Being Erica
Being Erica (2009 - ongoing) is a Canadian comedy-drama television series about a young woman named Erica who meets a mysterious therapist who allows her to revisit her past mistakes in order to try to fix her messed-up life in the present.
The series was created by Jana Sinyor. It uses the repeating events trope (via time-travel) as a conceit to explore its protagonist's character growth.
The show mixes elements of comedy, romance, character drama, and a touch of soap opera, with opportunities for anachronistic humour and a lot of therapy.
Overview
Erica Strange, despite her mostly fortunate circumstances, has made a mess of her life through her own bad decisions. At the start of the series, when she is at a particularly low point, she meets Dr. Tom, who offers to help her if she will commit to the task. On her first visit to his office, he asks her to write down a list of her biggest regrets -- and then he gives her the opportunity to go back in time to relive them and try to act differently.
Thereafter, at unexpected times, Erica enters Dr. Tom's Tardis-like office by crossing through ordinary doorways and has impromptu therapy sessions with him. Erica then jumps in media res into her younger self at different times in her life, usually making one extended trip to the past per episode, to relive a period of her life which is connected to the difficulties she's experiencing in her present. Dr. Tom is often there in the background during those trips to the past, for Erica to turn to for advice.
In the present, Erica struggles to find -- and keep -- a new job, to deal with her boss, her friendships, her family, and her romantic attraction to Ethan, an old friend who recently separated from his wife and moved back into Erica's life.
Cast
- Erin Karpluk as Erica Strange (also sometimes played by Samantha Weinstein)
- Michael Riley as Dr. Tom, Erica's mysterious therapist
- Vinessa Antoine as Judith Winters, Erica's best friend
- Tyron Leitso as Ethan, Erica's longtime close male friend and possible love interest
- Laurence Leboeuf as Claire, Ethan's wife
- Sarah Gadon as Katie Atkins, Erica's oldest friend
- Paula Brancati as Jenny, another of Erica's friends
- Reagan Pasternak as Julianne Giacomelli, Erica's demanding boss (who is younger than Erica)
- Morgan Kelly as Brent, Erica's co-worker
- John Boylan as Gary Strange, Erica's father, a former hippie turned rabbi
- Kathleen Laskey as Barb Strange, Erica's mother
- Devon Bostick as Leo Strange, Erica's deceased older bother (seen in the past when he was still alive)
- Joanna Douglas as Samantha Strange, Erica's younger sister, a doctor
The series is set in Toronto, but most of the cast is straight and white, although the Stranges are Jewish. Judith is the one regular black character. There are a few peripheral gay characters: Erica's Uncle Ruby; the lesbian couple who are chosen as godparents to Judith's baby; and Cassidy, the friend who was nearly Erica's lover.