TV, eh?

From a media release:

THE CTV FALL 2009 PRIME-TIME SCHEDULE

All times ET. New programs are bold IN ALL CAPS.

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From a media release:

Brent Butt, Sofia Milos, ARRI, Blueprint Entertainment, Michael Foster, ABC Studios receive awards at Alberta Film Annual Lunch Awards

A special luncheon honouring award winners hosted by actor Colin Mochrie was held today at the 29th edition of the Banff World Television Festival, which takes place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada, June 8 – 11, 2008.

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From a media release:

BLUEPRINT ENTERTAINMENT Wins Lionsgate/Maple Pictures Innovative Producer Award at Banff World Television Festival

The Banff World Television Festival announced today that television production company BLUEPRINT ENTERTAINMENT is the recipient of this year’s Lionsgate/Maple Pictures Innovative Producer Award at the 29th edition of the Banff World Television Festival, which takes place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada, June 8 – 11, 2008. The award recognizes the entrepreneurial excellence and achievements of an independent producer within the Canadian television industry.

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From Marise Strauss in Media in Canada:

• Whistler ends its downhill run
  “The second season of Whistler has turned out to be its last. CTV has cancelled the prime-time soap, the future of which had been up in the air since its sophomore run ended on Dec. 15.” Read more.

From Suzanne Fournier of the Vancouver Province:

• Ross Rebagliati wins settlement from CTV for TV series
  “Olympic snowboarding gold medalist Ross Rebagliati has won a financial settlement from CTV for “defaming” him by creating a blonde, blue-eyed snowboarding party animal as a key character in its Whistler TV series.” Read more.

From a media release:

All nominees for the 10th Anniversary Leo Awards were announced today. In addition to the earlier announcement of select program categories included in the Leo Awards Film Festival, the list of nominees for the Leo Awards 2008 is now complete and can be viewed online at http://leoawards.com/nominees_2008.html.

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Alex Strachan of CanWest News Service lists the best of TV, including Intelligence, Corner Gas, and Robson Arms:

• Cheer up, television has never been better
  “Good grief. So that was the TV year that was. A writers strike. Catfights, celebrity spats and family feuds — and that was just The View. Here’s a look back, through the prism of the stages of grief, as defined by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, author of On Death and Dying.” Read more.

Joel Rubinoff of the Waterloo Record isn’t as optimistic about the state of TV, and gives Falcon Beach and Whistler the dubious distinction of being among the worst of 2007, while Degrassi is one of his best:

• TV’s Year of Living Dangerously
  “Degrassi: The Next Generation (CTV): The greatest teen show on the planet rediscovers its mojo with a same sex romance between control freak Paige and teen rebel Alexa. The year’s most compelling — and bittersweet — love story.” Read more.

Rob Salem of the Toronto Star includes Little Mosque on the Prairie in his best of 2007:

• We’re crazy about TV’s Mad Men
  “A provocative premise, a terrific cast … and, however unlikely and unprecedented, a large and loyal Canadian audience. (Runners-up: Durham County, Across the River to Motor City.)” Read more.

The Globe and Mail names Zarqa Nawaz of Little Mosque on the Prairie one of their people of the year:

• Arts Person of the year runners-up
  “The public broadcaster gambled that Little Mosque would be the breakout hit it so desperately needed. Turns out, it placed the right bet. In its first season, roughly 1 million viewers tuned in weekly. This season, the average was 785,000 — a respectable turnout for a show that managed to lure away two top writing guns from its comedic rival, CTV’s Corner Gas, the most-watched Canadian comedy on TV.” Read more.

Brad Oswald of the Winnipeg Free Press gives some alternatives to American shows as the writers strike drags on:

• Canadian nights in Canada
  “The U.S. writers strike is providing an opportunity to investigate homegrown TV, and you know what? Some of it is really good!” Read more.

Gayle MacDonald of the Globe and Mail adds another article on US networks looking north during the strike, but also the international success of Canadian shows in general:

• Wanted: Cancon, everywhere
  “‘They can’t do reality and reruns forever, and they only have so many movies in the can,’ says Jennings. ‘So they’re looking around. ReGenesis is on the desk of three networks, and I had a call this week from one of the Big Three presidents,’ she adds, referring to the chiefs of NBC, ABC and CBS. ‘Whether it amounts to anything, who knows? These calls may – or may not – have happened regardless of the strike, but let’s just say it pushes [available Canadian programming] up the pile.’” Read more.

