Episode 9: Listen or download here or subscribe via iTunes or with any other program via the TV, Eh? feed

Callum Keith Rennie joins me, Diane Wild, for an interview about Shattered, where he plays a cop with multiple personalities.

But first, I try to convince Anthony Marco that the Emmys are worth watching. I did not succeed. I’m not sure I convinced myself. We mention the Gemini Award nominations which will have been announced by the time you listen to this.

Is 18 to Life returning to The CW? Maaayyyybeeee.

Anthony and I could not be less excited about Canada Sings. But if you disagree, casting is now open.

Then I discuss creative control in the Canadian television industry, from the consistent vision brought to Call Me Fitz to the multiple showrunners and lack of a cohesive vision on Shattered and The Listener. I mention my interview with Peter Keleghan, too, where he brings up some of the same issues. And Anthony laments that Shattered lost a golden opportunity to claim that their multiple showrunners were reflective of the multiple personality of the main character.

We finish up with how PVRs are affecting television viewing – for Anthony, it’s being even more annoyed by commercials, while Diane now gets weepy over iPhone 4 commercials.

Your hosts

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

• Canada Makes Bargain-Basement Shows
  “Half-hearted denials aside, we know it’s true, don’t we? We know the only way networks like CBS (‘The Bridge’, ‘Flashpoint’), NBC (‘The Listener’) and ABC (‘Rookie Blue’) would agree to co-finance a show for their airwaves is if the setting was generic enough to pass for a U.S. locale. They’ve got the best of both worlds – if the show is good, they can send out press releases about what wonderful new programming they are creating with their Canadian partners, but if the show is bad, they can shrug their shoulders and say they had nothing to do with the creative, they were just the bank.” Read more.

2010 CANADIAN COMEDY AWARD NOMINEES ARE ANNOUNCED!

The race for the 2010 Canadian Comedy Awards is on! Canada’s finest comedians will go head to head for the coveted BEAVER statuette this October in Toronto, as The Canadian Comedy Awards Foundation in association with The Comedy Network today announced the nominees for the 2010 Canadian Comedy Awards. At a media conference held at Yuk Yuk’s in Toronto, emcees Deb McGrath and Colin Mochrie highlighted the nominees in all 21 categories.

Winners will be declared at The Comedy Network Presents the Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival Awards Show on Monday, October 18 to be held at the Isabel Bader Theatre.

To view a complete list of the 2010 Canadian Comedy Awards nominees and to access nominee bios, please go to www.canadiancomedy.ca.

Television

Taped Live Performance

* Darcy Michael – Winnipeg Comedy Festival
* Jon Dore – Just For Laughs
* Mark Forward – Just For Laughs
* Sugar Sammy – Live in Concert
* Winston Spear – Stand Up & Bite Me

Direction – Television Program or Series

* Brian Roberts – Dan for Mayor Ep. 103
* Bruce McDonald – Almost Audrey
* Kelly Makin – Less Than Kind
* Kenny Hotz – Kenny vs. Spenny
* Vivieno Caldinelli – Hotbox

Writing – Television Program or Series

* Garry Campbell – Less Than Kind
* Kenny Hotz – Kenny vs. Spenny
* Levi MacDougall & Nathan Fielder – Important Things with Demetri Martin
* Mark McKinney – Less Than Kind
* Pat Thornton, Vivieno Caldinelli, Tim Polley, Graham Wagner, Katie Crown, and Bob Kerr – Hotbox

Performance by a Male – Television

* Brandon Firla – Little Mosque on the Prairie
* Dave Foley – Less Than Kind
* Ennis Esmer – The Listener
* Gavin Crawford – This Hour Has 22 Minutes
* Pat Thornton – Hotbox

Performance by a Female – Television

* Alana Johnston – That’s So Weird!
* Geri Hall – This Hour Has 22 Minutes
* Jennifer Irwin – Less Than Kind
* Laurie Elliott – Almost Audrey
* Wendel Meldrum – Less Than Kind

