Development has begun on Rebels, a tween sitcom co-produced by Winnipeg-based Media RendezVous and Toronto-based Heroic Television.

The half-hour show will follow the exploits of 14-year-old Gabby Pelletier as she questions the accepted rules and conventions of school and life in general, and the inspiration she pulls from Louis Riel.

Series creator and executive producer Chuck Clement told Playback Daily he spent several years thinking of how to bring a tween/teen sitcom to APTN, as the broadcaster focuses increasingly on younger audiences.

While the show will feature Aboriginal characters and have storylines referring Metis themes, Clement said the series is meant to appeal to broad audiences across Canada and the world.

“The whole show is premised around kids being kids – questioning, challenging authority in a fun, playful and slap-sticky…way,” Clement said, adding that he hopes to have a few scripts and outlines done for the series by the spring.

The development of Rebels is being financially supported by APTN and the Canada Media Fund, Clement said. The show is executive produced by Clement, and also by John May and Suzanne Bolch of  Heroic Television.

There are currently no agreements for production in place for the series.