Power Play

1998
Power Play

Seasons & Episodes

  • 2
  • 1

EP1 Everything is Broken Oct 15, 1999

Brett's world is falling apart as Colleen turns on him after she decides he seduced her to get his job back, Michelle announces that she's going to school in England, and he is facing extradition charges to the U.S. In order to save the Steelheads, Duff makes a deal with the government.

EP2 Resign or Re-Sign Oct 22, 1999

The government is confused to learn that the Steelheads they have just bought up are a hockey team, and not salmon. Brett begins plotting his revenge against everyone who brought about his downfall, and Colleen's name is all over his list. Shakey is devastated when he has to retire due to his bad knee, and Simpson is furious with Strand when Strand doesn't allow Shakey to tell them himself.

EP3 Manipulation Oct 29, 1999

Duff and Colleen don't like it when the government decides to run the Steelheads their way, even though Strand seems to be agreeable. Brett encourages Mark to dump his wife, Rayanne, as his manager and to go with him. Rose decides to write a tell-all novel about Brett.

EP4 Evasion Nov 12, 1999

Brett doesn't want people to know that he is sleeping with Rose, so he tries to keep it quiet as Renata tries to put an end to it altogether. Rose is far from his only problem, though, as he is still wanted in the United States. After a big fight and troubles in his marriage send Mark to a bar, he hooks up with another woman.

EP5 Temptation Nov 19, 1999

Brett is shocked when Michelle comes back from England married to the much older Hudson James, whom Rose discovers is no stranger to matrimonial bliss. Todd gets in trouble over an unintentional racial slur, and soon begins losing his sponsers and cannot get ahold of his agent.

EP6 The Truth Dec 02, 1999

Hudson tips Brett off that Todd is looking for a new agent, but both men are soon fighting over who will get to represent him, and Rose gets caught in the middle. Colleen is suspicious when Duff's new girlfriend, Samantha, is a lot younger than Duff and seems to have her eyes on the prize.

EP7 The Jumper Dec 09, 1999

Rose gets jealous and possessive when she realises that there is more to Colleen and Brett than just a working relationship. The entire team rallies together to help a former Steelhead who is planning to commit suicide by jumping from the rafters.

EP8 The Mask Dec 16, 1999

When the government decides to enact an equal opportunity ruling on new hires, the entire team is left questioning what will happen to them if they don't fall under the guidelines. When Duff finds out that Brett plans to drive Harry Strand crazy, he hires him in an attempt to kill two birds with one stone and get rid of Sexsmith at the same time.

EP9 Foolish Hearts Jan 13, 2000

Heading into the last regular season game against Detroit, turmoil jeopardizes the Steelheads post-season chances. Team Captain Mark Simpson receives divorce papers; Michelle is caught in the middle when Hudson James and Parker square off over Russian player Boris Kerensky; The team gets a new Head Coach in former goalie Al Tremblay. Duff McCardle risks his personal fortune for one last chance at the cup.

EP10 The Quarter Finals Jan 20, 2000

In the quarter-finals against Philadelphia, off-ice battles over the ownership of the club threaten to distract the players; Coach Tremblay doubts his leadership ability and requests his return to Sherbrooke, setting the stage for the return of a ""happier"" Harry Strand… who comes fully equipped with a psychiatrist. Michelle talks husband Hudson James into helping Parker get back into the U.S. to attend a league meeting for which he is eternally UN-grateful. After the meeting in New York, Colleen and Parker share more than just a drink. The ""new"" Harry Strand turns to be just what the teams needs.

EP11 The Cubicle Feb 03, 2000

Rose Thorton writes a story in the Spectator about an unnamed gay Steelhead player that causes tension as the team heads into the semi final against New York. As Parker and Colleen continue to consummate their odd relationship, everyone is paranoid about finding the mole. Michelle gives Parker an ultimatum about Hudson. Coach Harry Strand seems to be have lost his renewed vigour as the team comes unglued during game 7 against New York. ""Terminal Todd"" Maplethorpe comes up with a unique solution to refocus the Steelheads. Michelle, Renata & Rose witness a surprising admission by Colleen. Harry Strand redeems himself – Strand style. Duff & Samantha share some surprising news about their relationship.

EP12 The Finals Feb 10, 2000

As Duff continues to prepare for his wedding to Samantha, Colleen gets the proof that she needs that Samantha is the one selling out the team but doesn't want Brett to find out. Mark is pleased that his wife is coming to see him at the stadium until he realises the woman claiming to be his wife is a crazed stalker.

