Yearly Archives: 2015

Schitt's Creek

Link: Eugene Levy & Son On ‘Schitt’s Creek’: “We’ll Never Know Where The Town Is” – TCA

From Anthony D’Alessandro of Deadline:

Growing up, Schitt’s Creek co-creator and star Dan Levy sought to do his own thing, never intentionally leaning on comedic legend father Eugene Levy.

“I grew up watching SCTV and when I was in high school, the Christopher Guest movies were the coolest thing. But I started up in Canada at MTV where I wanted to build my own brand there,” said the junior Levy at the Friday afternoon panel for Pop’s first scripted series Schitt’s Creek, debuting on Feb. 11.  While at MTV Canada, Dan Levy co-hosted MTV Live and co-wrote, produced and hosted The After Show which was a critical hit and spawned various incarnations. Continue reading.

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Featured, Lost Girl

Review: Lost Girl brings it

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Finally, some answers. Or at least some massive hints as far as Lost Girl’s ongoing mystery of the elevator crash and its resuscitated bodies. After weeks of speculating about what could possibly be at the root of the unnamed woman and her troupe of undead, it seems we’ve finally got confirmation of my suspicions—we’ve got some devious Greek gods on our hands.

Although, that might actually be a bigger cause for worry considering the family dynamic of the threatening, glowing woman and Kevin Brown (or at least the god wearing Noam Jenkins’ skin like a flashy post-Jerry power suit), because the only Greek couple I know that could bicker like that would have to be top dogs Hera and Zeus. And if I learned anything during 10 years of Greek school (admittedly questionable), it’s that you really don’t mess with Hera.

Bo got a taste of that lesson this week, getting blown through a doorway and given a strange scar that won’t disappear, no matter how many girlfriend cards Tamsin tries to play. Still, at least the group finally knows what they’re up against and are now getting around to trying to fight it. Just in time too, if that Angel-esque nod to the apocalypse means some serious storms are coming to town. Considering what comes after the rains and flooding was enough to make Cassie and her family gouge their eyes out, this will probably require the full attention of the Fae. Any chance Lost Girl will burn the whole world down during its last season? Unlikely, but building towards that threat is a popular motif for a supernatural fighting drama to make its exit on, and it looks like that’s what we’ve got on our hands.

That, and clearly no resolution whatsoever to Bo and her wandering heart. After what struck me as quite the intimate moment with Tamsin last week, Bo was backpedaling hard, calling Tamsin her roommate and playing her against Lauren in what struck me as a particularly cruel—if dense—way. Surely by now Bo must also be picking up on the rising heartbreak vibes as she communes around the table with her trio of rotational lovers?

Still, at least it was Tamsin’s week in other ways as the series gave us our own versions of Bring It On and Friday Night Lights (“Clear Eyes Fae Heart”). Although I do think Tamsin’s takedown of the head cheerleader, pre-going full Valkyrie on her, was the more satisfying burst of athletic prowess—if only because everyone had been so sure Tamsin would fail at the task. It was a small bump in what was generally a bad week for the winged fighter, even if she isn’t yet aware of the dashed hopes coming her way as Bo bails yet again.

In perhaps slightly better news, Dyson’s love child, Mark, was taking a break from being an irksome pubescent boy in order to alert the others about Iris’ big boom hint. It probably helps that Shanice Banton (another Degrassi alum) as the mischievous Iris tends to rightfully reduce Mark to a quivering, silent mess while leading him along for her own pleasure/convenience. If there’s going to be any in with the gods, it’s probably her—though communicating through Mark probably isn’t the best way to get things done.

Meanwhile, we’re still left to wonder about what else the gods will be bringing with them (Herculids being the tip of that “classic” iceberg), what the triskelion is doing popping up everywhere and what will happen with Kevin Brown’s wife now that she’s on the trail of her husband’s corpse and obviously being offered up as an alternative interest for Dyson. Oh yes, and what Bo’s father—the Greek god of the Underworld—has planned with the world’s creepiest toy box. I’m not sensing a happy family reunion in the works.

