TV, eh? | What's up in Canadian television
TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
Featured, Industry News

OUTtv renews The Dressing Room  for Season 2 with guest stars Eric McCormack & Andrea Bang

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From a media release:

PM Productions Inc. announced today that The Dressing Room’s second season will debut on August 4, 2026, with additional cast and directing talent. Notable guest stars for season two include Eric McCormack (Will & Grace), Andrea Bang (Kim’s Convenience), Canadian musician and frontman of Marianas Trench, Josh Ramsay and a cameo from Laura Bell Bundy, who played the original ‘Elle’ in Broadway’s “Legally Blonde”. Award-winning actor/directors Nat Boltt (Riverdale) and Milo Shandel (Mr. Young) are new directors this season. The series, which just took home numerous awards at the Leo Awards, was created by Vancouver theatre artists Paul Almeida and Makayla Moore. Audiences can watch the first two episodes of the series starting August 4th with episodes releasing weekly on OUTtv around the globe and on OUTflix in the UK and Ireland. 

The Dressing Room is a workplace comedy that follows a fictional touring musical called ‘Balloon Boy.’ We watch as the cast & crew try to keep the show alive every night with backstage meltdowns, romantic entanglements, and Broadway-sized ambitions. The series offers a hilarious and heartfelt look at the people who dedicate their lives to the stage, drawing inspiration from real experiences within Canada’s theatre community; as a love letter to the performers, stage managers, musicians, technicians and creatives who keep the show going. Returning cast includes Irene Karas Loeper (The L Word), Jason Sakaki (The Audacity, Lucky Hank), Jeffrey Follis (Starwalker), and Alex Gullason (Schmigadoon!).

“With Season 2, we wanted to build on everything audiences loved about the first season while making the show feel more accessible to an even wider audience. Although The Dressing Room is set in the theatre, it’s really about people, and we wanted to place our characters in wilder and wackier situations to see how they’d scramble their way out. Being backstage gives us permission to turn the personalities, relationships, and comedy up to eleven,” says co-creator Paul Almeida. “This season is where we found our stride. Shooting the entire season over ten consecutive days allowed our cast and crew to fully immerse themselves in the world we created, and you can feel that chemistry on screen. We were also thrilled to welcome so many incredible new collaborators this season, both in front of and behind the camera,” continues co-creator Makayla Moore. 

The Dressing Room was created and executive produced by Paul Almeida (Three Wisest Men) and Makayla Moore (Off Campus); directed by multiple directors, including: Nat Boltt (Holy Days, Riverdale), Jennifer Copping (The Masks We Wear), Milo Shandel (Mr. Young), Josh Epstein (Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions), and Paul Almeida (Scenes from an Italian Marriage). The series is written by Paul Almeida, Kelli Ogmundson, and Josh Epstein, with cinematography by Saarthak Taneja (Foreigner). Other guest performers this season include Katie Findlay (How to Get Away with Murder), Eduard Witzke (The Predator) and Jacqueline and Joyce Robbins (A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Wicker Man).

Filmed entirely in Vancouver, BC, The Dressing Room season 2 was made possible with the support of the entire theatre community, most especially the Vancouver Opera.

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Allegiance, Featured

Production underway in British Columbia on Season 4 of Allegiance

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From a media release:

CBC and Lark Productions today announced that Season 4 of the international hit ALLEGIANCE (10×60) is currently shooting in-studio and on-location throughout BC’s Lower Mainland. This follows the series’ recent award for Best Dramatic Series at the 2026 LEO Awards.

“With compelling new storylines and fresh character dynamics we have much more to cover in season 4 and beyond which is a testament to our writers and the characters our cast expertly brings to life”, said Erin Haskett, President, Lark Productions.

Season 4 opens with a major victory—ACOC is finally gone. The takedown is complete, the dust is settling, and a new chapter begins. But peace doesn’t last long. This season, Sabrina Sohal (Supinder Wraich) fights harder than ever to protect her community from an ongoing crisis, but it pushes her to the edge—professionally, personally and emotionally. Every battle forces her to confront the limits of her own perspective, especially when her family becomes involved. 

Returning cast members include Supinder Wraich, Enrico Colantoni, Stephen Lobo, Adolyn H. Dar, Samer Salem, David Cubitt, Melanie Papalia and Carmen Moore. Adding to ALLEGIANCE’s growing list of accolades, Salem was awarded the 2026 LEO for Best Supporting Performance – Dramatic Series for his portrayal of Zak Kalaini. 

