From a media release:
CBC TELEVISION REVEALS ITS WINTER SCHEDULE, HEADLINED BY THE SOCHI 2014 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES AND THREE NEW PRIMETIME SERIES
- CBC delivers in-depth and up-to-the minute coverage of SOCHI 2014 as the Official Olympic Broadcaster
- FOUR ROOMS reveals its power buyers Scott Landon, Derreck Martin, Jessica Lindsay Phillips and Eddy Rogo and host Reshmi Nair
- RECIPE TO RICHES unveils judging panel featuring Arlene Dickinson, Gail Simmons and Vikram Vij
CBC Television heats up winter 2014, delivering a hearty dose of action-packed competition for the month of February with the SOCHI 2014 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES and a primetime schedule full of returning homegrown hits and three all-new series. With more events and hours of competition than before, CBC delivers comprehensive coverage of the Winter Olympics through multiple media platforms, delivered by an all-star broadcast team. Bolstering the schedule is a roster of popular returning series and new programs. Primetime welcomes political satire THE BEST LAID PLANS; cooking competition RECIPE TO RICHES, with judges Arlene Dickinson (Dragons’ Den), Gail Simmons (Top Chef) and Vikram Vij (chef and restaurateur); and the hunt for one-of-a-kind collectibles on FOUR ROOMS, featuring buyers Derreck Martin, Eddy Rogo, Jessica Lindsay Phillips and Scott Landon and host Reshmi Nair.
This February, CBC/Radio-Canada reclaims its position as the Official Olympic Broadcaster with the SOCHI 2014 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES, providing its traditional standard of world-class broadcasting updated for the digital age. With more than 1,500 broadcast hours in both English and French, Canadians will receive the most engaging and entertaining coverage of the Olympics to date. Supplying live broadcasts, updates, news and more on TV, radio, online, on tablets and through mobile devices, CBC/Radio-Canada allows Canadians to access what they want when they want it, from anywhere in Canada.
CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA continues in the new year with an impressive slate of marquee events in addition to the traditional Saturday night match-ups. CBC has exclusive Canadian coverage of the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® on Wednesday, January 1, back-to-back games from the 2014 Coors Light Stadium Series™ on January 25 and 26, and the 2014 Tim Hortons Heritage Classic™ on Sunday, March 2. In addition, Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada goes live from Lloydminster, Alberta/Saskatchewan, on Saturday, January 18.
As announced earlier this week, CBC has partnered with the NHL, NHLPA and NBC to broadcast the seven-part series, NHL REVEALED: A SEASON LIKE NO OTHER, giving viewers an all-access pass into the lives of some of the biggest stars in the NHL. The series premieres in Canada on CBC on Thursday, January 23, and will follow more than two dozen top players on and off the ice as they participate in marquee NHL games including the 2014 Coors Light Stadium Seriesâ„¢ games and the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classicâ„¢. Cameras will also follow players to Sochi in February and back to their NHL clubs as they begin the march to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
New this season is political satire THE BEST LAID PLANS, based on author Terry Fallis’ award-winning novel. The six-part mini-series premieres Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) and moves to Mondays at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on Jan. 6. This tongue-in-cheek journey delves into the world of national politics and backroom maneuvering. When Daniel Addison (Jonas Chernick), English PhD and head speech writer for the Leader of the Opposition, decides to return to academe, he quickly learns his freedom has a price. In this case it’s finding a candidate (Kenneth Welsh) in a riding 50 kilometers away and managing the campaign in the next election — just eight weeks away — while going head-to-head with an incumbent whose plurality in the last election was over 90 per cent.
New series FOUR ROOMS comes to Canada on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT). Members of the public come from across Canada with prized possessions that they think could be worth a fortune. Waiting in four rooms are Canada’s top buyers, each of them ready to spend BIG money on whatever comes through their doors. But there’s a catch. Sellers can only visit one buyer at a time- and if they turn down an offer, it’s off the table for good, there’s no going back. FOUR ROOMS. Four buyers. Four chances to make- or lose- a fortune.
