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.
Featured, Hudson & Rex

Citytv’s homegrown hits take centre stage on its Canadian originals 2022/23 Lineup

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From a media release:

Building on a hugely successful season where its top Canadian series captured the hearts of the nation, Citytv’s 2022/23 original programming slate promises to bring even more jaw-dropping and inspiring moments, loads of suspense, and of course… double the drama!

A new addition to Citytv’s strong original programming slate is Wong & Winchester, a female-driven buddy detective procedural, in partnership with Pixcom. Production starts this Summer in Montreal with the series premiering mid-season. Lionsgate will distribute the program throughout the world, outside of Canada. 

Citytv doubles down on its investment in global hit franchises Got Talent and Bachelor, with the return of Canada’s Got Talent in partnership with Fremantle, SYCO Entertainment, and McGillivray Entertainment Media Inc., along with Bachelor in Paradise Canada in partnership with Good Human Productions.

Having returned to Citytv after 10 years, Canada’s Got Talent reminded the world that this country is bursting with incredible performers from coast to coast to coast. As Citytv’s most-viewed original series in over a decade, Canada’s Got Talent reached 1.4M Canadians each episode throughout the season. Plus, #CGT proved to be a viral hit on social with its engaging content garnering 356M impressions across @CanGotTalent platforms and more than 1M hours of watch-time on YouTube.Canada’s Got Talent Season 2 begins production this Fall in Niagara Falls, ON, and premieres in Spring 2023. Auditions for Season 2 are now open on Citytv.com.

Joining as new host of Bachelor in Paradise Canada in Season 2 is Sharleen Joynt alongside returning resident bartender Kevin Wendt. Decorated Soprano by day, Bachelor alum and long-time franchise recapper by night, Joynt is the utmost authority on all things Bachelor. Joynt is famously known from The Bachelor (Juan Pablo, Season 18), where this charismatic, fan-favourite Canadian, made her initial mark on Bachelor Nation and then continued to cover the franchise thereafter, most recently on the podcast “Dear Shandy.”  

Returning mid-season to Citytv, Bachelor in Paradise Canada promises to bring another steamy season filled with OMG plot twists, juicy drama, and passionate romances.

Winning over the hearts of Canadians week after week, Citytv’s #1 original scripted hit series Hudson & Rex returns this Fall with a 20-episode order for its fifth season. Airing on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT, the beloved series is currently in production in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and will also feature a two-episode story arc set in Northern Ontario. 

Returning this year is Level UP, a four-week mentoring initiative between Reelworld and Rogers Sports & Media, that provides on-the-ground experience to emerging Canadian directors and writers who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour. Program sponsors for 2022 are Citytv and Hudson & Rex producers, Shaftesbury and Pope Productions. Applications are open now until June 21 at www.reelworld.ca.

Citytv’s homegrown success continues in daytime with its in-house productions – Breakfast Television and Cityline – which have both experienced tremendous audience growth in 2022**. Breakfast Television has risen to the top among its competitors, making it the #1 morning television show in Ontario. Hosted by Tracy Moore, Cityline grew national audiences by +32% in Q1’22***, while also expanding its roster of original digital content through YouTube series like Face it with Tracy P and Deepa Does It. 

*Source: Numeris PPM, Total Canada A2+ (Mar 22nd – May 25th, 2022)

** Source: Numeris PPM, AMA (000), Ontario A25-54, M-F 6a-9a (Jan 1st – Apr 29th, 2022)

*** Source: Numeris PPM, AMA (000), Total Canada A25-54, M-F 10a-11a (Jan 1st – Mar 31st, 2022)

******************

Citytv’s New Series Description – Mid-Season

WONG & WINCHESTER

Wong & Winchester is a one-hour light and fun female-driven buddy detective procedural. It’s the story of the unlikely partnership between Marissa Wong (Grace Lynn Kung) – a bitter ex-cop turned private investigator – and Sarah Winchester (Sofia Banzhaf) – a former career student with the naivety to prove it. Working side-by-side, the mismatched duo, despite their generation gap and their vastly different approaches to work, life, food, fun, society and even their own gender, somehow manage to always get the job done of solving perplexing cases and odd mysteries.

