TV, eh?

From a media release:

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television is pleased to announce the nominations for the 25th Annual Gemini Awards, recognizing the year’s best in Canadian English-language television. This year’s celebrations will be held in Toronto over three nights in November. The Industry Gala Presentations will take place on Tuesday November 2nd and Wednesday November 3rd at the Kool Haus Entertainment Complex; the Broadcast Gala will take place on Saturday November 13th at the historic Winter Garden Theatre and will be broadcast live-to-tape on Global and Showcase.

The drama Flashpoint leads the 2010 Gemini Awards nominations with 15 nominations including Best Dramatic Series. Coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games garnered 13 nominations including Best Live Sporting Event. Bloodletting And Miraculous Cures, Guns, Stargate Universe, and The Summit are up for awards in 9 categories each; Less Than Kind and Love, Hate and Propaganda each received 8 nominations.

For the complete list of nominations, please visit www.geminiawards.ca.

8:30 p.m. – SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA –RESULTS EPISODE

Another guy and another girl are sent home on the live results episode.

From CBC:

• Q the Podcast 2010-08-27 Michelle Forbes (mp3)

By Diane Wild

Actor Peter Keleghan (18 to Life) has been vocal about the need for a strong homegrown television industry throughout his career. He offered his thoughts during a panel session at this year’s Banff World Television Festival, and expanded on them in our interview the following day (see Part 1 here).

“The good news is I’m doing this,” he told me about his advocacy efforts, which have included lobbying for stronger Canadian content regulations, speaking out against censorship and cuts to the arts, negotiating union contracts, and helping found a credit union for TV and film professionals. “The bad news is my father-in-law started doing it in 1965.”

(Married to actress Leah Pinsent, Keleghan’s famous father-in-law is Gordon Pinsent, who had his own things to say about the state of the industry in our recent interview.)

“My wife once wrote a letter to a newspaper asking ‘How do you think Americans would feel if 80 percent of their television was Canadian?’” Keleghan said. “There was a response: ‘How would Americans feel? The same way Canadians feel if they’re forced to watch Canadian television.’”

He doesn’t argue with the idea that there is a quality problem in Canadian television. Neither does he accept that the Canadian industry doesn’t have the talent to make great television.

“Any success in artistic vision comes with a unified voice. David Chase, Matt Weiner, Steve Smith, Rick Mercer, Ken Finkelman. It’s set up to fail because when you put that much money into it you have so many executives reaching into it from arms length. Look at anything successful and I’ll almost guarantee someone was given carte blanche to do what they wanted to do how they wanted to do it.”

Look at many Canadian shows today – Shattered with its reported five showrunners in 13 episodes, and The Listener with a rumoured seven – and it would appear the someone in charge is often not one with a unified artistic vision.

“We can and should make it better. And we can make it better given the dollars and the opportunity to do it.”

He pointed to the 1999 CRTC decision that eliminated the rule forcing private broadcasters to spend a minimum amount on Canadian dramatic programming, causing the production of dramas and comedies to plummet … along with the opinion of Canadians who found it harder to find quality Canadian shows.

“How do you combat the stigma?” Keleghan asked. “Money. Opportunity. Throw enough stuff on the wall and something will stick, given the right opportunity to stick. The US has more money to throw against the wall. We throw three things up and we have to go with our three things. They throw 12 things up and they can afford to go with three things.”

“We don’t have a Branglina. We don’t have a Clint Eastwood. Hollywood was smart; they started creating a mythology around their industry 100 years ago. And they have a population base and a financial structure that allow them to do it,” Keleghan pointed out.

He believes the Canadian television model, with funding and tax incentives simply for producing shows, eliminates the incentive for broadcasters to consider the quality of those shows along with their timeslots and marketing campaigns.

“We’re giving carrots to producers and private networks to put stuff on the air before it’s any kind of success.”

