All posts by Greg David

Prior to becoming a television critic and owner of TV, Eh?, Greg David was a critic for TV Guide Canada, the country's most trusted source for TV news. He has interviewed television actors, actresses and behind-the-scenes folks from hundreds of television series from Canada, the U.S. and internationally. He is a podcaster, public speaker, weekly radio guest and educator, and past member of the Television Critics Association.
Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

CTV and Netflix partner for inspiring wedding series I Do, Redo starring Jessica Mulroney

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From a media release:

Internationally acclaimed wedding expert and celebrity stylist Jessica Mulroney will helm the all-new original wedding series I DO, REDO for CTV and Netflix, it was announced today. In her first television series, CTV’s newest lifestyle star Mulroney revisits first-time wedding disasters before re-making the wedding dreams of 10 devoted couples.

The 10-episode, 30-minute series from Insight Productions (a Boat Rocker company) is currently in production in Canada and the U.S. The latest collaboration between Bell Media and Netflix, I DO, REDO is set to premiere in 2020 on CTV, CTV Life Channel, and Crave in Canada, and on Netflix internationally. 

Mulroney has built an illustrious career in fashion, weddings, and consulting and currently serves as a fashion contributor on GOOD MORNING AMERICA. I DO, REDO is Mulroney’s inaugural collaboration with CTV and Netflix.

I DO, REDO is produced by Insight Productions in association with CTV and distributed globally by Boat Rocker Studios. John Brunton is Executive Producer and Erin Brock serves as both Executive Producer and Showrunner.

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Featured, Podcast, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

TV Eh B Cs Podcast 90 — Baking something sweet with Jean Parker and Rachel Smith

Jean and Rachel started from humble beginnings; their single mother baked butter tarts out of their mobile home in Bayside as a way to earn money for the family.

It wasn’t until Jean and Rachel became mothers themselves that the pair cofounded Maple Key Tart Co., a boutique butter tart company operating in Toronto and Prince Edward County. They began with their mom’s recipe and infused it with their own flavour and style to come up with Maple Key Tart Co.’s signature butter tart.

In just two short years they have grown their business into a sweet success!

You can find Maple Key Tart Co.’s butter tarts in over 20 select locations across Southern Ontario. They are permanent vendors at the bustling Wellington Farmers Market in PEC, The Evergreen Brickworks Farmers Market in Toronto, and the highly curated Upmarket in Yorkville Village. This holiday the girls are excited to be partnering with Holt Renfrew.

When not baking butter tarts, you can catch this sister duo as the hosts of Food Network Canada’s The Baker Sisters, now airing on Global TV. This delectable travel series follows Jean and Rachel as they visit bakeries across North America and discover how their delicious desserts are made.

The pair have also appeared on The Marilyn Denis Show as baking experts and are launching their own YouTube channel in the new year. They are seasoned judges at the Midland Butter Tart Festival as well as other sweet show-downs across the province.

Visit Maple Key Tart Co. and Food Network Canada for more information on their company and show!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Vikings

History hit drama series Vikings marks its final season with a powerful two-hour premiere on Dec. 4

From a media release:

HISTORY’s hit drama series Vikings returns for its sixth and final season with a highly anticipated and powerful two-hour premiere kicking off Wednesday, December 4 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. For the past five seasons the Vikings have explored and conquered the known world, from early raids in England and the fierce battles of the Great Heathen Army to the heart-stopping death of Ragnar (Travis Fimmel), now the epic saga sails to monumental lengths throughout 20 compelling, definitive episodes.

The 20-episode sixth season will air in two parts, beginning with a two-hour premiere on Wednesday, December 4 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, followed by eight episodes airing every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HISTORY. The remaining ten episodes of Season 6 are slated to air in 2020. Additionally, series regular Katheryn Winnick is set to helm one episode in Season 6, marking her directorial debut.

Accompanying the series return is an all-new special, Vikings: Worlds at War – with ET Canada, premiering Sunday, December 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on HISTORY, with a repeat airing on Global on Wednesday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT. ET Canada’s Carlos Bustamante takes viewers behind-the-scenes of Vikings for a sneak peek at the sixth and final season, including exclusive interviews with the cast and a first-look at the shows new set.

