MORDEN, MB
Television executives at ABC just announced a new cutting edge sitcom entitled ‘Morden Family,’ which explores the lives of several Mennonite families in Morden, Manitoba learning their place in an ever changing world.
“The plot revolves around a grumpy old church elder named Jay Plett and his vivacious Mexican Mennonite wife Gertie,” explained the show’s creator Lloyd Friesen. “It’s an ensemble cast showing the full range of diversity in our region from EMCers and MBers to Sommerfelders and Reinlanders and even some GCs.”
Friesen says he intends for ‘Morden Family’ to really tackle the compelling issues of the day such as Sunday shopping, who grows the best corn and/or apples and which of the more than two dozen local Chicken Chef restaurants is the best.
“In the first episode the Plett family argues about whether to go to Schanzenfeld or Friedenruh for the holidays,” said Friesen. “It gets pretty heated, but I’m glad we’re able to show such a range of perspectives on the issue.”
This is the first time a major US television network has featured Mennonites in such a prominent position, although some have said the Beverly Hillbillies and Dukes of Hazard were “inspired” by southern Manitoba Mennonite life.