TV, eh?

From the Toronto Star:

• TV’s Blood Ties short on brains
  “Lesson Nos. 4, 5. and 6: Some vampires can’t be repelled with garlic or a silver cross. Photogenic vampires can see their reflection in a mirror, especially when working on TV shows with limited budgets for special effects. And even a seductive vampire with mind-control abilities is no match for an obstinate mortal woman.” Read more.

From Sun Media

• Schmid thirsty to make his mark
  “I pulled from my grandfather a little bit, because he’s kind of a James Bond-ish, suave gentleman who brings to mind the 1960s and 1970s, mysterious, very smooth and very controlled,” Schmid said. “That’s my mom’s dad. He’s a cool cat. But he’s not a vampire.” Read more.

From the Waterloo Record:

• Tube Talk
  “A 450-year-old vampire who is also the bastard son of Henry VIII is one of several unusual characters on the Canadian supernatural series Blood Ties, debuting in Canada. Christina Cox plays private investigator Vicki Nelson who gets caught up in bizarre murder cases involving supernatural forces. Oh, and that vampire? He’s a fellow crime fighter and her love interest.” Read more.

From iF Magazine:

• Gina Holden is no Damsel in Distress on Flash Gordon
  “I think we were shooting and I was possessed by a demon [on BLOOD TIES], so I went in to read for [FLASH GORDON]. I only had a couple hours sleep and I didn’t even have the script yet. The only time I could go in, I had a whole different vibe going on, that dark Goth, demon vibe which is obviously quite different than Dale. It was really funny. It turned out for the best, and if you’re right for the part, you’re right for the part, so it all worked out.” Read more.

From a media release:

A Crime Series with Bite!

• BLOOD TIES Comes to SPACE this Fall Fridays at 9pm ET / 6pm PT Beginning September 14 with the two-hour pilot
• Blood Ties: Behind The Scenes – A SPACE Original Production, Sunday, September 9 at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT

WHAT: SPACE sinks its teeth this fall into the new supernatural, vampire series Blood Ties. Based on the novels by Tanya Huff, this show revolves around private investigator Vicki Nelson, formerly a detective with the Metropolitan Toronto Police. Losing her sight due to a degenerative eye disorder, she decides to quit the force rather than accept a desk job. However, her next case turns out to be a doozy, involving vampires and the supernatural. She decides to team up with a vampire named Henry and her ex-lover Mike Celluci to battle the forces of evil both normal and paranormal. The series, produced in association with SPACE, stars Canadian actors Christina Cox as Vicki Nelson, Dylan Neal (Dawson’s Creek) as Mike Celluci and Kyle Schmid (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) as Henry Fitzroy.

WHEN: Premieres on SPACE Friday, September 14 at 9pm ET / 6pm ET with the two-hour pilot.

NOTES: The SPACE production team gets up close and personal with the cast and crew of the new series in Blood Ties: Behind the Scenes, airing Sunday, September 9 at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT.

SPACE’s ongoing support of Canadian Independent productions has been a major contributor to the success of series such as The Collector, Charlie Jade, Grand Star and Tripping the Rift. Documentaries include Famous Monsters, Girly Ghosthunters, Bigfoot’s Reflection, and Shadow Hunter. SPACE is Canada’s national science fiction, science fact, speculation and fantasy channel. SPACE is truly the boutique station for all those who dare to challenge their imagination (www.spacecast.com). SPACE is owned by CTV Limited, a division of CTVglobemedia.

From World Screen News:

• Fireworks International Scores New Deals for Blood Ties
  “Fireworks International has secured a number of new international broadcast deals for its 22×1-hour crime thriller Blood Ties, including a prime-time slot on the Virgin Media Television-owned LIVING channel’s summer schedule this year.” Read more.

BLOOD TIES
All-New Series – SPACE Premieres

Fridays at 9pm ET / 6pm PT, beginning September 14

Private investigator Vicki Nelson finds herself solving supernatural crimes after joining forces with the mysterious and sexy Henry Fitzroy, who claims to be a 450-year-old vampire. When sparks fly between the unlikely pair, Vicki is torn between her new fangled friend and her long-suffering ex-partner in policing and love, Detective Mike Celluci. Based on the best-selling novels by Tanya Huff and produced in association with SPACE, the series Produced in association with SPACE, Blood Ties stars Canadian actors Christina Cox, Dylan Neal and Kyle Schmid .

