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?
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don’t cancel this show!!!!! I don’t follow any shows religiously, except Bomb Girls!!! I was so disheartened when I heard there wouldn’t be a season 3. I introduced a couple of girlfriends to the show (they hadn’t heard of Bomb Girls); they watched all past episodes online and fell in love with Bomb Girls. These girlfriends don’t get REELZ channel & really can’t afford to add the pack that would include REELZ. Maybe if Bomb Girls was on a more accessible network it would’ve taken off . I really hope someone picks up Bomb Girls and keeps… Read more »
I have watched every single episode of Bomb Girls. From the beginning I was intriged by the story line, the WWll era clothing and authentic components of the sets. I could visualize what that time in history must have been like for my mother and her friends. It is an awesome show and the producers and networks are crazy for discontinuing the saga of these women and the commitment to helping the war effort. Bomb Girls is unique and the cast is truly convincing in telling the story of our parents generation and the sacrifices that were made to ensure… Read more »
This show must ABSOLUTELY NOT BE CANCELLED!!!!!!! It is one of the best programs om television!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I live in Ohio and had to wait forever for this 2nd season to come to Reelz TV. I have this as a like page on my facebook account and had to see everything that was already happening before I could view it. Don’t cancel this program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Change it to a better time slot and do more promoting of the show. There are too many excellent shows on television that get cancelled too soon!!!!!!!! This is absolutely one of them!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THIS SHOW!!!!!!!!… Read more »
This show is very different which immediately captured my interest. I agree, there are some words and phrases that seem too new for that era. But, the bigger picture is that the writers should be commended for the show’s originality and bringing something fresh and innovative to the viewers. Besides, not many nowadays would have a clue as to what went on during that time at bomb factories run by women so it’s hard to judge harshly on the details of the script.
Please don’t cancel this show – it’s great! Finally a show that’s NOT a reality show!
Really, really great show especially that this story was never told since most war shows took place in Europe. Great clothes and nostaglia for that time period.
I love Bomb Girls! It is one of the few decent shows on TV. The characters are so believable and casting is spot-on. Please, please don’t take it off the air.
love this show…. please dont cancel
Why cancel a good show when there is so much crappy shows being continued. Net works have lost there viewership due to cancelling good shows and incessant commercials advertising another series. That’s why I rent more movies and watch premium stations with commercials.
This is a good quality program and as more and more people are saying enough with the crap non reality reality. Stop dumming our culture down.
This show is a big undertaking. I was just getting to know it and would be sorry to see it go. Too many reality shows while talented actors can’t get work.
This program is weak and poorly researched, which is a shame. The producers have an opportunity to make a classic. Instead, they are passing off poorly written melodrama with world-changing events as a backdrop. It looks pretty good but oy vey, the errors! Consultants can’t be so expensive that a couple couldn’t be hired to get simple details right. A little f’rinstance: NO woman military person would EVER have hair touching the collar of her uniform. EVER. But there Theresa is with her cascading down over her shoulders. FAIL. Then there’s the lingo: nobody is ’42–or anytime prior to about… Read more »
What a shame..all these insane reality shows and they are cancelling Bomb Girls…It was a big hit last season and it was changed to another night, so they did not feel they had enough viewers…so change it back…As the youngest of 12 children, born after the war, I heard so many stories from my sisters and brothers and brother-in-laws (who fought in the war)… My Mother-in-law worked in a factory helping to build planes…so many fascinating stories from this wonderful lady. I thought this show depicted the strength these women had supporting our soldiers and risking their lives. Shame on… Read more »
Please don’t cancel this show since it’s one of the best Canadian shows that’s been on television. It depicts how women were treated during that era. It demonstrates the struggles encountered between men and women being forced to work together on a daily basis.It also shows how necessary women were to the work force since so many of the men were called to fight for their country.
Regardless of one’s age there is always something new to learn through each episode.
Should not be cancelled! Please rethink this!
Please change your minds about cancelling this excellent programme. Even though I am older I learn something about the people who lived in that terrible time and am awed when I see the determination they show about doing their bit for the war and how they get through their days. This is great Canadian TV and I would gladly kill off 10 reality shows so that Bomb Girls could continue.