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Pixcom

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Nicola Merola & Charles Lafortune; Showrunner is Chris Pozzebon; Creator and Co-Showrunner is Hollis Ludlow-Carroll; Producer is Nathalie Cecyre

CAST: Grace Lynn Kung (Transplant, Fahrenheit 451), Sofia Banzhaf (Closet Monster, Splinters), Joe Cobden (The Sinner, This Life), and Anthony Lemke (The Hardy Boys)

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Industry News

WGC and CMPA Ratify Extension of Independent Production Agreement

From a media release:

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) and the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) today announced that an 18-month extension to the CMPA/WGC Independent Production Agreement (IPA) has been ratified by both parties. The current IPA will now expire on December 31, 2023. The IPA establishes the terms, conditions and rates for writers, story editors, and story consultants.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that protects Canadian screenwriters and maintains our strong relationship with the CMPA”, says WGC President Alex Levine. “As our government looks to modernize the Broadcasting Act with Bill C-11, our relationship with our producing partners is more
important than ever.”

“This extension will create a welcome foundation of stability for all involved, as the industry continues to recover from the challenges of the pandemic,” said Sean Porter, Vice President, National Industrial Relations and Counsel, CMPA. “We thank our negotiating partners at the WGC for their commitment and diligent work throughout these negotiations.”

The two groups reached an agreement in principle in May after constructive negotiations between the parties. As part of the newly ratified agreement, the minimum Script Fees in effect from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, will increase by 3 percent effective on July 1, 2022. The budget thresholds under the Low-Budget Television Production Incentive will also increase by 3 percent effective on July 1, 2022.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

CTV Comedy Channel readies up for more jabs with Roast Battle Canada Season 2, beginning June 13

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From a media release:

CTV Comedy Channel is serving up fresh burns when the trash-talking original series ROAST BATTLE CANADA returns for an extra hot Season 2, Mondays at 10:30 p.m. ET, beginning June 13. The eight, half-hour episode battle of wits sees two pairs of Canadian comics face-off, hurling ruthless jokes at each other in hopes of coming out unscathed and crowned victorious.

Building on the success of Season 1, which is among the Top 3 series on CTV Comedy this broadcast year to date in the key A18-49 and A25-54 demos, ROAST BATTLE CANADA Season 2 sees the return of Ennis Esmer and the esteemed panel of judges: Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees, and, K. Trevor Wilson.

Canada, here are the fiery ROAST BATTLE CANADA Season 2 matchups:

Episode 1 – Monday, June 13 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Salma Hindy vs. Sophie Buddle
Battle 2 – Jean Paul vs. Ron Josol

Episode 2 – Monday, June 20 at 10 :30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Daniel Woodrow vs. Nick Nemeroff
Battle 2 – Adrienne Fish vs. Courtney Gilmour

Episode 3 – Monday, June 27 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Andrew Johnston vs. Tyler Morrison
Battle 2 – Cassie Cao vs. Salma Hindy

Episode 4 – Monday, July 4 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Daniel Woodrow vs. Jackie Pirico
Battle 2 – Hunter Collins vs. Kyle Brownrigg

Episode 5 – Monday, July 11 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Sophie Buddle vs. Brittany Lyseng
Battle 2 – Andrew Johnston vs. Cassie Cao

Episode 6 – Monday, July 18 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Nick Nemeroff vs. Jackie Pirico
Battle 2 – Norm Alconcel vs. Crystal Ferrier

Episode 7 – Monday, July 25 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Keith Pedro vs. Olivia Stadler
Battle 2 – Kyle Brownrigg vs. Adrienne Fish

Episode 8 – Monday, Aug. 1 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Jean Paul vs. Keith Pedro
Battle 2 – Hunter Collins vs. Courtney Gilmour

Ahead of the Season 2 finale on Monday, Aug. 1 at 10:30 p.m. ET, viewers can watch the ROAST BATTLE CANADA Catch-Up Marathon beginning at 7 p.m. ET on CTV Comedy.

ROAST BATTLE CANADA is based on the U.S. format of the television series, ROAST BATTLE, created by comedians Jeff Ross and Brian Moses. The series builds on the success of Bell Media’s French-language version, ROAST BATTLE: LE GRAND DUEL. The format rights for ROAST BATTLE are licensed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

ROAST BATTLE CANADA is produced by CTV Comedy, in association with Just For Laughs Television and Counterfeit Pictures. Bruce Hills is Executive Producer and also President, Just For Laughs. Anton Leo serves as Executive Producer, along with Dan Bennett and Shane Corkery of Counterfeit Pictures. Comedian Russell Peters also executive produces. The series was directed by Shelagh O’Brien.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Corus Entertainment announces more than 200 additional hours of original Canadian content

From a media release:

Today, Corus Entertainment announces its complete lineup of premium original content for 2022/2023 with an incredible 45 total greenlights and renewals, including more than 600 episodes and24 titles from Corus Studios. 