The SPACE production team gets up close and personal with the cast and crew of the new series in Blood Ties: Behind the Scenes, airing Sunday, September 9 at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT.

GRAND STAR
All-New Series – SPACE Premieres

Saturdays at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT, beginning September 22

When nuclear waste stored on the moon explodes and the Earth falls into a new Ice Age, the very existence of the Sun is forgotten. The few hundred people that survived the disaster succeed in preserving the species, but quickly destroy democracy, civilization and liberty. Those with dictatorial control over all the other inhabitants know about the past and that the sun still exists – but they keep it a secret because that fact would bring their downfall. Produced in association with SPACE, Grand Star is based on the saga by French novelist Georges J. Arnaud and stars Canadian actors Tyler Johnston and Kyle Labine.

Series Encores:

• STARGATE ATLANTIS – Sundays at 9pm ET / 6pm PT, beginning September 2
• CHARLIE JADE – Mondays at 9pm ET / 6pm PT, beginning September 10
• THE COLLECTOR – Fridays at 10pm ET / 7pm PT, beginning September 21
• STARGATE SG-1: Season 9.5 – Thursdays at 10pm ET / 7pm PT, beginning September 27

Playback:

• NBC shuffle hits Global and Citytv
  “The change, however, leaves City’s Tuesday 9 p.m. timeslot open and displaces the new Blood Ties, which City had previously planned to run starting Aug. 20. City programmers may wait until the TCA sessions are done before they announce other changes.”

From a Citytv media release:

Who Will Be “Canada’s Next Top Model?”

• The Finale Airs Wednesday, July 18th on Citytv

The stilettos have been sharpened and the poses perfected, but who will rule the runway? With seven episodes down and only four girls remaining, “Canada’s Next Top Model” is ready to crown its winner on the exciting season finale, Wednesday, July 18th at 8:00pm on Citytv.

(more…)

From a Citytv media release:

“Blood Ties” Premieres August 20th on Citytv

• NEW SUPERNATURAL DRAMA SERIES BASED ON THE POPULAR SCIENCE FICTION NOVELS “THE BLOOD BOOKS” BY BEST SELLING AUTHOR TANYA HUFF

Don’t miss the two-hour premiere of “Blood Ties”, a new supernatural drama series starring Christina Cox (“The Chronicles of Riddick”), Kyle Schmid (“Beautiful People”), Dylan Neal (“JAG”, “Dawson’s Creek”) and Gina Holden (“Reunion”). Based on Tanya Huff’s best selling novels The Blood Books, the highly anticipated series premieres on Citytv beginning Monday, August 20th at 8:00pm.

The broadcast schedule is as follows:
Citytv Toronto, Winnipeg August 20th at 8:00pm ET/CT
Citytv Calgary, Edmonton August 23th at 8:00pm MT
Citytv Vancouver August 26th at 8:00pm PT

(more…)

Jennifer Smith from Runesmith’s Canadian Content writes about the Canadian premiere of Blood Ties at Polaris:

• Gettin’ My Geek On
  “‘Blood Ties’ is fantastic. Comparisons can and have been made to other shows, but the characters are so strong and complex and the writing so sharp that the show stands firmly on it’s own as a unique take on the vampire genre. Vicki Nelson, the kick-ass cop-turned-private investigator (Christina Cox) is perfectly cast – beautiful without being overly ‘pretty’, mature, tough, flawed and funny.”

Debbie at BlogTO talks to TV writer and blogger Denis McGrath:

• Dead Things ON Sticks: Denis McGrath
  “The shows that people actually like — Corner Gas, Trailer Park Boys — those are shows where the writers have enough power to influence and fight for their vision.”

