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.
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Comments and queries for the week of January 11

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I really enjoyed the Brackenreid-centred episode, as Mr. Craig may be the most talented actor on the program. As much as I enjoy the standard crime-solving episodes, it pains me greatly to admit that they have run out of ideas for Julia Ogden. This isn’t the fault of the actress, but rather the indifference in her scripts from the earlier seasons. Have you ever gone back to do a re-watch of the older seasons? I never noticed before, but Julia can be downright insufferable in her flip-flopping between modern career woman and clueless waif cowering behind William. They rectified this greatly in later seasons, but by then, much of the creativity present in early seasons had already been spent. Most egregious in this schizophrenic Ogden plotting is the two-parter of “Crimes and Punishment.” Julia spends an entire episode cluelessly believing nothing is wrong, resulting even in William having a “wake up and see the risk you are in” moment with her. Still, she sallies forward with odd smiles and aloof commentary, until she finally wakes up as the judge sentences her to death. Her reaction? “Oh William, do something!” So yes, more Brackenreid. More serious plotting of adult storylines, and not saccharine teenager moralizing. Three cheers for the writers of “Secrets and Lies.” —Sarah

What do I think of this episode? Same feeling I had since the focus seemed to have shifted to characters like Watts and Brakenreid, big disappointment. And this episode is right up there. I don’t know where the series is headed but I am losing interest big time. Of course, Murdoch is always front and centre … with Crabtree. Perhaps they should be portrayed as the power couple because Julia is certainly no longer part of it. Building a dishwasher for Julia, really? Are the writers transforming her into a homemaker, something in my opinion and imagination she will never be and I don’t want to watch episodes where Murdoch is bent on making her into someone she was never raised to be, unlike Margaret Brakenreid. That’s not even funny. What the creators of the show should do is give them employees (i.e. servants) that they certainly can afford. Julia has always been portrayed as a career professional, up until now. Tending to patients in a hospital? After having been a coroner and a psychiatrist, and helping Murdoch solve his crimes. Now the writers, showrunners are changing their mind. A surgeon? Showing her “operating” cannot hold the same fascination for viewers as what she was doing in the morgue and the asylum. This is not a medical show. Unless it is the wish of the actress herself, and if so, perhaps she should lend her talents to another show worthy of them. Yes, for this fan the disappointment is huge and it is also the end of the line. I don’t want to see episodes where Julia is relegated to a very minor and secondary role. Realizing that it is impossible to please everybody, I have seen enough of that this season already. I remember Hélène saying early on in the series that ‘someone’ wanted to eliminate her character. Perhaps this is finally and sadly happening … however gradually. —Noele

When I saw the episode only about Brackenreid, I was OK with it. But I could’ve done without the Watts episode. I do like his character, but not enough for an entire episode. I’m also noticing that William and Julia are slowly becoming secondary characters and I really don’t like that. THEY are the show! But I’m going to wait and see if there’s a William only show and a Julia only show as well. If so, I’ll be very interested to see them. I’m just not into the Ruth and Henry story lines at all. I like hearing about them in passing, but not actually a part of the show. And now, Ruth’s going to be at the hospital with Julia! Also, Dan Trotta joked about Brackenreid getting pregnant. It will really make me upset if Margaret ends up pregnant, and not Julia. I hope Julia’s “secret” is that she’s pregnant, and is afraid to tell William, because of the miscarriage. I want Violet to show her true colors and then be escorted out of the morgue. I also want MORE William and Julia scenes like in the first half of S12. —CD

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg.david@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

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Workin' Moms

Links: Workin’ Moms, Season 3

From Sonya Davidson of Toronto Guardian:

Link: Catherine Reitman is the creator, producer, writer & star of Workin’ Moms
“I’m always so blown away by the connection both women and men have with this show. When people stop me on the street, it’s not only to tell me how funny the show is, it’s almost always to express how much they feel represented on the show.” Continue reading.

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: 8 Things to Know about Workin’ Moms Season 3
“Their friendship is so important to me, to the audience and we always say the romance between them is what the show has ended up cruxing on.” Continue reading.

From Eric Volmers of the Regina Leader-Post:

Link: Workin’ Moms star Jessalyn Wanlim finds the ‘misunderstood human being’ at the centre of her characters
“It’s an interesting journey that Jenny takes. She makes some new friends and, because they don’t know her past and relationship with her ex-husband, she kind of manipulates the scenario to fit her needs.” Continue reading. 

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: The Women of Workin’ Moms are perfectly imperfect
“These women are flawed, three-dimensional and make mistakes because they think in that moment that’s what they need. That’s how most people operate and they have to pay the consequences.” Continue reading.

 

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The Nature of Things

The Power of Play world premiere on January 20 as part of The Nature of Things

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From a media release:

Did you ever see an octopus play? How about a kangaroo frolic with a deer? A hamster riddled with social anxiety? Researchers are finding some astounding evidence that all living things – from fish to humans – not only like to play, but they need it for survival. The new episode of The Nature of Things - The Power of Play, explores why this is especially crucial in children, as more young Canadians spend less time outdoors and more time indoors focused on screens.

The Power of Play is a one-hour documentary that explores the science behind play and reveals how researchers are linking play deprivation to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. The documentary will have its world broadcast premiere on CBC’s THE NATURE OF THINGS on Sunday, January 20 at 8 P.M. (8:30 NT) and will also be available to stream on CBC Gem from 5 p.m. ET on Friday, January 18.

The documentary takes viewers to research labs, zoos, and aquariums around the world to see how animals play, who they play with, and what happens when they are prevented from playing. McMaster University’s Jonathan Pruitt found out that a species of female social spiders that “play” sexual intercourse live longer. Sergio Pellis, a behavioural neuroscientist at the University of Lethbridge explains how he came to the conclusion that play deprivation causes depression in lab rats. It’s something American psychiatrist Stuart Brown suspected when he studied violent offenders in the United States. Pellis and Brown are among a growing number of experts who are convinced that unstructured play is vital to our mental health and well being.

Other experts, including Vancouver’s Mariana Brussoni and Norway’s Ellen Sandseter are leading a movement to return to risky play which involves some level of danger. A visit to an outdoor childcare centre in Norway shows the resilient, rosy-cheeked children benefiting from playing outside all day in a space with no fences and almost no limits.

The Power of Play was written and directed by Halifax’s Christine MacLean, created and produced by Erin Oakes, and executive produced by Edward Peill from Halifax-based Tell Tale Productions Inc. It was produced in association with the CBC / Radio-Canada with support from the Canada Media Fund, The Nova Scotia Film & TV Production Incentive Fund, and Federal Tax Credits.

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Unspeakable

Links: Unspeakable

From Debra Yeo of the Toronto Star:

Link: Robert C. Cooper was one of many Canadians sickened by tainted blood in the ’80s. His new TV show reminds us of the tragedy
To say that the miniseries Unspeakable is a passion project for Robert C. Cooper understates his dedication to telling the tale of Canada’s tainted-blood scandal. For one thing, the Toronto-born writer, producer and director is part of the story. He’s one of the thousands of hemophiliacs who contracted hepatitis C from tainted blood in the 1980s. Continue reading.

From Sabrina Furminger of YVR Screen Scene:

Link: ‘Unspeakable’ explores the worst public health disaster in Canadian history
Gay cancer. Gay plague. These were the kinds of words that were used to describe AIDS in the early 1980s. AIDS was dismissed as something not worth thinking about by politicians and medical boards on both sides of the border – this, as thousands of people suffered and died. Continue reading.

From Charles Trapunski of Brief Take:

Link: Interview: Unspeakable’s Sarah Wayne Callies, Shawn Doyle and Robert C. Cooper
“When we first presented to the writers and to the network, we presented a little too much factual information, but that’s where you have to start with something like this. You want to adhere to the truth as much as you can.” Continue reading.

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: CBC’s Unspeakable brings tragedy close to home
“What drew me ultimately to the project, was the relationship of this family at the core of it and trying to hold that together, while also understanding how I could protect my son and repair the damage that’s happened between us.” Continue reading.

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Burden of Truth

Links: Burden of Truth, Season 2

From Alaina Pawlowicz of Beyond Fashion:

Link: Kristin Kreuk Talks the New Season of ‘Burden of Truth’, Acting, and Living Life in Toronto
“In Season 2 Joanna is involved in this crazy incident in her car. She is working with this hacktivist kid, played by Varun Saranga, and her technology starts to go out of control and that’s what propels the season.” Continue reading.

From Jill Wilson of the Winnipeg Free Press:

Link: Nothing but the Truth
“A lot of the bonds that were formed last season have deepened in a way by this season, so the subject matter that we’re dealing with is extremely heavy, but there’s a closeness to the characters.” Continue reading.

From Charles Trapunski of Brief Take:

Link: Interview: Burden of Truth’s Kristin Kreuk
“It’s nice to see an appreciation for stories that are particularly located in Canada, and Canadian stories. We were really excited to have another shot with it because we had a difficult start last year with the changing of showrunners and things like that. So we got to take our time without interruption in the prep for season 2, and that was really exciting for us. In season 2, we really made an effort to give it a distinct visual style.” Continue reading.

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