Radio Free Roscoe
Radio Free Roscoe is a Canadian teen comedy-drama television series created by Will McRobb and Douglas McRobb. The series follows four high school students in the fictional town of Roscoe who start an underground pirate radio station to challenge their school's conformist culture. It starred Nathan Carter, Ali Mukaddam, Nathan Stephenson, and Kate Todd.
Produced by Decode Entertainment and filmed in Toronto, the series premiered on Family Channel on August 1, 2003. It also aired on Noggin's teen block The N in the United States, which co-funded the second season. The series ran for 52 episodes over four seasons, ending on May 27, 2005. Radio Free Roscoe won the Gemini Award for Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program in 2005.
Premise
Four teens in the fictional town of Roscoe start attending Henry Roscoe High School. Fed up with their school's official radio station dictating how students should live, and the overbearing Principal Waller who favors the popular students, they create their own pirate radio station called Radio Free Roscoe. Lily Randall, Ray Brennan, and Robbie McGrath are old friends who find a new ally in Travis Strong when they form the station. They assume radio aliases to conceal their identities from the school administration.Development
The series was originally conceived as Radio Free Nutley, with a pilot filmed in Nutley, New Jersey featuring an entirely different cast. When the pilot was not picked up, Decode Entertainment moved production to Toronto and recast the show.Broadcast history
Radio Free Roscoe premiered on Family Channel in Canada on August 1, 2003. In the United States, the series aired on Noggin's teen block The N. The series ran for 52 episodes over four seasons, concluding in 2005.Cast and characters
Main
Each main character uses a pseudonym while broadcasting to remain anonymous and prevent the administration from shutting down the station.- Al Mukadam – Ray Brennan / "Pronto"
- Nathan Stephenson – Robbie McGrath / "Question Mark"
- Kate Todd – Lily Randall / "Shady Lane"
- Nathan Carter – Travis Strong / "Smog"
Supporting
- Genelle Williams – Kim Carlisle
- Hamish McEwan – Principal Daniel Waller
- Kenny Robinson – Mickey Stone
- Ashley Newbrough – Audrey Quinlan
- David Rendall – Ted
- Garen Boyajian – Ed
- Victoria Nestorowicz – Parker Haynes
- Hill Kourkoutis – Megan
- Lara Amersey – Bridget
- Steve Belford – River Pierce
- Julia Alexander – Grace Sutter
Guest stars
- Maggie Gelbert – Marley Otto
- Tracey Hoyt – Miss Emily Mitchell
- Ray Mukaddam – Tim Brennan
- Lauren Collins – Blaire
- Skye Sweetnam – Sydney DeLuca
- Jake Epstein – Jackson Torrence
- William Greenblatt – Leon Appleton
- Aubrey Graham – RFR caller
- The Meligrove Band – Themselves
- The Trews – Themselves
- The Pettit Project – Themselves
- The Rocket Summer – Himself
- Dan Koch – Himself
- Mukundan Jr. – Himself
Episodes
Media releases
- Radio Free Roscoe: Season One - Greatest Hits – DVD compilation, VSC Corporation
- Radio Free Roscoe, Volume 1 – CD compilation
Awards and nominations