TV, eh?

Episode 7: Listen or download here or subscribe via iTunes or with any other program via the TV, Eh? feed

It’s a ranty podcast with Anthony Marco and I appalled at CBC’s 3D documentary on the Queen and accompanying distribution of 3D glasses and John Doyle’s fabulous tear on Stursberg’s departure: “The CBC is a bizarre institution, a rats’ nest of ego, bickering, backstabbing, rumour and sour dislike of anyone who either has power inside CBC, or anyone or anything that isn’t part of the CBC.”

A clip of The Kids in the Hall talking about downloading their own show from bittorrent leads to even more CBC bashing. We even disparage a show neither one of us has seen yet: So You Think You Can Dance Canada.

And then I lay into the Canadian TV publicity machine for omitting mention of writers while listing directors and production executives, and the Writers Guild of Canada for letting it happen.

And stick around for a great chat with funny, opinionated TV writer/producer Adam Barken (Flashpoint, Rookie Blue, Shattered), one of Playback’s “10 to Watch” and an observer of the State of the Canadian TV Industry. He also talks about the art and science of writing for TV, and how “they’re making it up as they go along” is actually a compliment.

Your links

• I don’t want to see the Queen in 2D, but CBC wants me to see her in 3D
• John Doyle on Stursberg’s departure and what it means for the “bizarre institution” of the CBC
• The Kids in the Hall are pirates … of their own show
• So You Think You Can Dance Canada premiered this week and I will watch it soon to see if I agree with my opinion of it
• The Murdoch Mysteries media release is the one that set me off about Canadian TV writing itself. The Shattered release wasn’t provided electronically but here’s the show
• Adam Barken is one of Playback’s 10 to Watch. Trust me, because the site’s behind a pay wall. Follow him on Twitter @adambarken. We also recommend Hart Hanson, who gives good Twitter @HartHanson. And the show Adam couldn’t remember was Wojeck. Check out Flashpoint and Rookie Blue, too.

Your hosts

• Anthony can be found at Dyscultured and lovehatethings, and on Twitter here and here.
• Diane can be found here at TV, eh? and here, and on Twitter here and here.

From a media release:

MORE MURDOCH MYSTERIES IN STORE WITH PRODUCTION UNDERWAY ON SEASON FOUR OF SHAFTESBURY’S HIT DRAMA SERIES FOR CITYTV AND ALIBI

• Yannick Bisson Does Double Duty and Directs an Upcoming Episode
• Victor Garber (Alias) and Craig Olejnik (The Listener) Join Cast as Special Guest Stars

Shaftesbury Films, Canada’s leading creator and producer of original content for television and multiple platforms, today announced that production has begun on season four of its highly successful one-hour drama series Murdoch Mysteries for broadcast on Citytv in Canada and Alibi in the UK in early 2011. Production will continue until early November in and around Toronto and Hamilton.

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From Bill Harris of QMI Agency:

• ‘Murdoch’ finale has Buffalo twist
  “In the third-season finale of Murdoch Mysteries, which is set in 1895 Toronto, Dr. Ogden (Hélène Joy) considers a job offer in Buffalo.” Read more.

Murdoch Mysteries (Citytv Original): Sunday, June 13 at 9:00pm ET/CT/PT (7:00pm MT)
A man is killed by being “cooked from the inside” and eccentric Inventor Nikola Tesla (Dmitry Chepovetsky) warns Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) that his research into microwaves may have been stolen and turned into a weapon of mass destruction. Meanwhile Dr. Ogden (Hélène Joy) considers a job offer in Buffalo.

Murdoch Mysteries (Citytv Original): Sunday, June 6 at 9:00pm ET/CT/PT (7:00pm MT)
Investigating the murder of a young woman who had posed for racy photographs, Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) discovers that James Pendrick’s beautiful wife Sally (Kate Greenhouse) also posed for the same photographer and fears for her life should her husband find out.

From Will Dixon at Uninflected Images Juxtaposed:

• The Homegrown TV Scorecard
  “Private Canadian TV networks announced their fall schedules this week, and here are the results as far as homegrown prime time scripted fare goes: …” Read more.

From a media release:

Citytv announces 2010-11 Primetime Schedule

Midseason shows include new seasons of Murdoch Mysteries.

FALL

Canadian programming dominates Saturday nights with animation series, Glenn Martin, DDS and Out There with Melissa DiMarco. Sunday nights feature the return of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Then, acclaimed original Citytv series Conviction Kitchen returns in its second season followed by encore presentations of Canadian hit series, Murdoch Mysteries.

All times Eastern:

SATURDAY
8-8:30pm – Glenn Martin, DDS
8:30-9pm – Out There with Melissa DiMarco
9-11pm – Canadian Movie

SUNDAY
9-10pm – Conviction Kitchen
10-11pm – Murdoch Mysteries (repeats in fall)

Fill out the survey from Smokebomb Entertainment for the Murdoch Mysteries Season 4 Online Experience and have the opportunity to receive an autographed picture of Yannick Bisson (Detective William Murdoch). Click here to participate.

Murdoch Mysteries (Citytv Original) Sunday, May 30 at 9:00pm ET/CT/PT (7:00pm MT) A botched execution leads Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) to re-examine the cases of a recently-murdered judge and a young man who was hanged for a murder he didn’t commit.

From Bill Harris of QMI Agency:

• Murdoch star alright being wrong
  “‘So I went to the producers and said, ‘Is there any chance that one day Brackenreid might be right and Murdoch will be wrong?’ And the producer just looked at me and said, ‘Tom, let’s not get too complicated.’” Read more.