CBC is thrilled to welcome successful series RECIPE TO RICHES to its schedule on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT). This competition-style reality series features amateur Canadian cooks as they work to create and share their innovative, favourite personal recipes with the country. Each one of the episodes features a different food category with a weekly winner receiving $25,000. Weekly winners then move on to compete in the series finale for the grand prize of $250,000. The finalists’ recipes will be available across the country as a President’s Choice® product, available in select Loblaw Companies Limited stores. In the week leading up to the finale, Canadians will be able to join the fun and vote for their favourite.
High-flying adventure series ARCTIC AIR returns for an action-packed third season on Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT). The new season finds Krista returning after months of travelling abroad, determined to make changes in her life and followed by her brief overseas romance with Tag Cummins (Niall Matter), who turns up unexpectedly. ARCTIC AIR takes on a search-and-rescue contract with each mission bringing new and unexpected challenges. Avalanche rescue missions, aerial bombing runs, police chases, and serial killers aboard a DC-3? Is just another day at ARCTIC AIR.
School’s in as MR.D returns for a hysterical third season on Monday, February 24, 2014 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT). Gerry (Gerry Dee) returns to Xavier Academy for another year and is determined to finally land his dream job: gym teacher. He may get his chance, but for now he’ll have to continue to fake his way through social studies and other subjects he knows nothing about. But what MR. D. lacks in knowledge he makes up for in heart; he doesn’t teach by the book and sometimes that approach works. . .by accident.
THE RON JAMES SHOW marches into season 5 on Monday, February 24, 2014 at 9:30 p.m. (10 NT) with a fast-paced new format, stunning set and exciting segments and characters. This year, Ron’s signature stand-up is punchier than ever, and now it’s shot “in the round†before a live audience. The show is chock-a-block with an eclectic collection of material satirizing political, social and culturally pertinent issues of the day, guaranteed to appeal to a wide demographic of Canadians tuning in for some laughs.
Rounding out the winter season is a slate of CBC’s successful homespun series returning with brand-new episodes, including MURDOCH MYSTERIES (Mondays at 8 p.m. / 8:30 NT); DRAGONS’ DEN (Wednesdays at 8pm / 8:30 NT); REPUBLIC OF DOYLE (Wednesdays at 9 p.m. / 9:30 NT); HEARTLAND (Sundays at 7 p.m. (7:30NT); GEORGE STROUMBOULOPOULOS TONIGHT (Monday to Friday at 7 p.m./ 7:30 NT and 11:30 p.m. / 12 midnight NT); THE RICK MERCER REPORT (Tuesdays at 8 p.m. / 8:30 NT); THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES (Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m./ 9 NT); MARKETPLACE (Fridays at 8 p.m. 8:30 NT); and the fifth estate (Fridays at 9 p.m. / 9:30 NT); THE NATURE OF THINGS (Thursdays at 8 p.m.); DOC ZONE (Thursdays at 9 p.m.) and THE NATIONAL (Sunday to Friday at 10 p.m. and Saturdays at 6 p.m.).
