TV, eh? | What's up in Canadian television | Page 9
TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
Featured, Push, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Push Season 2 to premiere on CBC and CBC Gem

From a media release:

Produced by Fenix Film & Television and Small Army Entertainment in association with CBC and Accessible Media Inc. (AMI), PUSH Season 2 will premiere on Sunday, January 14th at 7:30 PM on CBC and the free-streaming service CBC Gem. PUSH Season 2 features eight, 30-minute episodes.

The ground-breaking CBC original docu-series, PUSH, is back for a second season. Pulling back the veil on life as a wheelchair user, PUSH once again takes audiences into the inner world of the ‘Wheelie Peeps’, an unlikely group of friends bonded by their shared experience of life on wheels. Season 2 features returning favourites including the group’s fearless and unfiltered leader, Bean Gill; Canada’s favourite potty-mouthed and self-proclaimed redneck, Brian McPherson; concert pianist, entrepreneur and adventure-seeker, Riccardo Baldini; and more! Nothing is off the table as this bold group of friends tackle everything life throws their way. From the logistics and stigmas of sex with a fellow wheelchair user, to navigating new motherhood as a “quad mom”, to facing the people and places who knew them pre-injury, Season 2 has The Peeps confronting their past, facing their demons and supporting new members of the group through the early days of wheelchair life.

Benveet “Bean” Gill is the “mother hen” and unofficial ringleader of the Wheelie Peeps. Bean shares, “After I was paralyzed, I made it my mission to go find my homies, my fellow friends in wheelchairs. After a while, there was a big group of us and we called ourselves the Wheelie Peeps. I believe in having a strong support system around you, and I’m grateful to have one. I went through so many dark days alone and after seeing the power of community, I vowed to never let anyone have a dark day alone again. The Wheelie Peeps have lifted each other up. We help each other when equipment breaks. We laugh with each other, and we have cried many tears together. We learn so much from each other.”

PUSH Season 2 premieres on Sunday, January 14th at 7:30 PM on CBC and the free-streaming service CBC Gem. AMI-tv will additionally air PUSH Season 1 on Monday, January 15th, and Season 2 on Monday, March 18th.

Shot from May to October 2023 in Edmonton, Alberta, Fano, Italy, and Salt Lake City Utah, PUSH Season 2 is executive produced by Sean De Vries and Kaitlan Stewart and produced by Kaitlan Stewart with Benveet “Bean” Gill acting as consulting producer. Dylan Wertz is series showrunner, Frederick Kroetsch and Rebecca Campbell are at the helm as directors and Daniel Ennett as story producer and co-director. 

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

HGTV Canada and MEM greenlight Renovation Resort for Season 2

From a media release:

HGTV Canada and MEM announce today the Season 2 greenlight of Renovation Resort. Following the success of Season 1 as the #1 Canadian original series on Specialty in Spring 2023*, the new season will feature four all-new renovation and design duos competing to create the ultimate vacation rental. Season 2 of Renovation Resort will air on HGTV Canada and be available to stream live and on-demand on STACKTV.

HGTV Canada’s Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler return as co-hosts and judges in the eight-episode season distributed by Corus Studios. Scott and Bryan will decide which team takes home the title of Renovation Resort Champion and a game-changing prize of $100,000.

Casting is currently underway for four new pairs of renovation pros to compete in a battle to transform empty shells into one-of-a-kind vacation properties. The pairs will be put to the test, each renovating and redesigning one of the resort’s four cabins; as well as creating unique, multi-season outdoor backyard spaces. Interested applicants can apply here.

Viewers can also watch Scott McGillivray this Spring in Season 5 of Scott’s Vacation House Rules, where he and design partner Debra Salmoni show homeowners how to transform their vacation properties into profitable pieces of paradise. Production on Season 6 of the Corus Studios series is currently underway by MEM and is expected to premiere in 2025.

Renovation Resort and Scott’s Vacation House Rules are produced by MEM, Scott McGillivray is CEO, Angela Jennings is President, Nanci MacLean is COO, and Kelly Wray is Executive Producer.