From a media release:

BLOOD TIES
All-New Series
Blood Ties follows the misadventures of Vicki Nelson, a feisty, attractive, 29-year old ex-cop turned private investigator with a degenerative eye disorder, who seems destined to sit on the sidelines until fate intervenes, turning her life upside down. After witnessing a terrifying murder, she finds herself on a collision course with a stranger who is also investigating the murder. He is Henry Fitzroy, a 450-year old vampire who just happens to be the bastard son of King Henry VIII. After solving the murder, Vicki finds her forays into supernatural crime are anything but over. Week after week, Vicki’s relationship with Henry draws her into baffling cases involving a terrifying pantheon of occult adversaries. Forget fraud investigations and cheating spouses – she’s squaring off against ghosts, goblins and ghouls. Vicki and Henry’s unlikely alliance soon progresses beyond a purely professional arrangement, complicating her relationship with her long-suffering ex-partner in policing and love, Detective Mike Celluci and pretty well everything else in her life. Based on the best-selling novels by Tanya Huff, the series stars Christina Cox as Vicki Nelson, Dylan Neal (Dawson’s Creek) as Mike Celluci and Kyle Schmid (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) as Henry Fitzroy.

GRAND STAR
All-New Series
What if the universe’s grandest star no longer existed? Towards the end of the 21st century, nuclear waste stored on the moon explodes and the Earth falls into a new Ice Age and the name, function and very existence of the Sun has been forgotten. During the disaster, a few hundred people left Earth aboard a spacecraft, but are now hoping to find a solution and return to Earth. They succeed in preserving the species, but quickly destroy democracy, civilization and liberty, using their space-age technologies to build a network of electric railroads, managed by the Pointmen, which become the perfect tool for their wide-reaching power and dictatorial control over all the other inhabitants. The Pointmen are fanatically motivated to preserve the status quo, and hide the past with secrets and lies. And they know the sun still exists – a fact that would bring their downfall. Produced in association with CHUM Television, Grand Star is based on the saga by French novelist Georges J. Arnaud and stars Canadian actors Tyler Johnston (Godiva’s) and Kyle Labine (Freddy vs. Jason).

From a media release:

Citytv and A-Channel announce the following for the Fall 2007-2008 Season:

NEW SHOWS THIS FALL:

“Blood Ties” – Citytv
“Blood Ties” follows the misadventures of Vicki Nelson, a feisty, attractive, 29-year old ex-cop turned private investigator with a degenerative eye disorder, who seems destined to sit on the sidelines until fate intervenes. After witnessing a terrifying murder, she finds herself on a collision course with a stranger who is also investigating the murder. He is Henry Fitzroy, a 450-year old vampire who just happens to be the bastard son of King Henry VIII. After solving the murder, Vicki finds her forays into supernatural crime are anything but over. Week after week, Vicki’s relationship with Henry draws her into baffling cases involving a terrifying pantheon of occult adversaries. Forget fraud investigations and cheating spouses – she’s squaring off against ghosts, goblins and ghouls. Vicki and Henry’s unlikely alliance soon progresses beyond a purely professional arrangement, complicating her relationship with her long-suffering ex-partner in policing and love, Detective Mike Celluci – and pretty well everything else in her life. Starring Christina Cox as Vicki Nelson, Dylan Neal (“Dawson’s Creek”) as Mike Celluci and Kyle Schmid (“The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”) as Henry Fitzroy.

“Terminal City” – Citytv
This Gemini-nominated 10-part series looks at the modern family through twin lenses of cancer and reality television. The series seeks to uncover the truth about ourselves, emotionally and sexually, as we confront fear with comedy, adulation with loss, and life with death. Stars Maria del Mar, Gil Bellows, Katie Boland, Adam Butcher and Paul Soles who received a 2006 Gemini Award for his role.

“Across The River To Motor City” – Citytv
“Across the River to Motor City” is a mystery series spanning two eras, two countries and two unforgettable characters. As an insurance investigator in 1960s Windsor and Detroit, Ben Ford weathered the storms of those tumultuous years. Four decades later, a long-buried tragedy leads his daughter Kathleen to unravel the secrets and lies at the heart of her troubled relationship with her father – secrets Ben will risk everything to keep. Starring Sasha Roiz, David Fox, Anne Openshaw, Joe Pingue, Howard Jerome, Matthew Deslippe and Raven Dauda.

