TV, eh?

From a media release:

CBC Television announces returning shows for 2008/2009; network achieves record success this season

CBC Television broke viewership records with its 2007-2008 programming lineup. Our season-to-date prime-time share is 7.9, the highest in six years. In addition, Canadian content on the network has increased significantly over the last two years, with drama series increasing 68 per cent and comedy series up 41 per cent. This incredible success heralds the return of several new hit shows from this past season and returning favourites.

“This has been an outstanding year for CBC Television,” said Kirstine Layfield, CBC-TV’s executive director of network programming. “These returning shows will be the cornerstone for next season. We’ll be announcing our new shows in the coming weeks.”

Canada’s favourite homegrown drama, The BORDER will be back with James McGowan reprising his role as Major Mike Kessler (right). HEARTLAND, a heart- warming family drama based on the international best-selling novels of the same name is also back after winning the hearts of Canadians. Debuting on CBC to nearly one million viewers, CBC’s hot and steamy co-production THE TUDORS returns for a second season and the drama continues with the marriage of Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The charming comedy series SOPHIE, picked up by ABC Family, is also back with star-on-the-rise Natalie Brown returning as the hot-tempered, but loving single mom out to re-balance her life and priorities.

Returning comedy favourites include; RICK MERCER REPORT coming off its best year ever averaging 1 million viewers weekly, LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES, AIR FARCE LIVE, JUST FOR LAUGHS, HALIFAX COMEDY FESTIVAL and WINNIPEG COMEDY FESTIVAL.

CBC also continues its legacy of award-winning journalism and documentaries with the fifth estate, MARKETPLACE, DOC ZONE and THE NATURE OF THINGS.

Reality fans will see the return of the hit series DRAGONS’ DEN, TRIPLE SENSATION, TEST THE NATION and CANADA’S NEXT GREAT PRIME MINISTER.

THE HOUR with George Stroumboulopoulos is back with A-list interviews and his take on world events. And STEVEN AND CHRIS will continue to add a little bit of fabulous to daytime programming.

From Yvonne Zacharias of the Vancouver Sun:

• Hollywood North: How do you make science sexy?
  “CBC TV thinks it has come up with the right chemistry. A slick, fun, fast-paced half-hour weekly show called Project X. The scientific sleuths on the show take viewers into swamps, garbage dumps, university labs, test facilities, underground tunnels, shooting ranges, kitchens, hardware stores, salvage yards and elsewhere to unearth solutions to probing scientific questions.” Read more.

From Richard Ouzounian of the Toronto Star:

• CBC’s Triple Sensation auditioning for Season 2
  Judge Cynthia Dale: “I’m happy because it was a show that had integrity and treated its contestants with respect … and also because it was entertaining to watch and a blast to work on!” Read more.

From a media release:

Triple Sensation’s Executive Producer and Show Creator Garth Drabinsky today announced national open call auditions for the ground-breaking performing arts television series.

The popular CBC series, hailed as “the talent equivalent of a perfect storm… remarkable,” by Liz Nicholls in the Edmonton Journal, showcases a national search for young Canadians aged 16-26 who share a passion for the performing arts and whose combined talent in the acting, singing and dance disciplines is formidable.

Pre-registration for Open Call auditions begins today online at www.triplesensation.ca.

(more…)

Kate Taylor of the Globe and Mail interviews Richard Stursberg:

• CBC’s No. 2 sees kindred spirit in new boss
  “‘If it’s a public broadcaster and it’s paid for by all the taxpayers, then it has got to make an offer that is the broadest possible offer,’ Richard Stursberg, vice-president of CBC-TV, said in a recent interview reviewing the current television season and defending the network’s still unproven scheme to boost ratings with populist formulas. ‘It’s not a service that is built for elites.’” Read more.

From CBC:

• Ont. high school student named Canada’s Triple Sensation
  “John-Michael Scapin, a 17-year-old high school student from Newmarket, Ont., has been chosen winner in the CBC reality TV program Triple Sensation.” Read more.

Photo of John-Michael Scapin courtesy CBC, by Michael Cooper.

From the Canadian Press:

• Tube cruisin’
  “It’s episode 3 of the critical darling Triple Sensation tonight as the 10 finalists perform a Shakespearean scene, sing two songs each and partake in an ensemble dance performance. But only six people will move on to the next round. (CBC)” Read more.

Etan Vlessing of the Hollywood Reporter:

• CBC plagued by sluggish ratings
  “Sluggish ratings continue to dog Canada’s public broadcaster as it walks a fine line between popularizing its program lineup without abandoning its mandate as a pubcaster.” Read more.

From Jim Bawden of the Toronto Star:

• Hot Box: TV to talk about
  “The new Global comedy `da Kink In My Hair debuted at 7:30 p.m. with 341,000 viewers compared to CTV’s American success, Law & Order: Criminal Intent (at 7 p.m.), which had 1.39 million viewers. At 8 p.m., CBC’s Triple Sensation went up to 341,000 viewers, compared with CTV’s Cold Case with 1.77 million.” Read more.

Tim Arsenault of the Halifax Chronicle Herald lists the week’s offerings, including several Canadian shows (and a couple of Canadian premieres):

• Remote Control
  “Triple Sensation, 8 p.m., CBC. The genuine talent on display in this contest will be staggering to devotees of the more-established reality series. The dozen finalists begin their month-long master class session in the second of three episodes.” Read more.