This year, Global welcomes back Departure and Family Law – two sophomore hits to its acclaimed slate of original scripted series. In addition, casting is underway and production is set to commence on the exciting new action-drama Robyn Hood. On the unscripted side, Global remains home to the best in award-winning entertainment news coverage with ET Canada. 
 
With content sold to more than 150 countries around the globe, Corus Studios continues to be a leader in original Canadian lifestyle and unscripted series, extending its catalogue with six new series and 16 returning shows across Food Network Canada, HGTV Canada and The HISTORY® Channel, plus a new feature-length documentary that will debut on W Network. 
 
Celebrating its 50-year milestone, Nelvana maintains its position as a world-renowned international producer and distributor of children’s animated and live action content, with content seen in over 180 countries around the world. This year is no exception, with new series, seasons and episodes coming soon to Corus’ leading kids’ networks, YTV, Treehouse and TELETOON. 

For full descriptions of new and returning original series across all networks please click here. 

GLOBAL 

Global’s acclaimed scripted slate includes Season 2 of last fall’s #1 new Canadian series Family Law*, starring Jewel Staite and Emmy® nominee Victor Garber, which was recently greenlit for Season 3 with production currently underway in Vancouver. Also upcoming on Global is Season 2 of Canada/Ireland co-production Departure starring Emmy® winner Archie Panjabi and Oscar® winner Christopher Plummer. Then, from acclaimed filmmaker Director X and Boat Rocker is Robyn Hood, a modern reimagining of the classic Robin Hood story set to begin production this summer in the Toronto and Hamilton area with casting to be announced soon.  

Additionally, ET Canada is back on Global for Season 18, fresh from winning four Canadian Screen Awards including Best Talk Program or Series. In addition, ET Canada Weekend has been renewed for Season 2 bringing audiences all the latest entertainment news headlines of the week.

LIFESTYLE 

Food Network Canada 

A Top 10 specialty network** and the ultimate culinary destination, Food Network Canada satisfies appetites with the renewal of five standout original series as part of its lineup. 

Food Network Canada’s new greenlights include the most prestigious culinary competition series in the country and a Top 20 overall specialty entertainment program in spring ‘21*** Top Chef Canada, which is making its return for a milestone 10th season. In the serialized series, a new roster of talented professional chefs will compete in high-octane challenges for the sought-after title of Canada’s Top Chef. The competitions continue with Season 3 of the larger-than-life themed baking series The Big Bake (7×60 Halloween and 7×60 holiday-theme) from Corus Studios. Celebrated YouTube personality and cookbook author Danni Rose joins the panel of resident judges alongside host Brad Smith, chef and author Eddie Jackson and acclaimed pastry chef Ron Ben-Israel. A Top 10 program on Food Network Canada this spring****, Corus Studios’ Great Chocolate Showdown (8×60) returns with more delectable ooey-gooey creations in its fourth season.  

More from Corus Studios includes previously announced new episodes of sizzling competition series Fire Masters (10×60) with host Dylan Benoit, and the always charismatic John Catucci takes viewers on mouthwatering food travelogue adventures with new episodes of Big Food Bucket List (9×30). 

The HISTORY Channel 

The HISTORY Channel comes to life this year with more new original content than ever before. The network’s slate is set to offer a slew of factual and unscripted content including the renewal of five Corus Studios hit series and two groundbreaking documentaries that are sure to educate and entertain audiences.  

In honour of Canada’s National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, a new two-hour documentary sheds light on the history of the relationship between Indigenous people and settlers. True Story (2×60) offers a critical lens to the past, revealing some shameful and heartbreaking truths, as well as uplifting and inspiring hope.  

For Remembrance Day, Our War (2×60) uncovers stories about extraordinary individuals who made heroic contributions to WWI and WWII. From the descendent of one of Canada’s first Black servicemen, to the great-grand-nephew of a female intelligence officer stationed at Bletchley Park, the documentary follows these descendant’s investigations into their families’ historic pasts. 

New from Corus Studios this fall is previously announced series Deadman’s Curse (8×60), following a diverse team of explorers on a quest to find a legendary cursed gold mine in B.C. Fan-favourite Corus Studios series Backroad Truckers (Season 2, 8×60), Big Timber (Season 3, 8×60), Lost Car Rescue (Season 2, 6×60), and Rust Valley Restorers (Season 5, 8×60) all return this year, along with Salvage Kings (Season 3, 8×60), which sees Ted taking the ultimate risk of opening his own salvage business with a team of familiar and new faces. 