MIDSEASON SHOWS:

“Murdoch Mysteries” – Citytv
“Murdoch Mysteries” builds on the success of the highly-rated “Detective Murdoch Mysteries” made-for-television movies adapted from Maureen Jennings’ best-selling mystery novels. The series, set in 1895 Toronto, combines compelling Victorian tales of murder with the fast-paced, visually-intriguing styles of today’s leading crime series. Stars Yannick Bisson and Helene Joy. Executive Produced is Christina Jennings.

From Dead Things on Sticks, the Citytv schedule for Blood Ties:

• Blood Ties in Canada: Now With Actual Air Dates!
• Citytv Toronto and Winnipeg – Mon @ 8PM, starts August 20
• Citytv Calgary and Edmonton – Thurs @ 8PM, starts August 23
• Citytv Vancouver – Sundays @ 8PM, starts August 26

From a CHUM media release:

Highlights from CHUM’s slate of Canadian programming include the highly anticipated police drama The Bridge (working title), the quirky drama Less Than Kind, outerspace saga Grand Star, and Murdoch Mysteries, (based on the hugely-successful Detective Murdoch Mysteries MOWs) starring Yannick Bisson. Also premiering this year is the edgy drama Terminal City starring Maria del Mar and Gil Bellows, along with Blood Ties based on the Tanya Huff novels and Across the River to Motor City, a six-episode mystery series spanning two eras, two countries and two unforgettable characters. These programs are produced in association with CHUM Television.

NEW CANADIAN PROGRAMMING:

BLOOD TIES – Citytv/SPACE

Blood Ties follows the misadventures of Vicki Nelson, a feisty, attractive, 29-year old ex-cop turned private investigator with a degenerative eye disorder, who seems destined to sit on the sidelines until fate intervenes, turning her life upside down. After witnessing a terrifying murder, she finds herself on a collision course with a stranger who is also investigating the murder. He is Henry Fitzroy, a 450-year old vampire who just happens to be the bastard son of King Henry VIII. After solving the murder, Vicki finds her forays into supernatural crime are anything but over. Week after week, Vicki’s relationship with Henry draws her into baffling cases involving a terrifying pantheon of occult adversaries. Forget fraud investigations and cheating spouses – she’s squaring off against ghosts, goblins and ghouls. Vicki and Henry’s unlikely alliance soon progresses beyond a purely professional arrangement, complicating her relationship with her long-suffering ex-partner in policing and love, Detective Mike Celluci and pretty well everything else in her life. Starring Christina Cox as Vicki Nelson, Dylan Neal (Dawson’s Creek) as Mike Celluci and Kyle Schmid (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) as Henry Fitzroy.

TERMINAL CITY – Citytv

This Gemini-nominated 10-part series looks at the modern family through twin lenses of cancer and reality television. The series seeks to uncover the truth about ourselves, emotionally and sexually, as we confront fear with comedy, adulation with loss, and life with death. Stars Maria del Mar, Gil Bellows, Katie Boland, Adam Butcher and Paul Soles who received a 2006 Gemini Award for his role. Produced by Crescent Entertainment. Executive Producers are Harold Tichenor and Jayme Pfahl.

ACROSS THE RIVER TO MOTOR CITY – Citytv

Across the River to Motor City is a mystery series spanning two eras, two countries and two unforgettable characters. As an insurance investigator in 1960s Windsor and Detroit, Ben Ford weathered the storms of those tumultuous years. Four decades later, a long-buried tragedy leads his daughter Kathleen to unravel the secrets and lies at the heart of her troubled relationship with her father – secrets Ben will risk everything to keep. Stars Sasha Roiz, David Fox, Anne Openshaw, Joe Pingue, Howard Jerome, Matthew Deslippe and Raven Dauda. Executive Producers are Robert Wertheimer, Richard Mozer and David Devine and is a joint production by Devine Entertainment Inc. and Jonsworth Productions Inc.

MURDOCH MYSTERIES – Citytv/Bravo!

Murdoch Mysteries builds on the success of the highly-rated Detective Murdoch Mysteries made-for-television movies adapted from Maureen Jennings’ best-selling mystery novels. The series, set in 1895 Toronto, combines compelling Victorian tales of murder with the fast-paced, visually-intriguing styles of today’s leading crime series. Stars Yannick Bisson and Helene Joy. Produced by Shaftesbury Films Inc. Executive Producer is Christina Jennings.

