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Examining the fall season of CanCon

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Broadcasters have had their upfront presentations and announced their fall primetime seasons, so now we can get the microscope out to look at their Canadian offerings. (In the case of Global, an electron microscope may be needed.) I am, as usual, only including scripted and reality shows, so excluding news, sports, newsmagazines, specials, movies, documentary series or infotainment series.

CBC

I wanted to write a post about CBC’s 2013/14 season when they launched it, but it would have been nearly identical to what I wrote for 2012/13: this isn’t the public broadcaster I want. The upcoming year shows minimal risk, aiming for middle-of-the-road appeal, a renewal of everything that moves despite ratings, no new scripted series, and a foreign import for prime time — more egregiously, they felt the need to import a cop show when those comprise a large percentage of Canada’s gross domestic product.

However, what I said last year is more true this year: CBC is in a difficult place financially and politically (Executive Director for commissioned and scripted programming Sally Catto gave us a candid interview about how the budget cuts have affected programming). And some of their mid-season TV movies and mini-series seem promising. And at least their slate of CanCon is visible to the naked eye.

CanCon scripted and reality series for fall primetime:

  • Battle of the Blades (1 hour)
  • Cracked (1 hour)
  • Dragons’ Den (1 hour)
  • Heartland (1 hour)
  • Murdoch Mysteries (1 hour)
  • Republic of Doyle (1 hour)
  • Rick Mercer Report (1/2 hour)
  • 22 Minutes (1/2 hour)

Total: 7 hours

City

With less market penetration than the others, City is often the poor cousin in terms of Canadian series as well. This year, their fall season has more than the other private networks if you count those that will air first on specialty network OLN. Which I don’t quite, except maybe half marks for effort. They gave Seed a surprise renewal for 2014 — the ratings didn’t entirely justify it, but perhaps they’ll experiment with a different timeslot or find other ways to grow the audience that shrank last year — and have Mother Up and Meet The Family on the horizon for mid-season.

I have mixed feelings about the scheduling of their one true original fall show, Package Deal. The premiere date has been pushed back more than once; they seem to have landed on airing it on June 24 as last announced but then delaying the rest of the season for a fall run. They used the “because, hockey” excuse for two delays, which make them seem like the only Canadians unaware of the playoffs. But I do admire them for breaking away from the model of summer season being the safe season for CanCon, and for putting their new multi-camera comedy between two US multi-camera comedies (single-cam Seed’s old spot between How I Met Your Mother and 2 Broke Girls, but without the draw of a Big Bang Theory rerun at the same time to pilfer viewers).

CanCon scripted and reality series for fall primetime:

  • Package Deal (1/2 hour)
  • The Liquidator (OLN first run – 1 hour)
  • The Project: Guatemala (OLN first run – 1 hour)
  • Storage Wars Canada (OLN first run – 1/2 hour)

Total: 1/2 hour or if I’m generous, 3 hours

CTV

As CTV bragged in their 2013/14 launch media release, “In total, CTV’s fall schedule features 17.5 hours of simulcast programming weekly, more than any other Canadian network.” So you know the CanCon news isn’t great. Apparently Bell Media president Kevin Crull has said he can see a time soon when in-season primetime will be 25% Canadian, but that time is not now. The network has announced one CanCon series launching in fall this year — Played (I will imagine your surprise that it’s another cop show) — while MasterChef Canada was announced for mid-season (I’ll imagine your surprise that it’s another Reality Show X Canada format) and Motive is renewed for a second season.

CanCon scripted and reality series for fall primetime:

  • Played (1 hour)

Total: 1 hour

Global

Coming off their cancellation of Bomb Girls, Global announced two new scripted series slated for mid-season: hospital drama Remedy and comedy Working the Engels. But alone among the major networks, they have no Canadian scripted or reality shows added to their fall schedule.

CanCon scripted and reality series for fall primetime:

  • Nothing (0 hours)
  • Yup, apparently really nothing (0 hours)
  • They do have Walk the Walk on Saturday nights — a documentary series about Canada’s Walk of Fame — but I’m not including anyone else’s documentary series (or Saturday nights as primetime) so this shouldn’t count. But I’m throwing them a bone.

