill and the Chateau Laurier Hotel, but they shot it at angles to make the building look more isolated.
War Memorial
The St. John’s War Memorial makes an appearance in the episode “Old Friends, New Friends”. Mark tags along while Ritche and his friends are skateboarding. Ritche meets a cool skater girl and Mark meets a girl trying to save the whales. This leads to them participating in a protest here. The War Memorial was undergoing a large restoration project when I visited, as you can see from my photos.
Seniors Home
In the same episode, Pop rekindles a relationship with an old girlfriend, who is now in seniors home. The staff assumes he’s a resident and won’t let him leave. These scenes were filmed at a former seniors home on Merrymeeting Road that is no longer in operation.
The Pope’s Visit – Flatrock
In the episode “Pope Visit” we see Pope John Paul II visiting St. John’s. Fox is chosen to do a reading for the Pope. The production used a mix of real news footage of the event, along with new scenes filmed for the episode. Son of a Critch filmed at a parking lot overlooking the cove across from Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in Flatrock. You can see the church and the Grotto in the background. There is also a plaque marking the Pope’s visit to this location.
The Pope’s Visit – St. John’s Harbour
With Mark feeling sick, Mary drives him to St. John’s Harbour to track down the Pope. She brings Mark to his car, forcing the Pope to bless him… twice.
Shopping Mall
In the third season, Mark and his friends visit a local shopping mall. These scenes were filmed at the Torbay Road Mall. Inside the doors was where the information booth was built. This is where Mark buys his scratch tickets. Right across from that booth, the production recreated a typical 1980s arcade, complete with pinball machines and other video games. Next to that was also a book store, where Mark buys his comic books.
The Community Hall
In the third season episode Cabaret, Mark attends a show by stand-up comedian Ted Turpin at a local community centre. For these scenes, the show used the Resource Centre for the Arts in downtown St. Johns. This same facility was where the real life Ritche and his band often played shows.
Other Related Locations
There are a number of locations in St. John’s that I set out to visit. These places may not have appeared on Son of a Critch, but they still hold significance to the story.
The Real Critch House
Mark Critch grew up in an unassuming house on Kenmount Road. The layout of the set is based on the design of the real house. When I spoke to Mark, he told me that the set is much bigger, to accommodate the crew and equipment.
The house was torn down many years ago, and the land has grown over. The only thing that remains is the driveway from the street. It’s in shambles but it’s still there.
The Real VOCM
Next door to where the house stood is the real VOCM Radio Station, just like how it’s depicted on the show. The building has been modernized over the years and has a large digital billboard out front. The building also houses several radio stations now, including K-ROCK, where the real Mike Critch Jr. (AKA Mike Campbell), is an announcer.
Cocomanga Cafe and The Wreck Room
For a few years in the 1990s, Ritche’s mother ran a cafe in downtown St. John’s. It served a variety of Filipino foods, one of the few ethnic restaurants at the time. Next door, Ritche and a friend ran an arcade called The Wreck Room. I had a chance to speak with Ritche, who told me that his mother’s cafe was one of the few places that didn’t chase teenagers away. Between that and the arcade, it became a popular place for many kids to hang out. The shop now houses a different food outlet called The Bagel Cafe.
Northwest Rotary Skate Park
As mentioned above, the war memorial was a popular spot to skateboard back in the 80s. As the sport grew over the years, the city eventually built several skate parks for the local skate community. The Northwest Rotary Skate Park is particularly notable due to its size. It’s located in Mundy Pond Park and features bowls, ramps, rails, and lots of transitions. While this park hasn’t been featured on the show, many of the skaters that appear on the show have developed their skills here.
CBC St. John’s
CBC’s main location in Newfoundland and Labrador is located in St. John’s on University Ave. While Son of a Critch isn’t filmed here, it’s conceivable that it’s facilities could be used at some point in the future.
My Reflections on the Visit
When I approached the studio where Son of a Critch films, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought maybe I’d get a few minutes to look around the set, snap a few photos, and be on my way. In actuality, it became a pretty incredible experience.
I first met my host, Vicky, outside the building. She led me through a large set of doors into the props warehouse. The first thing that caught my eye was an old Humpty Dumpty toy chest. The reason it was the first thing I paid attention to is because I had the exact same one as a child, and it’s still in my basement.