From Bruce DeMara of the Toronto Star:

• Writers’ strike may help the CBC
  “‘Who’d have thought that we would have benefited from a strike – someone else’s strike?’ Kirstine Layfield, the CBC’s executive director of network programming, said yesterday at the public broadcaster’s first winter season launch event.” Read more.

From CTV:

Saturday Nov 10 at 9pm ET – Out of Bounds

Quinn, Griff and Travis go on a backcountry boarding trip that leaves Travis injured. Quinn stays behind to take care of Travis while Griff gets help, but as night descends, the temperature plummets and fog socks in the mountain. Though a rescue seems impossible, Ryan refuses to stand idly by and risks his life to try and rescue his nephew. While Quinn struggles to survive, his friends and family can only wait, terrified the mountain will claim another McKaye.

Victoria Ahearn of the Record lists what’s on this week, including Kenny vs. Spenny, The Tudors, Whistler and Da Kink in My Hair:

• Tube Talk

Ngozi Paul as Starr, Richard Fagon as Nigel, Ordena Stephens-Thompson as Novelette, Episode 7. Photo by Ian Watson.

Laura Betker of Sun Media promotes CTV’s Whistler:

• Whistler heats up winter
  “Whistler is Canada’s answer to The O.C. Just as The O.C. made Orange County infamous and desirable, Whistler exposes the town’s appeal for the nation.” Read more.

Jim Bawden of the Toronto Star

• New faces add spunk to Whistler
  “Season Two sees an exodus of the older generation, including Lea, and the addition of five young actors to play up the location’s youthful appeal. So it’s goodbye angst, hello sexy situations.” Read more.

Here’s part two of the Canadian TV fall preview podcast, featuring a writer on writer interview with Intelligence and Da Vinci’s Inquest creator Chris Haddock, plus lively discussion on some new and returning fall shows. The podcast is about 20 minutes long; segment start times are approximate:

1. TV fan and industry insider Caroline from A Place Called Say It, Say It, Say It, writer John Callaghan of Creatively Progressing and I talk about some of the new fall shows – Heartland, Da Kink in My Hair, and The Tudors.

2. (Start time: 4:45) Writer Denis McGrath from Dead Things on Sticks interviews Intelligence and Da Vinci’s Inquest creator Chris Haddock – spoilerphobes beware, as he lets us in on what to expect from season two, starting Monday, Oct. 1 at 9 p.m. on CBC. (See a partial transcript of this interview here.)

3. (Start time: 15:04) Caroline, John, and I are back with not-so-positive thoughts on Whistler and more positive ones on The Best Years and Blood Ties.

Check premiere dates and times on the schedule page. The theme music is from “Quarter to Eight,” a podcast safe track by Sweet Japonic.

Subscribe via the iTunes store or with any other program via the TV, Eh? feed, or listen below.

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Heather Sawers from the Halifax Daily News interviews Diego Klattenhoff:

• Searching for his big break
  “New Glasgow actor Diego Klattenhoff has a regular role in Whistler.” Read more.

From a CTV media release:

CTV Hits the Slopes of Whistler For a Second Season of White-Hot Drama, Sept. 29 on CTV

• Recently nominated for three Gemini Awards including Best Dramatic Series
• Five hot new actors join the Whistler cast
• Whistler soundtrack features a rockin’ roster of Canadian artists
  including Jets Overhead and Yoko Casionos
• New episodes and Whistler extras available on demand
  on The CTV Broadband Network at CTV.ca

Get ready to rip it up and catch some air! Fresh off its Gemini nomination for Best Dramatic Series, CTV hits the half-pipe for a second run of its sizzling original production Whistler, premiering Saturday, September 29 at 9 p.m. ET on CTV (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times). With fresh moguls to battle and avalanches to avoid, the action-packed drama rides through the passions and personal politics found in the world famous resort town for which the series is named.

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From the Whistler Question:

• Second season of ‘Whistler’ set for premiere
  “Love it or loathe it, the CTV drama series Whistler returns for a second season this weekend — and this time around the show is sporting a whole new Whistler personality that promises to bring it closer to the real thing.” Read more.

Jim Bawden of the Toronto Star makes the case for more Canadian drama series:

• Proudly Canadian. More, please!
  “What Canadian TV doesn’t have, and never did have, is a plethora of smartly scripted hour-long dramas.” 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.