Instead, he’d like to see a business model based on performance. “The US government said we need X amount of fuel-efficient cars by X date and then you will get the subsidies. Car companies said no, but they did it anyway, because they had to. If you tell the private networks by X date you have to have X amount of people watching X number of Canadian shows in primetime, then they’re the smart ones in figuring how to get it done. And they can get it done. They will invest more money because they will end up making more money. They will make better shows, and they will advertise them and put them in primetime.”

As for the need for carrots at all? “You put a dollar into the television industry and it provides exponentially more money into the economy,” Keleghan said. “Yet people still call what they give to the steel industry subsidies and what they give to us handouts.”

“The government is allowing culture to be in the hands of big business. It’s like allowing a corporation to have free reign over something that should be a right of Canadians. The CRTC and the airwaves belong to us, but they’re being used in a protected way for them. They can make money without any kind of foreign interference, and yet they do not serve a common good for us. They serve a good for the corporation, which is to make money. What they’re bringing in is this lowest common denominator of stuff for Americans and Canadians. They make money hand over fist and we don’t have anything to reflect ourselves or be proud of.”

As the fall season approaches, the number of new Canadian dramas or comedies on CTV and Global can be counted on one hand. In fact: on one finger (that would be Shattered on Global, which premieres Wednesday at 10 pm and has suffered from a dismal marketing campaign). Yet both have splashy campaigns for new programming they’ve purchased from American networks.

“It doesn’t reflect who and what we are in this country,” Keleghan said about the American programming that dominates our airwaves, and that most Canadians can also see on American channels.

“Who and what we are is hugely important and any government with a vision knows that. Are we a country that just cares about right wing money business values? I don’t think so. Our history is much different than that.”

“We’re not curing cancer. We’re entertainment. We don’t appear on the political radar that much. The reverse of that is you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. If we just become an extra state of the union, what happens to the country when we lose the touchstones that reflect ourselves? The bigger picture is that it is a form of censorship if we don’t allow any kind of the Canadian product in the mix with American product.”

From Rob Salem of the Toronto Star:

• Fall TV Preview: Sunday, bloody Sunday
  “Once upon a time, Sunday nights were ruled by Ed Sullivan and Dinah Shore. Now it’s bootlegging gangsters, a seductive succubus, a sleazy used car salesman and the return of the world’s most popular serial killer.” Read more.

From Gayle MacDonald of the Globe and Mail:

• A man of many faces
  “It’s not easy, this role,” says the 49-year-old actor, who has more than 100 TV and film credits to his name. “Because you’re trapped within a construct of not being discovered. That meant I couldn’t be too outrageous [when I switch personalities] and suddenly start spouting German.” Read more.

From TV Fanatic:

• Ben Bass on Rookie Blue Character, Second Season
  “The Rookie Blue star couldn’t be more excited about his new series, which has already been picked up for a second season. In this exclusive interview with TV Fanatic, the man that makes ladies swoon due to his portrayal of Sam Swarek talks about his character, co-stars and more…” Read more.

From a media release:

CANADA SINGS! SEARCHES FOR WORKPLACE GLEE CLUBS – CASTING NOW OPEN AT GLOBALTV.COM

• New Original Series Premieres on Global in Early 2011

WANTED: Canada Sings! (working title), an all-new homegrown series, seeks out talented singing enthusiasts and their harmonizing workmates to battle it out in a fun and exciting competition.

Starting today, Monday, August 30 through until Wednesday, September 22, Canada Sings!, a Global original, opens its virtual casting doors at www.GlobalTV.com.

“Canada Sings! is an opportunity to unveil the hidden performer that exists within each of us,” said Christine Shipton, SVP, Drama and Factual Content, Canwest Broadcasting. “We’re calling out to these talented voices simmering within the workplace to come forward and show us what they’ve got.”

Scouring the country for these budding talents, the series focuses on finding talent on the job, encouraging participants to form glee clubs with their workmates and go head-to-head against another team. From firemen to nurses, chefs to CEOs – gleeful Canadians are everywhere and Canada Sings! is on the hunt.