Total: 0 hours. No I’m not generous enough to include Walk the Walk‘s 1 hour here.

For an at-a-glance chart of Canadian networks’ fall season, check out The TV Addict’s Definitive Fall 2013 Primetime TV Schedule (Canadian edition).

Photo by Cameron Archer

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Arctic Air, Battle of the Blades, Cracked, Dragons' Den, Featured, Heartland, Mr. D, Murdoch Mysteries, Republic of Doyle, Rick Mercer Report, The Ron James Show, This Hour Has 22 Minutes

CBC launches 2013/14 schedule

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From a media release:

CBC TELEVISION LAUNCHES 2013-2014 SCHEDULE FEATURING NEW PRIMETIME SERIES, SOCHI 2014, AND A SLATE OF RETURNING HITS

CBC today unveiled its 2013-2014 broadcast schedule, featuring a strong line-up of anticipated new series, returning and homegrown hits, the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA, leading cultural live events, and more.

This fall, CBC Television welcomes back Sunday night-favourite BATTLE OF THE BLADES for its 4th season – a dynamic show that combines athletes from two of Canada’s favourite sports: figure skating and hockey! Eight accomplished figure skaters pair up with eight rugged hockey players in the ultimate skating competition for charity. Ron MacLean and Kurt Browning will both return to host an exciting new season. The live performance episodes will be supported through integrated multi-platform technology, reintroducing the hit show to Canadian audiences. BATTLE OF THE BLADES is big Sunday night entertainment where anything is possible.

Based on author Terry Fallis’ award-winning novel of the same name and 2011 Canada Reads winner, THE BEST LAID PLANS, is a humorous and satirical journey into the world of national politics and backroom maneuvering of Canadian government. Parliament is a secret and esoteric world with its own culture, customs and language. THE BEST LAID PLANS is a rollicking journey into this cosseted world. Our guide is the earnest, hopeful, English PhD, Daniel Addison, head speech writer for the Leader of the Opposition. When Daniel catches his girlfriend and her boss in flagrante delicto he decides to return to academe as assistant professor of English at the University of Ottawa. But you don’t just walk away from the Opposition Party — freedom has a price and in this case it’s finding a candidate in a riding 50 kilometres away and managing the campaign in the next election, scheduled in approximately eight weeks. THE BEST LAID PLANS, launches in winter 2014 on CBC-TV.

FOUR ROOMS jumps into the reality space this winter as four of Canada’s leading art buyers vie for the prized possessions of Canadians. Four of Canada’s leading art, antiques and memorabilia dealers wait in four rooms, ready to spend big money on the right item. Canadians looking to sell their prized possessions come face-to-face with the four buyers, who will stop at nothing in their quest to purchase unique, stunning, iconic, unusual or macabre items. Each buyer makes the seller an offer. But there’s a catch. Would-be sellers must decide whether they want to accept the buyer’s offer or move on to the next buyer’s room. And once they reject a bid from a buyer, the offer is off the table forever. No teapots, musty old furniture or bits of pottery. It’s about morals and greed. It’s Antiques Roadshow meets Dragon’s Den. The FOUR ROOMS cross-Canada search for sellers is now underway. Apply online today at cbc.ca/fourrooms and audition in a city near you.

CBC is thrilled to welcome the successful series RECIPE TO RICHES to the 2014 winter schedule. It’s a competition-style reality series in which amateur Canadian cooks create and share their innovative favourite personal recipes with the country. In the week leading up to the finale, Canadians will be able to join the fun and vote for their favourite recipe! Auditions will take place this summer in select cities across Canada – additional information and updates to come in the coming weeks.

Launching this fall, STILL LIFE is a made for TV movie about a supposedly tranquil village in Quebec’s Eastern Townships that is about to be disturbed by the discovery that a much-loved member of the community lies dead in the woods. As investigators dig deeper, they uncover layers of deceit, rage and long-simmering resentments buried deep in a quaint village. Based on award-winning Canadian novelist Louise Penny’s first book, STILL LIFE is the first book in the Three Pines Mystery series. The film is set and was shot in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.

