Tag Archives: InnerSpace

Teddy Wilson climbs aboard Season 2 of Mighty Trains

You can’t fake enthusiasm. And Teddy Wilson oozes it when he’s talking about Season 2 of Mighty Trains.

Returning this Sunday at 7 p.m ET/4 p.m. PT on Discovery, the world traveller and unabashed train fan once again rides the rails spotlighting the machinery, people who keep them running and those who climb aboard to enjoy them around the world. The journey begins on a train I’ve had on my bucket list for years: the Rocky Mountaineer. This luxury line boasts 16-cylinder locomotives that winds the train through spectacular mountains on the way from Vancouver to Banff or Jasper, Alberta.

“Whether you’re a hardcore train fan or even just a travel fan or a Canadian you’re already familiar with the Rocky Mountaineer,” Wilson says. “It is a train that’s famous the world over. There is the incredible scenery, but the train itself is kind of a feat of engineering and design with these incredible double-decker cars that have panoramic windows and state-of-the-art tinting technology. It’s just awe-inspiring.”

The Rocky Mountaineer

I’d be happy if the Mighty Trains folks just pointed their cameras out the windows to show the scenery this and other trains offer, but they go the extra mile, not only pulling back the curtain on the logistics and tech required to keep the trains rolling but the people who ride and work on them too. It adds a personal feel to each one-hour episode. In particular, Wilson explores how the railway track the Rocky Mountaineer rides on was laid in the area over 100 years ago and the way modern technology and science is being used to ensure animals don’t stray onto the tracks when it or freight trains are on them.

Mighty Trains leaves Canada in the coming weeks. Among the locations is Ecuador to experience the Tren Crucero, a train that takes passengers on a four-day excursion using switchback technology to climb from the coast into the Andes mountains; Sweden to spotlight Hector Rail’s lumber train; two trains in New Zealand in the Northern Explorer and the TranzAlpine; and India’s Maharajas’ Express, voted “The World’s Leading Luxury Train” three years in a row, which traces an eight-day route from Delhi to Mumbai. How did it rank on Wilson’s list?

“It wasn’t just a highlight for me in terms of Mighty Trains but, honestly, a life highlight,” Wilson says. “Getting to go to India and ride this luxurious train. They offer all of these off-train excursions that we go on as well. That was incredible.”

And, there are more Mighty Trains on the way. A third season is currently in production.

“We’re three episodes [into production] so far and have covered three very different corners of the world,” he teases. “It’s taking us all over.”

Mighty Trains airs Sundays at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Discovery.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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Mighty Trains returns for a worldwide journey aboard the world’s most famous railways, Oct. 14

From a media release:

This fall, Discovery invites viewers to climb aboard powerful locomotives barreling across awe-inspiring landscapes, as the network’s original Canadian series MIGHTY TRAINS returns with an all-new picturesque season, airing Sundays at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT beginning Oct. 14 on Discovery and the Discovery GO app. The second season of MIGHTY TRAINS highlights the network’s nationwide free preview, available Oct. 4 – Nov. 1 through TV service providers across Canada.

Each one-hour episode of MIGHTY TRAINS is a journey into the fascinating world of rail travel, as host Teddy Wilson tells the stories of six exceptional trains and their scenic locomotive routes through Canada, Ecuador, India, New Zealand, Sweden, and Spain. Wilson follows the inner workings of these unique rail journeys with immersive and in-depth accounts from train drivers, load-masters, head chefs, track inspectors, rail traffic control officers, and passengers.

Discovery also announced today that production is underway on a third season of MIGHTY TRAINS.

Discovery’s free preview is available for four weeks – Oct. 4 to Nov. 1 – through television service providers across Canada, including Bell, Bell Aliant, Rogers, Telus, Shaw, Shaw Direct, Eastlink, Cogeco, Videotron, BellMTS, SaskTel, and others.

Episode highlights from Season 2 of MIGHTY TRAINS Include:

Rocky Mountaineer
Sunday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Rocky Mountaineer takes viewers on a scenic journey across Western Canada and over the Rocky Mountains from Vancouver to Banff. This spectacular journey through British Columbia and Alberta gives passengers breathtaking views of some of the country’s most stunning landscapes, from glittering oceans to untamed wilderness.

Also, as the only passenger train on a railroad line packed with enormous, fast-moving freight trains, Rocky Mountaineer’s 16-cylinder locomotive uses its 3,000 horsepower to pull the train up the steep grades of the Rocky Mountains. So far, Rocky Mountaineer has travelled more than eight million kilometres – that’s more than 15 times around the world!

Tren Crucero
Sunday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Tren Crucero takes passengers on a four-day trek from the southern coastal plains of Ecuador into the Northern Andes Mountains. Along the way, passengers take in the beautiful landscapes and enjoy daily excursions exploring Ecuadorian culture. It all begins in Eloy Alfaro, the capital of Duran, in the province of Guayas, aboard a restored, hundred-year-old steam locomotive. The train climbs into the clouds en route to its final destination of Quito, one of the highest capital cities in the world, 2,850 metres above sea level.

The 240-ton Tren Crucero follows a narrow-gauge line, traversing the Guayas River, traveling across rice fields and through plantations of bananas and sugar cane. The train traverses deep tropical jungles, stretches of mountains, dry forests, and the banks of the Chanchán River, hugging the Andes.

Maharajas’ Express
Sunday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Voted “The World’s Leading Luxury Train” in 2012, 2013, and 2014, the Maharajas’ Express is made up of 23 carriages, including 14 sleeper carriages (each named after precious stones) for up to 88 guests, as well as dining cars, bars, lounges, generators, and a presidential suite that extends across an entire carriage. The train is outfitted with hydraulic brakes, a unique ballooning system to cushion the ride, and an onboard water filtration plant. Passengers are greeted with a red carpet, and attended to by private butlers and an around-the-clock concierge service.