“We’re looking for dynamic everyday people with extraordinary talent,” said John Brunton, Executive Producer, Insight Productions. “From the person whistling on the assembly line next to you, to the nurse in pediatrics that sings the children to sleep and the waiter that can really sing happy birthday to the guests, we’re so excited to see what Canada brings to the table.”

Each week Canada Sings! will travel to two Canadian workplaces that will be ready with their new glee clubs to audition, rehearse and ultimately perform in front of a live studio audience – all within a few days. With the help of world class choreographers and vocal coaches, each group will prepare for the musical performance of their lives and battle each other in a high-stakes competition. A panel of celebrity judges will award the winning glee club with a donation to the charity of their choice.

Canada Sings! will premiere on Global in early 2011, produced expressly for Canwest Broadcasting by Insight Productions. Upcoming announcements including show host, judging panel and celebrity judges to rollout closer to broadcast.

9 p.m. – SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA – NEW TWO-HOUR EPISODE

The Top 18 couples return to the dance floor on the two-hour performance episode.

THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH – FINALE (CANADIAN ORIGINAL MINISERIES)

Premieres Monday, August 30 at 9 p.m.

In the two-hour finale of this epic eight-hour television event, Jack learns how to fulfill Tom Builder’s dream of a cathedral filled with light, and Philip, Waleran and Alfred develop a plot to get rid of Jack for good. The Pillars of the Earth is based on Ken Follett’s bestselling masterpiece that tells the fictional tale of the rising of a magnificent cathedral in Kingsbridge, England. Executive produced by Tom and Ridley Scott and directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, and starring Ian McShane, Donald Sutherland, Rufus Sewell, Matthew Macfadyen, Hayley Atwell, Eddie Redmayne, Gordon Pinsent, and Alison Pill.

From Paul Wiecek of the Winnipeg Free Press:

• He can’t pitch, but CBC’s Mercer does a mean jig
  “And the boos? Mercer was prepared an hour before he threw out the first pitch. “I’m ready for it. I’ve been booed before,” the host of CBC’s Rick Mercer Report said in an interview. “My baseball experience is basically zero. I played softball as a kid, but I basically spent the whole time in the oufield, picking dandelions and doing cartwheels.” Read more.

10 p.m. – COMEDY NOW! – “Debra DiGiovanni” – NEW EPISODE

Debra DiGiovanni has been quoted as one of Canada’s fastest rising stand-up talents. Her comedy has a sharp edge while maintaining a playful air. DiGiovanni’s dynamic onstage personality coupled with a hilarious and very relatable act is what makes her so popular. Her humour and charm lie within her unflinching honesty and openness. She is a two-time Canadian Comedy Award winner, finalist of NBC’s LAST COMIC STANDING, and star of MuchMusic’s VIDEO ON TRIAL and STARS ON TRIAL.

Bill Harris of QMI Agency breaks down the fall premiere dates, including Canadian shows:

• Fall TV getting weird
  “Our official fall TV preview section will appear in a few weeks, as the majority of shows are set to debut or return toward the end of September. But a significant number of programs will burst out of the gate before that, some even before Labour Day.” Read more.

From BBM Canada:

• Top programs – Total Canada
  #4 Flashpoint (1.558 million)
  #5 Rookie Blue (1.476 million)
  #18 So You Think You Can Dance Canada auditions (1.065)
  #20 Dragons’ Den (1.021 million)

From Natalie Zutter of …ology:

• Fandom Friday: Favorite ‘Degrassi’ openings
  “With the end of Degrassi: The Boiling Point and looking ahead to the crazy changes coming in the fall, I recalled how often Degrassi switched things around when it came to its iconic opening sequence. So, we’ve chosen five Degrassi opening credits from the past 10 seasons that show how far our favorite Canadian kids have come.” Read more.