EP13 What It All Meant Feb 17, 2000

Brett's life falls apart as Colleen dumps him after he has Rose fired for threatening to reveal Duff's disappearance, Renata refuses to even speak to him after what he did, and Michelle tells him she's tired of being treated like a possession and is leaving town. When the goalie is injured, Duff pressures Shakey into coming back for one last game.
6.2| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 15 October 1998 Ended
Producted By:
Country:
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Power Play was a Canadian television drama series, which aired on CTV from 1998 to 2000. The series was filmed at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario. The show starred Michael Riley as Brett Parker, a former New York City sports agent who became the general manager of a National Hockey League franchise, the Hamilton Steelheads. One of the throughline plots of the series dealt with Parker's ongoing love–hate relationships with the sport, the team and his superior at McArdle Industries, corporate executive Colleen Blessed, played by Kari Matchett. The cast also included Gordon Pinsent as team owner Duff McArdle, Jonathan Crombie, Jennifer Dale and Al Waxman. The show's theme song was a modernized version of the Stompin' Tom Connors classic, "The Hockey Song", performed partly by Connors himself, and then transitioning to the performance of the band Rusty. The show was briefly aired on the US network UPN, starting in 1999, but was pulled after just two episodes. The second episode aired in the US has the distinction of being the lowest-rated episode of any prime-time TV series ever aired by any US network.

... View More
Stream Online

The movie is currently not available onine

Director

Producted By

Trailers & Images

Reviews

worthwood This was an average show. I think it maybe could have gotten better if it stayed on for another season. The acting was fine. Most of the problem was in an obvious lack of money (like in most Canadian TV) where they just seemed to go with cheap everything and cheap stories. Oh well.
Peter Cameron I thought this show was really boring and the comedy was not up to snuff.I remember it well because at the time I was dating a girl who really enjoyed the show or maybe she just pretended she did for the sake of her friend, a girl who was in the show who I remember and see in the cast list but will not name her because I don't want to single her out in my review.... mostly because my review is definitely not going to be a good one, and even though I met her a long time ago she seemed nice and actually seems like she is actually a talented performer who I'm sure has done much better work on much better shows since this one. I'm assuming.The acting on this show was not very good, the stories and plot lines were terrible. The comedy they do on the show is not funny at all and again is totally predictable, what is the point of doing jokes that are so obvious that everyone watching has already thought of them anyway?This show is better than MVP, another Canadian hockey series that was on CBC a few years later, but that's not saying much since MVP was awful.
phbalanced This series focused on a fictitious hockey team called The Hamilton Steelheads and production personnel were proud to be daring and present the series as a Canadian hockey team in a Canadian town. All issues affecting a pro sports team were explored starting with funding problems (which brought in the opportunistic and completely narcissistic Brett Parker), internal management problems which the team fought hard to keep out of the media, to the intervention of politicians (and we do meet the minister of culture - Sheila Copps!!) to agent-player contract negotiations, and much more! It was presented solely as a comedy-drama and was on its way to becoming a unique series which didn't mirror any other series during its run, but unfortunately, it was given the boot with no further interest by CTV to give the series another chance.
VerbalKint-2 You might be wondering what the novelty was for me in the first place. Well, being from Hamilton, it's very rare for me to see a show or movie based in my hometown. And I'll admit that was my initial attraction to "Power Play". Good writing and strong acting, though, have me hooked (no hockey pun intended).Most of the characters are likeable in their own way, but two performances stand out. Gordon Pinsent as the somewhat-crazy owner of the Hamilton Steelheads, Mr. McCardle, is great and fast-paced comic relief. Dean McDermott is the other performer I most enjoy. As Mark Simpson, the soft-spoken captain of the Steelheads, his intensity and dedication to the team shines through. He's extremely convincing, and in my opinion under-used thus far (2 episodes have aired as I write this). Michael Riley is Brett Parker, the guy you love to hate and hope to love, and the character around which the show revolves and evolves. The frantic pace of his life is reflected in the pacing of the show. The hockey sequences are, for the most part, well represented. And to be honest, the hometown boy in me wanted to cheer on the fictional Steelheads franchise.I really hope this show survives, and not just because it shines a spotlight on Hamilton, but because it deserves to. "Power Play" is that rarest of creatures; a well-made Canadian drama.