Performance by an Ensemble – Television

* Fred Ewanuick, Mary Ashton, Paul Bates, Ben Ayres, Suzanne Coy, Agam Darshi, Laurie Murdoch, David Ferry, Lara Jean Chorostecki – Dan for Mayor
* Gavin Crawford, Mark Critch, Geri Hall, Cathy Jones, Shaun Majumder – This Hour Has 22 Minutes
* Jesse Camacho, Wendel Meldrum, Benjamin Arthur, Nancy Sorel, Maury Chaykin, Brooke Palsson – Less Than Kind
* Laurie Elliott, Inessa Frantowski, Agam Darshi, Ryan Kelly, Ingrid Hart – Almost Audrey
* Pat Thornton, Sandy Jobin-Bevans, Levi MacDougall, Jeff McEnery, Vivieno Caldinelli, Tal Zimerman – Hotbox

• What’s wrong with the Canadian TV dramas on the networks this fall . . . and what’s right about the comedies.
  “Canadians are watching Hiccups and Dan For Mayor, in other words, because there isn’t a same-but-better version on NBC or CBS.” Read more.

• CTV renews entire scripted slate: more FLASHPOINT, more THE BRIDGE, more HICCUPS, more DAN FOR MAYOR, more THE LISTENER
• CTV announces new daytime series THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, debuting this fall
• Season 3 of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA to premiere August 15
• New international co-production drama THE BORGIAS joins CTV and Bravo! in 2011
• COMEDY NOW! is back for Season 13, ETALK returns for Season and W5 marks Season 45
• THE JUNO AWARDS, THE GILLER PRIZE and WE DAY all return

Following one of its most successful seasons ever for original Canadian programming, CTV unveiled today its 2010-2011 Canadian television package. The network has renewed its entire scripted slate of five original series, ordered a new daytime series, and confirmed the premiere date for its award-winning Top 20 hit dance competition series. Delivering more viewers to Canadian programming than any other network, the roster of original programming totals nearly 100 hours of prime-time Canadian programming on CTV alone during the 2010-2011 season.

With the majority of the original productions due to go into production this summer, CTV’s original series will premiere throughout the network’s 52-week schedule in 2010/2011. However, CTV confirmed today THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, a new daytime series starring Gemini Award-winner and CHUM FM personality Marilyn Denis, premieres this fall. The series airs daily at 10 a.m. following LIVE! WITH REGIS AND KELLY and prior to THE VIEW, providing an uninterrupted flow of live programming on CTV each day from 6 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Also new this season is the international co-production THE BORGIAS, powered by some of Canada’s most accomplished creative talent, including director Jeremy Podeswa, director of photography Paul Sarossy, and production designer François Seguin. Colm Feore co-stars as Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere while hot, young Quebec star François Arnaud (I Killed My Mother) plays Cesare Borgia, Rodrigo Borgia’s (Jeremy Irons) ruthless son.

CTV also confirmed today that its Gemini Award-winning dance competition series SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA returns for its third season August 15. A Top 15 hit for Females 18-34 last fall, DANCE CANADA increased upon its Season 1 audience by 11% and won its timeslot in female demos in Season 2. Additionally, CTV’s award-winning stand-up comedy showcase COMEDY NOW! returns for an incredible 13th season.

Original Scripted Series Ordered by CTV:

• FLASHPOINT (Season 4) – Canada’s most-watched original drama, which was a Top 20 hit out of simulcast last fall averaging 1.8 million viewers and consistently ranking as the most-watched program every Friday night. Season 4 has been ordered in advance of the Season 3 broadcast.
• THE BRIDGE (Season 2) – Canada’s #1 new Canadian drama series, which finished its first season with an average audience of one million viewers.
• HICCUPS and DAN FOR MAYOR (Season 2) – The #1 and #2 new comedies of the year, Canadian or American, have almost doubled the average audience of MODERN FAMILY.
• THE LISTENER (Season 2) – Currently in pre-production, the international hit series premiered to more than one million viewers last summer.

Also to note, the international phenomenon DEGRASSI moves to MuchMusic for a 10th season incredible season, featuring 48 all-new episodes; SPACE premieres its new scripted flagship horror-comedy series TODD AND THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL; and MuchMore debuts its new heavy metal documentary series METAL EVOLUTION: THE SERIES.

Meanwhile, CTV’s award-winning specials continue in 2010/2011. Returning for its 10th anniversary broadcast on CTV is THE 2011 JUNO AWARDS, celebrating its 40th Anniversary live from Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Honouring Canadian literature, THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE returns in November, while CTV once again broadcasts Free The Children’s WE DAY events in Toronto and Vancouver.

CTV also confirmed that Canada’s #1 Canadian entertainment program, ETALK, returns for its 9th season, while Canada’s #1 current affairs program, W5 returns for its record-breaking 45th anniversary season.

NEW DAYTIME SERIES

THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW – Season 1 (one-hour lifestyle/entertainment series)

Marilyn Denis, Canada’s most-loved woman of daytime television, is back. Beginning this fall, THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW brings Canadians in Marilyn’s studio audience and at home the best in lifestyle television. Every day, she is joined by a mix of expert and celebrity guests, providing a unique blend of topical lifestyle tips and entertainment. All the while, Marilyn shares a brand of humour that is distinctly hers.

Cast: Host: Marilyn Denis
Production Company: CTV

NEW & RETURNING SCRIPTED SERIES

FLASHPOINT – Season 3 & 4 (one-hour drama)

The Gemini Award-winning series FLASHPOINT returns for a third season after being Canada’s most-watched Canadian drama for the 2009/2010 season. Starring Enrico Colantoni (VERONICA MARS), Hugh Dillon (DURHAM COUNTY), Amy Jo Johnson (FELICITY) and David Paetkau (WHISTLER), the nail-biting cop drama is an emotional journey into the tough, risk-filled lives of a group of police in the Strategic Response Unit (inspired by Toronto’s Emergency Task Force). Members of a highly-skilled tactical team, they’re trained in negotiating, profiling and getting inside the suspect’s head at the very emotional breaking point (the “flashpoint”) that triggered the crisis. Season 4 begins production in the 2010-2011 season.

Cast: Enrico Colantoni (VERONICA MARS) as Sgt. Gregory Parker, Hugh Dillon (DURHAM COUNTY) as Ed Lane, Amy Jo Johnson (FELICITY) as Julianne “Jules” Callaghan, David Paetkau (WHISLER) as Sam Braddock, Michael Cram as Kevin “Wordy” Wordsworth, Sergio Di Zio as Mike “Spike” Scarlatti
Credits: EP: Bill Mustos (DEGRASSI: TNG, ROBSON ARMS), EP: Anne Marie La Traverse (Luna: Spirit of the Whale)
Production Company: Pink Sky Entertainment and Avamar Entertainment in association with CTV and CBS Paramount Network Television

THE BRIDGE – Season 2 (one-hour drama)

The #1 new Canadian drama of the season, THE BRIDGE returns for a second season of fast-paced, gripping police drama. Starring Aaron Douglas (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) as police union president Frank Leo, the series follows Frank as he struggles to uncover police force corruption and help protect his fellow officers and, ultimately society.

Cast: Aaron Douglas (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) as Frank Leo, Paul Popowich (ANGELA’S EYES, I ME WED) as Tommy Dunn, Inga Cadranel (RENT-A-GOALIE, MVP) as Jill, Frank Cassini (Vice, INTELLIGENCE) as Sgt. Bernie Kantor, Theresa Joy (ALL THE GOOD ONES ARE MARRIED, Sixty Days) as Constable Billy, Ona Grauer (STARGATE SG-1 and STARGATE ATLANTIS) as Abby St. James, Michael Murphy (Away from Her, X-Men: The Last Stand) as Chief of Police Ed Wycoff, Stuart Margolin (THE ROCKFORD FILES, TOM STONE) as Vic Leo
Credits: EP: Craig Bromell, EP: Laszlo Barna (‘DA KINK IN MY HAIR), EP: Alan Di Fiore (DAVINCI’S INQUEST, THE HANDLER), EP: Adam J. Shully (BLOOD TIES), EP: Robert Wertheimer (CHARLIE JADE), CTV’s Production Executive: Brett Burlock; President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.: Susanne Boyce
Production Company: E1 Entertainment, 990 Multi Media Entertainment Company and Jonsworth Productions, in association with CTV and CBS Paramount Network Television

HICCUPS – Season 2 (half-hour comedy)

The #1 new comedy program (Canadian or American) of the year, HICCUPS, returns for a second season. HICCUPS stars Nancy Robertson (CORNER GAS) as Millie Upton, a successful children’s author who is socially unpredictable. She is prone to sudden outbursts of laughter, sadness and rage. All traits that her life coach Stan (Brent Butt, CORNER GAS) tries to subdue, her publisher Joyce (Laura Soltis, THE GUARD) fails to keep under wraps and her slick but useless agent (David Ingram, QUEER AS FOLK) is too self-centred to notice. Meanwhile, Stan finds life-support in his wide-eyed and slightly bewildered wife, Anna (Paula Rivera, FLASHPOINT), who does her best to support his impractical dream of becoming a life coach.

Cast: Nancy Robertson (CORNER GAS) as Millie, Brent Butt (CORNER GAS) as Stan, Laura Soltis as Joyce (THE GUARD), David Ingram (QUEER AS FOLK) as Taylor, Emily Perkins as Crystal (Ginger Snaps) and Paula Rivera (FLASHPOINT) as Anna
Credits: EP Laura Lightbown (DAVINCI’S INQUEST, INTELLIGENCE), David Storey (CORNER GAS)
Production Company: Sparrow Media

DAN FOR MAYOR – Season 2 (half-hour comedy)

Starring Gemini Award-winning actor Fred Ewanuick (CORNER GAS, Robson Arms), DAN FOR MAYOR returns for its sophomore season. Ewanuick plays Dan, a 30-something bartender who spent Season 1 campaigning to be the next mayor of the fictional city of Wessex, Ontario. Dan’s good buddy Jeff (Paul Bates, TRAIN 48) acted as his campaign manager, and he got some help along the way from his ex-girlfriend Claire (Mary Ashton, DEGRASSI GOES HOLLYWOOD) and his new friend, Mike (Benjamin Ayres, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES).

Cast: Fred Ewanuick (CORNER GAS) as Dan, Paul Bates (TRAIN 48) as Jeff, Mary Ashton (DEGRASSI GOES HOLLYWOOD) as Claire, Benjamin Ayres (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES) as Mike
Credits: Producer: Mark Farrell (CORNER GAS, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES), Producer: Paul Mather (CORNER GAS, THE RICK MERCER REPORT), Producer: Kevin White (CORNER GAS, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES), Producer: Sue Murdoch (DOOMSTOWN)
Production Company: Sad Glasses and QVF Inc., in association with CTV and The Comedy Network

THE LISTENER – Season 2 (one-hour drama)

After premiering last summer to more than one million viewers, THE LISTENER is back for a second season. The series follows paramedic Toby Logan (Craig Olejnik, In God’s Country) whose cool aurora masks a difficult past and stunning secret: he’s a telepath. Toby can tune in on the current thoughts of those around him. He tries to keep it a closely-guarded secret while helping those in need, knowing full well that if it were to become public knowledge, his life would be in danger. Also staring in the sophomore series are Ennis Esmer (BILLABLE HOURS) as Toby’s partner Osman Bey and Mylene Dinh-Robic (SMALLVILLE) as Olivia Fawcett.

Cast: Craig Olejnik (In God’s Country) as Toby Logan, Ennis Esmer (BILLABLE HOURS) as Osman Bey, Mylène Dinh-Robic (SMALLVILLE, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) as Olivia Fawcett
Credits: EP: Christina Jennings (In God’s Country), EP: Scott Garvie (In God’s Country), EP: Michael Amo (Tagged: The Jonathan Wamback Story)
Production Company: Shaftesbury Films, in association with CTV and Fox International

THE BORGIAS – Season 1 (one-hour drama)
THE BORGIAS stars Canadian Colm Feore, alongside Jeremy Irons, and revolves around a powerful and corrupt 15th-century Italian family headed by patriarch Rodrigo Borgia (Irons), who became Pope in 1492. Feore plays Rodrigo’s arch nemesis Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere. Breakout Quebec star François Arnaud stars as Cesare Borgia, Rodrigo’s ruthless son. Behind the camera is some of Canada’s best talent including Jeremy Podeswa, Paul Sarossy, and François Seguin. The Canada/Hungary/Ireland co-production is scheduled to premiere in 2011 on CTV and Bravo! in Canada and on Showtime in the U.S.

Cast: Jeremy Irons (Kingdom of Heaven, Being Julia) as Rodrigo Borgia, Colm Feore (FLASHPOINT, 24) as Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere, François Arnaud (I Killed My Mother, YAMASKA) as Cesare Borgia.
Credits: EP: Sheila Hockin (THE TUDORS, CANADA’S NEXT TOP MODEL), EP: John Weber (THE TUDORS, CANADA’S NEXT TOP MODEL), EP: James Flynn (Ondine, Becoming Jane), EP: Neil Jordan (The End of the Affair, The Crying Game), Co-producer: Bill Goddard (Queer As Folk), Line Producer: Karen Richards (Saving Private Ryan), DOP: Paul Sarossy (Head in the Clouds, Where the Truth Lies), Production Designer: François Seguin (The Karate Kid, Silk) CTV’s Production Executive: Brett Burlock; President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.: Susanne Boyce
Production Company: Take 5 Productions, in association with Bravo!, CTV and Showtime Networks.

TODD AND THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL – Season 1 (1/2 hour horror-comedy, SPACE)

Imagine, if you will, a book of awesome power. A book that makes your deepest, darkest dreams come true… but at a horrifying cost. This is The Book Of Pure Evil, and it’s loose in Crowley High. Anyone who possesses it is unable to resist the temptation to use its power for their own teen-angst fueled desires. Thankfully, one horny teenager stands between The Book Of Pure Evil and the end of the world as we know it. His name is Todd. He’s flunking math, but he’ll save our asses. Whether he likes it or not.

Cast: Alex House (DARK ORACLE) as Todd, Maggie Castle (THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE) as Jenny, Bill Turnbull (THE JON DORE TELEVISION SHOW) as Curtis, Melanie Leishman (HOUSE PARTY) as Hannah, Chris Leavins (SLINGS AND ARROWS) as Atticus Murphy Jr. and Jason Mewes (CLERKS, JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK) as Jimmy.
Credits: EP: Craig David Wallace(Love Letter from an Open Grave), EP: Jamie Brown (TIL DEBT DO US PART), EP: Anthony Leo (ROXY HUNTER) and EP: Andrew Rosen (ROXY HUNTER). SPACE Production Executive: Rebecca Dipasquale; President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.: Susanne Boyce
Production Company: Aircraft Pictures, Corvid Pictures, Frantic Films in association with SPACE.

DEGRASSI – Season 10 (half-hour drama, MuchMusic)

One of Canada’s top young adult series returns exclusively to MuchMusic! Starting this July, DEGRASSI viewers can keep up with the series four days a week, as the show moves to a 30-minute, Monday – Thursday format. In Season 10, a new school year brings big changes to the students of DEGRASSI. New rivals, new friends, love interests, a shift in the school’s hierarchy and physical threats shake up every relationship. Relevant and exciting, intense and fresh, Season 10 continues to explore envelope-pushing stories with a sense of humour and a lot of heart.

Cast: Starring Raymond Ablack, Charlotte Arnold, Luke Bilyk, Stefan Brogren, Munro Chambers, Annie Clark, Sam Earle, Jahmil French, Judy Jiao, Jamie Johnston, Alicia Josipovic, Argiris Karras, Landon Liboiron, Jabube Mandiela, Samantha Munro, Aislinn Paul, AJ Saudin, Melinda Shankar, Jordan Todosey, Jessica Tyler
Credits: Created by Linda Schuyler and Yan Moore. Executive Producers: Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn and Brendon Yorke. Directors: Phil Earnshaw, Eleanore Lindo, Sturla Gunnarsson, Samir Rehem, Pat Williams, Mario Azzopardi, Stefan Brogren. Original Score by Jim McGrath and Tim Welch. Casting Director: Stephanie Gorin, csa cdc. Editors: Gordon Thorne, Jason B. Irvine. Production Designer: Stephen Stanley. Director of Photography: Alwyn J. Kumst csc. Producer: David Lowe and Stefan Brogren. Supervising Producer: Stephanie Williams. Executive Post Producer: Ella Schwarzman. CTV/MuchMusic Production Executives: Samantha Morris Mastai and Ben Rotterman. Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Much MTV Group: Brad Schwartz. Vice-President, Production, Much MTV Group: Mark McInnis. Director, Program Development for CTV: Brett Burlock. President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.: Susanne Boyce
Production Company: Epitome Pictures Inc. in association with CTV/MuchMusic.

RETURNING VARIETY SERIES

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA – Season 3 (two-night competition series)

The Gemini Award-winning SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA is based on the Emmy Award-winning smash hit series created by Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe that premiered in 2005. During SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA’s highly-popular second season, the series averaged 1.44 million viewers and ended with Lethbridge, AB’s Tara-Jean Popowich taking the title of Canada’s Favourite Dancer. The Season 1 winner was Montreal-native Nico Archambault.

The Season 3 audition tour travelled to five cities across the country – Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA showcases dancers from across the country as they compete to impress an expert panel of judges. Following each audition city, select competitors were invited to “Finals Week” in Toronto where they worked with some of Canada’s top choreographers. After a gruelling and challenging week mastering various genres of dance, 20 dancers earned a coveted spot in the SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA Top 20. Chosen by the judging panel, this select group of dancers will perform in front of the nation. The public votes for their favourites following weekly performance episodes in which competitors are assigned partners and dance styles to perform, from hip-hop and krump to salsa, quickstep, contemporary and jive. In the end, only one dancer goes home with the title of Canada’s Favourite Dancer and a $100,000 grand prize.

Cast: Leah Miller (ETALK) is host, permanent judges are Tré Armstrong and Jean Marc Genereux, alternating third judges are Luther Brown and Blake McGrath, special guest judges are Rex Harrington, Dan Karaty, Mary Murphy. Paul Becker, Sean Cheesman, Melissa Williams all serve as choreographers who also appear as judges.
Credits: Creator: Simon Fuller (AMERICAN IDOL), Creator: Nigel Lythgoe (AMERICAN IDOL), EP/Showrunner: Sandra Faire (Rita MacNeil’s Celtic Celebration, Anne Murray’s Family Christmas, The Rankin Family Reunion, COMEDY NOW!, COMEDY INC. and Vice-Chair of the National Ballet of Canada), EP: Trisa Dayot (RITA MACNEIL’S CELTIC CELEBRATION, ANNE MURRAY’S FAMILY CHRISTMAS, THE RANKIN FAMILY REUNION, COMEDY NOW!, COMEDY INC.), Senior Producers: Bronwyn Warren and Millan Curry-Sharples (RITA MACNEIL’S CELTIC CELEBRATION, THE RANKIN FAMILY REUNION, COMEDY NOW!, COMEDY INC.)
Production Company: Danse TV Productions in association with CTV

COMEDY NOW! – Season 13 (stand-up comedy series)

Canada’s reigning pre-eminent stage for homegrown comedic talent, COMEDY NOW! returns with its thirteenth season. The star-making stand-up series has helped an illustrious list of Canadian writer/performers earn their stripes in the comedy world. The list of luminaries includes the likes of Brent Butt, Roman Danylo, Nikki Payne, Shaun Majumder, Seán Cullen, Daryn Jones, Jay Malone, Jenn Robertson and stadium headliner Russell Peters.

Cast: TBA
Production Company: Comedy Now! Productions Inc. in association with CTV and The Comedy Network

NEW DOCUMENTARY SERIES

METAL EVOLUTION: THE SERIES – Season 1 (hour-long documentary series for MuchMore)

METAL EVOLUTION: THE SERIES features the much-debated Metal History “family tree” originally shown in Headbanger’s Journey. From shock rock to thrash, from black metal to grunge, this 24 sub-genre genealogical chart – the first of its kind – reveals the vast complex progeny of Heavy Metal, and serves as the narrative backbone of the series. Using the chart as his road map, our host, metalhead turned anthropologist Sam Dunn, criss-crosses the globe, to the northern tip of Norway, the jungles of Brazil, the grim beauty of Birmingham and the pock-marked streets of Detroit, visiting the bars, back alleys, and ballrooms, and even the basement shrines of superfans, to get to the very essence of Metal.

Cast: Sam Dunn
Credits: Executive Producers Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn. CTV/MuchMore Production Executive: Ben Rotterman. Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Much MTV Group: Brad Schwartz. Vice-President, Production, Much MTV Group: Mark McInnis. Director, Program Development for CTV: Brett Burlock. President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.: Susanne Boyce
Production Company: Banger Films in association with CTV/MuchMore.

• The Listener’ gets renewed
  “The Listener has been rescued from the sounds of silence. Shaftesbury Films announced Tuesday that the Toronto-set series has been renewed for a second season. A deal has been reached with CTV, Space and Fox International Channels (FIC), with exact air dates for the 13 new episodes still to be determined.” Read more.

SPACE, CTV AND FOX INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS ORDER SEASON 2 OF THE LISTENER

Shaftesbury Films is thrilled to announce its one-hour drama series THE LISTENER has been renewed for a second season by SPACE, CTV, and Fox International Channels (FIC). Shine International will be distributing. Starring Craig Olejnik as ‘Toby Logan’, THE LISTENER follows the adventures of a 25-year-old telepathic paramedic as he moves from crisis to crisis.

“THE LISTENER is proof positive that SPACE and CTV are committed to creating and supporting successful and popular television,” said Christina Jennings, Chairman and CEO, Shaftesbury Films. “Their renewed commitment to THE LISTENER ensures the international partnership led by Fox International Channels and Shine International for the next 13 episodes of this hit Canadian series.”

“The first season of THE LISTENER delivered solid numbers in many of our markets,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, SVP of Content Development at Fox International Channels (FIC). “We are excited about a second season and look forward to working with our creative partners to continue to develop the show to its maximum potential.”

“Thanks to our partnership with Shaftesbury and Fox International, we created a new and different financing model that brought THE LISTENER to viewers in every country of the world. We’re excited to continue this partnership on Season 2 of THE LISTENER and we look forward to working with our partners to ensure the ongoing success of the series,” said John Pollak, Executive Vice President of Shine International.

Toby Logan (Craig Olejnik- The Timekeeper, In God’s Country) is THE LISTENER, a 25-year-old telepathic paramedic. His sole confidant and mentor Dr. Ray Mercer (Colm Feore, 24, Changeling) guides Toby as he learns to use his gift for the benefit of people around him.

The online companion site created for Season one of THE LISTENER was recently nominated as Best Cross-Platform Project by the Canadian New Media Awards for excellence in interactive enhancement of a television property on digital platforms. THE LISTENER Online Experience was created by Shaftesbury’s Digital Division Smokebomb Entertainment and A51 Integrated in conjunction with SPACE and CTV and with the assistance of the Bell New Media Fund and allows visitors to experience the world as Toby Logan does and “hear” people’s thoughts and see their inner-visions. Set in a 360 degree panoramic recreation of Toronto’s Dundas Square, the site received weekly updates with interactive features, online exclusive video and previews of upcoming episodes.

To celebrate the new fall season, TV, eh? has 5 prize packages to give away to 5 Canadian television fans. Winners will be chosen from a random draw of all eligible entries in each of 3 categories. Tweet, blog, or donate to the Actors’ Fund of Canada to win. Details here. Deadline’s today!

