39th Gemini Evening | Quiet, Time-Pressed Ceremony

No overwhelming domination of a series. No scandalissimo, to paraphrase Véronique Cloutier in 2022. And no huge thrills or awkward moments, either.

Ce 39^e The Gemini Awards gala was unifying, festive, rather smooth and wise. As if the host Pierre-Yves Lord, back for a second lap, was walking in a minefield and an explosion was waiting for him at the slightest misstep.

Who wants to relaunch a nuclear war between networks or fuel yet another controversy? Not us, the organizers of the Quebec television festival clearly responded, in which several influential producers (Fabienne Larouche, Sophie Lorain, Alexis Durand-Brault, Anne Boyer and Michel D’Astous) are no longer participating.

The opening number was friendly and sympathetic, but it lacked spice. This ambitious sequence of about ten minutes was torn between parody, well-done, homage and musical comedy, with a tenuous common thread, namely the love of television and birthdays.

Not unpleasant to watch, but pretty forgettable. At least singer Marie Carmen was entertaining in her humorous retelling ofBetween shadow and lightwhere she mocked shows that were pulled too quickly.

Pierre-Yves Lord is an enthusiastic master of ceremonies, zero cynicism, who still thrives on wonder. The lucky one. In short, PY is a nice guy, a real one, and not a comedian who strings together scathing gags that cause discomfort.

Still, a touch of acidity and a few digs at the stalls would have enhanced the taste of this quiet evening, which was rushed for 2 hours and 15 minutes.

It is imperative that winners learn to deliver concise, effective and embodied speeches. On Sunday night, the orchestra’s music practically buried all the recipients who clung to the microphone, unable to keep up with the clock. It was unpleasant and repetitive.

In the positive column are the humorous sketches of Nakay Lou, not of At home, or that of The goose that lays the golden eggs remixed with Masked singers and Normand Marineau hidden in a mascot. These are well-executed segments. The parody of Traitors – renamed The priests – was tasty with the appearance of priests well known from our television heritage.

Looking at the final Gemini rankings, we see that the three most nominated titles (Witches, This is how I love you et Before the crash) did not perform as expected.

Champion in 2020 and 2022, This is how I love you did not complete its hat trick in the prestigious best drama series category. The Academy preferred the fourth season of Plan Bthe excellent one, with Pier-Luc Funk in the role of a delinquent from Hochelaga-Maisonneuve swallowed up by poverty and violence.

Pier-Luc Funk, aka the bum Jessy Bonin, was also noticed for this complex, very physical and nuanced role in Plan Bsending big names like Émile Proulx-Cloutier, so disturbing in Before the crashand Jean-Philippe Perras, who played the slimy, detestable Christian Savard in The Emperor.

Fortunately, the ruthless Huguette Delisle saved the honor of This is how I love you when her brilliant interpreter, Marilyn Castonguay, thanked her (at length) at the end of the show. This was her first Gémeaux for this formidable role as a housewife and gang leader from Sainte-Foy.

Haloed last year, Before the crash 2 Radio-Canada has more or less bitten the dust. Same thing for The Emperor by Noovo, which deserved more light.

In the soap operas, Alerts TVA shone for the second consecutive year, sneaking ahead Indefensible, Witches, 5^e Rang et The perfect moments. Frédéric Pierre, who plays Detective Sergeant Renaud Magloire in Alertswon his first Gémeaux award for best performance.

It should be emphasized: Alerts has improved a lot in the last year, moving closer to the more sordid detective stories of Reasonable doubtits rival on Mondays at 9 p.m.

Very happy that the interpreter of one of the three half-sisters of Witches won, either Noémie O’Farrell, who plays the youngest Agnes Sullivan. I really like Witcheswhose authors Germain Larochelle and Marie-Josée Ouellet were rewarded during the afternoon gala.

On the comedy side, the awards were divided between several productions and no favorite emerged. Completely high school by Noovo, winner in 2023, won the Gémeaux for best comedy. Yes, it’s super funny and original, Completely high school. But is it of a higher caliber than The candidate or to Inhale exhale ? Up for debate.

Robin-Joël Cool, who plays François Bellefeuille’s weird neighbor in Dog weathercaused one of the biggest surprises of the gala by sending Marc Labrèche (The little life) et Steve Laplante (Leo).

On the stage of the Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts, Robin-Joël Cool, dressed in a silk kimono, injected freshness and spontaneity into this magma of laureates who were flatly reading sheets of paper. Emotion, laughter, enthusiasm, that’s what makes a speech captivating. Please stop mindlessly reeling off a grocery list, thank you.

In this chapter, France Beaudoin, awarded for Live from the universewas perfect. Short, heartfelt and sensitive presence, without notes or anything, bravo. Flowers, also, for Marc Labrèche, never boring.

Missing a few coronations because she was stuck in the fast lane, the bubbly Catherine Chabot was adorable, just like the delightful MP ​​Alix Mongeau whom she played in The candidate.

The best line of the gala, however, goes to Janette Bertrand, 99, who received a long ovation as she presented a trophy with comedian Matthieu Pepper.

As the maddened crowd refused to sit down and continued to applaud, Janette Bertrand called out: “If you don’t stop, I’m going to die in your face,” she sneered, triggering laughter from her young companion.

You see? A well-delivered, funny and caustic punch always creates memorable moments. Not bad more than a tribute to youth shows with Fanny Bloom, who goes through the butter.