Original Comedy “The Trades” Will Premiere March 22 on Crave

Crave’s highly anticipated original comedy series, The Trades, will premiere on Friday, March 22nd. Produced by Trailer Park Boys Inc. and Kontent House Productions Inc., this eight-part comedy series pays homage to skilled-trade workers with a gritty, humorous, and heartfelt approach.

Set in a blue-collar community where the pressures of working in a refinery are counterbalanced by the comedic antics of its plant workers, The Trades centers around Todd (played by Robb Wells), a pipefitter, and his sister Audrey (portrayed by Anastasia Phillips), who follows in their father Rod’s (played by Patrick McKenna) footsteps to become a carpenter. The first two episodes of The Trades will drop on March 22nd, followed by two new episodes each subsequent Friday.

Todd aspires to climb the corporate ladder at Conch Industries where chaos reigns under the current manager Bennett (played by Tom Green). However, Todd’s plans for the future – along with those of the plant and entire town – are thrown into uncertainty when Chelsea (played by Jennifer Spence), an ambitious young executive from head office, is announced as the new site manager with promises of change.

In the season premiere episode, Todd strives to get a new robotic welding arm up and running to improve productivity at the refinery. Meanwhile, Audrey contemplates joining her family’s trade business while an incident at work presents an opportunity for Todd to pursue his leadership aspirations.

In the second episode, Todd’s crew gives him a makeover to help him dress for success in his quest for promotion. Things seem promising until Chelsea arrives from head office and threatens Todd’s chances. Simultaneously, Audrey jeopardizes her own shot at joining the trades as she tries to save her brother from humiliation.

The eclectic crew at the refinery includes:

– Todd Stool: A self-proclaimed “Goldenarm” pipefitter who takes pride in his working-class background and his signature ponytail.
– Audrey Stool: Todd’s sister who has tried to avoid joining the trades her whole life, but at what cost?
– Chelsea Nakamura: A corporate powerhouse with a track record of successful refinery management.
– Medhi Cheddie: The refinery’s chief engineer responsible for designing a significant portion of the facility.
– Backwoods: A dual ticketed tradesman known for his obsession with hunting and all things camo.
– Eric aka “Homer”: A pipefitter who is tightly wound and loves his energy drinks.
– Nathaniel aka “Taser”: Another pipefitter on Todd’s crew who is smart, funny, and concerned about potential changes impacting his income.
– Dale aka “Dewey”: An enthusiastic yet somewhat effective pipefitter who should be avoided as a work companion.
– Steph: One of Imperial Valley’s safety officers, quick-witted, untouchable, and passionate about keeping the crew out of harm’s way.
– Jimi: A grumpy veteran laborer who has worked at the refinery since he was a teenager alongside Todd and Audrey’s father Rod.
– Randy Bennett: Site Manager of the refinery known for deceit, high stress levels, and laziness.
– Rod Stool: Todd and Audrey’s retired carpenter father with a strong union background.

The Trades is a co-production between Trailer Park Boys Inc. and Kontent House Productions Inc., in association with Crave from Bell Media. Distribution is handled by Rollercoaster Entertainment, while Blink49 represents U.S. licensing. Ryan J. Lindsay serves as creator, writer, and executive producer alongside writer/executive producer Shelley Eriksen. Warren Sonoda directs the series with executive producer Gary Howsam. Jonathan A. Walker and Robb Wells serve as producers while John Morayniss and Virginia Rankin are executive producers for Blink49 Studios. Andrew McMichael, Angelo Paletta, Ross Mrazek, and Benjamin Rappaport are co-executive producers. Marjorie Lecker handles series casting, Jeff Wheaton is the cinematographer, Michael Pierson is the production designer, Sarah Dunsworth-Nickerson is the costume designer, Jonathan Goldsmith composes the music, and Sarah Byrne and Jeremy Harty serve as editors.