From a media release:
HBO CANADA GOES BACK TO WINNIPEG FOR SEASON 3 OF ITS
AWARD-WINNING CANADIAN COMEDY SERIES LESS THAN KIND
HBO Canada, a multiplex channel of Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central (Western Canada) and Astral’s The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) is going back into the heart of Winterpeg for the third season of the quirky, half-hour original comedy series, Less Than Kind. Opening with three back-to-back episodes on Sunday, January 15 at 8 p.m. ET/MT, the premiere will also include a special Memories of Maury featurette celebrating the late Maury Chaykin and his contributions to the series. Following its debut, new episodes premiere in their regular time slot, Sundays at 8:30 p.m. ET/MT on HBO Canada.
“The challenge for this season was to write a comedy and drama about a family recovering from sudden and tragic loss as we experienced with Maury. The result is Season 3 of Less Than Kind, a heartfelt story that approximately mirrors what we producers, writers and cast, were all going through in the weeks and months after Maury’s death. At its core, this season stays true to its original premise which is, to its strength, the tale about a deeply loving, but deeply dysfunctional family,” said Less Than Kind executive producer, writer and showrunner Mark McKinney.
The 13-episode season begins with the unexpected death of the family patriarch, Sam Blecher (Maury Chaykin), which leaves the family reeling as they struggle forward in a world without him. For son Sheldon (Jesse Camacho), the confusing currents of loss drive him away from the bedrock of his friends Miriam (Brooke Palsson) and Danny (Tyler Johnston) into the clutches of his high school wrestling team. Anne (Wendel Meldrum) struggles with her new life as a widow and the future of the imperilled family driving school. Josh (Benjamin Arthur) creates a new opportunity when he starts an acting school even as his stormy relationship with Shandra (Lisa Anne Durupt) finally implodes, and Aunt Clara (Nancy Sorel) stumbles badly when she is sucked back into the orbit of her toxic ex-husband. As the season progresses the Blechers must wade through a maelstrom of infidelity, financial ruin, and high school wrestlers, as they struggle to heal their home.
Free Sampling Opportunity
Movie Central and The Movie Network are offering subscribers and non-subscribers a chance to sample the first two episodes of the third season leading up to its premiere. The sneak peek will be available through a variety of platforms including:
- From December 22 to January 25 at www.hbocanada.com
- From December 28 to January 25 via the free On Demand and On Demand Online services of participating television providers
The third season of Less Than Kind heralds Mark McKinney’s directorial debut for the season finale. Additional directors for the new season include Bruce MacDonald, Gary Yates, Kelly Makin, and James Dunnison. Season guest stars include Kevin McDonald, Nicholas Campbell, Jennifer Irwin, Peter Keleghan, Valerie Mahaffey, Kenneth Welsh and Polly Shannon.
With 41 award nominations in total, and 15 wins, Less Than Kind (Season 2) took home the three most coveted Gemini Awards in 2010: Best Comedy, Best Writing in a Comedy (Marvin Kaye, Chris Sheasgreen) and Best Individual Comedy Performance (Benjamin Arthur). Nominated for Best TV Series at the 2011 Canadian Comedy Awards the series won Best Direction, Television Program or Series (James Dunnison) and Best Television Performance, Female (Brooke Palsson). The first season of Less Than Kind is currently airing on DIRECTV’s Audience Network in the U.S., alongside fellow homegrown HBO Canada comedy series Call Me Fitz.
Season 3 of the series features a uniquely Canadian soundtrack including Winnipeg’s Jim Bryson & The Weakerthans, Vancouver’s Hannah Georgas, Nova Scotia’s electro hip-hop band Radio Radio, Ottawa’s Juno winners The Acorns, and Tanika Charles, among others.
Less Than Kind is produced by Breakthrough Entertainment and Buffalo Gal Pictures in partnership with Astral’s The Movie Network and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central. The series is helmed by executive producer, writer and showrunner Mark McKinney, and is also written and Executive Produced by former Winnipeger Marvin Kaye and Vancouver born Chris Sheasgreen, who created the series based on Kaye’s semi-autobiographical one-act play, They Have Mayonnaise in Montreal. Executive producers also include Peter Williamson and Ira Levy for Breakthrough Entertainment and Phyllis Laing for Buffalo Gal Pictures. Paula J. Smith and Garry Campbell are producers and Rob Sheridan is Creative Consultant. In addition to McKinney, the series is written by Garry Campbell, Marvin Kaye, Chris Sheasgreen, Jenn Engels, Karen Hill, Denis McGrath, Brian Hartt and Kim Coghill.
All episodes of Less Than Kind will be simulcast on HBO Canada HD, and will be available on demand. It will also be available on HBO Canada OnLine with participating television providers following its network premiere. In addition, viewers can catch up on the entire second season of Less Than Kind in December and January on The Movie Network OnDemand and Movie Central On Demand.