HGTV Canada 

HGTV Canada is the nation’s destination for all things home. With 12 Corus Studios series upcoming, including seven returning favourites, HGTV Canada continues to be the go-to network for inspiring and heart-warming programming that fits any style.  

The #1 Canadian Specialty series*****, Island of Bryan (8×60) continues with new episodes this fall, with even more Baeumler adventures upcoming. Corus is prepping a new Untitled Baeumler Project (working title) (10×60) in development and slated for 2023, plus Bryan will team up with co-host Scott McGillivray in the new previously announced competition series Renovation Resort (7×60). The frenemies oversee four talented contractor/design duos as they each transform a waterfront cabin into a one-of-a-kind vacation rental for a chance to win a $100,000 prize. Viewers will see Scott reunited with Debra Salmoni in Season 4 Scott’s Vacation House Rules (14×60), which is newly greenlit. 

Sarah Richardson takes on her own vacation rental challenge this fall in the previously announced Sarah’s Mountain Escape (10×60). The series follows Sarah and her husband, Alexander Younger, as they transform a run-down B&B in Whistler, B.C. into a four-season luxury vacation rental property. Another West coast-based design and renovation series is Pamela Anderson in Pamela’s Garden of Eden (8×60). The previously announced series, coming this fall, follows Pamela as she revitalizes her grandmother’s six-acre legacy property on Vancouver Island into a stunning retreat. Another new personality to the network is no-nonsense luxury home designer Ali Budd, who leads a creative team to renovate and build incredible million-dollar renovations in Ali Budd (working title) (8×60).  

Off the heels of their series premieres, Sebastian Clovis will offer more empathy and experience to overwhelmed homeowners in Season 2 of Gut Job (8×60), while the cross-Canada renovators from Hoarder House Flippers (8×60) will return to tackle a new batch of disaster houses in a brand new season. Renewals continue with a new season of Top 20 Specialty series Rock Solid Builds (8×60)*****, as well as fellow Corus Studios series’ Farmhouse Facelift (8×60) and Making it Home with Kortney and Kenny (10×60). New episodes of Property Brothers: Forever Home (20×60) staring HGTV Canada’s beloved brothers are also confirmed.   

W NETWORK 

W Network spotlights the prolific career of sex educator Sue Johanson in Sex with Sue (1×90), directed by Lisa Rideout. Viewers will be reintroduced to the former W Network personality and see the unexpected and exciting ways her legacy lives on today.  

Corus Studios dives deeper into scripted content with the previously announced set of romantic movies The Love Club (4x120min). The movies follow four women, each dealing with their own dating debacle, who take a vow to call on one another if they are ever in romantic trouble again – a vow that has them resurrecting their “Love Club” ten years later as each of them search for their unique happily-ever-after. The first movie is set to premiere on W Network Winter 2023. The movies will be distributed through Corus Studios. 

ADULT SWIM 

 Corus is pleased to announce its second Canadian original series for Adult Swim, the popular network that offers an unexpected blend of authenticity, originality, and cleverness. The animated Red Ketchup (20×30), commissioned and greenlit by Corus’ French channel Télétoon la nuit, is based on the cult Quebec comic book series from the ‘80s of the same name. Featuring FBI’s crazed rogue agent, Steve “Red” Ketchup, the series will premiere in Canada on both Télétoon la nuit and in English on Adult Swim in 2023. Plus, the previously announced first Canadian original series for Adult Swim, Psi Cops (24×11), is set to premiere on Adult Swim Winter 2023. “Top” detectives Agent Kydd and Agent Felixx, of the secret agency Psi Cops, investigate spiritual phenomena, extraterrestrial life, and paranormal activity using their overly competent incompetence.

KIDS 

NELVANA  
 Nelvana continues to deliver premium entertainment for kids with compelling storylines and characters, by nurturing creator-driven projects and best-in-class partnerships.  

The previously announced Best & Bester (52×11) is set to premiere this fall on YTV. A co-production between Nelvana, Eye Present and Gigglebug Entertainment, the series follows two siblings and best friends obsessed with comparing the best things of all time while enjoying the power to transform themselves into anything they want, once a day – if only they can figure out what the best thing to be actually is! 

