All posts by Greg David

Prior to becoming a television critic and owner of TV, Eh?, Greg David was a critic for TV Guide Canada, the country's most trusted source for TV news. He has interviewed television actors, actresses and behind-the-scenes folks from hundreds of television series from Canada, the U.S. and internationally. He is a podcaster, public speaker, weekly radio guest and educator, and past member of the Television Critics Association.
Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Comments and queries for the week of April 28

We have watched Murdoch Mysteries since its inception, first on PBS, then on Netflix, and now via Acorn TV. Superb writing and acting all through the seasons. Saw Episode 18 last night and were stunned with the possibilities it left us with. Always interesting parallels with current times and history. Glad to read more historical figures will be included in the next season! Bravo to the cast and crew; looking forward to the fall season. —Julie and Ron

That was just annoying. Murdoch’s been framed for murder before, Ogden’s been kidnapped before, George has been in trouble before … this may have been intended as a cliffhanger, but it was a damp squib. It seems the writers have literally run out of ideas. There was nothing clever or interesting or period-specific. Or even very Canadian. Boring all around. —Robin

Absolutely love this show, without a doubt one of the best in a very long time. I started out watching it, then the channel it was on stopped carrying it. Fortunately, I discovered Acorn TV; thank goodness, now I can get my Murdoch fix anytime I like. Season 10, Episode 18 was a cliffhanger indeed! I was actually talking to the screen, but they just didn’t seem to pay any attention to me. Can hardly wait until next season, and just hope that Acorn picks it up early on! It will be great to get some of the historically famous people back into the episodes, always fun. [This season] seemed to come up a little short on that but was a great season all the same and the best cliffhanger to date! —Jerry

Nice dramatic set up for next year, however… As the storyline was about criminal familiarity and its intertwined relationships that people are afraid to challenge, how is the Murdoch team quickly cast to the wolves with such abandon? You know, the crew that saved Canada and Toronto numerous times? Friends of the Prime Minister and cloak and dagger figures have their powerful alliances too. The set-up could have been done without discarding half the previous episodes. Oh well, here is hoping we don’t get a Bobby in the shower summary. Always a fan, much better than U.S. television. —Mike

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

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Featured, Saving Hope

X Company and Slasher stars guest on Saving Hope

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Last week’s episode of Saving Hope was certainly memorable, wasn’t it? It’s not every day a car comes crashing into Hope Zion’s ER. Not only did the accident send shockwaves through the hospital,  but caused Thomas Leffering to seriously rethink cutting so many of Hope Zion’s services. And what about Alex realizing she’s pregnant?

Thomas’ rethink continues in this week’s new instalment, “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” which I visited the set of during production last year. Here’s what CTV has revealed regarding some key storylines:

Dr. Charlie Harris and Dr. Manny Palmer treat two love birds who have an annual weekend-long love fest, despite the fact the woman is married to someone else. Meanwhile, when Charlie assigns Dr. Maggie Lin to evaluate the interns, it brings out her nurturing side and leads Dr. Billy Scott to ask Maggie to be his mentor. Following Dr. Zach Miller’s advice to use the “kill them with kindness” approach to negotiating, Dr. Dawn Bell struggles to bring out her nurturing side when she tries to get her Chief of Surgery position back. Maggie and Dawn find themselves at odds when they work together to treat a single dad with a ninja star lodged in his neck.

And here’s what we can tell you after watching a screener.

Shahir shines …
I’ve been missing Shahir’s eccentricities of late, so it’s nice to have him back—and full of quips—on Sunday. Also, we finally meet Jonathan, played by Slasher‘s Christopher Jacot, who is hoping to score some business from the hospital.

… and Michelle Nolden does too
Dawn is a pretty uptight individual, so her quest to reclaim her Chief of Surgery gig is odd and incredibly funny. The scenes allow Nolden to showcase her comic timing and we want more.

X Company star in the house!
Lara Jean Chorostecki guest-stars as Claudia, who is in the ER with her injured love match when things go really bad.

Thomas has a change of heart
Let’s just say the events of the last episode has had a profound effect on Thomas.

Saving Hope airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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Featured, Masterchef Canada

MasterChef Canada burns one team in Restaurant Takeover

I’ve always wanted to visit Auberge du Pommier, Michael Bonacini’s landmark Toronto restaurant, but haven’t gotten the chance. Yet. In the meantime, Thursday’s new episode of MasterChef Canada opened the doors on the property’s 30th anniversary and let the home cooks in to run the kitchen. The fact it was Auberge du Pommier was stressful enough but during the third decade of business? Crazy.