Watching the Filming
Vicky then brought me into the main studio. Most of the space is occupied by the set of the Critch house. After exploring the set, I was able to stand in the kitchen and watch some filming happening in the dining room. As I stood there, I kept looking all around, trying to take it all in. It was the small things that kept catching my eye. The old radio on the kitchen counter, the 80s dishes covered in food, and the knick-knacks on the shelves. It all felt a bit surreal.
That feeling was amplified when Colton Gobbo, who plays Mike Jr, came and stood shoulder to shoulder with me. The scene called for Mike Jr to enter the dining room with a letter for his dad. So every time they cut and reset the scene, he would come right back and stand next to me. He didn’t know me or why I was there, but he chatted with me just like I’d been there throughout the entire series.
I did my best to stand out of the way, but still tried to see as much as I could. One crew member told me that I’d never be in a shot if I stood next to the lights, so that’s where I stayed. Through the doorway, I could see Mark Critch sitting at the dining room table. I could also see Malcolm McDowell through the window. I could hear the voices of the other cast, and see them in the monitors.
As they switched from the dining room to the kitchen for the next scene, the stand-in doubles were brought in as the crew set up their lights and equipment. It was quite amusing to see the body double for Mark is an adult with a mustache.
Meeting the Cast
After watching some filming Vicky introduced me to the cast, including Mark Critch, Claire Rankin, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Colton Gobbo, and Malcolm McDowell. I will admit to being a bit star-struck. I suppose this hobby developed, in part, because locations don’t require interaction, as I tend to create awkward conversations. Fortunately for me, this cast was very friendly and welcoming. They seemed genuinely interested in what I do and thrilled that I would be featuring Son of a Critch.
While we were chatting, they got called to the set. Mark asked if I wanted a photo, and I told him I definitely did, but I could wait until after the scene. This hesitation created a missed opportunity but also led to a wonderful interaction. Once the scene was over, Benjamin, Colton, and Malcolm had finished for the day, so I didn’t have the chance to take a photo with them. However Mark and Claire were still there, and they suggested we take the photo on the VOCM set. After the photo, Claire was called back to the set.
The Interview
Mark remained behind with me, and started telling me about the wicker chairs in the dining room, and how they’d come from his parents home. I asked if he minded if I took a video of him explaining that, and he happily agreed. I started recording on my phone, and as he spoke, I asked a few more questions, and it basically became a full interview. I’ve never conducted an interview before, but Mark has a way of making one feel at ease. We had an interesting chat about a variety of topics, including the set, the filming locations, and working real events into the stories.
In addition to meeting the cast, I had a chance to meet some of the many crew members that bring Son of a Critch to life. Everyone was extremely friendly and kind, living up to the reputation that Newfoundlanders have earned. One big difference I noticed on this set compared to those I’ve visited elsewhere is people came up and introduced themselves to me. That’s something I haven’t experienced before. The day was filled with comments like “Welcome to the set”, “We’re happy to have you here” and even “I haven’t seen you before. Can I get you anything?” As someone from a big city who generally travels to even bigger cities, I suppose I’m pretty jaded from my past experiences, but it felt nice to be welcomed into their environment.
My Final Reflections
As my visit wrapped up, there were still a couple of hours of daylight left. Normally I would’ve headed out to continue exploring filming locations, but a bit of paranoia set in. I had visions of dropping my phone in a sewer and losing all my photos and videos. I hopped in the car and headed straight back to my hotel, so I could get everything backed up.
Once I made sure all my content was in the cloud, I realized I had time to get up to Signal Hill to watch the sunset. As I stood up there, I was overlooking as the sun disappeared behind the mountains and the lights started to flicker across the beautiful city. I reflected on how Newfoundland really brings the show to life, and how no matter where you’re from, you feel at ease being here. As Alan Doyle sings in Son of a Critch’s theme song, “No matter where we roam, we’ll never be alone. Just come with me and you will see, that we will always be home”.
As the darkness soon encompassed the sky, I got back in my car and headed down the hill. I couldn’t help but have a large grin on my face the entire time. For me, this had been a pretty perfect day and something I won’t soon forget.
***This article and the information included is exclusive to RobOnLocation, with input and cooperation from Project 10 Productions and Hawco Productions. All photos are the exclusive property of RobOnLocation. No use of this information, in part or in whole, is allowed without express written permission.***
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