History Trivia / TheRedGreenShow

* DirectedByCastMember: Rick Green (Bill) directed every episode between Seasons 3 and 6.

** Peter Wildman (Buzz) co-wrote every episode between Seasons 4 and 7, as well as a few episodes of Season 8.
** Bob Bainborough (Dalton) co-wrote every episode between Seasons 8 and 10, as well as most of the episodes of Season 7. He was also a contributing writer on many episodes of Seasons 5, 6, 11 and 12.

* DirectedByCastMember: Rick Green (Bill) directed every episode of the first six seasons.

* TheDanza: A few of the earliest episodes featured an early version of the "Quality Time" segments where Dalton would spend time with a younger kid. The early version instead featured Red spending time with a younger boy named Max or Dave. Max and Dave were both played by Steve Smith's real life sons, and shared the names of their characters.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Steve Smith isn't too fond of the second season, during which the executives pressed him to make the show into more of a sitcom. Hence the expanded cast and plotlines that we actually saw develop, as opposed to simply being related by Red. When Smith got back full creative control from the third season onwards, he went back to the old format. That said, one major aspect of the show did originate in the second season and was kept thereafter: The possum squeal sound effect which signaled the start of the lodge meeting.

* TroubledProduction: The show had a rough first few years, albeit more because of issues with TV networks rather than problems with actually producing the show. Steve Smith repeatedly butted heads with the network over the show's content, including the network's demanding the show be more like a sitcom. Later, during the 4th-6th seasons, the show's production company had to buy its own timeslots and pay the networks to air the show. The production of the first season also gave the show very limited studio time, so they had to do some marathon shootings to film everything. Smith notably praised Patrick [=McKenna=] for his ability to work through all that material.

** Bob Bainborough (Dalton) co-wrote every episode between Seasons 8 and 10, as well as most of the episodes of Season 7, and was a contributing writer on Seasons 5, 6, and 11.
** Jeff Lumby (Winston) was a contributing writer on many episodes between Seasons 5 and 11.

* DirectedByCastMember: Rick Green (Bill) directed dozens of episodes.

* DawsonCasting: An JustForFun/{{egregious}} example; [=McKenna=] was '29 or 30 years old' when he started playing teen-aged Harold. Averted in the later episodes, in which Harold was portrayed as an adult.

* ActorAllusion:
** Harold occasionally mentions watching ''Series/{{Traders}}'', a show where Patrick [=McKenna=] played the role of Marty.
** One of Edgar K.B. Montrose's first appearances had him talking about the film ''Film/DancesWithWolves'', talking about how the "Native guy" (the role played by actor Graham Greene) should have gotten the Oscar.
** Wayne Robson played a down-and-out man in ''Film/OneMagicChristmas'', who is so desperate for some money that he robs a bank -- and accidentally commits murder! Not to mention hijacks a car with some kids in it!
** Hap Shaughnessy always wears a cap bearing the crest of the Royal Canadian Regiment. Gordon Pinsent served for four years in that unit.

** Peter Wildman (Buzz) co-wrote every episode between Seasons 4 and 7, as well as the first six episodes of Season 8.

* CreatorBreakdown: Patrick [=McKenna=] began suffering this in the late '90s. In part, he was burned out from working on both ''The Red Green Show'' and ''Traders'' at the same time. He also felt increasingly ridiculous playing a supposedly teenaged Harold when he himself was in his forties. Adding to [=McKenna's=] troubles was a debilitating back injury that left him unable to walk for a year. As a result, Harold was PutOnABus for a couple of years. Once [=McKenna=] had taken a break for a few years, TheBusCameBack with [=McKenna=] now playing an adult Harold who works as an event coordinator for the company that hired him after he went to college.

** Patrick McKenna (Harold) was a contributing writer on Season 3.

* WrittenByCastMember: Taken to its literal conclusion. Steve Smith co-wrote all 300 episodes. Rick Green co-wrote every episode for the first eight seasons and the last two or three seasons. Other cast members also contributed to dozens of episodes in their own right. Some examples:

** Jeff Lumby (Winston) was a contributing writer from Seasons 5 to 11.

** Bob Bainborough (Dalton) co-wrote every episode between Seasons 7 and 10, and was a contributing writer on Seasons 5, 6, and 11.

* DawsonCasting: An JustForFun/{{egregious}} example; [=McKenna=] was ''31'' when he started playing teen-aged Harold. Averted in the later episodes, in which Harold was portrayed as an adult.

