Cabin Pressure Advent: Qikiqtarjuaq

Let's be having you, Winnie!

It's a brilliant episode, really, with so many classic moments, but I find it a little uncomfortable to listen to for two reasons:

1. Nancy and the other Unbeaten Track people are just so ... not Canadian. I appreciate that the differences in the Canadian and American accents are almost undetectable to people outside Canada, and Torontonians have a less pronounced difference than, say, someone from rural Saskatchewan, but even so .... I know Canada got the wrong end of a 'worst sense of humour' poll once, but Canadians are champion piss-takers and every single Canadian friend or relation I can think of would have found the Hitchcock cabin address and 'zany British humour' a bonus feature rather than 'unprofessional.' This is the country whose second airline posts an annual April Fools advert after all.

2. As reckless and cocksure as he is, I really don't like thinking that Douglas would so happily put the lives of his crewmates and passengers – nevermind his job – at risk like that.

I rationalise away these misgivings as follows:

1. Just because they're picked up in Toronto doesn't mean the Unbeaten Track people are Canadian. It could be an American company operating in Canada, or a Canadian company catering to American tourists which happens to have a very American-sounding hostess on staff. As far as I know, I don't know any Canadians who have been on a polar bear watching trip (at least not intentionally), and don't think it would interest most of them. It definitely seems like something only tourists do.

2. Sometimes people we like do things we don't like, and which can seem out of character. Anyway, we only have Martin's hollering to know how dangerous it really is, and he has a very low danger threshold ... I had a roommate who drove fast and confidently, but I never ever felt unsafe in her car, even going 20km over the speed limit in the rain at night – if Douglas is that kind of pilot then they're all probably fine, and would know it, but for the panicky commentary track.

I made myself laugh so much, drawing this, that I clearly am not bothered by it SO much.