From Miss Bob Etier in Blogcritics:

• DVD Review: Murdoch Mysteries Season 2
  “Murdoch’s mannerisms and expressions hearken back to Twin Peaks’ Dale Cooper, and Cooper’s spirit haunts the dialogue. The situations dramatized foreshadow future events, and “new” inventions (e.g., movie projectors and x-rays) feature heavily. Storylines include nods to current films and news; Murdoch also engages in a little bit of invention with such futuristic items as night-vision goggles.” Read more.

From Anne Brodie of Monsters and Critics:

• Murdoch Mysteries’ Yannick Bisson interview
  “Part of what I’m trying to with Det. Murdoch is to challenge his notions of things. He’s so sure of himself in so many ways and I wanted to have is to that these people and these characters and the reasoning for their crimes fly in the face of everything he’s known and thought.” Read more.

Murdoch Mysteries (Citytv Original) Sunday, May 9 at 9:00pm ET/CT/PT (7:00pm MT) The murder of a Eugenics Society member does little to discourage Murdoch’s nemesis James Pendrick (Peter Stebbings) and his flirtatious wife Sally (Kate Greenhouse) in their attempt to recruit Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) into their disturbing movement.

From Jason Tanamor of Zoiks Online:

• Whether it’s ‘Murdoch Mysteries’ or ‘Durham County,’ Helene Joy loves acting.” – Interview
  “Fans of Helene Joy are well aware of the two hit series she’s involved with. “Murdoch Mysteries” and “Durham County” are two of Canada’s biggest hits on television. And even though the Australian native keeps herself busy with taping, a personal life and keeping in touch with friends, Helene Joy still managed to find time to talk about her career in acting.” Read more.

Murdoch Mysteries (Citytv Original Series) Sunday, April 25 at 9:00pm ET/PT (9:00pm CT, 7:00pm MT)

Investigating the deadly robbery of a priceless Rembrandt draws Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) into the vibrant world of power couple James Pendrick (Peter Stebbings) and his free-spirited wife Sally (Kate Greenhouse) who has eyes for Murdoch.

Murdoch Mysteries (Citytv Original Series) Friday, April 23 at 9:00pm ET/PT (8:00pm CT,10:00pm MT) *New Episode, special time*

Two of the Beaton heirs have died under mysterious circumstances. Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) doesn’t buy the Manor staff’s contentions that the mansion is haunted by a ghost and sets out to prove it by staying the night and keeping a close eye on the surviving heirs.

From Ruth Myles of the Calgary Herald:

• Man Of Mystery: Looking for clues with the lead actor of Murdoch Mysteries
  “Yannick Bisson is playing hooky on a rainy afternoon in the Big Smoke, not something his character on the entertaining TV series Murdoch Mysteries would ever be caught dead doing. Det. William Murdoch, after all, is not the type to shirk his duty as he sets about solving crimes in turn-of-the-last-century Toronto with the aid of his cohorts and cutting-edge techniques such as fingerprinting. So what motivates the man? ‘He is all about the holy right and the wrong being abolished,’ says Bisson, who gives us a few more clues on what makes Murdoch tick.” Read more.

From a media release:

FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH MORE CASES IN STORE FOR MURDOCH MYSTERIES FANS

• Citytv Orders Season Four of Shaftesbury Films’ Crime Drama
• UKTV’s Crime Channel Alibi Picks Up Season Four
• ITV STUDIOS Global Entertainment Sells Internationally

Canadian producer Shaftesbury Films is thrilled to announce that season four of their international hit series Murdoch Mysteries has been renewed by Citytv in Canada and by UKTV’s crime drama channel Alibi in the UK. ITV STUDIOS Global Entertainment Ltd is excited to continue their co-production relationship with Shaftesbury Films and have acquired the worldwide distribution rights to the significant fourth season of the one-drama and will showcase the series at MIPTV. The highly anticipated fourth season is scheduled to begin production in Toronto, Canada later this year.

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Murdoch Mysteries (Citytv Original Series) Sunday, April 11 at 9:00pm ET/CT/PT (7:00pm MT)

A farmer is brutally murdered and his daughter, Charlotte (Anastasia Phillips), admits to the crime. Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) doesn’t think it’s so neat and tidy however and begins to realize that there is something very strange about the usually docile and considerate Charlotte. When Murdoch interviews Charlotte’s mother and brother he realizes he needs an expert in the fledgling field of psychology to get through to the increasingly unpredictable Charlotte. Murdoch brings in the well-known “alienist” Dr. Roberts (Paul Amos) to help him determine what is happening to Charlotte. It’s only then that Murdoch uncovers the horrifying and grisly family secrets that lie at the root of her problems.

Murdoch Mysteries (Citytv Original) Sunday, March 28 at 9:00pm ET/CT/PT (7:00pm MT)

In a Masonic Temple, Victor Bernard (Kevin Dennis) drops dead during his initiation ceremony. Witnessing the suspicious death are fellow Masons Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) and Crabtree (Jonny Harris). They have to pull rank to convince their fellow members to allow Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), a catholic, and Ogden (Hélène Joy), a woman, into the temple to conduct their investigation of a closed and secretive membership which includes many of the city’s movers and shakers. As the investigation proceeds, Ogden discovers that Victor Bernard harboured a stunning secret that may have been led to his murder. Murdoch ultimately discovers the identity of the killer and the tragic irony that led to Bernard’s death.