Not that their performance would sink the place—the restaurant takeovers are packed with network folks and special guests (including the Your Morning crew) of the production rather than paying customers—but still.

After a week off, “Auberge Anniversary,” returned with the Top 6 heading into the kitchen to prepare dishes for dinner service. Barrie and Aaron, who made the best Scotch eggs two weeks ago, were the captains of their teams. Barrie picked Trevor and Mai while Aaron chose Thea and Miranda. At first blush, it looked like Barrie had the best squad, a trio of folks who were not only strong in the kitchen but stellar at plating. But would tables of patrons cause them to wilt under the pressure and send Barrie’s team to the Pressure Test?

I must say that making two appetizers and two mains with just three people seemed like a daunting task … and a little unfair if you ask me. I hate it when culinary competitions throw a small number of cooks into a kitchen when the fact is a phalanx of chefs would be there during a full-on service. Still, it does make for good TV, and we certainly got that on Thursday. Duck consommé en croute, artichoke salad, beef tenderloin and ham-wrapped monkfish proved to be a challenge during prep and service to the 52 “customers.” In the early going, Barrie crumbled and Trevor stepped in to take over while Aaron was running a tight ship. Of course, the tide quickly changed for the mains and the beef tenderloins flummoxed both squads. Trevor’s meat wasn’t cooked enough and Aaron’s were just plain burned.

In the early going, Barrie crumbled and Trevor stepped in to take over while Aaron was running a tight ship. Of course, the tide quickly changed for the mains and beef tenderloins flummoxed both squads. Trevor’s meat wasn’t cooked enough and Aaron’s were just plain burned. Adding insult to injury? Chef Michael came back into the kitchen and told Aaron the error of his ways. The red team got their mains out and blue struggled to keep up, but then ironed out issues after Aaron let go of his pride and let Miranda help him. After the judges tasted plates from each team, they awarded the win to Barrie’s red team and blue were headed to the Pressure Test.

Moroccan vegetable tagine with herbed couscous was on tap for Aaron, Thea and Miranda, and only Aaron had any experience with it. But as much as he thought he knew what he was doing, Chef Claudio thought he was overthinking it. Miranda’s plate was given high marks from Claudio and Chef Alvin, Thea’s looked good but fell short on flavour and she was convinced she was headed home. Claudio and Michael criticized Aaron’s tagine for having too much clove in it and making the plate bitter. So, who out of Aaron and Thea was going home? Aaron … but it wasn’t all bad. Michael offered him a gig at his new Oliver & Bonacini restaurant in Montreal.

MasterChef Canada airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

HGTV Canada superstars flying high in Season 2 of Home to Win

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It’s pretty impressive how HGTV Canada has assembled such a large group of homegrown stars. Scott McGillivray, Mike Holmes, Sarah Richardson and Bryan Baeumler continue to be top draws for the channel while newbies like Sebastian Clovis and Sarah Keenleyside are quickly becoming fan favourites. The aforementioned are among the 30 contractors and designers assembled for Season 2 of Home to Win.

Returning Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada, Home to Win‘s formula is simple: the 30 renovate and decorate a home for one Canadian family. Want to be the folks who could win the home? Go to the show’s website to find out how you can audition. What drew me into Season 1 was, of course, seeing someone win the property, but I was equally interested in seeing how HGTV’s talent would work together. Some, like Holmes, McGillivray and Baeumler, have interacted on other projects before, but for many, this was the first time they’d collaborated. It made for fun viewing.

Danielle Bryk and Tiffany Pratt

Sunday’s return pairs fan favourites Baeumler and McGillivray as they choose the home to be renovated. I like the producers’ decision to have the property chosen ahead of time by these two rather than the way they did it in Season 1, but having teams present a trio of properties and deciding the best fit. This way saves time and gets right to the meat of the show: the renovation. Part of the fun is, of course, watching McGillivray and Baeumler walk through homes, discussing what could be done to improve the places and voicing concerns. After picking the property they think is the best for location and enjoyment—you’ll have to tune in to see which one they agreed on—the group gets to work.

And, while the builders get to work on the outside, the designed convene inside to come up with a cohesive plan for turning the house into a stellar home. Yes, there are issues and conflicting opinions right out of the gate, proving Season 2 of Home to Win will be as entertaining as the first.

Home to Win airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada.

Images courtesy of Corus.

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