More fresh content from Nelvana landing on Corus’ kids networks this fall includes new episodes of Super Wish( 52×11) on YTV, produced by Nelvana and Discovery’s joint venture, redknot, and created by Nelvana’s own Vanessa Esteves and Daytime Emmy® Award-winning art director, Adrian Thatcher. Plus, new episodes of Bakugan: Evolutions (26×22) will bring epic action to TELETOON. Then, everyone’s favourite P.U.R.S.T. agents continue the adventure with new episodes of the second season of Agent Binky: Pets of the Universe (52×11). Produced by redknot, the series is based on the best-selling books by Ashley Spires, published by Corus Entertainment’s Kids Can Press. Also returning to the network is a new season of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! (52×11), accompanied by a brand new special with the beloved engines Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! Mystery at Lookout Mountain (1×60). 

YTV 

YTV is the place to be for non-stop Fam Fun! Reaching more kids in its afterschool time block than any other kids station****** The Zone is delivering another year of cool contests, celeb interviews, games and sketches alongside The Zone Weekend and Big Fun Movies. Beloved hosts Spencer, Alex and Duhin return, plus new host Melony will make her on-air debut on June 6 on The Zone.  

Premiering on YTV in 2023, Popularity Papers(26×30) is the first scripted series to be announced since Corus became a majority stakeholder in the Academy Award® and Emmy Award®-nominated production company Aircraft Pictures. From Aircraft Pictures and WexWorks Media, the live-action comedy series, developed for television by Amanda Brooke Perrin and showrunner Vivian Lin, is based on the award-winning middle-grade book series by Amy Ignatow. The series tells the story of two best friends, Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang, who are on a mission to crack the popularity code and dismantle this crazy social construct for middle-schoolers everywhere. Using the scientific method, the girls conduct social experiments on their peers with hilarious results. 

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Pretty Hard Cases

Production now underway on Pretty Hard Cases Season 3

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From a media release:

On the heels of its Season 2 launch on Amazon Freevee (formerly IMDb TV), Cameron Pictures, CBC, and Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group, proudly announce the start of production for the critically acclaimed 11-time Canadian Screen Award-nominated, CBC Original comedy-drama series, PRETTY HARD CASES Season 3. Filming continues in and around Toronto for 10 one-hour episodes with season 3 set to air on CBC in winter 2023.

This season, PRETTY HARD CASES finds a miserably demoted Samantha Wazowski (Meredith MacNeill) and a deeply undercover Kelly Duff (Adrienne C. Moore) reuniting to win their way back into the OCE after eight long months apart. Although their professional relationship has never been stronger, Sam and Kelly need to prove they’re worthy of the department’s top cases to the new and exacting Unit Commander, Gloria Ballard, played by world-renowned and award-winning actor Wendy Crewson (Departure, Good Sam). Gloria has high standards, excellent clothes, spiky hair and is intimidating AF. She doesn’t quite throw a “Welcome Back” party in Kelly and Sam’s honour, but our favourite pair of detectresses have each other’s backs as they navigate big changes.

Cast members reprising their roles include Karen Robinson (Schitt’s Creek) as tough, sardonic and newly-promoted Superintendent Edwina Shanks; Al Mukadam (Miss Sloan) as Detective Taai Nazeer, reliable and responsible; the affable heart of the OCE; Daren A. Herbert (Kim’s Convenience) as Detective Sergeant Nathan Greene, as charismatic as he is tech-savvy; Trevor Hayes (The Girlfriend Experience) as Sam’s ex-husband, turned boyfriend, Steve Evans; and Amanda Brugel (The Handmaid’s Tale) As Detective Karina Duff, Kelly’s overachieving half-sister and new mom. Also returning for Season 3 is Homicide Detective duo Tara Swallows, played by Tricia Black (Band Ladies) and Dustin Chase, played by Miguel Rivas (The Beaverton).

Following its broadcast and streaming debut of the first two seasons on CBC and CBC Gem, PRETTY HARD CASES also premiered on Amazon Freevee (formerly known as IMDb TV). Season 3 premieres winter 2023 on CBC.

PRETTY HARD CASES is co-created by Tassie Cameron (Mary Kills People, Ten Days in the Valley, Rookie Blue, The Robber Bride) and Sherry White (Little Dog, Frontier, Ten Days in the Valley, Rookie Blue).

A CBC original series, PRETTY HARD CASES is produced by Cameron Pictures in association with CBC and Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group. Cameron and White also serve as Co-Showrunners. Sherry White, Tassie Cameron, Amy Cameron and Alex Patrick are Executive Producers. Wanda Chaffey is Producer.

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