Nikolijne Troubetzkoy (Sight Unseen, Killjoys) joins Penny Gummerson (Cardinal, Trickster) to serve as co-showrunners for ALLEGIANCE Season 4.

A CBC Original series, Allegiance is produced by Lark Productions in association with Universal Global Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution manage global sales. Penny Gummerson, Nikolijne Troubetzkoy, and series creator Anar Ali serve as Executive Producers alongside Lark Productions’ Erin Haskett, Nicole Mendes, David Valleau and Tex Antonucci.

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Anna Pigeon, Featured

Gripping new Crave original, Anna Pigeon premieres August 7 on Crave

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From a media release:

Crave’s suspenseful new crime drama, ANNA PIGEON, debuts in Canada August 7. Filmed in Calgary and starring Canadian actress Tracy Spiridakos (CHICAGO P.D.), the 10-episode hour-long Crave originals series airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on USA Network, and streams on Crave.


From director Lea Thompson (Back to the Future) and Canadian showrunner Morwyn Brebner (SAVING HOPE), and based on the New York Times best-selling Anna Pigeon mystery series by Nevada Barr, the mystery series follows Anna Pigeon (Spiridakos), a former urbanite who became a park ranger after a devastating loss changed the trajectory of her life forever. While Anna tries to outrun her demons, her focus turns to solving crimes that have taken place within national park grounds, no matter who or what gets in her way.


The series also stars Ronnie Rowe (STAR TREK: DISCOVERY) as Frederick Stanton, an FBI agent and charismatic wanderer who chases crimes through national parks and keeps his cool, except when it comes to Anna; and Paulina Alexis (RESERVATION DOGS) as Zoey Bear Child, a young ranger coming into her own who looks to Anna as a mentor.  Melanie Scrofano (WYNONNA EARP) joins the series as Bethany Lopez, the wife of park ranger Manny Lopez (Manuel Rodriguez-Saenz, BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE), who is working to find her place within the ranger community. Additional cast members include Tricia Helfer (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA), Kim Coates (SONS OF ANARCHY), Cooper Levy (OVERCOMPENSATING), Jordan Sledz (HEARTLAND), Ryan Northcott (TRIBAL), Crystle Lightning (THREE PINES), and Nikki Hallow (HIGH SCHOOL).


ANNA PIGEON is produced by Cineflix, December Films, and SEVEN24 Films for USA Network in association with Bell Media. Morwyn Brebner serves as showrunner, with Lea Thompson directing. Brebner and Thompson executive produce alongside Todd Berger, Brett Burlock, Sonia Hosko, Julie Di Cresce, Peter Emerson, Gordon Gilbertson, Tom Cox, and Jordy Randall. Leslie Cowan serves as producer. 

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Featured, Underdog Inc.

Little Person Dale Kristensen tackles new jobs, adventures and makes new friends as AMI’s Underdog Inc. returns June 26 on AMI-tv and AMI+

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From a media release:

After a first season that saw docuseries Underdog Inc. become the No. 1 most-watched program ever on AMI-tv and AMI+, AMI—in partnership with Big Time Decent Productions (Rust Valley Restorers)—is thrilled to announce the Season 2 return on Friday, June 26, at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv and AMI+.

Navigating the brutal terrain and unforgiving weather of the Western Canadian mountains, star Dale Kristensen—who is a Little Person—battles blizzards, breakdowns and backbreaking labour to prove skill and determination matter more than size. From wrangling livestock on his dad’s farm, to high-risk deliveries and near impossible backroad recoveries, Dale proves that no job is too big or too small. 

In Season 2, Dale is undergoing major back surgery to alleviate the increased pain he faces every step, every breath, every day. With physical limitations forcing Dale to step back from the front lines, the season shifts its focus to the emotional and logistical realities of recovery: relearning how to lead, how to ask for help from his family and friends and how to show strength without doing it all alone.

Season 2 is about more than business; it’s about rebuilding lives. Gritty, honest and full of heart, Underdog Inc. champions the people Canada too often overlooks: those who fall, get up and figure it out together.

“Season 2 of Underdog Inc. raises the stakes in every way, with Dale Kristensen returning from major back surgery and proving once again that resilience is at the heart of this series,” says Executive Producer Matthew Shewchuk. “With AMI’s trust and support—and after driving record viewership with over 200,000 in Live +7—Underdog Inc. is being built into a long-running series in the spirit of Rust Valley Restorers, grounded in real stakes, real people and stories that stick.”

