Everything about Rick Mercer Report, eh?

Link: Rick Mercer embodies Canada, without the smugness

From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:

Link: Rick Mercer embodies Canada, without the smugness
On Tuesday, after 15 seasons and 277 episodes, The Rick Mercer Report will cease to be. There will be an hour-long episode (CBC, 8 p.m.) with highlights from across the years, and one last rant from Mercer.

Frankly, it’s time. The show is still doing well in the ratings. It gets close to one million viewers every week, at a time when Canadian TV struggles to reach viewers for Canadian productions. Ratings for everything appear to be down, from The National to new, heavily promoted series like Caught, which has about 500,000 viewers. Only Murdoch Mysteries remains a juggernaut and the only Canadian weekly show that, like Mercer’s, reaches about a million people on the night it airs. Continue reading.

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Link: Rick Mercer’s last rant

From Tony Wong of the Toronto Star:

Link: Rick Mercer’s last rant
“I have chairs. Do you want some chairs?”

Rick Mercer points to the studio floor, then looks at me expectantly with that famously arched eyebrow.

We are seated at his anchor desk in the 10th-floor studio at CBC’s Toronto headquarters. “I can sell you them for $20 each. After this week, they have to go.” Continue reading.

 

 

 

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Link: Let Rick Mercer’s departure end cowardly comedy in Canada

From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:

Link: Let Rick Mercer’s departure end cowardly comedy in Canada
Here’s the thing that’s highlighted by Mercer’s announced departure – we don’t do savage indignation in Canada. Our TV comedy and news-satire shows don’t really pillory social conventions, stereotypes and political chicanery with any aggression. They do it mildly; they do it too nicely. Nobody in positions of power, or in the viewing audience, is ever made uncomfortable by satire in Canada. Continue reading.

 

 

 

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Rick Mercer announces final season of Rick Mercer Report

From a media release:

In one of his signature rants, Rick Mercer today announced that RICK MERCER REPORT will launch its 15th and final season (22 x 30) tomorrow (Tues. Sept. 26) at 8 p.m. ET (8:30 NT) on CBC and cbc.ca/watch. Since the launch of the award-winning hit series in 2004, Canadians have followed the political satirist and Newfoundland native across the country for his one-of-a-kind perspective on Canada and the top news of the week. When Season 15 wraps in spring 2018, 277 episodes of the half-hour comedy will have aired since its debut.

“RICK MERCER REPORT has evolved over 15 years but one thing that has always remained consistent is that I have always known that I have the best job in the country,” said Mercer. “That has never changed. I can’t tell you how much fun it’s been. As far as what’s next I have no idea, all I know is that the entire team is hard at work and we have started shooting what I think will be our best season yet.”

Throughout the final season of RICK MERCER REPORT, Mercer will be back on the road with more cross- country exploits and learning experiences, from the Sea Cadet National Regatta in Kingston, Ontario and a shipwreck Festival in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, to the Confederation Bridge in PEI and the Calgary Zoo with Jann Arden, to name a few. In tomorrow’s Season 15 premiere, Mercer makes a stop in Ottawa to train with athletes headed for Toronto’s Invictus Games before heading to a wildlife rescue centre on Vancouver Island.

Returning this season is one of the most popular features in every show – Mercer’s rant – where he expounds on anything that might be on his mind. Also back are regular segments including the creative Photo Challenge, cheeky RMR parodies of TV commercials and political messages, and RMR’s weekly target practice on newsmakers, The Front Page.

RICK MERCER REPORT is the recipient of 4 Gemini and 12 Canadian Screen Awards for television writing and performance and, in 2015, Mercer was once again awarded the Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series.

Mercer began his career in comedy performing and writing in his hometown St John’s, Newfoundland with a series of one-man stage shows. In 1993, he launched his television career on CBC as one of the creators, performers and writers on the hit topical weekly show THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES. In 1998, he joined Gerald Lunz and Michael Donovan to create the satirical dramatic series Made In Canada, where he again starred and contributed as a writer. In 2001, his CBC special Talking To Americans became the highest rated Canadian comedy special ever with 2.7 million viewers. On July 1, 2014, it was announced that Rick was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and he was inducted in a ceremony at Rideau Hall in September 2015. This past Canada Day, Mercer hosted the three-hour CBC special Canada Day 150! From Coast to Coast to Coast featuring performances in every province and territory across the country.

 

 

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CBC announces its 2017-18 primetime schedule

From a media release:

CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster and the number-one media brand in Canada,* today announced broadcast premiere dates for its fall 2017 television season, featuring a uniquely Canadian lineup of new and returning series including Canada’s most-watched homegrown drama and comedy series, MURDOCH MYSTERIES and KIM’S CONVENIENCE.**

New original series launching on CBC this fall include the highly anticipated miniseries ALIAS GRACE (6×60) premiering Mon.Sept. 25, written and produced by Sarah Polley, directed by Mary Harron and starring Sarah Gadon, based on the novel by Margaret Atwood; THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW (8×60), the homemade version of the popular British competition bringing together 10 amateur bakers from across Canada hosted by Dan Levy and Julia Chan, premiering Wed. Nov. 1; FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES (11×60) from the producers of Murdoch Mysteries, following Toronto’s only female private detective in the 1920s, premiering Mon. Nov. 6; and THE STATS OF LIFE (4×30); a factual series that humanizes a range of population statistics to reveal the surprising truths about how Canadians live today, premiering Fri. Nov. 24.

CBC will also offer the exclusive Canadian broadcast of Jane Campion’s acclaimed drama TOP OF THE LAKE: CHINA GIRL (7×60) premiering on Wed. Oct. 25, starring Elizabeth Moss and Nicole Kidman. The BAFTA-nominated British series THE DURRELLS (6×60) will also premiere on Wed. Sept. 13.

Returning drama, comedy, factual and arts series include CORONATION STREET (Sept. 18), with six new episodes per week this fall including back-to-back episodes on Mondays; DRAGONS’ DEN (Sept. 28), featuring Arlene Dickinson’s return to the Den as the sixth Dragon; arts series EXHIBITIONISTS (Sept. 22); weekday daytime series THE GOODS (Sept. 18); HEARTLAND (Sept. 24); Emmy-nominated political arts series INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM (Oct. 13); KIM’S CONVENIENCE (Sept. 26); MR. D (Sept. 26); MURDOCH MYSTERIES (Sept. 25); RICK MERCER REPORT (Sept. 26); and THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES (Sept. 26).

On Mon. Nov. 6, flagship news program THE NATIONAL launches with a new format hosted by Adrienne Arsenault, Rosemary Barton, Andrew Chang and Ian Hanomansing. CBC News’ investigative series MARKETPLACE, THE FIFTH ESTATE and THE INVESTIGATORS WITH DIANA SWAIN also return with new seasons on Fri. Sept. 15.

CBC’s award-winning documentary programming moves to Sundays starting Sept. 24 including David Suzuki’s THE NATURE OF THINGS, which will launch its new season with THE WILD CANADIAN YEAR (5×60), showcasing Canada’s extraordinary wildlife; and CBC DOCS POV (formerly FIRSTHAND), which launches with Bee Nation, a charming documentary following students as they prepare for the first-ever First Nations Provincial Spelling Bee in Canada.

Also this fall, CBC SPORTS will provide compelling coverage and storytelling leading up to the OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES PYEONGCHANG 2018 and connect Canadians with high-performance athletes each weekend with ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES, which launches its fall season on Sat. Oct. 21 with coverage of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating from Moscow, Russia.

CBC’s fall 2017 broadcast premiere dates and times are as follows –
All series will also be available to stream on the CBC TV app and at cbc.ca/watch (all times local with the exception of Newfoundland, please add half an hour to all times)

MONDAYS

  • 2 p.m. The Goods (Season 2 premieres Sept. 18)
  • 7 p.m. Coronation Street (fall premiere Sept. 18)
  • 8 p.m. Murdoch Mysteries (Season 11 premieres Sept. 25)
  • 9 p.m. Alias Grace (Miniseries premieres Sept. 25)
    [Frankie Drake Mysteries series premieres Nov. 6]
  • 10 p.m. The National (launches Nov. 6)

TUESDAYS

  • 8 p.m. Rick Mercer Report (Season 15 premieres Sept. 26)
  • 8:30 p.m. This Hour Has 22 Minutes (Season 25 premieres Sept. 26)
  • 9 p.m. Kim’s Convenience (Season 2 premieres Sept. 26)
  • 9:30 p.m. Mr. D (Season 7 premieres Sept. 26)

WEDNESDAYS

  • 8 p.m. The Great British Baking Show Season 7 premieres Aug. 23
    [The Great Canadian Baking Show premieres Nov. 1]

THURSDAYS

  • 8 p.m. Dragons’ Den (Season 12 premieres Sept. 28 with a two-hour special)

FRIDAYS

  • 8 p.m. Marketplace (Season 45 premieres Sept .15)
  • 8:30 p.m. The Investigators with Diana Swain (premieres Sept. 15)
    [Interrupt This Program Season 3 premieres Oct.13]
    [The Stats of Life series premieres Nov. 24]
  • 9 p.m. The Fifth Estate (Season 43 premieres Sept. 15)
  • 12:30 a.m. Exhibitionists (Season 3 premieres Sept. 22)

SATURDAYS

  • 6:30 p.m. ET Hockey Night in Canada

SUNDAYS

  • 7 p.m. Heartland (Season 11 premieres Sept. 24)
  • 8 p.m. The Nature of Things (Season 57 premieres Sept. 24)
  • 9 p.m. CBC Docs POV (Season 4 premieres Sept. 24)

 

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