Also the creator of the short-lived CBS series The Handler, Haddock is known for crafting thoughtful entertainment. "I'm not interested in making critically acclaimed failures. What's the point in that?"
What's on screen is anything but formulaic or contrived, but Haddock's talents include the ability to consider the commercial potential of his show without compromising his vision. Attractive leads? Check. Multiple genres for maximum flexibility and added interest? Check. Appeal to a wide range of demographics? Check. Engaging the audience is his primary concern, but he does it by appealing to an audience's brains and hearts, by carefully pacing his plots, and by adding edginess and sex appeal.
"I feel this is adult material that I'm engaged with that people will find satisfying," he said. "It's that kind of espionage/thriller sensibility that we used to get in movies all the time, but now the movies are going for a much younger demographic and finding adult material is harder. Television is where it's going to be at."
Despite Haddock's past successes and instincts for hooking an audience, he's painfully aware that nothing is ever certain in television, especially Canadian television. "You have to do whatever you can to draw the viewers in," he added. "It's a really, really tough landscape out there to attract audiences to shows, especially new shows."
Thanks to the Gemini-nominated movie, the show can already boast critical acclaim. Based on the quality of that movie, it should blow the plethora of generic crime shows out of the water, as a compellingly character-driven show incorporating intricate, intelligent plots. It just remains to be seen if audiences get wise to the appeal of Intelligence.
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