“When Underdog Inc. became one of AMI’s most-watched original series in our history, it confirmed what we already knew; that our audience is hungry for stories that are gritty, real and unfiltered,” says Cara Nye, Director, Content Development and Production at AMI. “Dale, Gripp, Mike and the whole crew don’t just represent disability, they’re telling a story that hasn’t been told before. Season 2 goes deeper and the stakes are higher. AMI is proud to be the home of Underdog Inc.”

Dale Kristensen

Dale Kristensen is a trucker, heavy equipment operator, mechanic and salvage hand based in Barrière, B.C. Three months after major back surgery linked to complications from achondroplasia, Dale is determined to get off pain medication, get a clear head and start working again. Driven, stubborn and resourceful, Dale is trying to rebuild his business and confidence while showing his son, Cooper, what resilience looks like.

Cooper

Cooper is Dale’s nine-year-old son and constant sidekick. He rides along on jobs, helps in the yard, learns strap tricks from Mike Hall and pitches in when Dale starts fixing trucks at home. Whether he is bringing Dale a morning coffee, reacting to a new machine or heading to his first hockey game with the family, Cooper is woven into Dale’s work and life.

Caden

Caden is a friend of Dale’s from Vancouver Island who re-enters his orbit just as business starts to pick up. A fellow Little Person, he previously teamed up with Dale on a backroads recovery and underwent the same spinal fusion surgery a few years earlier, giving them an instant connection and mutual respect. Dale takes Caden under his wing during a month-long stay in Barrière during his semester off from university, showing him the ropes of backroad recoveries.

Mike Hall

Mike Hall is Dale’s longtime friend and a seasoned restoration expert with a yard full of vintage vehicles. Blunt, funny, and practical, he’s as quick to help Dale land a deal as he is to call out mistakes during a tough tow. Mike plays a key role in getting Dale back on track, helping him reclaim his F550 hotshot truck, driving him to Pemberton, B.C., to check out a new tow rig and fabricating a custom bumper when needed.

Gripp

Gripp is one of Dale’s key guys on the road. Born missing seven fingers, he’s undergone more than 80 corrective surgeries and spent much of his early life in hospitals, an experience that’s given him a deep understanding of pain, recovery and adaptation. He brings that resilience to every job, from hauling a stranded tent trailer out of the mountains to helping restoration expert Mike Hall transport vintage vehicles over punishing logging roads.

Want to learn even more about Dale and the stars of Underdog Inc.? Check out exclusive content on AMI’s YouTube channel.

Underdog Inc. airs Fridays at 9 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv. Stream Season 1 anytime, for free, on AMI+.

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Cats in the Plateau, Featured

Crave announces casting for Jared Keeso upcoming comedy series, Cats in the Plateau

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From a media release:

Crave announced today casting for its latest project with Jared Keeso, CATS IN THE PLATEAU, a dark comedy about two Montréal garbage men who start a gang. The series was recently announced as part of Bell Media’s upcoming original content slate for 2026-2027.

Created, written, starring, and for the first time directed by Jared Keeso (LETTERKENNY, SHORESY), production on the six-episode, half-hour, series is underway in Montréal, QC and it’s set to premiere on Crave in 2027.

Keeso is joined onscreen by an ensemble cast including Alexander Calvert  (SUPERNATURAL), Robert Bazzocchi (RIPPLE), Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse (Crave Original BON COP, BAD COP), Brian Gazemar (MEA CULPA), and social media star Lysandre Nadeau (Crave Original LYSANDRE + CLAUDE; BIG BROTHER CÉLÉBRITÉS 1 )

CATS IN THE PLATEAU is about two Montréal garbage men (Calvert and Bazzocchi), tired of living at the bottom of the social and financial food chain, as they attempt to catapult themselves to the top by starting a gang.

The series is distributed internationally by New Metric Media.

The new series from Jared Keeso is produced by New Metric Media, in association with Play Fun Games. Jared Keeso is Executive Producer, director, writer, star, and creator, with story by Keeso and Producer Jason Kitts. Jonathan “JoDolo” Diaby and Aurèle Gaudet serve as Producers. Montreal’s most famous garbage man and author of the spirited memoir “Trash: A Garbageman’s Story”, Simon Paré-Poupart, serves as Creative Consultant. Mark Montefiore and Kara Haflidson are Executive Producers with Max Wolfond serving as Supervising Producer for New Metric Media.

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