From Tony Wong of the Toronto Star:
Link: Russell Peters lets comedy take a back seat in The Indian Detective
“It took a while, there were so many people in and out over the years. I was also leery of the process. They would pitch me something, but my idea was that if you’re hiring me to be me, then let me be me. But if you’re hiring me to be somebody else, then hire somebody else.†Continue reading.
From a media release:
Canada’s national public broadcaster celebrates the 2017–18 festive season with holiday programming across all platforms including CBC, CBC Radio One, CBC Radio 2, CBC Music and CBC.ca. Throughout December, CBC will offer new original movies and specials including the return of Newfoundland’s most dysfunctional family as the Hatching, Matching and Dispatching saga continues in new holiday movie A CHRISTMAS FURY (Dec. 3) starring Mary Walsh; animated special THE GREAT NORTHERN CANDY DROP (Dec. 17), starring Lorne Cardinal and Tantoo Cardinal, which tells the true story of Inuk bush pilot Johnny May; and an all-new two-hour MURDOCH MYSTERIES special: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (Dec. 18), filmed on location in Victoria, BC. Additionally, viewers can catch holiday episodes from THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW (Dec. 6), DRAGONS’ DEN (Dec. 7), THE GOODS (starting Dec. 11) and CBC ARTS: EXHIBITIONISTS (Dec. 22); classic movie hits including Home Alone, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Scrooge, White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street; and time-honoured animated family favourites Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Frosty the Snowman.
CBC rings in the new year with a fresh lineup of comedy specials on Dec. 31 including an all-new AIR FARCE NEW YEAR’S EVE 2017 and RON JAMES: THE HIGH ROAD, followed by a cross-Canada musical celebration hosted by Rick Mercer, CANADA’S NEW YEAR’S EVE, building on the success of the public broadcaster’s 2017 countdown special, which reached 5.7 million viewers across the country with an average minute audience of 1.8 million.* And on Jan. 3, CBC exclusively broadcasts the star-studded Leonard Cohen tribute concert that took place at the Bell Centre in Montreal this fall.
New Original Holiday Movies & Specials:
A CHRISTMAS FURY (new two-hour comedy movie) – Sunday, December 3 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)
Newfoundland’s most dysfunctional family returns to CBC as the Hatching Matching and Dispatching story continues with an outrageously funny TV movie, A CHRISTMAS FURY. Starring comedy icon Mary Walsh, A CHRISTMAS FURY begins with matriarch Mamie Lou (Walsh) about to make a big life change. Her plans are derailed, however, by the arrival of a child who puts the chaos back in Christmas and sends everyone reeling. With the family business up for grabs, the siblings are at each other’s throats. Meanwhile, there’s a wedding and a funeral to plan. What could possibly go wrong? Co-starring Mark McKinney, Susan Kent, Shaun Majumder, Jonny Harris, Sherry White, Joel Thomas Hynes, Adriana Maggs, and Rick Boland.
DREAMING OF A JEWISH CHRISTMAS (new one-hour documentary) – Thursday, December 7 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT)
Where would our modern Christmas season be without songs like Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Have A Holly Jolly Christmas, Do You Hear What I Hear?, The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) and, of course, White Christmas? DREAMING OF A JEWISH CHRISTMAS is an offbeat, irreverent musical documentary that tells the story of a group of Jewish songwriters who wrote the soundtrack to Christianity’s most musical holiday. It’s an amazing tale of immigrant outsiders who became irreplaceable players in pop culture’s mainstream — a generation of songwriters who found in Christmas the perfect holiday in which to imagine a better world, and for at least one day a year, make us believe in it.
THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES: STATE OF THE WORLD (new one-hour special) — Tuesday, December 12 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)
In this one-hour special, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES turns its satirical eye to how the world sees Canada, with some surprising answers. One year into the Trump administration, what role do we play in the world, and what does the world think of us? Heroes to some, villains to others, you won’t ever look at Canada the same way again.
THE GREAT NORTHERN CANDY DROP (new half-hour animated special) – Sunday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. (8 NT) and Thursday, December 21 at 7 p.m. (7:30 NT)
Featuring the voices of Tantoo Cardinal and Lorne Cardinal and based on a children’s book published in 2015 by the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, THE GREAT NORTHERN CANDY DROP tells the true story of Inuk bush pilot Johnny May, who has flown over Kuujjuaq in the Nunavik region of Northern Quebec to drop candy, toys and warm clothing to the children and residents of the community each holiday season for more than 50 years.
