Network: Reelz
Episodes: 18 (hour) + two-hour movie
Seasons: Two
TV show dates: September 11, 2012 — May 26, 2014
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Meg Tilly, Jodi Balfour, Charlotte Hegele, Ali Liebert, Antonio Cupo, Sebastian Pigott, Peter Outerbridge, Anastasia Phillips, Jim Codrington, and Lisa Norton.
TV show description:
Set in 1940s Toronto, this TV series explores the lives of various women who find themselves thrust into new worlds. They work in munitions factories, building the arms that keep their overseas husbands, lovers, brothers, and sons alive and fighting.
While they’re building bombs, the women also find themselves flourishing with newfound freedom, discovering strengths they never before imagined. At the same time they’re often woefully under-equipped for the new challenges they face. Amid propaganda and sexual harassment, crossing social and cultural boundaries, these remarkable women form a unique sisterhood.
Lorna Corbett (Meg Tilly) met her husband Bob (Peter Outerbridge) at age 18 before he shipped out to the Great War, and married after their affair left her pregnant. Bob returned a broken man, shell-shocked and paralyzed, and their dream of a happy life vanished. Lorna quietly relishes her new job as it’s a chance to escape an oppressive home and is secretly jealous of the other ladies’ happiness. She’s determined not to let them make the same mistakes she did. Lorna is especially resentful Gladys and seeks to break the spirited girl, even though she recognizes her own long-lost exuberance.
Gladys Witham (Jodi Balfour) is a wild child and the only daughter in a wealthy Rosedale family. Gladys’s privileged life has made her fearless with an appetite for life and she’s always gotten what she wanted. Now, what she wants is changing and its far less superficial. Does this leave room for James Dunn, her fiance?
New to Toronto, Kate Andrews (Charlotte Hegele) is eager to please and gifted at lifting spirits thanks to a staggeringly talented singing voice. Beneath her smile is a sheltered, insecure girl who’s on the run from her abusive street-preaching father. Cobbling together a new identity, Kate appears to have evaded punishment and her past, for now.
Betty McRae (Ali Liebert) is a recent arrival from rural Saskatchewan. An early arrival to Victory Munitions, Betty quickly rose through the ranks to be a well-regarded worker who doubles as Blue Shift’s on-floor trainer of the new workers. She fled her troubling past to live in a place with fewer men to mistrust. Betty has a hard attitude but for some reason, this doesn’t seem to apply to her interactions with Kate.
Blue Shift’s materials controller, Marco Moretti (Antonio Cupo), is responsible for the raw materials coming into the factory, as well as the export of every finished bomb. He gained his experience from his family’s fireworks factory, and now supports his mother, sister and nieces as the sole breadwinner. His father has been locked away in an internment camp alongside hundreds of other Italian immigrants. Though Marco considers himself a Canadian, he knows others see him as a potential enemy and is unable to enlist.
James Dunn (Sebastian Pigott) is smart, attractive, wealthy, and poised to take the world by storm. He’s a decent man whose refinement haven’t resulted in snobbery. Still, having been largely sheltered from the world’s harsh truths, he’s woefully innocent about matters of the heart. While he’s drawn to Gladys, her exuberance often threatens to overwhelm him. He was an American before Pearl Harbor and still doesn’t feel that the war is truly his to fight.
Vera Burr (Anastasia Phillips) is a Blue Shift worker and was disfigured in an accident at the factory and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. African-American Leon (Jim Codrington) works in the warehouse at Victory Munitions. A jazz musician and singer, he saves Kate from an attempted assault. Edith McAllum (Lisa Norton) is a floor worker at Victory, is close friends with Lorna, and befriends Bob while dealing with the aftermath of her husband’s death.
Bomb Girls: Facing the Enemy (series ending movie)
It is the Spring of 1943 and the Battle for the Atlantic rages as an Axis victory seems inevitable. The one hope the Allies have – production of newly developed sonar equipment – is moved to Victory Munitions when the British factories are bombed. Under the increased pressure, the women of Vic Mu — Gladys, Lorna, Kate, Betty and Vera — band together in a tight bond of support and friendship. Then, in the darkest hour of the war, a new and disturbing menace appears – a saboteur among the factory workers.
First aired: May 26, 2014.
What do you think? Do you like the Bomb Girls TV series? Do you think it should have been cancelled or renewed for a third season?
I agree with the comments. With all of the utter trash that is on TV these days, why in the world would you even think of cancelling this wonderful show. Please RETHINK and RENEW this quality series…..we need it!
I agree Bring Bomb Girls Back!. I for one am sick of the trash we are forced to put up with on TV these days. Bomb Girls has entertainment and historic value. It depicts a time when people worked as a community and a country towards a common goal. These types of shows may just bring some of these values back.
I love Bomb Girls.
Please bring it back!! Just finished it on Netflix (only have regular TV & Netflix). The show is very interesting and (if historically correct) very informative. Just love seeing what things looked like, eg., phones, medical equipment, cars, coffee makers, etc.
Bring it Back
Had never heard of Reelz TV or Bomb Girls until a month ago, now am hooked on it. As a lady veteran, this hits home with me and why women are also in the fight. Please bring it back as a series!!!
Renew the show, I love it!!
EXCELLENT SERIES with excellent story lines and actors. We have a shortage of very good non detective drama series. Please keep this one going. Seems that viewers LOVE this series. Please don’t cancel.
You MUST reconsider the decision about cancelling this series.
EXCELLENT SERIES with excellent story lines and actors. We have a shortage of very good period drama series. Please keep this one going. Seems that viewers LOVE this series. Please don’t cancel.
renew without question. Love it
This is a great series. Please reconsider your decision about cancelling this series.
I have just discovered it this week when the marathon was on. Really hated to see the last one! Please keep it going !!! Advertise it more !!!
One of the best shows on TV. I really looked forward to seeing it. The individual stories were about real people and real life. The acting was great . It should be renewed without question.
One of the best series I’ve ever seen. Really to bad it didn’t catch on.
Cancelling another great series, I really wish they would bring it back. Totally enjoyable. Learn something at the same time. So much better than most of TV today
WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU CANCEL ONE OF THE FEW GOOD SERIES. GOD KNOWS WE HAVE TOO MANY DIVAS, REALITY, SURVIVAL SERIES. WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOUR DAMN HEADS. TRY USING IT FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN A HAT RACK.
I so agree with the sentiment that this series Bomb Girls has such historical value and can do so much for the young to understand the difficulties of WWII. Why shouldn’t Bomb Girls have the same run of episodes such as “MASH”, which was a comedy based series. This is reality and sentiment and of day gone by. We should allow those of us who appreciate it to have it !!
I agree, Bomb Girls is one of the few :”Quality” series on TV. Let’s find a way to keep it going! Can’t some network or syndicate pick this fabulous show up?
I only discovered this series yesterday and loved it! And now of course it has been cancelled. Stupid to do so! I will only watch quality television.
Did you see the movie or the series?
I think the series should be seen and continued. It is too bad that the younger generation doesn’t know how difficult it was during WWII. The sacrifices that had to be made right here at home. This is something they never had to go through and so it is the reason why it is called, “The Greatest Generation”! Why not give shows like this the opportunity to influence the young. Why do we have so much Si Fi and shows that have no substance at all?