Vancouver: Supernatural primetime drama The Collector doesn’t begin airing in Canada until June 2, but already the Vancouver-shot series is collecting kudos, including a record-setting 21 nominations at this year’s Leo Awards, taking place May 28 and 29 in Vancouver.

The CHUM Television series stars Canadian Chris Kramer (Stargate SG-1) as an immortal soul collector given permission from the Devil to save rather than take souls, and features the creative producing work of husband-and-wife team Jon Cooksey and Ali Marie Matheson.

The series – which owes more to The Twilight Zone and Quantum Leap than an evil twist on Touched by an Angel – will debut on Space: The Imagination Station. Space will air the half-hour special The Collector: Behind the Scenes on June 2 before the series’ debut broadcast.

As they describe it, Cooksey and Matheson (who each have writing credits on shows including Rugrats) were pulled ‘kicking and screaming’ from their home in Los Angles to produce and write the Disney Channel series So Weird in Vancouver in 1999. Three months after arriving here, they applied for residency with their young daughter. That was six years ago, and the North Vancouver dual citizens have no plans to move back to the U.S.

The idea for The Collector, says Cooksey, comes from Hindu mythology. He and Matheson worked up the pitch with Vancouver producer Larry Sugar (No Equal Entertainment), whom they had met and worked with on So Weird, and sold the show to CHUM, which has made a commitment for 88 one-hour episodes. Each episode costs what other typical Canadian one-hours cost – in the $800,000 to $900,000 range, though Cooksey and Matheson are not specific.

In the first season, the production turned out 14 one-hours, which, with the addition of a second season of 16 one-hours, will give the production enough volume to close some international sales, says Cooksey.

Joining Kramer in the cast are Canadians Ellen Dubin (A Wrinkle in Time), Aidan Drummond (Door to Door) and Ona Grauer (Black Sash). Canadian directors include Holly Dale (Bliss), George Mendeluk (Street Time), John Pozer (The Grocer’s Wife), Michael Robison (The Dead Zone), Brad Turner (Human Cargo) and Sugar. Other Canadian writers in season one include Will Dixon (The Immortal), Catherine Girczyc (Just Cause), Frank Borg (Da Vinci’s Inquest), Barbara Covington (Mysterious Ways), Rick Drew (MacGyver), Jeanne Heal (Just Cause), Stacey Kaser (Edgemont), Susin Nielsen (Robson Arms), Christina Ray (Ginger Snaps Back) and Richard Side (Silverwing).

Matheson says the show explores universal themes, and that the writer/producers bring both Canadian and U.S. sensibilities to the show.

‘In the U.S., if they like your pilot, they throw a lot of money at you,’ she says. ‘But you pay a price for that money. You get a lot of broadcaster input. They watch the audience ratings and want to please the advertisers. Here it’s much more hands-off – a writer’s dream.’

The Collector’s 21 Leo nominations include best drama series, direction, screenwriting, cinematography and multiple technical and acting nods. In the television category, the unknown series is up against syndicated MGM series Stargate SG-1 (which rang up 16 nominations), CBC miniseries Human Cargo (with 13 nominations) and CBC drama Da Vinci’s Inquest (with 11 nominations).

Meanwhile, Charles Martin Smith’s Farley Mowat adaptation The Snow Walker and Carl Bessai’s family drama Emile lead the way in the film categories, with 11 noms each, including best feature drama, direction and writing. Gillian Darling Kovanic’s Suspino – A Cry for Roma, about the European persecution of gypsies, leads the way in the documentary category with eight nominations, followed by the smash hit The Corporation, directed by Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott, with six.

For a complete list of nominees, go to the Leos website.

-www.leoawards.com