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Peak Season's Matt James

This Week on Peak Season: Episode Four

As this past Sunday night drew to a close, I couldn’t fathom what that anxious and excited feeling was in the pit of my stomach. I haven’t had this feeling since Heidi still had her original nose on Laguna Beach. Perhaps it was hunger, but perhaps it was the signs of another dilemma. Then I realized it. I have officially become addicted to a television show.

The affliction, commonly recognized by symptoms which include: placing a half-hour segment of television before things such as personal hygiene, university papers, and essentially shunning social interaction, is a serious one. Yes, admittedly, I have googled Whistler on more than one occasion, and I blame my recently terrible social graces on Grant Fraggalosch, the guy who created Peak Season. He can answer to those who wonder where I disappear to on Monday nights, and then reemerge, with an insatiable appetite for alcohol, snowboarding and drama.

This episode of Peak Season revealed a lot, and while it seemed sort-of like a base to set up all the adventures to come, it was definitely essential.

What Happens:

Who is Stephanie Just?

In what appears to be a car reminiscent of the Toyota Camry I remember from childhood, the boys (men?) of Peak Season head to Stephanie Just’s house for a backyard barbeque. For clarification: in Whistler, this means jumping off roofs, and grinding homemade rails, commonly referred to as ladders. Don’t worry, it’s safe, as justified by Just’s “200-pound” father who set the lovely contraption up. It almost seems like an “America’s funniest home videos” moment waiting to happen, but instead, the audience is treated to Just’s snowboarding skills, and can appreciate the loud-mouthed daredevil for her passion to her craft. Unfortunately, the brash snowboarder gets caught for “speeding” on the mountain (does that go on your record?), and her pass is suspended. Cue the heroine of the story: Just’s mom, who also happens to be her sponsor. Remember cunningly asking your parents for help with that long division, slyly slipping the pencil into their hand, and watching the homework magically do itself? Apply this notion to Steph’s apology letter, and you’ve got one happy, marijuana sweater-wearing boarder.

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This Week on Peak Season: Episode Three

Canada’s newest docu-drama series, Peak Season, aired it’s third episode Monday night, and the second showing of this action-packed show followed in the premiere’s steps, that is, the sporadic and unpredictable steps of the entertaining cast the show is based upon.

What happens:

Matt and Elle : the Australian who likes to get (self-proclaimed)“loose” and his visiting girlfriend.

After Matt mistakenly ditches Elle at the bar, he resolves to make it up to her. Whistler-fashion, of course. This groveling style consists of romantic dogsled rides, champagne and a hotel room at the Westine Resort and Spa for the night. After an excessively long make-up scene in the hot tub, it’s fairly simple to come to the conclusion that Matt has officially been forgiven for his sloven ways.

Lauren: the rowdy girl with a mind of her own.

Lauren is on the hunt after losing her job at a local Whistler pub, and eventually comes to the conclusion that she is better off working for herself. She decides that now is the perfect time to start the promotions company she has been envisioning, and it’s time to put her party-girl reputation to a good cause (as so eloquently stated by her best friend, Stephanie Weber). Over cheese, sausage and wine, it is decided that Fabia, an already-established promoter, will team up with Lauren for a promotion event a premiere party as a trial run. After reinforcing the importance of staying AWAY from shots, we are treated to a wonderful array of shot-taking skills, as represented by Lauren. Traditional shots, shots without hands, shots from her cleavage- essentially any form of shots you’ve ever imagined, they’ve been done in a Whistler bar.

After discovering that a girl, Jenelle, is bad mouthing her, Lauren takes matters into her own (very capable) hands. After actively seeking her out in the bar, confrontation ensues. Talking turns to shouting, shouting leads to pushing, and pushing leads to a mini-lecture from a slightly intoxicated Fabia. After breathing in some fresh Whistler air, it appears that Lauren takes the heartfelt advice seriously, and won’t let this little bump on the road slow her down.

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