Series about female reporter

Press, 30 December 1982, Page 9

Series about female reporter

“Jessica Novak.” a new series which will begin screening on Two tonight, centres on a young news reporter who works for a major television station. While covering routine news, she becomes involved in an explosive story — an unemployed car worker has gone berserk. Not only has he been taking lessons at a firing range, he has become an expert shot. Now he has disappeared with his two children- and a loaded rifle, and his wife pleads with Jessica for help.

Jessica tries to locate the man, and a tense drama ensues.

A Canadian actress. Helen Shaver, plays the hard-work-ing field reporter. Jessica Novak, with David Spielberg as her critical boss: Andrew Rubin as her cameraman; and Eric Kilpatrick as her sound engineer.

Helen Shaver sees the series as an interesting challenge. “Jessica is not a master sleuth. She’s not a ‘Charlie’s Angel.” She’s a female reporter who does her job the best she can. Sometimes she oversteps her bounds;

sometimes her emotions get in her way, but on the plus side she’s intelligent, attractive and comfortable in her own body.

“I don’t relate to most of the women I see on television." she says. “They have super wardrobes and super powers, but I don’t know anybody who lives like that. Jessica has certain areas of herself she is just beginning to explore. To me. she’s really “something special’." Helen Shaver has been one of Canada’s top actresses for more than 10 years — winning her country's highest acting award for her role in the film. “In Praise of Older Women.”

She had her debut in “A Naked Man," a Mexican production filmed in Canada, and has appeared in such films as “The Amityville Horror” and “Gas,” a comedy. In her role of' Jessica Novak she will roam the countryside in search of exclusive, provocative, colourful, and challenging news stories. But while Jessica is hoping for the big, attentiongrabbing and award-winning

news story, her news director has her filming such events as a sand-building competition in Santa Monica and the anniversary of a couple celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss. Drive, determination and finally the bregrudging ap-

proval of the tough news editor allow her to achieve her goal — to come in with the big story. “Jessica Novak” was written by Jerry Ludwig, produced by Paul Waigner and directed by Steven Stern for Brownstone Productions.