MURDOCH MYSTERIES: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (new two-hour special) – Monday, December 18 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) and Monday, December 25 at 6 p.m. (6:30 NT)
Murdoch  (Yannick Bisson) and Ogden (Hélène Joy) travel to Victoria, B.C. to visit Murdoch’s brother, RCMP officer Jasper Linney (Dylan Neal). There, they investigate a murder connected to an archaeologist (Megan Follows) who has uncovered an ancient Indigenous settlement, leading to a trek through the rugged beauty of British Columbia and encounters with the Songhees and Haida nations. Meanwhile, the Brackenreids are offered a surefire investment opportunity that may not be all it seems, and Crabtree and Higgins plan a ski-chalet holiday with their girlfriends Nina and Ruth, but learn it may be more dangerous than expected.
JFL GALA – MONTREAL: AN INTERVENTION (BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU) – Tuesday, December 26, 2017 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT)
This no-holds-barred celebration of Montreal features affectionate jabs and playful mischief by Jimmy Carr, Alonzo Bodden, Mark Critch, DeAnne Smith and more.
AIR FARCE NEW YEAR’S EVE 2017  – Sunday, December 31 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), Monday, January 1 at 12:05 a.m. (12:35 NT)
Air Farce is back with an all new New Year’s Eve special, satirizing the insanity that was 2017. This year, Wonder Woman battles America’s biggest threat, President Trump; The Handmaid’s Tale gets a musical treatment with Taylor Swift; special guest David Suzuki gets schooled on climate change; and the dropping of the annual F-Bomb on the most deserving targets of the year. Cast members include Don Ferguson, Luba Goy, Craig Lauzon, Jessica Holmes, Darryl Hinds, Chris Wilson, Isabel Kanaan.
RON JAMES: THE HIGH ROAD – Sunday, December 31 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) and Thursday, January 4 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)
Ron James and his poetically charged brand of funny return to CBC for his 9th stand-up special. He will weigh in on a surreal year, where Ringling Brothers was forced to fold up their tent because they couldn’t compete with the full-time circus going on at the White House. He will look at the pros and pros of legalized marijuana, and will also go to town on the hunky hijinks of our world-famous Prime Minister, a man who will happily give you the shirt off his back if he thinks it’ll make for a sexier selfie.
CANADA’S NEW YEAR’S EVE – Sunday, December 31 at 11 p.m. (11:30 NT)
Hosted by Rick Mercer, this countdown will ring in 2018 with musical performances, special guests and fireworks across the country. More details to come.
JFL GALA – JANE KRAKOWSKI: GET HAPPY– Tuesday, January 2 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT)
Tony Award-winning and Emmy nominated actress and singer Jane Krakowski graces the Just For Laughs stage to host a night of uproarious stand-up comedy. Starring the hilarious Chris D’Elia, Steve Simeon, Randy, Sean Emeny, Eman El-Husseini and with a special appearance by Tituss Burgess.
TOWER OF SONG: A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO LEONARD COHEN – Wednesday, January 3 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)
CBC broadcasts the star-studded Leonard Cohen tribute concert that took place at the Bell Centre in Montreal this past fall. The commemorative event was held one year after Cohen’s death and features renowned artists including Sting, BØRNS, Basia Bulat, Elvis Costello, Coeur de Pirate, Lana Del Rey, Feist, k.d. lang, Courtney Love, Damien Rice, Seth Rogen, Ron Sexsmith, Patrick Watson and Adam Cohen.
New Holiday-themed Episodes:
THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW: HOLIDAY BAKING WEEK – Wednesday, December 6 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)
During Holiday Baking Week, the top five bakers celebrate and commemorate the season with three delectable holiday-themed challenges.
DRAGONS` DEN HOLIDAY SPECIAL – Thursday, December 7 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT)
The halls of the Den are decked and every entrepreneur who enters has a deal on their wish list. Holiday-themed businesses face the Dragons with great gifts, stocking stuffers, and some shocking proposals, all with hopes of getting the Dragons to channel their inner Santas.
THE GOODS SEASON 2 HOLIDAY SPECIALS – Monday, December 11 through Friday, December 15 and Wednesday, December 20 at 2 p.m. (2:30 NT)
Get THE GOODS this holiday season! Join co-hosts Steven Sabados, Jessi Cruickshank, Shahir Massoud and Andrea Bain as they share entertaining tips, hot holiday fashions, gift guides, and a whole lot of fun! Special guests include designer Jillian Harris, singer Matt Dusk, and an extra-special gift wrapping tutorial by Red Green.
