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.

Swimming with the fishes on The Amazing Race Canada

I’m consistently fascinated by the odd times Amazing Race contestants depart for a new Leg. In Tuesday’s newest journey, for instance, Jillian and Emmett departed Jasper, AB, at 12:56 a.m. Why not round it up to 1 a.m.? Why set it that late anyway? Can anyone answer that question for me? I really, honestly, want to know.

But back to the contest itself. Following a dramatic Leg, The Amazing Race Canada upped the ante in Week 2 with a pair of Express Passes—ways of skipping challenges without incurring a penalty—up for grabs. Out of the gate, Jillian and Emmett and Steph and Kristen have proved themselves to by not only physically strong teams but savvy ones too. So it was no surprise they emerged from the first bus into Calgary—following another rappel test—and decided to team up in a hunt for the Express Passes. (Can I just say it was a little disappointing to follow up last week’s height test with another one in Calgary?) They were thick as thieves … until Jillian and Emmett discussed and decided it was more important to finish Legs of the Race in first place than it was to score the passes.

With that, they left the girls to hunt through hundreds (thousands?) of vinyl records at Canada Boy Vinyl on their own while they headed off to the “Swim” Detour, corralling thousands of hatchery trout into one area and scooping them into cages. Steph and Kristen’s gamble paid off after an hour of work—scoring them an Express Pass and one to hand to another team—but costing them precious time. Luckily, they were fast and physical, outgunning other teams at the hatchery to land a respectable fifth place for their troubles. Jillian and Emmett, meanwhile, never gave up their lead after that, cruising into first place again. When they’re not bickering, Jillian and Emmett are simply unstoppable.

Meanwhile, there was a log jam in the hatchery, as every other team save for Joel and Ashley chose to scoop up fish. Instead, the father and daughter opted for the “Sim” side of the Detour, involving using a crane simulator to move a concrete weight through an intricate obstacle course in under six minutes combined. (Steph and Kristen, Kelly and Kate and Rita and Yvette took one look and swapped challenges.) After much practicing, the pair completed the task in their first try and hit the mat in a very respectable fourth place.

Things never improved for Kelly and Kate and Rita and Yvette, who entered Calgary in the last bus and never made up ground. In a footrace to the mat. Rita and Yvette edged out Kate and Kelly for the last spot. I could right away by Jon Montgomery’s tone that it was a non-elimination Leg, meaning the two friends have a Speed Bump to contend with in Vietnam. My take? Amazing Race Canada introduced a non-elimination way too early and should have waited until next week.

Here’s how the teams finished the Leg:

  1. Jillian and Emmett (trip for two to Paris)
  2. Stéphane and Antoine
  3. Frankie and Amy
  4. Joel and Ashley
  5. Anne and Tanya
  6. Steph and Kristen
  7. Julie and Lowell
  8. Rita and Yvette
  9. Kelly and Kate (non-elimination Leg)

What did you think of this Leg of the Race?  Comment below or via @tv_eh on Twitter.

The Amazing Race Canada airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

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Link: A lament for the days of bad Canadian TV

From Joel Rubinoff of Torstar News Service:

Link: A lament for the days of bad Canadian TV
All I hear about these days is the Golden Age of Television.

Mad Men, The Wire, Breaking Bad — shows that set a new standard for quality on the small screen the same way auteuristic films by Coppola and Scorsese did on the big one four decades ago.

But there’s another golden age, long lamented, fondly remembered, sporadically revisited, that also deserves attention: the Golden Age of Bad Canadian Television. Continue reading.

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Season 2 of critically-acclaimed The Romeo Section commences principal photography

From a media release:

Haddock Entertainment announced today that production has commenced on Season 2 of the critically-acclaimed espionage crime drama series, The Romeo Section. Created by renowned showrunner Chris Haddock (Intelligence, Da Vinci’s Inquest), the second season will consist of 10 new one-hour episodes in which the players get played, the powerful stumble, and the meek rise to power. As with Season 1, the second season will be filmed entirely in Vancouver, both on location and in studio. Season 2 will premiere this fall on CBC.

