Corner Gas returns Sept. 24

From a CTV media release:

Corner Gas Returns to the Pumps with Funniest Season Ever, Sept. 24 on CTV

• New writing team amps up the laughs in Season 5
• Corner Gas to follow Dancing With The Stars Mondays in new timeslot
• U.S. premiere slated for Sept. 17 on Superstation WGN
• Corner Gas Season 4 DVD to be released Sept. 18

As sneak previews of Corner Gas begin airing this week in the United States on Superstation WGN, CTV announced today that Canada’s favourite comedy series returns to CTV on September 24 for its fifth, hilarious season in a new timeslot, Mondays at 9:30 p.m. ET following Dancing With The Stars. And four seasons, 69 episodes and 13 Gemini Award nominations later, Corner Gas is funnier than ever with an all-star writing team featuring Corner Gas veterans Brent Butt, Kevin White, Mark Farrell and Andrew Carr and introducing Emmy Award winner Norm Hiscock along with the highly-acclaimed Gary Pearson. Corner Gas will also air Saturdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT beginning Sept. 29 on The Comedy Network.

Earlier this week, Americans got their first taste of Corner Gas – and the buzz continues to grow. U.S. press syndicate McLatchy News notes that “the funniest show coming to television this fall season is not The Big Bang Theory or Chuck or Reaper. No, the knock-down winner is an obscure little show from Canada called “Corner Gas.” And Gannett News Service has proclaimed that Corner Gas is “one of the season’s best shows.”

“Americans are about to find out what Canadians have known and loved for four seasons,” said Susanne Boyce, CTV President of Programming and Chair of the CTV Media Group.

Airing weeknights following Scrubs, Corner Gas will be available to 70 million U.S. homes when it officially premieres on Superstation WGN next Monday, Sept. 17. One week later, Canadians will be treated to the season premiere of 19, all-new episodes written by an A-list team of writers that promises to make Season 5 the funniest yet.

Led by show-runner Kevin White (This Hour Has 22 Minutes) along with star and creator Brent Butt, the seven-person creative team features Mark Farrell (This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made In Canada) as producer/writer; Emmy winner Norm Hiscock (Saturday Night Live, King Of The Hill, Kids In The Hall) as consulting producer/writer; Andrew Carr (Comics) as story editor/writer; Gary Pearson (MadTV, This Hour Has 22 Minutes) as story editor/writer; and Dylan Worts as assistant story editor.

“Kevin, Mark, Andrew, Dylan and I have worked together from the beginning, so we know each others’ styles and sensibilities and – let’s face it – smells,” said Brent Butt. “Then we add two hugely experienced guys who are hilarious – and smell great – and it makes for a very strong writers’ room. The scripts for Season 5 are the best ever.”

“A key goal of ours from Day 1 has been to nurture, showcase and develop the best TV comedy writers in the country on Corner Gas,” said executive producer Virginia Thompson. “Now, Kevin White steps up to the plate as Supervising Producer and new comedic voices join the team. The legacy of Corner Gas begins in our writers’ room where some of Canada’s best creative talent have earned their comedic stripes.”

Featuring special guest stars Dog The Bounty Hunter, the RCMP Musical Ride and other special surprises, Season 5 of Corner Gas will also be available on demand on The CTV Broadband Network at CTV.ca and thecomedynetwork.ca.

In the Season 5 premiere, a cable guy visits Dog River to help produce some local access programming – but the town isn’t quite ready for prime time. Brent is selected to choose which idea will be produced, causing everyone to kiss up to him. Also in Season 5:

* Karen and Davis investigate mysterious crop circles in a nearby farm that may or may not have been a prank done by someone in Dog River
* Brent reluctantly teams up with Lacey to help make The Ruby and Corner Gas more environmentally friendly
* Hank’s dirty truck proves useful for Wanda, until fate conspires to wash it and come between her and her new love interest
* Karen remembers what it feels like to be a school kid again when she, Hank, and Davis take up a new form of exercise
* Oscar is asked to be a school bus driver for the day, but the kids may not be the only ones who need a lesson in good behaviour

The entire Corner Gas ensemble cast returns for Season 5 which was filmed at Regina’s Canada / Saskatchewan Production Studios and on location in neighbouring Rouleau. Brent Butt returns in his popular role as gas station proprietor Brent Leroy. For the third year, Brent is set to put on his director’s hat and direct another episode of Corner Gas, adding to his impressive list of credits including star, writer and executive producer.

Also returning are Saskatchewan natives and Gemini Award winners Eric Peterson and Janet Wright as his parents Oscar and Emma; Gabrielle Miller as coffee shop owner Lacey Burrows; Fred Ewanuick as best friend Hank Yarbo; Lorne Cardinal and Tara Spencer-Nairn as police officers Davis Quinton and Karen Pelly; and Nancy Robertson as retail assistant Wanda Dollard. With their return, Corner Gas remains the only network comedy series to be based and shot entirely in Saskatchewan.

Corner Gas continues to be Canada’s favourite comedy. Last spring, the season finale was seen by a record-setting two million viewers, the most successful season finale to date and the second largest audience ever for the show.

For the fourth consecutive season, Corner Gas was Canadian television’s No. 1 comedy series (Canadian or American) and the most- watched Canadian scripted series. The series finished its 19-episode run with an average audience of 1.52 million viewers, reaching as high as #16 on Canada’s Top 20 list of most watched programs. Corner Gas has never delivered an audience of less than one million viewers for each of its 69 episodes.

The success of Season 4 was recognized last month when it was announced that Corner Gas had received six Gemini Award nominations, the most ever. Nominations include “Best Comedy Program or Series,” “Best Direction in a Comedy Program or Series,” three for “Best Writing in a Comedy Program or Series” and “Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series.” Season 4 of Corner Gas is also up for an impressive five Canadian Comedy Awards ,including “Direction: Special or Episode”, “Direction: Series”, “Writing: Special or Episode”, “Writing: Series” and “Male Performance” and two 2007 Directors Guild of Canada Awards for “Television Series – Comedy” and “Production Design – Television Series.”

After the premiere on Sept. 24, viewers can expand on their Corner Gas broadcast experience by visiting the CTV Broadband Network at CTV.ca and thecomedynetwork.ca. Full episodes will be available on demand for free at 9 a.m. ET the day following each television broadcast. In addition, original Corner Gas Webisodes will be available for streaming on demand.

In addition to the bonus web content, viewers can look forward to the release of Corner Gas Season 4 DVD package, released by CTV and Video Service Corporation on September 18. The Season 4 package allows viewers to go undercover with the Secret Agent-themed three-disc DVD package, featuring all 19 half-hour episodes of the series’ fourth season. Available in stores across Canada, with a suggested retail price of $39.98, each package also includes additional bonus material including special Corner Gas mobisodes and hilarious bloopers. Each DVD will also contain a $15 coupon for a discount on a Corner Gas hockey jersey or mechanic shirt at the Corner Gas web store at www.cornergas.com. The DVDs of the first three seasons have sold in excess of 300,000 units in Canada.