By Vincenzo Ravina

The time has come to mourn the loss of Terry Grant, who is being REPLACED as the Mantracker on Mantracker.

This disgusts me, because Terry Grant IS the Mantracker and he will always BE the Mantracker and whoever they hired to replace him is NOT the Mantracker and can NEVER BE THE MANTRACKER.

If you’ve never seen the show, the premise is this: a team of two people are thrown into the woods or a desert or something and they have to RUN FOR THEIR LIVES to the finish line. The trek takes two days and they have only a map and compass to guide them. That’s hard enough. But they also have to get to the finish line without being captured by MANTRACKER, who is a professional TRACKER OF MEN. He rides a demon horse and his beard is made of fire. If he gets the chance, he will literally lasso you. The show is incredible, and it is due in large part to the amazing Terry Grant, who I will henceforth refer to only as Mantracker.

Mantracker says he wasn’t asking for a raise, but there was some sort of “matter of principle” that prevented an agreement for him to be a part of season seven. It’s truly disturbing.

What is wrong with Canadian television? Dragons’ Den let the world’s best dragon, W. Brett Wilson, leave the show, and Hockey Night in Canada dropped its theme, which was like the country’s second national anthem, and Picnicface got cancelled… And listen to Lorne Michaels talk about his start in Canadian television and how he ended up living and working in the US instead, on Alec Baldwin’s podcast.

This entire show rode on the back of Mantracker’s personality for six seasons. Maybe I’m crazy, but how can the show continue to be popular with some other schmo?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I have no idea who the new guy is. He’s apparently being kept a secret until the first episode of the new season airs in a few days. But, let me tell you, I will be right there to judge his performance. Can he fill the GARGANTUAN boots left behind by the real, true, and only Mantracker? I don’t know, but I HIGHLY DOUBT IT.

All I can say is, this new guy better have a wicked beard.

Episodes of Mantracker are available to watch online at CityTV.com.

Vincenzo Ravina is a writer and journalist in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is currently finishing up a novel.
Website: VincenzoRavina.com
Twitter: @SavourTheSea