Departures (TV series)


Departures is an adventure travel television series. An original Canadian production created by Andre Dupuis and Scott Wilson and produced by Jessie Wallace and Steven Bray. The worldwide premiere was with the Canadian Channel OLN on March 17, 2008 and continued for a total of 42 episodes ending on June 19, 2010.
Series co-creators Scott Wilson and Andre Dupuis have said that he and Wilson worked on another show, but that it seemed "kind of dry", and that it was not carrying across the feelings that they had, thinking he and Wilson "could probably do a better job".
The team behind the series met at film school: Scott Wilson, Andre Dupuis, and Jessie Wallace worked on numerous projects together while at Sheridan College. Also from Sheridan came Steven Bray, Alvin Campana and Stephen Barden.

Concept

The show features high-school friends Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach travelling to various locations around the world, accompanied by cameraman Andre Dupuis.
The show has been described as being about the journey, rather than just the destinations.

Broadcast

The first season of Departures aired on the Outdoor Life Network in Canada and began airing internationally on the National Geographic Adventure Channel worldwide beginning October 2008. The second season began airing on the Outdoor Life Network on January 25, 2009 in 480i, and the third season began airing on the Outdoor Life Network on March 6, 2010. Starting on April 10, 2009, Departures began airing every Friday night on Citytv stations across Canada, with 1080p broadcast on CITY-TV Toronto high-definition channel. The final episode of the series, "Departures: Australia", aired on Saturday, June 19, 2010.
The series airs in Germany with RTL Living, DR HD in Denmark, TVB in Hong Kong, in 50 countries with National Geographic Adventure Channel, and on Air Canada's international flights. Broadcast of Season one expanded to all of Europe, Middle East, Asia and Asia Pacific on Travel Channel International on June 25, 2012. Season two was to begin in January 2013 on Travel Channel International.
The series announced on their Facebook page, that Departures will be featured on the online video streaming website Netflix starting February 2015. As of May 2020, the show was no longer on Netflix but available to watch on YouTube.

Episodes

The first two seasons of the show have thirteen episodes each, while the third has sixteen episodes. Lukach has stated that a fourth season will not be made, as Wilson and Dupuis are working on a new show, Descending, which aired February 19, 2012. Wilson believes that "there is little chance of a fourth season."
Below is a chronological list of places visited in each season:

Canada Golden Sheaf Awards

YearCategoryNomineeEpisodeResult
2008Best Documentary SeriesJessie Wallace and Steven BrayIndia: Quest for Himalayas and "Cambodia"Won
2008Best DirectingDirector: Andre DupuisIndia: Quest for HimalayasWon

Gemini Awards

YearCategoryNomineeEpisodeResult
2008Best Photography in an Information Program or SeriesAndre DupuisIndia: Quest for HimalayasWon
2008Best Picture Editing in an Information Program or SeriesJoshua EadyIndia: Quest for HimalayasNominated
2009Best Picture Editing in an Information Program or SeriesJoshua EadyCubaNominated
2009Best Picture Editing in an Information Program or SeriesJordan KrugZambiaNominated
2009Best Picture Editing in an Information Program or SeriesAlvin CampañaCambodiaWon
2009Best Direction in a Lifestyle/Practical Information Program or SeriesAndre DupuisLibyaNominated
2009Best Photography in an Information Program or SeriesAndre DupuisMongolia: Tribes and TribulationsWon
2009Best Host in a Lifestyle/Practical Information, or Performing Arts Program or SeriesScott WilsonMongolia: Tribes and TribulationsNominated
2010Best Photography in an Information Program or SeriesAndre DupuisEthiopia: Saints and SnakesNominated
2010Best Picture Editing in an Information Program or SeriesJordan KrugPapua New Guinea: Fire and WaterNominated
2010Best Picture Editing in an Information Program or SeriesJoshua EadyRussia: The Bull of WinterNominated