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Bad Blood, Featured, Private Eyes, Wild Cards

Preview: CBC’s Wild Cards is a primetime delight

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Watching the first episode of Wild Cards, I was immediately reminded of Private Eyes. Criminally cancelled too soon, the Jason Priestley/Cindy Sampson series had the same spunk and heart Wild Cards has. Turns out that makes sense, as many of the behind-the-scenes folks involved worked on Private Eyes too.

Debuting Wednesday at 8 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem, Wild Cards is charming, light and full of fun. Created by Michael Konyves (Bad Blood) Wild Cards features demoted big-city detective Cole Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti, Murdoch Mysteries), who is paired with clever con woman Max Mitchell (Vanessa Morgan, Degrassi, Saving Hope), to solve crimes.

With a whos-who of producers in Private Eyes‘ James Genn, Shawn Piller, Lloyd Segan and writers Alexandra Zarowny, James Thorpe—and Wynonna Earp‘s Noelle Carbone and Coroner‘s Morwyn Brebner—there is plenty to like writing-wise. And the casting and lead cast chemistry is spot-on.

When we first meet Max, she’s plotting to rob a rich woman of her fortune. Caught by the police, Max is hauled into the police station for questioning by Cole, who was called in from harbour duty—the bulk of his days are filled giving tickets to wayward boaters—when the third in a string of high-profile thefts take place. With all hands on deck to solve the crimes, Cole is relegated to handling Max. Overhearing the police chief (Terry Chen) describe the circumstances of the latest heist, Max divulges to Cole what she thinks the thief will do next. She’s right, and the City Commissioner teams the two up. Solve the case, and Cole is back on the beat he wants and Max gets probation. Win-win, right?

While Cole is by the book, Max’s unique set of skills is key to capturing the baddie. I wasn’t even halfway through Wednesday’s pilot, “The Infinity Thief,” and was already enjoying the back-and-forth repartee between Gianniotti and Morgan. Morgan’s Max is sassy and smart, going over the top with clothing, accents and charm to gather intel while Cole tries to keep up.

I won’t ruin the ending of the episode, but the storyline does involve twins, priceless art and one of many appearances by the aforementioned Jason Priestley, who checks in as Max’s dad, George. This new series is wild, and I’m loving it.

Wild Cards airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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Featured, Sight Unseen

CTV original drama Sight Unseen begins with a special series premiere event, January 21

CTV announced today that new CTV Original crime drama SIGHT UNSEEN is set to debut as part of a series premiere event immediately following the NFL Divisional Playoffs, Sunday, Jan. 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. An encore presentation of the series premiere airs Monday, Jan. 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, as the series moves to its regular timeslot of Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT beginning Jan. 22 on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app. Filmed in Vancouver, the first season of SIGHT UNSEEN consists of 10 one-hour episodes.

Created by sisters Karen Troubetzkoy (KILLJOYS, ORPHAN BLACK) and Nikolijne Troubetzkoy (SKYMED, TRANSPLANT), SIGHT UNSEEN stars newcomer Dolly Lewis as homicide detective Tess Avery alongside Agam Darshi (DMZ) as seeing eye-guide Sunny Patel. The series also stars Jarod Joseph (THE 100) as Tess’ oldest friend, Matt Alleyne, and Daniel Gillies (VIRGIN RIVER) in the role of Tess’ long-time detective partner, Jake Campbell.

In the series premiere (airing Sunday, Jan. 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and again Monday, Jan. 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT), top homicide detective Tess Avery (Lewis) quits the job she loves after being diagnosed as clinically blind following an accident in the field that nearly left her partner, Jake Campbell (Gillies), dead. Haunted by the case she left behind, and unwilling to accept her diagnosis, Tess forms an unorthodox partnership with remote seeing eye guide, Sunny Patel (Darshi), to solve the brutal abduction of a young mother Tess is certain is still alive.