* WrittenByCastMember: Taken to its literal conclusion. Steve Smith co-wrote all 300 episodes. Rick Green co-wrote every episode for the first eight seasons and the last two or three seasons. Other cast members like Peter Wildman (Buzz), Bob Bainborough (Dalton) and Jeff Lumby (Winston) also contributed to dozens of episodes in their own right.

* WrittenByCastMember: Taken to its literal conclusion. Steve Smith co-wrote all 300 episodes. Rick Green co-wrote every episode for the first eight seasons and the last two or three seasons. Other cast members like Peter Wildman (Buzz), Bob Bainborough (Dalton), Jeff Lumby (Winston), and even Patrick [=McKenna=] would also contribute to dozens of episodes in their own right.

* CastTheExpert: The late Joel Harris (who played Young Walter) was a professional stuntman, making him all the more qualified to portray one of Possum Lake's resident butt monkeys.
** Steve Smith also worked as a handyman in his youth, and continued to use his skills in ''Handyman Corner'' and other segments. His being a car buff also repeatedly factors into the show (such as the frequent {{Take That}}s against [[TheAllegedCar Chrysler K-Cars]]).

** Steve Smith also worked as a handyman in his youth, and continued to use his skills in ''Handyman Corner'' and other segments. His being a car buff also repeatedly factors into the show.

* ''Adventures With Bill'': Black-and-white segment featuring tons of slapstick as Bill tries to do something for fun but fails spectacularly. Red narrates the proceedings. Eventually, other characters joined the fun. During seasons 9-12, Bill was replaced by Walter, a younger guy (and, in real life, stunt coordinator for the series). Walter would stick around when Bill returned to the show, however.

* ''The Experts'': Harold reads a letter from a viewer, asking their advice on a topic. It's always answered by Red and another character.

* ''North of Forty / Red's Sage Advice'': Debuted during season 4. Red, sitting at his desk, gives humorous advice, usually to middle-aged married men.

* ''Possum Lodge Word Game'': Debuted during season 5. One member has to get another to guess a word, but always has difficulty doing so. The word is frequently guessed by accident.

* DawsonCasting: An {{egregious}} example; [=McKenna=] was ''31'' when he started playing teen-aged Harold. Averted in the later episodes, in which Harold was portrayed as an adult.

* TroubledProduction: The show had a rough first few years, albeit more because of issues with TV networks rather than problems with actually producing the show. Steve Smith repeatedly butted heads with the network over the show's content, including the network's demanding the show be more like a sitcom. Later, during the 4th-6th seasons, the show's production company had to buy its own timeslots and pay the networks to air the show. The production of the first season also gave the show very limited studio time, so they had to do some marathon shootings to film everything. Smith notably praised Patrick McKenna for his ability to work through all that material.

* WrittenByCastMember: Taken to its literal conclusion. Steve Smith co-wrote all 300 episodes. Rick Green co-wrote every episode for the first eight seasons and the last two or three seasons. Other cast members like Peter Wildman (Buzz), Bob Bainborough (Dalton), Jeff Lumby (Winston) and even Patrick [=McKenna=] would also contribute to dozens of episodes in their own right.

* CastTheExpert: Joel Harris (who played Young Walter) is a professional stuntman, making him all the more qualified to portray one of Possum Lake's resident butt monkeys.

* ''Ranger Gord's Educational Films'': Debuted during season 9. A series of animated cartoons done by Ranger Gord (in real life, animated by Bryce Hallett). Gord was portrayed as a handsome, buff stud, while Red and Harold were portrayed as beavers. Ironically, it was Red and Harold who gave the correct advice, while Gord was always wrong.

* CreatorBreakdown: Patrick [=McKenna=] began suffering this in the late '90s. In part, he was burned out from working on both ''The Red Green Show'' and ''Traders'' at the same time. He also felt increasingly ridiculous playing a supposedly teenaged Harold when he himself was in his forties. As a result, Harold was PutOnABus for a couple of years. Once [=McKenna=] had taken a break for a few years, TheBusCameBack with [=McKenna=] now playing an adult Harold who works as an event coordinator for the company that hired him after he went to college.

* CreatorBreakdown: Patrick [=McKenna=] began suffering this in the late '90s. In part, he was burned out from working on both ''The Red Green Show'' and ''Traders'' at the same time. He also felt increasingly ridiculous playing a supposedly teenaged Harold when he himself was in his forties. As a result, Harold was PutOnABus for a couple of years. Once [=McKenna=] had taken a break for a few years, TheBusCameBack with McKenna now playing an adult Harold who works as an event coordinator for the company that hired him after he went to college.