Losing it:

  • Tamsin’s nightmare is my nightmare: “The drive-throughs were closed for ever. FOR EVER.”
  • Though still not as creepy as Bo’s dream about Lauren.
  • And speaking of Dyson’s new lady friend, who still prints photos? Especially ones taken with your phone…
  • “He’s famous now. He’s going to be on a protein bar.” Iris is easily shaping up to be my favourite new addition.

Lost Girl airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Showcase.

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Featured, Heartland

Review: Heartland’s pasts and futures

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We can all breathe easy, Heartland fans. After a pretty rough go this fall–Peter and Lou accused of child abuse, Amy and Ty broken up and those wild horses looking like dead meat–Sunday’s return set everything right.

“The Heart of a River,” written by Heather Conkie, closed out with the best news of this season: Ty and Amy are getting married. Yes, I know, it’s early days and I can’t help but think there will still be challenges along the way (the Prince will return or perhaps Ty will be hit with a bout of rabies), but for now the couple are truly happy. And Tim is pretty sure he’s the reason why. (We won’t tell him the truth, will we?) Both Amy and Ty have been on emotionally personal journeys this year–I’ve really enjoyed Ty’s character growth as a man and businessman–and they both know the future includes each other.

Cue Lou, who is clearly glad she’s got a new project to take on now that Peter and she are on the same page and have excised Crystal from their lives. Crystal’s attempt to have Georgie taken from the ranch with trumped-up charges of child labour and abuse failed when she tried to blackmail Lou and Peter for money; having the social worker there to witness the attempt was savvy (where did the social worker park her car?) and sent Crystal packing, hopefully for good. I mentioned earlier this season how fantastic Alisha Newton has been as Georgie and she proved it once again in an emotional scene with the social worker, explaining that Crystal was someone she didn’t want to associate with and concluding with the heart wrenching lines: “You’re supposed to be helping us. You’re supposed to be helping me!” Needless to say, Georgie is staying put.

The final piece of Sunday’s puzzle were the wild horses, Will and Matt. Before the Christmas break Matt was poised to have Amy and Ty arrested for loosing the horses from his pen. They returned them to Matt–rather than be arrested–and the poor, proud animals seemed destined for the glue factory. (The fact Matt blamed the horses for the death of his father rang a little hollow for me; perhaps it would have been more believable if he’d said he was ignored in favour of the beasts all his life.) An impassioned plea by Will finally sunk in and Matt released the horses back into the valley where they belonged. It was as Amy walked slowly through the herd that Ty finally realized he couldn’t live without Amy and he made the move to make her his wife. Awwww. Are you happy Ty and Amy are finally tying the knot? Let me know in the comments below or via Twitter @tv_eh.

Heartland airs Sundays at 7 p.m. on CBC.

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Schitt's Creek

CBC orders second season of Schitt’s Creek

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schitts_creek

From a media release:

With the first season of SCHITT’S CREEK premiering this Tuesday, January 13 at 9 p.m., CBC is pleased to announce that the second season has already been greenlit and is set to premiere in winter 2016. The highly anticipated character-driven, half-hour single-camera comedy is co-created by Eugene and Daniel Levy, who also star in the 13-episode series alongside the legendary Catherine O’Hara and rising star Annie Murphy, all of whom are set to return next season.

The series centres around a wealthy family who suddenly find themselves broke and forced to live in Schitt’s Creek, a small, depressing town they once bought as a joke. With their pampered lives now abandoned, they must confront their new-found poverty and discover what it means to be a family, all within the confines of their new home.

SCHITT’S CREEK is commissioned by CBC, produced by Not A Real Company Productions Inc. and created by Eugene Levy and Daniel Levy.  The executive producers are Eugene Levy, Daniel Levy, Andrew Barnsley, Fred Levy and Ben Feigin.  SCHITT’S CREEK is distributed by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

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Schitt's Creek

Link: ‘Schitt’s Creek’: Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Dan Levy talk new CBC comedy

From Bill Harris of the Toronto Sun:

I had a philosophical reaction to Schitt’s Creek.

Remember how legendary comedian George Carlin used to talk about the importance of “stuff?”

“That’s the whole meaning of life, isn’t it?” Carlin would say. “Trying to find a place for your stuff. If you didn’t have so much stuff, you wouldn’t need a house.” Continue reading.

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