CBC-TV’s primetime lineup is full of proven, homegrown returning series: ARCTIC AIR returns for its third season of avalanche rescue missions, aerial bombing runs, and police chases; DRAGONS’ DEN, Canada’s highest-rated unscripted TV show, returns with 20 exciting new episodes in a brand new, ominous den; CRACKED’s Psych Crimes Unit is back; school’s in for MR. D; REPUBLIC OF DOYLE kicks into high gear on the rock; and HEARTLAND returns as the Sunday favourite; Canada’s No. 1 investigative consumer show, MARKETPLACE is back for its 41st season after consistently drawing more than 1 million viewers last year. Beloved fan-favourite drama MURDOCH MYSTERIES returns for an all-new seventh season. the fifth estate returns with its award-winning investigative journalism in its 39th season.

THE NATURE OF THINGS WITH DAVID SUZUKI returns as CBC Television’s longest- running multi-award-winning series, while DOC ZONE, CBC Television’s flagship documentary series, returns with documentaries from the front lines from around the world. CBC’s current affairs programming for 2013-2014 will deliver unparalleled depth and originality, and will continue to broadcast the best informative programming in Canada.

GEORGE STROUMBOULOPOULOS TONIGHT is back as George celebrates his 10th season connecting his audience to the world’s most influential and fascinating characters. And Canada’s best comedic and satirical shows are back with new seasons of the RICK MERCER REPORT, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES, and THE RON JAMES SHOW. In addition, the CBC is home to Canada’s top cultural live events, including the SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE, CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS, and the CCMAs.

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Cracked

Tuesday: Cracked, Holmes Makes It Right

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Cracked, CBC – “The Light in Black” season finale
After the husband of a well-known human rights lawyer is found murdered with his body contorted sadistically, Daniella and Aidan’s search for the killer lures them right into to the terrifying world of psychopathy. Guests: Michelle Nolden

Holmes Makes It Right, HGTV – “Labour of Love”
Mike Holmes is called in to teach some valuable lessons in construction when a high school student passes away suddenly, and his shop teacher and classmates decide to help the family with some renovations as a school project.

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Cracked

Tuesday: Just For Laughs, Cracked, Behind The Overalls, XIII

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Just For Laughs, CBC – “Howie Mandel & Germ-Free Friends”
Join Canadian comedy icon and the world’s most loveable germaphobe Howie Mandel for a night of top-notch comedy with Gerry Dee, J. Chris Newberg, Modi, Joe Machi, and Hal Cruttenden.

Cracked, CBC – “Old Soldiers”
A brazen daylight robbery takes a turn for the bizarre after one of the thieves has a mid-robbery mental breakdown, which lands Psych Crimes the case. Guests: Dwain Murphy, Lucas Bryan, Glenda Braganza

Behind The Overalls, HGTV
Behind The Overalls gets personal with Canada’s Most Trusted Contractor. Mike Holmes answers fan questions, reveals a day in his life, revisits his childhood, reflects on his greatest memories from the last 10 years, and also gives a hint to what’s next. With meaningful congratulations from celebrities such as Randy Bachman, David Suzuki, Liza Fromer, Rick Campanelli, Cheryl Hickey and HGTV Canada alumni Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler, along with an inside look at Mike’s surprise 10th anniversary party, this special will be a remarkable reflection on one of Canada’s most influential and meaningful celebrities.

XIII, Showcase – season premiere
After the jaw-dropping XIII season one finale that saw XIII (Stuart Townsend; The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) shot and betrayed, XIII goes off the grid to protect himself. In season two, XIII finds himself manipulated, framed and endangered as he is lured into an international conspiracy that threatens to unleash a deadly new weapon. While unravelling this global plot of world destruction, XIII confronts the truth about his identity and the ambiguous past that comes back to haunt him.

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Cracked, Motive

Cracked and Motive part of Canadian cop show trend

From Scott Stinson of the National Post:

Can cons: Motive and Cracked add to our reputation of solid police dramas
It’s one of those generalizations that would probably fall apart under the weight of real-world evidence, but we Canadians like to think of ourselves as having a softer approach to certain kinds of criminals. It’s interesting, then, that two new successful shows on Canadian networks are both cop series in which the detectives, and by extension the viewers, are led to feel empathy for the murderers. Read more.

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