GRAND STAR – SPACE/A-Channel

What if the universe’s grandest star didn’t exist? Towards the end of the 21st century, nuclear waste stored on the moon explodes and the Earth falls into a new Ice Age and the name, the function and the very existence of the Sun has been forgotten. The few hundred people that survived the disaster succeed in preserving the species, but quickly destroy democracy, civilization and liberty. Those with dictatorial control over all the other inhabitants know about the past and that the sun still exists – but they keep it a secret because that fact would bring their downfall. Grand Star is based on the saga by French novelist Georges J. Arnaud and produced in association with CHUM Television.

THE BRIDGE (WORKING TITLE)

This one hour dramatic cop series in the vein of The Wire and Rescue Me, is set in Toronto and exceeds the speed limit while following politics, law and gang enforcement. Set in a fictious police division, The Bridge spans two disparate worlds, one of affluence and one and one of abject poverty, a combination of high stakes theft and murder to muggings in a world where the victim’s rap sheets run longer than the perps. Produced by Barna-Alper Productions (Da Vinci’s Inquest, Blue Murder) 990 Productions and Jonsworth Productions.

LESS THAN KIND

A delayed Bar Mitzvah epiphany reveals to Sheldon that his life sucks. He’s overweight, with a self-destructive driving instructor father, a pyromaniac mother, and a failed egotistical actor brother. The family driving school business is on its way down the toilet AND he lives in Winnipeg. Less than Kind is a dysfunctional family half hour comedy that follows Sheldon as he tries to maneuver through the maze of teenage angst and unrequited love all the while being too awkward and too smart to possibly be related to his family. As Sheldon struggles with his family, and his family struggles to keep the business running, cars crash, hearts break, blood pressure boils, buildings burn down and corned beef is eaten. Less Than Kind is produced by Breakthrough Entertainment and Buffalo Gal Pictures.

From Lifetime (this media release refers to the US airing – it premieres in Canada in the fall):

Lifetime Television’s Popular Series “Blood Ties” To Return for Second Season in Fall

Lifetime Television’s popular series “Blood Ties,” which is averaging 1.3 million viewers during its freshman season, will return for a second season of ten new episodes in the fall.

Airing Sundays at 10PM (ET/PT), “Blood Ties” will complete its first season of 12 episodes on May 20. The series premiered on Lifetime on March 11 and averages a 1.1 household rating.

Lifetime entered the mystical world with “Blood Ties,” a drama series starring Christina Cox (“The Chronicles of Riddick”) as a private investigator specializing in solving supernatural crimes, who joins in an unexpected partnership with a mysterious and sexy vampire. Based on Tanya Huff’s best- selling novels The Blood Books, the series also stars Dylan Neal (“JAG”), Kyle Schmid (“Beautiful People”) and Gina Holden (“Reunion”).

(more…)

From Firefox News – the show airs in the fall on CHUM:

• Interview with Tanya Huff
  “Vicki is more like me than any of my other characters. We have the same sense of humour, we have the same tendency to swear too much, we have the same commitment issues and prickly emotional barriers — so at core, she’s a bit like me.”

From MediaBlvd Magazine – the show will air on CHUM in the fall:

• Christina Cox Plays A Supernatural Investigator in ‘Blood Ties’
  “I’m not entirely Vicki, but it just fit. After my first audition, I read all of Tanya’s novels and I think I’m being pretty true to who Vicki is in the books. We don’t get to see women who are unapologetic about their behavior, their emotions and their opinions very often because those women have typically been labeled as bitches.”

From the Student Operated Press:

• Be connected with Blood Ties Sunday nights on Lifetime
  “Take one beautiful ex-cop, a handsome ex-partner, and a handsome ex-human; you get a triangle that definitely has bite. “
  

From The New Paltz Oracle – the show is airing in the US now, will air on CHUM in the fall:

• Lifetime’s Blood Ties proves to be a big hit
  “Vampires, zombies, human sacrifices and a love triangle. No, it’s not a Halloween party, it’s the new television series ‘Blood Ties’ on Lifetime.”