CBC ARTS: EXHIBITIONISTS HOLIDAY SPECIAL – Friday night, December 22 at 12:30 (1 NT)
Host Amanda Parris presents intriguing holiday-themed art from creators across the country.
[Massive Monster Mayhem] rules!! Honestly, super creative and engaging and I’m surprised they still make shows like this. I remember stuff like Legends of Hidden Temple and Zoom and whatnot from when I was a kid. This is super cool that they still do this. —Joshua
This episode [of Murdoch Mysteries] was absolutely devastating. I cried—and I couldn’t stop thinking about it even the next day. Masterful performances and a brilliant script. But please, don’t make this kind of intense emotional episode a habit! It was almost too much! —Tim
Wow, so entertaining! Just had me glued to the screen tonight. Could not wait until the end … amazing how they get the audience hooked to this episode by not revealing what we all wanted to know until the very last few seconds. So incredibly well done, so very well-acted by the two actors playing Mr. Dilbert and Mildred … had me in tears. Thank you writers, cast, production and all crew involved. No other show comes close to this. —Rhonda
A dark, terrible episode. I’m sorry I watched it rather than turning off the TV. Maybe it’s me, I found the whole thing very upsetting, and quite disturbing. I was vividly reminded of what I believe to be true. I used to work in a Canadian Pacific railway yard and heard a story of a switching crew employee who was crushed between two rail cars. It can happen in a moment of carelessness. He was alive—pulling the cars apart was not an option. A trauma surgeon was called, and the doctor injected him with a large dose of morphine. Then the locomotive pulled the cars apart. Unconscious, the poor man died instantly of massive crushing injuries to his abdomen. I’ve lived with that indelible image in my mind for a long time. I liked Dilbert’s character. The writers never developed it. We see a sad; tender side of him fatally pinned between a car and trolley. So, instead of giving us more of Dilbert they literally crush him to death and we watch him suffer as he comes to terms with his imminent, tragic, pointless death. I have seen every episode; always enjoyable. But not this one. —Brian
I’m glad Pedersen acknowledged the Homicide: Life on the Street episode because that was what I thought of right away. Great job Murdoch! —Chris
Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg.david@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.
From James Bawden:
Link: Secrets From The Ice Proves Of Things Still Thriving
I well remember a conversation not so long ago when a head CBC programmer mused about canceling The Nature Of Things after its 50th season on air.
Well, that programmer has long departed while NOT is enjoying one of its best ever seasons ever. And if you don’t believe me tune in Sunday night at 8 for Secrets From The Ice. Continue reading.Â
With two weeks of episodes under our stylish belts, we can say Frankie Drake Mysteries is firing on all cylinders. Flo is a hoot, Frankie is fabulous, Trudy is terrific and Mary is magnificent. Seriously, this series looks as though it’s been on the air for two seasons, not just two episodes, so congratulations to co-creators Carol Hay and Michelle Ricci, showrunner Cal Coons and the rest of the cast and crew for making Frankie Drake so great.
Now, on to Episode 3, “Summer in the City,” written by Carol Hay and directed by Norma Bailey. Here’s what the CBC has released regarding Monday’s episode synopsis:
When a body is found in a young man’s trunk, the case brings Frankie and Trudy into Toronto’s elite social circles.
And here’s some more intel after watching a screener of the episode.
Rebecca Liddiard is has a comic gift
Liddiard has been all over our television screen of late thanks to Houdini & Doyle, Alias Grace, Slasher: Guilty Party and now Frankie Drake Mysteries. Her Mary is a delightful whirlwind of energy, innocence and flailing limbs that we can’t get enough of. Look for our interview with Liddiard in the coming days.
Welcome Emmanuel Kabongo and Grace Lynn Kung
Kabongo (21 Thunder) appears as boxer Moses Page who is training to fight real-life pugilist Jack Dempsey, while Kung (Mary Kills People) is Wendy Quon, who runs the local speakeasy.
Frankie & Hemingway create sparks
There was a definite connection between the two the first time we saw Frankie and Ernest Hemingway (Steve Lund) converse and there is more of that on Monday night thanks via sarcasm, snark and plenty of side-eye.
Trudy sings!
We were thrilled to see Carol Hay’s script offered the chance for Chantel Riley to step behind the mic for a little somethin’ somethin’. Fingers crossed there’s more of that to come in Season 1.
Frankie Drake Mysteries airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on CBC.
Image courtesy of CBC.
