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.
Canada's Smartest Person

CBC unveils Canada’s Smartest Person first round competitors

From a media release:

CBC’s ultimate competition series, CANADA’S SMARTEST PERSON returns for its second season on Sunday, October 4 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), hosted by Jessi Cruickshank and featuring an all-new roster of competitors and exciting celebrity guest judges. Thousands of Canadians applied and underwent a series of rigorous tests for the chance to compete in this epic intelligence showdown. Each week, a diverse group of Canadians including a CFL player, cheerleader, Youtube star, matchmaker, police officer and more battle it out for the chance to be crowned “Canada’s Smartest Person.”

In the season premiere, 16-year-old wunderkid Maya Burhanpurkar of Orillia, ON, rapper Anthony Craparotta(aka iLLvibe) of Toronto, ON,  diversity executive Richard Pinnock from Montreal, QC and new mom Jessica Joy of Golden, BC  go head-to-head, competing  for a spot in the finale and their chance to take home the coveted title. Amber Marshall star of CBC’s hit family-drama HEARTLAND is the season’s first celebrity guest star.

CANADA’S SMARTEST PERSON is an innovative, original competition series based on the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Each week, four participants compete in a series of challenges in six areas of intelligence (linguistic, logical, visual, physical, musical and social) that redefines smart. This season features even more action-packed competition marked by bigger, bolder, mind-bending challenges that push participants to their limits. It also includes an all-star line-up of celebrity judges including CBC sports host Scott Russell, comedian Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, actor Alan Thicke (Unusually Thicke), choreographer Sean Cheeseman, comedian Steve Patterson (The Debaters), actor Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek), sports anchor Dan O’Toole (Fox Sports), singer Jully Black, Toronto International Film Festival artistic director Cameron Bailey, chef Mark McEwan and the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Sean O’Neill (Crash Gallery).

Each week, viewers can play along in real-time with the ground-breaking CANADA’S SMARTEST PERSON app, available for iOS and Android devices. The app syncs to every broadcast allowing viewers to participate with each challenge in the show in real time. During the week, viewers can try their hand at a series of bonus challenges and new this season, is Head2Head, which allows players to dual against their family and friends.

CANADA’S SMARTEST PERSON airs Sundays at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC-TV beginning October 4.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Featured, Polls, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary, The Romeo Section, This Life

Poll: Which new Canadian fall TV programs will you be watching?

9 Comments

Earlier this month, we asked which three Canadian television series you were most excited about returning—congratulations Murdoch Mysteries fans—and now it’s time to gauge interest in the rookies stepping up to bat over the next two months.

From Canadian comfort food to spies, from Tornado Hunters to Ice Racers, which three (3) new programs are you planning to watch? We’ve included summaries of each series below the choices to help you decide; check out our handy calendars to see when they debut.

(Vote by clicking the box next to your three choices and then selecting the Vote box to the right of Tornado Hunters.)

Which new Canadian fall TV shows are you planning to watch?

  • Tornado Hunters, CMT (54%, 344 Votes)
  • Crash Gallery, CBC (10%, 66 Votes)
  • The Romeo Section, CBC (8%, 48 Votes)
  • Ice Racer Showdown, CMT (7%, 42 Votes)
  • This Life, CBC (6%, 41 Votes)
  • Keeping Canada Alive, CBC (6%, 38 Votes)
  • Great Canadian Cookbook, Food Network (5%, 33 Votes)
  • Incredible Food Race, Food Network (4%, 24 Votes)

Total Voters: 482

Loading ... Loading ...

Crash Gallery
In this competition program, a trio of Canadian artists have just minutes to create an original piece of art using outrageous mediums in front of an audience who vote for the best piece. Hosted by the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Sean O’Neill.

Great Canadian Cookbook
Celebrity chef Lynn Crawford and Carnival Eats host Noah Cappe travel across the country, meeting Canadians who are passionate about the local dishes they prepare and celebrating the cultural mosaic of those recipes.