From CMF’s Interactivity:

• Edgy Shattered Breaks Drama Conventions
  “If actors relish memorable roles playing conflicted heroes or legendary villains, then Callum Keith Rennie must be one happy guy. Rennie is the star of Shattered, a Vancouver-shot, Force Four Films/E1 Entertainment production premiering on both Showcase and Global in September. It’s Rennie’s first lead role, although the A-list Canadian actor has 100 television and film credits to his name, including Californication, Battlestar Galactica, and the film Memento.” Read more.

From CMF’s Interactivity:

• Wapos Bay Iconic Locale in Canadian Drama
  “In the history of Canadian screen drama, certain places stand out, like Molly’s Reach, Kamouraska, or Dog River. Now you can add Wapos Bay to that iconic list, as the popular animated series moves into movie of the week country. The fifth and final series of the National Film Board co-production airs this fall on APTN in early October, while Dark Thunder Productions’ Dennis and Melanie Jackson are deep into a feature-length special to air in 2011.” Read more.

CRA$H & BURN (13x60min)
(Network Premiere)
Mondays at 11am, 6pm and 11pm ET beginning August 30

Cra$h & Burn follows Jimmy Burn, a cocky yet charming claims adjuster for a cut-throat, bottom-line insurance corporation. Jimmy maneuvers his way around insurance scams and the criminal underworld as he tries to escape his past and make a better life on the gritty post-industrial streets of Hamilton, ON.

HAVEN (13x60min)
(Network Premiere)
Thursdays at 8am, 11am and 6pm ET beginning September 2

Based on a novella by Stephen King, Haven centres on the small town of Haven, Maine, where FBI agent Audrey (Emily Rose, ER) discovers the curious enclave is a longtime refuge for people with supernatural abilities. As the townspeople’s dormant owers begin to express themselves, Audrey helps keep dangerous forces at bay while discovering the many secrets of Haven – including one surrounding her own surprising past the mysterious town of Haven.

THE GUARD, Seasons 1 to 3 (39x60min)
(Network Premiere)
Fridays at 8am, 11am and 6pm ET beginning September 3

This one-hour drama follows the search and rescue team of Canada’s favourite Coast Guard rescue specialists. The team embark on new challenges while continuing to endure the daily dangers of life out on the Pacific Ocean.

LOST GIRL (13x60min) [HD]
(World Broadcast Premiere)
Sundays at 9pm ET/PT beginning September 12

Lost Girl follows supernatural seductress, Bo (Canadian Anna Silk, Being Erica). Growing up with human parents, Bo had no reason to believe she was anything other than the girl next door – until she drained her boyfriend to death in their first sexual encounter. Now she has hit the road alone and afraid. She discovers she is one of the Fae, creatures of millennia-old folklore that pass as humans while feeding off them in secret. Relieved yet horrified, Bo decides to take the middle path between the humans and the Fae as she embarks on a personal mission to unlock the secrets of her origin.

ROOKIE BLUE (13x60min) [HD]
(Network Premiere)
Mondays at 9pm ET/PT beginning August 30

A fun, fresh, high-stakes drama following the lives of five young, ambitious cops right out of the Academy. From their very first day on the job, these rookies are plunged into the world of big city policing, a world where even the smallest mistake can have life-or-death consequences and serious emotional fall-out.

SHATTERED (13x60min) [HD]
(Network Premiere)
Wednesdays at 9pm ET/PT beginning September 1

Showcase brings viewers the much anticipated, bold new Canadian original drama series, Shattered. Starring acclaimed actor Callum Keith Rennie (Californication, 24) as unconventional homicide detective, Ben Sullivan, harbouring the secret of his battle with Multiple Personality Disorder.

From Rob Salem of the Toronto Star:

• Salem: Shattered star a man of Rennie parts
  “‘It’s just the first year of the show, so everyone is still going, ‘Can we get away with this? Is this too much or too little?’ It’s so broad that it’s scary sometimes . . . that’s the thing of trying to find the limitations and constraints.’” Read more.