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.
This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Link: This Hour has 22 Minutes in ‘existential crisis,’ say sources, losing Shaun Majumder and key writers, including Greg Thomey

From Tony Wong of the Toronto Star:

Link: This Hour has 22 Minutes in ‘existential crisis,’ say sources, losing Shaun Majumder and key writers, including Greg Thomey
The abrupt departure of star Shaun Majumder from CBC’s 22 Minutes heralds some significant changes to the upcoming season of the sketch comedy show, even as insiders point to what they say is an “existential crisis” at the long-running and beloved Canadian series.

In exclusive interviews with the Star, producers outlined for the first time plans for a revamped 22 Minutes that will showcase four nights of 10-minute digital-only shows. The series is also adding two new “correspondents” in Toronto and Vancouver leading up to the weekly broadcast premiering Sept. 18 on CBC. Continue reading.

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Wynonna Earp

Link: Why Wynonna Earp came along at the best time for writer/co-exec producer Noelle Carbone

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Why Wynonna Earp came along at the best time for writer/co-exec producer Noelle Carbone
“I like genre TV and I watch quite a bit of it. That being said, I don’t think I uttered a word for the first two weeks I was in the Wynonna room. I just stared at the board, and the other writers, with a blank look on my face. And then I’d go home and wait for my agent to call me and tell me that Emily had decided to consciously uncouple me from the story room.” Continue reading.

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Industry News

Just For Laughs and CraveTV partner on three new original stand-up specials

From a media release:

Just For Laughs and CraveTV announced today that they will once again partner on three hour-long CraveTV Original stand-up comedy specials, exclusively for the premium streaming service. Showcasing Canada’s own Robby Hoffman, DJ Demers, and Mark Forward, the new stand-up specials will be taped in front of a live audience at Toronto’s Longboat Hall as part of JFL42, Toronto’s Just For Laughs comedy festival, before landing on CraveTV later this year.

Heading into its seventh edition, JFL42, running from September 20-29, 2018, is a pass-based interactive comedy festival allowing comedy fans to access more shows than ever before, establishing itself as one of today’s most successful and innovative comedy events.

The new stand-up specials join the long list of projects that Just For Laughs and Bell Media have partnered on in the past, including six seasons of JUST FOR LAUGHS: ALL ACCESS and HOMEGROWN COMICS HOSTED BY K. TREVOR WILSON (premiering on Monday, September 3 at 9 p.m. ET on The Comedy Network). CraveTV’s first three original stand-up specials taped at JFL42 in 2017: DARCY MICHAEL GOES TO CHURCH, DEB DIGIOVANNI: HERE’S THE THING, and GRAHAM CHITTENDEN: RELUCTANT ADULT, which are all currently streaming on CraveTV.

Robby Hoffman is a writer and performer who just wrapped writing for TruTV’s THE CHRIS GETHARD SHOW. This year, she was named one of Comedy Central’s ‘Up Next’ comedians. She was recently a writer on the CBC shows WORKIN’ MOMS, and BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, and won an Emmy for her work on PBS’ ODD SQUAD. As a comedian, Hoffman has performed in many renowned festivals, including the Montréal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Bridgetown, and Denver’s Crom Festival.

DJ Demers is an award-winning stand-up comedian. Demers appeared on Season 11 of NBC’s AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, and has performed stand-up on TBS’ CONAN. Winner of the 2014 Homegrown Comics Competition at the prestigious Montréal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Demers has also performed as part of Toronto’s JFL42 Comedy Festival. Winner of the 2013 Toronto Comedy Brawl, and finalist on NBC’s STAND-UP FOR DIVERSITY, Demers also won ‘Best Breakout Artist’ at the 2015 Canadian Comedy Awards. In 2018, his album, [Indistinct Chatter], was nominated for a JUNO Award for Best Comedy Album.

Mark Forward is a multi-award-winning comedian. He has performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and made his 10th return to the Montréal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival this summer. He’s been on Comedy Central’s JOHN OLIVER’S NEW YORK STAND-UP SHOW and has made a number of appearances on CBS’ THE LATE LATE SHOW. An accomplished actor, Forward was featured in the third season of FX’s FARGO, was a writer and cast member on IFC and The Comedy Network’s THE JON DORE TELEVISION SHOW, and is a series regular on CraveTV’s LETTERKENNY. Loved for stealing almost every scene he is in, Forward has also self-distributed a phenomenal comedy special- and it’s only 99 cents!

The CraveTV Original stand-up specials are co-produced by Just For Laughs Television and Counterfeit Pictures in association with Bell Media’s CraveTV. Executive producers are Bruce Hills from Just For Laughs and Dan Bennett, Shane Corkery, and Anton Leo from Counterfeit Pictures. The specials are directed by Shelagh O’Brien.

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Amazing Race Canada, Featured

Comments and queries for the week of August 31

The BEST episode [of The Amazing Race Canada] this season. So entertaining and funny. Fave parts: “make up” some time, “dead serious,” the moustaches, the intimidating big brown eyes, the boarder dog, the bad acting, the invisible slap chop, Phil’s many brotherly jabs towards his sister, and Taylor’s calm and positive demeanor while cheering on his sister in the first task. Sad to see any of the Top 5 teams eliminated. —Tunie

Best challenge was obviously the fun acting bit that we spent most of the episode on, but to see a true footrace and the strong team of Nancy and Melissa go was shocking. Battle of the Two Courtney’s was a good episode title. Road Block was OK, Detours seemed simple at least from what we saw. A strong ending for our second and last international Leg. Fredericton next week means all the provincial and territorial capitals have been featured at least once over the six years. Pretty foreshadowed that the boys would win this episode. Cute skateboarding dog. —DanAmazing

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

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Industry News

CRTC requires the production of Canadian original content

From a media release:

The CRTC responded today to the government’s Order-in-Council to reconsider its decisions regarding large television groups by imposing conditions of licence on them to ensure the continued support of the Canadian creative sector. The government asked the CRTC to re-examine original Canadian French-language programs, programs of national interest in the English-language market and short-form programming, including music. These changes were made to preserve the viability, stability and competitiveness of the creative sector and the Canadian television market.

For the French-language market, the CRTC now requires each group to make significant investments in the creation of French-language programs, representing 75% of its Canadian programming expenditures for original French-language programs starting in 2019-2020. The percentage in 2018-2019 will be 50%, which will enable the groups to adjust to the new requirements and ensure sufficient support for the production of original French-language content for the French-language market.

The CRTC is also increasing expenditure requirements for programs of national interest in the English-language market. The percentage will now be based on historical expenditures, to ensure sufficient investment in the production of these programs and financial contributions according to each group’s financial resources. Therefore, the requirements are increasing from 5% to 7.5% of previous years’ revenues for Bell, and from 5% to 8.5% for Corus, while requirements for Rogers remain at 5%. The CRTC believes this approach will ensure the Canadian production sector continues to play an essential role in the Canadian economy and offer high-quality content to viewers in Canada and abroad.

The CRTC determined that the groups in both language markets will be required to allocate an average of $5.5 million per year to support the production of musical programs (FACTOR and MUSICACTION). These expenditures will be imposed from 2019 to 2022, and will ensure regulatory uniformity among the groups. Continue reading.

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