SIGHT UNSEEN follows Tess (Lewis) as she balances her recent diagnosis while navigating her investigations through the eyes of Sunny (Darshi), a stranger located 3,000 miles away. Guiding Tess with the support of a micro camera and earpiece, Sunny, an agoraphobic and true crime fanatic who leaves her apartment only through the eyes of her clients, is quickly absorbed by the nature of her newfound partner. However, she is also hiding a violent secret of her own that she hopes to one day solve. Throughout the series, the duo challenge preconceptions about ability, trust, and where to draw the line.

To provide an authentic representation of the sight-impaired community, the production team for SIGHT UNSEEN committed to incorporate equity, diversity, and inclusion principles as a priority both in front of and behind the camera through sight-divergent lead, Dolly Lewis, and the guidance of consultants from the conception to post-production of SIGHT UNSEEN. Further inspired by co-creator Karen Troubetzkoy’s own experiences with ongoing experiences of sight loss, the series brings a fresh take on crime dramas.

SIGHT UNSEEN is produced by Blink49 Studios, a FIFTH SEASON backed company, and Front Street Pictures in association with Sisters Troubetzkoy Productions, CTV, The CW, and the participation of the Canada Media Fund and the Bell Fund.

In addition to directing several episodes, John Fawcett (ORPHAN BLACK) serves as an Executive Producer alongside co-showrunners Karen Troubetzkoy and Nikolijne Troubetzkoy, Blink49’s John Morayniss, Carolyn Newman, and Virginia Rankin, Front Street Pictures’ Charles Cooper and writer Derek Schreyer, as well as Ryan Knighton serving as co-executive producer.

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Featured, Late Bloomer

From Canadian comedy phenom Jasmeet Raina, the all-new Crave original series Late Bloomer debuts January 19

From a media release:

Comedian, storyteller, and content creator Jasmeet Raina makes his anticipated return to the screen with the debut of Crave’s new eight-part original comedy series LATE BLOOMER, premiering Friday, Jan. 19. Created by and starring Raina, LATE BLOOMER follows burgeoning content creator Jasmeet Dutta (Raina) as he tries to balance his ambitions for success with his commitment to his family, community, and culture.

Raina is joined onscreen by an eclectic ensemble cast including newcomers Baljinder Singh Atwal (DES PARDES) and Sandeep Bali as Jasmeet’s parents, Gurdeep and Supinder; alongside Ashley Ganger (GRAND ARMY) as Jasmeet’s sister, Maanvi; Sugenja Sri (THE HANDMAID’S TALE) and Sachin Mahashi as friends, Chippy and Sunny; and Ahamed Weinberg (INSECURE) as cousin Neal.

In the series debut, “NUDES,” Jasmeet’s laptop goes missing, along with his ‘tasteful’ nude self-portraits, and he needs it back before the photos leak and cause chaos. Next up, in “HOW TO BE VIRAL,” Jasmeet tries to network his way into levelling up his career, but a sale on milk stands in his way.

These first two episodes will hit Crave on Friday, Jan.19, followed by two new episodes dropping on subsequent Fridays.

Under the moniker Jus Reign, Raina reached global audiences across social media, including YouTube, and was one of Much Digital Studios’ first content creators in 2015. Raina became known for his deadpan comedic style and commentary on race and pop culture and is part of a group of storytellers who charted the way for increased South Asian representation in mainstream western media.

LATE BLOOMER is produced by Bell Media in association with Pier 21 Films and in association with Cineflix Studios, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, Rogers Cable Network Fund, the Bell Fund, and tax credit assistance from of the Government of Ontario, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, and is distributed internationally by Cineflix Rights. Jasmeet Raina is Executive Producer, Star, and Creator, and Baljinder Dhawan is Executive Producer. Shebli Zarghami is Executive Producer and Showrunner. Laszlo Barna, Nicole Butler, Karen Tsang, and Vanessa Steinmetz serve as Executive Producers for Pier 21 Films. Russell Peters and Clayton Peters are Executive Producers and Robbie David is Producer. Lakna Edirisinghe is Co-Executive Producer. Peter Huang is Consulting Producer and also serves as Director for the series.

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