Revenge, drama and chaos closed out the mid-season five finale. Ivar the Boneless (Alex Høgh Andersen), a self-proclaimed God ruling over Kattegat with alarming terror, charged his army into battle against his enemy and brother Bjorn Ironside (Alexander Ludwig). Unleashing a fiery guerilla warfare, the two brothers refused to surrender – blood, pride and the crown weighed too heavily on both of their shoulders. In the final moments, Ivar was forced to flee an imminent fate, disappearing into the darkness and securing Bjorn’s victory. Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), reborn after experiencing severe delusions from the major love she’s lost, emerged to crown Bjorn as the new rightful king.

Season 6 returns following the battle between brothers which has left Bjorn victorious and a hero to the people who have been under the tyrannical rule of Ivar for so long. As the new leader of Kattegat, Bjorn struggles to fill his late father’s shoes as king, while facing several dilemmas and wrestling with the idea that power overshadows morals. Meanwhile, Ivar, searching for a new path to separate him from his past, is seen traveling along The Silk Road eventually leading him to Russia. He meets his match in Prince Oleg (Danila Kozlovsky), a ruthless and unpredictable Russian ruler, who shocks even Ivar with his merciless actions. While Lagertha has her own agenda – to live a quieter and less public life on her own farm, but new dangers lurk close to home. This season, the Vikings continue to take over Scandinavia as Ubbe (Jordan Patrick Smith) and Torvi (Georgia Hirst) travel to Iceland to uncover the mystery circling around Floki’s (Gustaf Skarsgård) disappearance and Hvitserk (Marco Ilsø) pursues his personal vendetta against Ivar.

Vikings is the critically acclaimed series from creator and sole writer Michael Hirst (Academy Award® winning film Elizabeth and the Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominated series The Tudors) and is a family saga that tells the remarkable tales of the lives and epic adventures of the raiders and explorers of the Dark Ages.

Hirst serves as executive producer along with Morgan O’Sullivan of TM Productions (The Count of Monte Cristo, The Tudors), Sheila Hockin (The Tudors, The Borgias), John Weber of Take 5 Productions (The Tudors, The Borgias), Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, and James Flynn (The Tudors, The Borgias).

Vikings is an international Irish/Canadian co-production by TM Productions and Take 5 Productions. MGM Television serves as the worldwide distributor outside of Ireland and Canada. Vikings is produced in association with Corus Entertainment.

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Featured, Frankie Drake Mysteries

Preview: Frankie Drake Mysteries, “A Brother in Arms”

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Thanks to the federal election debate on Monday night, Murdoch Mysteries is pre-empted a week. Not so for Frankie Drake Mysteries, which returns with a new storyline written by Karen Hill and Ley Lukins and directed by Mina Shum.

Here’s the official synopsis on “A Brother in Arms,” from the CBC:

Frankie’s floored when a man claiming to be her half-brother shows up at the agency begging her to help his wrongly imprisoned friend.

And here a few more details I gathered up after watching the episode in advance.

A group of people at a 1920s bar.Wendy is back … and in a new setting
Fans of Grace Lynn Kung’s recurring character will be happy to see Wendy Quon back serving drinks. And, she’s got swanky new digs to do it in. Also? We’re re-introduced to Tickles. Ah, the 1920s.

Dillon Casey guest stars
The former Remedy star appears as Frankie’s aforementioned half-brother, Jack Drake. Is he really related to Frankie? Personally, I was thrilled to see Dillon Casey back on my television screen, because he’s a great actor and a truly nice guy. He opened up about his opioid addiction in this excellent interview with the Toronto Star‘s Tony Wong. Look for Kenny Wong, Jake Epstein, Richard Walters and, yes, Wendy Crewson on Monday night.

Racism rears its ugly head
Sadly, racism isn’t anything new and plays a major part in Monday’s A-storyline regarding Jack’s friend, Li Chang (Kenny Wong), being imprisoned. As part of the investigation, Wendy gives Frankie the backstory on Chinese immigrants, and Frankie Drake Mysteries‘ visual effects department does it in a unique way.

Frankie Drake Mysteries airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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Schitt's Creek

Link: Fox acquires ‘Schitt’s Creek’ syndication rights

From Will Thorne of Variety:

Link: Fox acquires ‘Schitt’s Creek’ syndication rights
Fox Television Stations has acquired the syndication rights to the acclaimed Pop TV comedy series “Schitt’s Creek.”

All seasons of the half-hour comedy, which is set to air its sixth and final outing on Pop and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Jan. 2020, will begin airing in U.S. broadcast markets starting in fall 2020. The deal was announced by Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury, who previously bought the domestic broadcast rights to the series from international distributor ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Continue reading. 

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