New N.S. comedy series pretty real, pretty funny and pretty blind

Canadian comedy “Pretty Blind” focuses on stories of people with low vision.

A new Nova Scotia comedy is breaking barriers and bringing big laughs.

“Pretty Blind” is inspired by true stories about living with low vision and albinism.

“It is, to the best of our knowledge, the first time someone with low vision has been the lead in a comedy series,” said co-creator Jonathan Torrens.

“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” says the show’s lead Jennie Bovard, who plays a fictional version of herself. “I’m just going about my day and I’m encountering environments and people that mean well but maybe just sort of miss the mark.”

“Jenny Bovard is low vision and has albinism, but that is only one fraction of her character,” said Torrens. “She’s a marathon runner. She loves cycling. She’s a craft beer enthusiast. One of the things that I loved about her instantly is she is so comfortable in her skin, and happy to educate.”

Beyond the laughs, the show also aims to spark more understanding.

“People without a personal connection; I would love those people in the audience to take away some awareness, but never feel bad about not having known something ahead of time,” Bovard said.

Production also came up with subtle moves to help low-vision audiences follow the story.

“You might realize that characters use each other’s names more. ‘Good morning, Katie! Hi Jonathan, how are you?’ so that someone with low vision can go, ‘Oh got it, I know who’s talking now,’” said Torrens.

Behind the scenes, the crew also had to adapt the typical television set to be more accessible.

“When you think about a TV set, there are bright lights everywhere. There’s expensive gear all over the place,” said Bovard. “So we really had to problem solve a lot of things and we did that successfully. I’ve never felt more heard and seen and understood in any other work environment in terms of access needs.”

Adding to the East Coast vibe, the series features a soundtrack packed with local rock music.

“Pretty Blind” premieres Tuesday at 9 p.m. on AMI-tv and streams for free on AMI+.