Ice Racer Showdown
Five drivers risk life and limb race vehicles through an icy obstacle course. Hosted by The Road Hammers’ Clayton Bellamy.

The Incredible Food Race
ET Canada‘s Rick Campanelli and celebrity chef Corbin Tomaszeski star in this culinary competition where two Canadian families compete to create a kid-approved meal.

Keeping Canada Alive
Narrated by Kiefer Sutherland, this documentary series spotlights a 24-hour period in Canada’s health care system.

The Romeo Section
Created by Chris Haddock (Intelligence, Da Vinci’s Inquest), The Romeo Section explores the life of Wolfgang McGee (Andrew Airlie), a professor who secretly manages a group of spies. Jemmy Chen, Juan Riedinger, Stephanie Bennett and Eugene Lipinski also star.

This Life
Adapted from the French series, Nouvelle Adresse, This Life stars Torri Higginson as Natalie Lawson, a lifestyle columnist and single mother whose cancer diagnosis affects her and her family. Lauren Lee Smith, Christopher Turner, Rick Roberts, Rachael Crawford and Peter MacNeill also star.

Tornado Hunters
Cameras capture Greg Johnson, Chris Chittick and Ricky Forbes as their put their lives in danger to capture study North America’s tornadoes.

Vote above and comment below!

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Link: Up In Arms: A Gem Of A Documentary

2 Comments

From Jim Bawden:

Up In Arms: A Gem Of A Documentary
After watching I now believe this is the most important TV show to watch before deciding how you’ll cast your ballot in the upcoming federal election –forget those silly and staged leaders’ “debates”.

My first reaction was one of complete surprise.

I had absolutely no idea the gun lobby was so powerful here –and it is growing by leaps and bounds. Continue reading.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Saving Hope

Link: Saving Hope writer previews a season of moving forward

From Bridget Lisewski of The TV Junkies:

Saving Hope writer previews a season of moving forward
“While we were developing Season 4, it became clear that the only thing standing in the way of Alex and Charlie’s happiness is Charlie’s relationship to the spirit world. His ghost-doctoring. In a way, that’s the love triangle of Season 4. Especially when the rules of the ghost world start to change in a way that could threaten their family.

Our unofficial slogan for Season 4 is ‘Alex and Charlie against the world.’ I think it has a nice ring to it. I might even put it on a t-shirt.” Continue reading.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

W Network adds four more Hockey Wives

From a media release:

Corus Entertainment’s W Network announced today four additional women who will be featured in the highly-anticipated Season 2 of the docu-series Hockey Wives. The new wives include Angela Price, wife of Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price; Paige Getzlaf, wife of Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf; Taylor Winnik, wife of Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Daniel Winnik and Ashley Booth, wife of free agent David Booth. They join previously announced wives Keshia Chanté, Rhianna Weaver, Kodette LaBarbera, Tiffany Parros, Noureen DeWulf, Maripier Morin and Martine Forget. A W Network original series, produced by Bristow Global Media Inc. (BGM), Hockey Wives Season 2 premieres Wednesday, October 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on W Network.

The Hockey Wives are back with a brand new game. Some of their husbands are gunning for the Stanley Cup, while others are letting their six packs slide as they head out on their yachts for the summer. But they can’t kick back for long. Free Agency is just around the corner when shocking trades and contract surprises can rock the league – who will be offered a contract and who will be left waiting for the call?

This season on Hockey Wives the ladies behind some of hockey’s biggest stars bring their compelling stories to the screen. There are a lot of changes in store for the families – surprising trades, nuptials, new contracts, new babies, difficult moves to new countries, painful goodbyes, injury and heartbreak. Life moves quickly when married to the game, but these ladies lace up their skates and stick-handle their lives through yet another grueling hockey season.

Executive Producers for Hockey Wives are Julie Bristow President & CEO BGM, Claire Adams, Head of Content, BGM, Carli Posner and Megan Sanchez-Warner. John MacDonald is the Executive Vice President of Television and Head of Women’s and Family Television for Corus Entertainment and Kelly Shouldice is Director of Original Programming for Women’s and Family Television.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail