TV, eh?

From Real Movie News:

• Terminal City: The Complete Series DVD Review
  “Terminal City is being shown on The Sundance Channel, but it was originally shown on Canadian television. Since then the television show created by Angus Fraser from what was originally the concept for a feature film has been called a Canadian “Six Feet Under”. With a dysfunctional family brought together and pushed away by a family tragedy the comparison is clearly warranted.” Read more.

From Ginia Bellafante of the New York Times:

• Skimp on the Champagne? Not This Cancer Patient
  ““Terminal City” is instead an imaginative dramatization of illness that doesn’t indict or wallow or submit to the clichés it teases us with.” Read more.

From Nancy Dewolf Smith of the Wall Street Journal:

• Perfect No More
  Are we ready for a television series about a woman with breast cancer? The Canadian import Terminal City (Thursdays, 9-10 p.m. on the Sundance channel) is a chance to find out. The series takes the edge off its daunting theme by playing as a black comedy about television fame in the face of adversity… or something like that. But be warned: Although Terminal City can be mesmerizingly good — and even funny — it has a kick on it like a mule. If you let yourself get dragged in, don’t complain about the consequences.” Read more.

From Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Globe:

• ‘Terminal City’ takes risks with cancer, family, and fame
  “From midair, a golf ball soars down onto the fat belly of a man dozing on an air mattress in a swimming pool. Another wayward golf ball smashes into a picnic table. In the 10-episode series “Terminal City,” these tiny suburban disruptions are fallout from Katie Sampson’s diagnosis. Upon learning she has breast cancer, the mother of three has taken to her backyard to thwack a few angry shots into the ether. Clutching her club, her pigtails perversely tight, she looks like a demented golf pro.” Read more.

From Time Out New York:

• Terminal City
  “The well-traveled Maria del Mar (she’s had brief runs on 24 and JAG and has starred in a number of Canadian series) delivers a searing performance as a housewife with breast cancer in this ten-week miniseries from Canada, with a tone that strongly recalls Six Feet Under.” Read more.

From the Chicago Tribune:

• Amazing ‘Terminal City’ makes light of reality TV, but not cancer
  ” The writers of the great drama series “Terminal City” must feel the same way about reality TV shows that many viewers do: What won’t they do? If you feel that way about reality shows—or you just enjoy good drama that can make you laugh too—you need to check out this Canadian series imported by Sundance Channel and premiering at 8 p.m. Thursday. It blew me away.” Read more.

From Marilyn Moss of the Hollywood Reporter:

• Terminal City
  “Bottom Line: This series about a woman with breast cancer wants to be serious and funny and gets mixed up trying.” Read more.

Rob Salem of the Toronto Star gives the lineup of new and returning shows this fall, with blurbs from Jim Bawden about Canadian content relegated to its own little listing ghetto within:

• Fall TV preview: Day-by-day
  “Rob Salem takes a day-by-day look at the U.S. television season.” Read more.

From a Citytv media release:

“Terminal City”
Premieres Monday, September 10th and Thursday, September 13th
Citytv Winnipeg – Mondays at 10:00pm CT
Citytv Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver – Thursdays at 9:00pm ET/MT/PT
Available in High Definition on CitytvHD Toronto

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. Starring 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”
Premieres Monday, November 19th and Thursday, November 22nd
Citytv Winnipeg – Monday, November 19th at 10:00pm CT
Citytv Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver – Thursday, November 22nd at 10:00pm ET/MT/PT
Available in High Definition on CitytvHD Toronto

“Across the River to Motor City” is a mini-series spanning two eras, two countries and two unforgettable characters. November 22, 1963, is Ben Ford’s 30th birthday, the day he is determined to change his life. He is intent on asking his stewardess girlfriend Katie to marry him and is ready to leave his job as an insurance investigator in the Windsor/Detroit area in search of something better. But when Katie disappears on the fateful day that also took the life of JFK, nothing is the same for Ben again.

Almost forty years later, Katie’s body is discovered in a land reclamation project. Ben is now an old man with a grown daughter he barely knows, and has a lifetime of secrets and regrets he is trying to forget. When the police re-open the case, Ben’s daughter Kathleen begins to unravel the secrets and lies at the heart of her troubled relationship with her father. Starring Sasha Roiz, David Fox, Anne Openshaw, Joe Pingue, Howard Jerome, Matthew Deslippe and Raven Dauda.

From a media release:

TERMINAL CITY HEADS TO SUNDANCE CHANNEL

• Highly-Acclaimed Dramatic Series to Make U.S. Premiere

Program Partners announced today its sale of the dramatic mini-series Terminal City to the Sundance Channel. The highly acclaimed ten-part series, starring Maria Del Mar (Blue Murder, Pentagon Papers) and Gil Bellows (The Weatherman, Shawshank Redemption, Ally McBeal), portrays a mother’s battle with cancer as she confronts her destiny with humor and becomes the nation’s next reality TV star. The provocative, edgy series will make its U.S. premiere on Sundance Channel in early 2008.

(more…)

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.

Tamsen Tillson of Playback points out that Canadian drama is alive and well … on channels not many Canadians get:

• Scripted Cancon alive and well on TMN
  “Of the series that have resulted – among them Slings & Arrows, G-Spot, Terminal City and ReGenesis – some have been more successful than others. The critics loved Slings & Arrows, which, in its third and final season, bagged three Geminis. ReGenesis airs in (count ‘em) 110 countries (and is the highest-rated series on France’s ARTE, according to Marion) and recently won an International Interactive Emmy for its online version. Their latest offering, Durham County, premiered in early May to enthusiastic reviews.”

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.