Comments and queries for the week of June 19

What Canadian TV shows should be saved by Netflix?

Slings & Arrows, Almost Heroes, Rent-a-Goalie, Men with Brooms, Wild Roses, MVP. —Roger

If we wish hard enough for Netflix to fund a Fargo/True Detective-style limited series I’m sure we could convince them to come north for a season. Now I just need to get some leverage over Netflix other than my $8.99/month.

If they kept it a soap I think it would work well, however I think something in a slightly more serious tone about a Canadian investment bank/hedge fund trying to navigate being a big deal on Bay Street yet barely a minnow in the larger world could be interesting. Plus there seems to be a greater overall awareness of the high finance world, ready-made villains (let us all boo a billionaire and the dude bro traders) and continue the Traders tradition of making ethically dubious choices for money. —Gardner

I would also include: This Is Wonderland, ReGenesis and Shattered. Great shows. —Nancy

Martin Sheen to star in new Anne of Green Gables TV-movie

Compare Gilbert’s first proposal to Anne to Laurie’s proposal to Jo in Little Women. The part where Anne says that they would fight? Not in the book; in Little Women. And there’s a scene where Gilbert catches Anne coming from the post office with a rejected manuscript, and teases her about it as a secret. That scene doesn’t exist in the book either (Anne freely discusses her story mainly with Diana, and tells Gilbert she will let him read it if it’s published), but there’s an almost identical one in the Little Women movie (at least the June Allyson version; not sure how it goes for Winona Ryder) and it’s the bicycle that seems to clinch the copying.

Kevin Sullivan’s shameless copying from Little Women aside, I also resented the way he magnified out of all proportion the idea that Anne was romantically jealous of Gilbert spending time with Josie Pye (to the point of having Gilbert present at the ridgepole incident), and the occasions where Gilbert deliberately humiliated Anne (refusing to acknowledge her at a dance).

Maybe it’s too much to hope that the new version will come closer to my vision of the book, but for now I can at least hope. —Xaipe

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg@tv-eh.com or via @tv_eh.