The second season of The Romeo Section finds Wolfgang McGee (Andrew Airlie) tasked with a covert investigation into an alleged terrorist incident, leading him into the dark side of intelligence. He calls upon an old acquaintance to assist, a blackballed spy named Norman, , and together they sift through inconsistencies that seem too convenient to be coincidence.

Meanwhile, Wolfgang’s former asset Rufus (Juan Riedinger) uses his new connection with the Red Mountain Triad to become the newest player in Vancouver’s competitive heroin market – the profits from which are being used to finance the latest movie starring Mae Mae (Fei Ren), the wife of the Triad leader, Wing Lei. Elsewhere Lily (Leeah Wong), now a recruit for the Intelligence Service, plays Al (Eugene Lipinski) against another agent to climb the chain of command and prevent her discovery as a double agent.

Returning cast members include Andrew Airlie as Wolfgang (50 Shades of Grey, Cedar Cove); Juan Riedinger as Rufus (Narcos, RL Stine’s The Haunting Hour); Leeah Wong as Lily; Eugene Lipinski as Al (Fringe, Intelligence); and Fei Ren as Mae Mae (Lucifer; Supernatural). Joining the cast this season is Brian Markinson (Mad Men, Charlie Wilson’s War) as Norman, the unapologetic and blackballed former spy.

The first episode of Season 2 is directed by David Frazee while Chris Haddock continues as the series’ showrunner and executive producer. Laura Lightbown, Stephen Surjik, and David Frazee also serve as executive producers, Jesse McKeown is co-executive producer and Arvi Liimatainen is producer.

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Intervention Canada premieres on CBC’s documentary Channel on July 25

From a media release:

CBC’s documentary Channel announced today, the latest season of the compelling docu-series Intervention Canada will premiere on Monday, July 25 at 9 p.m. ET. This [10×1] series takes viewers deep inside the life of an addict, and provides a glimpse of their reality and the gut wrenching toll it takes on family and friends. CBC has exclusive rights to air the first five episodes, which will air on Mondays, from July 25 to August 22. The airdates of the final five episodes are still to be confirmed.

This season on Intervention Canada, addicts and their families from coast-to-coast-to-coast bravely share their stories and shine a light on the issue of addiction. Episodes touch on a variety of dependencies including alcohol, crystal meth, cocaine, fentanyl, and eating disorders. In addition to seeing life through the eyes of the addict, each episode has the family meet with certified Interventionists Andrew Galloway and Maureen Brine to help them through the process of an intervention, where the addict must choose whether or not to accept professional help with their addiction.

Intervention Canada, now in its first season on documentary Channel, is a one-hour docu-series that takes the viewer inside the roller coaster of addiction. From a Winnipeg family determined to rescue their talented musician son from a deadly crystal meth addiction, to a Hamilton family’s struggle to save their daughter from the grips of an addiction to computer keyboard duster, the series provides an uncompromising glimpse at the horrifying reality of the life of an addict, as well as the incredible toll their addiction takes on their family and friends. With the help of returning Interventionists Andrew Galloway and Maureen Brine, each episode culminates in a dramatic intervention where the subject must make a life-and-death decision –- continue their descent to rock bottom alone, or accept the offer of a clear path to recovery in one of Canada’s top addiction treatment facilities.

Intervention Canada is produced by Open Door Co. and Insight Productions, in association with CBC’s documentary Channel. Executive Producers are Tom Powers for Open Door Co. and John Brunton and Barbara Bowlby for Insight Productions. Insight’s John Murray serves as Supervising Producer. The Series Producer is Thomas Chenoweth. Bruce Cowley is CBC documentary Channel’s Senior Director and Commissioning Editor, Sue Baker is the Manager, Business Rights and Content Management.

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