There is a certain pull to the emotional undercurrents of Sullivan’s Crossing, and in its multi-season tenure on CTV and The CW the show has not failed to hold viewers’ attention. Viewers naturally gravitate toward the steady, reassuring figure at the centre of the community. In this hit family drama with its close-knit cast, Frank Cranebear is perhaps the character who elicits the most abiding affection and unspoken respect. Tom Jackson, the veteran from Canada, has turned him into something special.
Frank is an integral part of the Nova Scotia countryside in which the series is set, one that transcends generations with a kind of easy grace; he is as vital in the latest episodes as he was in earlier seasons.
The Heart and Soul of Sullivan’s Crossing
Frank is far more than a mere fixture of the campground. A good friend to patriarch Harry Sullivan (Scott Patterson) for years and fiercely so, he is in many ways the show’s practical anchor and its emotional compass. There is a spiritual tie to the land in him, and a deep personal wisdom, which is why he is the one called upon in times of crisis.
He remains unpretentious. You are as likely to see Frank lending a hand with some hard work on the property as you are to have him dispense sound counsel, or be a haven for those dealing with grief and personal trauma. He can be a confidant to any number of people, be they old-timers or new arrivals with problems, because he listens without any agenda of his own.
Tom Jackson’s Powerful Portrayal and Cultural Resonance
Audiences connect with Frank in no small measure thanks to the authenticity actor Tom Jackson puts into the part. An Officer of the Order of Canada as well as a musician and much admired Indigenous Canadian actor, Jackson endows Frank with a world-weary sense of humour and a quiet dignity that elevates the writing.
One would be hard pressed to find the usual television clichés in his performance; Jackson draws on his own experience to give the character real dimension. Frank’s story lines tend to be about the endurance of a community and a sort of unobtrusive resilience. Then there is his rapport with the younger set, acting as a mentor of sorts when their lives get away from them, which gives the series a warmth beyond what a typical romance would offer.
An Indispensable Presence in the Drama
As secrets come out and residents make whatever professional or personal reinventions they must, Frank Cranebear is the constant by which the rest is gauged. He is a sanctuary in the truest sense, a reminder that an open door and a voice of reason are the best defence against a troubled world. With the series changing as it does, his standing in the community only reinforces what a memorable and welcome figure he is on modern television.
The Ultimate Anchor
Sullivan’s Crossing is full of its share of family secrets and emotional upheaval, but for all that, Tom Jackson’s Frank Cranebear is the show’s grounding force. What could be a supporting role is made into the very heart of the show by the grounded wisdom and grace Jackson brings to it.