CTV is happy with Saving Hope. So much so when executives from Bell Media jetted to Los Angeles to purchase American acquisitions, the one untouchable timeslot was Thursdays at 9 p.m.
“We wanted to plant a flag that on the biggest night of the week in the home run timeslot of that night, Saving Hope is not only our choice but is going to compete for the No. 1 spot every week,” says Mike Cosentino, senior vice-president of programming for CTV Networks and CraveTV. “We think this is a great opportunity for Saving Hope.” The broadcast veteran notes there a big stories headed viewers’ way in Season 4, which began production on 18 episodes in and around Toronto.
Appearing in recurring roles are Kim Shaw (The Good Wife) as Dr. Cassie Williams, a book smart intern learning how to practice medicine, not just read about it; and Max Bennett (Anna Karenina) as Dr. Patrick Curtis, a surgical fellow who has been filling in during Alex’s mat leave. Travis Milne (Rookie Blue) appears in a four-episode arc. Repeats of Hope will air Saturdays at 10 p.m. on CTV.
CTV and CTV Two’s 2015-16 broadcast schedules were announced Thursday morning in Toronto, with the Erica Durance/Michael Shanks drama, newsmagazine W5, culinary competition MasterChef Canada and crime drama Motive all being part of the mix. Those last two join CTV’s midseason schedule.
Saturdays on CTV Two, meanwhile, boast old instalments of The Listener, Flashpoint and Motive, a move Cosentino says offers new viewers a chance to catch up on the crime trio.
One series absent from either schedule was the second season of Dave Foley’s sitcom, Spun Out. Plans to launch the laffer this past March after a high-profile return following the Super Bowl was scuttled when co-star J.P. Manoux was charged with voyeurism following an incident in the Toronto condo he rented during filming. The series remains in programming purgatory until the case is sorted out.
“We said it then and we’re still in the same place,” Cosentino says. “We’re holding off on our decision until we can get more information. As to whether it will make air or not is to be continued at the moment.”
Thank you CTV! Saving Hope is by far my favorite show right now and I’m glad it’s getting such strong support. I hope it catches on here in the US on ION channel, and I hope the prime time slot will help with any loss of viewers over the Season 3 ending.
I confess that I still have most of this past season still stuck on my DVR as I’ve put off watching it. I like the show but it’s so far down on my want-to-watch list that I may never get to it. If it’s still there at the end of August I’ll delete it.
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When if comes to Cancon prospects for next season I’m disappointed Remedy, Continuum and Degrassi were cancelled but I’m looking forward to This Life , When Calls the Heart, Blood Magick and The Romeo Section. Returning shows I watch will be (in order of favourite), Vikings. Reign, Orphan Black, X Company, Mohawk Girls, Bitten, 19-2, Heartland, Blackstone and Saving Hope. Shows Im still awaiting word about are Rookie Blue and Hard Rock Medical. And shows I need to watch before deciding if I like them are Killjoys and Dark Matter.
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My Cancon watchlist includes 7 shows from Bell Media, 5 shows from CBC, 3 shows from APTN and 3 from Shaw Media. There’s 0 I watch from Rogers Media.