From Dwayne MacKinnon:

I’ve decided to write today about a recently concluded (hopefully just for the season) show: The Listener.

I’m a big believer in giving a Canadian show a try, as long as the subject matter is interesting to me. So lately, I’ve been really happy, as there are more and more Canadian shows available that are interesting to me. Everything from sitcoms (Little Mosque on the Prairie) to comedy-dramas (Being Erica) to action/dramas (Flashpoint, The Border) to, just lately… science-fiction.  Which brings us to The Listener.

The Listener is what you would call “light” sci-fi. The world it inhabits is our own world… specifically, Toronto. The only fantastic element of it is that the show’s protagonist, Toby Logan, can read minds.

One of the things I found fascinating, as a sci-fi and comic-book fan, was the particular slant they took with Toby’s telepathy. For one thing, Toby can only receive thoughts; he can’t broadcast his own. For another, he can only pick up on what someone is thinking of at the time that he’s listening. The only way he can go digging around in someone’s head is to engage them in a conversation and try to lead their thoughts to the right place.

The limitations make things a lot easier to handle. It allows for realistic drama. Toby has a real edge, but he can be wrong. If somebody is deluding themselves on a particular subject, Toby will be misled as well.

The show itself had a 13 episode season that was played out fully both on CTV and in several overseas markets courtesy of Fox International. On NBC in the United States, it was cut short. Thankfully, NBC made the remaining episodes available online.

I found the show had a very decent arc. When we first meet Toby, he’s been living with his telepathy for years, and has learned how to tune out the thoughts of other people. Something has changed, though: now when he’s near a person in genuine trouble, he can’t block them out. As he’s a paramedic, being around people in trouble happens to him a fair bit more then the average joe. It leads him to become more engaged in the world, when he’s become used to a certain amount of detachment to stay sane.

Over the course of thirteen episodes Toby reveals his secret to the people closest to him. First his partner, Oz, and then the police detective that he’s been helping solve crimes. Finally, he reveals it to his longtime on and off girlfriend, Oliva. And I have to say, the revelation scenes were a particular strength of this show. The Oz one, in particular, was hilarious. The editing team did a great job of having Craig Olejnik’s Toby parroting the thoughts (done in voiceover) of Ennis Esmer’s Oz.

Other nice touches included the police detective, Charlie Marks, taking advantage of Toby’s gift once she’s informed. Particularly fun were the several occasions when she intentionally “thought at” Toby in order to get him to do something. Even one-way communication can be useful when it can be done silently and quickly, and the show capitalized on this.

Besides Toby’s engagement with the world and opening up to his friends, the other main arc of the first season was Toby remembering his past. We learned quite early that Toby believed his mother was dead, and that his memories of his early childhood were quite shaky. By the time the season finale was done, he had made numerous discoveries, including the fact that his mother was alive and that people were after them both because of their gift.

Acting and story wise, things were solid with this show. Not as strong as they could have been … there is room for improvement. I’m really hoping that CTV will greenlight a second season.

• Top Programs – Total Canada
  #1 So You Think You Can Dance Canada Performance (1.357 million)
  #19 The Listener (843,000)
  #22 Dragons’ Den (791,000)
  #26 So You Think You Can Dance Canada Results (698,000)
  #27 Flashpoint (696,000)

Catch Up to Canada’s Most-Watched TV Programs Online:  CTV.ca Announces Fall Lineup

• Canada’s beloved THE LITTLEST HOBO now available on demand along with other retro classics

Responding to an outpouring of support from fans across Canada, CTV’s own THE LITTLEST HOBO returns home exclusively online with all six seasons to be rolled out over the course of the season.

CTV.ca’s 2009/10 Online Lineup:

Primetime

• THE BRIDGE **New**
• DEFYING GRAVITY **New**
• COMEDY NOW!
• CORNER GAS
• DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION
• FLASHPOINT
• THE LISTENER
• ROBSON ARMS
• SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA (highlights)

Online Exclusive **New**

• THE LITTLEST HOBO