Running through the night, the crew works tirelessly to ensure the entire experience is seamless. The Maharajas’ Express is not only the most luxurious train in India, it is also one of the longest (one kilometre from end-to-end), making it all the more demanding for the staff on board to keep up.

Subscribers can access live streaming of MIGHTY TRAINS through the Discovery GO app, and stream Season 1 on demand on the Discovery GO app and Discovery.ca.

MIGHTY TRAINS is produced by Exploration Production Inc. (EPI) in association with Discovery Canada. Series Producer is Joey Case. Bruce Glawson is Executive Producer. Kelly McKeown is Director of Production. Nanci MacLean is Vice-President, Bell Media Studios and President Pinewood Studios.

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Comments and queries for the week of June 29

I grew up loving What Will They Think of Next? Then along came Daily Planet and I looked forward to is so much so it was the only show I had set on the PVR. I thought we were on a summer break or something but I decided to see when it was coming back. Just found out it was canceled. I’m very sad today. It was such an adventure and it was real! Please bring it back. —Carl 

Very disappointed, the only show on television I watched on a regular basis. Poor Bell Media can’t support the only informative series on television. It must be a struggle trying to survive on millions of dollars a day profit. When is the CRTC going to put these guys in check? In Canada we pay more for these services than anyone else on earth. When I pay a good portion of my hard earned money I expect to get something useful in return. —Paul


Just found out about [InnerSpace‘s] cancellation. Sad news indeed. InnerSpace was probably one of my favourite shows to watch after my work day and get caught up on news that are of interest to my geeky heart. While I can empathize with some of the opinions stated above that it was perhaps too focused on Ontario and could have benefited from sourcing stories from across Canada, it still is a slap in the face to crew at InnerSpace and all its dedicated fans both within Canada and abroad to be treated in such a manner. I guess the further dumbing-down and all so essential Bell promotions run ad nauseam are more important. It was an original show, as was Discovery and now with both gone the Space Channel no longer has anything I wish to watch any further. I was going to be revising my channels anyways with with my provider, so this will be an easy decision to make. I have never supported Bell and now, with this lame excuse of a decision, I can safely say I never will. —Cory


I only wish that CBC had not cancelled The Goods. It was an entertaining show. I used to record it every day. —Joanne

 

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg.david@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

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Comments and queries for the week of June 1

InnerSpace was the only reason I had Space Channel at all. My kids and I used to turn on the TV just for this show. I’m gutted. It was the highlight of my day. And no, that is not a commentary on the quality of my days. —The Zleaguer

Well, I hate to see InnerSpace go. It’s been a part of my weekdays for ages now. Still, though, the writing’s been on the wall for quite a while. The budget cuts were obvious. I just wish Bell had shown a little more class. Would it have killed them to finish out the week and give the show a chance to say goodbye? —DMK

This is terrible, a real lack of knowing what the people enjoy watching in both cases Daily Planet and InnerSpace. It really shows the I.Q. of the people who made their mind up to cancel these two programs. —Jim

No kidding! The same thing with Daily Planet over on Discovery Channel. Both shows were simply cut off immediately. No respect for either the people working on the show or those of us who enjoyed watching them for all the years they were on. I have little interest in most of the reruns they now show on Space. At least change it up now and then and give us something different like Battlestar Galactica or maybe some Babylon 5. But no, it’s Star Trek over and over and over and over and over … with the occasional Andromeda tossed in, a series that only had one decent season and the never-ending recycling of Stargate. —Robert

Very sad! It’s the only talk show I watch. Keeps me up to date and in the know. I’m really going to miss seeing Teddy, AJ and Morgan every day – they are very entertaining. —Cathy

I dearly hope that they reverse the decision to cancel InnerSpace. I watched it every night like the news … the geek news. How will we find out all those things important to us in the geek community? Secondly, it now puts a good number of people on the unemployment line. I understand bottom lines but this is a hard pill to swallow. I wish everyone at InnerSpace good luck in their futures. Yet another reason why I’m not a Bell fan. —Darren

 

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg.david@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

 

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InnerSpace cancelled at Space

The in-house house cleaning at Bell Media, sadly, continues. It was announced Thursday afternoon that InnerSpace has not been renewed on Space.

“After 9 phenomenal seasons, last night was InnerSpace‘s final episode,” Space Channel tweeted on Thursday. “Due to increasing production costs and declining revenue, we can no longer continue production. Thank you to our hosts, crew, and incredible fans for all of the unforgettable adventures. LLAP.”

InnerSpace co-hosts Teddy Wilson and Ajay Fry took to Twitter to address the show’s viewers.

Hosted by Wilson, Fry and Morgan Hoffman, InnerSpace has been the go-to Canadian TV series for all of your sci-fi and fantasy news, television and movie reviews and exclusive interviews and set visits.

Nominated for a 2015 Canadian Screen Award for Best Host in a Variety, Lifestyle, Reality/Competition or Talk Program or Series, InnerSpace was, as described by Bell Media, “a daily entertainment talk show that covers film, television, video games, technology, comic books, gadgets and more. Hosted by Ajay Fry, Morgan Hoffman and Teddy Wilson, InnerSpace takes its audience behind the velvet rope by giving them VIP access to the people, places, and things inside the genre they’ve grown to love.”

The news comes a day after Bell Media announced it would not be renewing Daily Planet and on the heels of CBC cancelling its daily talk show, The Goods, after two seasons. Are the Canadian networks pulling the plug on all in-house production? It sure seems that way.

 

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