CBC-TV WINTER 2014 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE:
MONDAY
7 p.m. (7:30 NT) – George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight
7:30 p.m. (8 NT) – Coronation Street
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) – Murdoch Mysteries
9 p.m. (9:30 NT) – The Best Laid Plans/ Mr. D (Beginning Feb. 24)
9:30 p.m. (10 NT) – The Ron James Show (Beginning Feb. 24)
10 p.m. (10:30 NT) – The National
TUESDAY
7 p.m. (7:30 NT) – George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight
7:30 p.m. (8 NT) – Coronation Street
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) – Rick Mercer Report
8:30 p.m. (9 NT) – 22 Minutes
9 p.m. (9:30 NT) – Arctic Air
10 p.m. (10:30 NT) – The National
WEDNESDAY
7 p.m. (7:30 NT) – George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight
7:30 p.m. (8 NT) – Coronation Street
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) – Dragons’ Den
9 p.m. (9:30 NT) – Republic of Doyle/ Recipe to Riches (Beginning Feb. 26)
10 p.m. (10:30 NT) – The National
THURSDAY
7 p.m. (7:30 NT) – George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight
7:30 p.m. (8 NT) – Coronation Street
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) – The Nature of Things
9 p.m. (9:30 NT) – Doc Zone
10 p.m. (10:30 NT) – The National
FRIDAY
7 p.m. (7:30 NT) – George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight
7:30 p.m. (8 NT) – Coronation Street
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) – Marketplace
8:30 p.m. (9 NT) – Rick Mercer Report (Encore)
9:00 p.m. (9:30 NT) – the fifth estate
10 p.m. (10:30 NT) – The National
SATURDAY
7 p.m. (7:30 NT) – CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, Game 1
10 p.m. (10:30 NT) – CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, Game 2
SUNDAY
7 p.m. (7:30 NT) – Heartland
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) – Four Rooms
9 p.m. (9:30 NT) – Dragons’ Den (Encore)
10 p.m. (10:30 NT) – The National
Some thoughts:
– George Stroumboulopoulos needs to be kept at 11:30 pm, where celebrity talk shows belong to make room for scripted shows in prime time. This will create new celebrities for George to interview, thus completing the life cycle.
– Coronation Street should be banished back to the pre-7 pm timeslot. It’s not like retired grandmothers won’t be able to see it there. When I talk about scripted shows, I mean Canadian scripted shows.
– I am pleased that Rick Mercer has been dropped from 7 showings to just 2. Nothing against Rick (I do watch the occasional rant online) but the Ceeb should be making room for some new blood. Speaking of…
– We’re seriously going to celebrating two new unscripted series? A cooking show and a knock off of a British “Antique Roadshow” knock-off? Really??? I bet the entertainment unions are thrilled that their year-over-year wage increases have effectively priced them out of the market. WHERE’S YOUR $688.09 DAILY RATE (2 WINDOW) GOD NOW!?!
– The one new scripted series, Best Laid Plans, could be good. It doesn’t bode well when your star promises that there won’t be anything edgy or provocative in it (as he did at today’s CBC Connects event) especially when it’s coming off the heels of Canadians getting used to provocative and explicit conduct in our actual politics. I’m Interested enough to pick up the book from the library this afternoon, but not holding out hope that the series will be anything other than a forgettable, bland, middle-of-the-road affair.
They really said that about Best Laid Plans? Hopefully it was more an acknowledgement that no satire can top Rob Ford than a statement on the lack of satire. The talent behind it suggests it wouldn’t have started out life as bland and middle of the road, anyway.
I’m pretty sure that the word “heartwarming” was used at least twice. Also, I’m tired of the main promo image of these comedies just showing the cast standing and smiling innocuously at the camera (see: Seed, Spun Out). So bland. Also also, what’s with the character bios for both female leads opening by describing their “beauty”? I mean come on…
There was only a brief clip shown, which featured a drinking scene with an old man sporting a *hilarrrious* Scottish accent. Not sure about lead Jonas Chernick’s comedic chops, his feature “My Awkward Sexual Adventure” didn’t exactly tickle people’s funny bone.
I’m wary of The Ron James Show‘s “fast-paced new format”. Overselling a show’s format change like that suggests to me that CBC meddled with the format, in an attempt to increase ratings. If Ron James and/or Enter the Picture Productions decided on the change, fine, but the show’s audience is not likely to age down because the show switched to theatre-in-the-round, and higher topicality.
I am disappointed with the direction Arctic Air is going in. To me, too much time is spent on ridiculous action plot lines then on the characters. There are so many good characters on the show and so much potential for deeper conflict but viewers don’t get enough of it and are instead forced to roll their eyes through yet another airplane near-disaster while waiting for the few good character scenes.