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TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
Awards, Featured

Banff World Media Festival sets 2026 Rockie Honourees

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From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) today announced its highly anticipated Showrunner Super Panel, alongside its 2026 Rockie Awards Gala Honourees, recognizing outstanding talents whose work has made a significant impact on the global entertainment industry. The prestigious Rockie Awards, including the Program Competition awards, will be hosted by Emmy Award-winning actor, director, writer, and executive producer Allana Harkin (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee) on Tuesday, June 16 at 6:00 PM MT (5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET).

As part of its 2026 programming lineup, BANFF will present its Showrunner Super Panel, bringing together an extraordinary lineup of award-winning and in-demand creators behind some of today’s most talked-about series and films. Representing a true who’s who of contemporary television writing and production, this rare gathering offers an unfiltered look at the creative forces shaping the industry today and where it’s heading next.

The panel will feature:

  • Nick Antosca, award-winning writer, creator, and showrunner whose work spans critically acclaimed series including Channel Zero (SYFY), the Emmy®-winning limited series The Act (Hulu), Brand New Cherry Flavor (Netflix), and A Friend of the Family (Peacock). He also executive produced Chucky, Candy, and Murdaugh: Death in the Family, and is currently showrunner and executive producer of Cape Fear for Apple TV+.
  • R. Scott Gemmill, Emmy®, Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice and Humanitas Award-winning television writer, producer, and showrunner with decades of experience shaping some of television’s most successful dramas including JAG, ER, and NCIS: Los Angeles. He is the creator and showrunner of the Emmy Award-winning hit series The Pitt.
  • Amy B. Harris, an acclaimed writer, producer, and showrunner known for her work on Sex and the City, The Comeback and The Wilds and as the creator of The Carrie Diaries, whose upcoming series Every Year After premieres June 10 on Prime Video.
  • Lee Sung Jin, Golden Globe Award and three-time Emmy® Award winning creator, executive producer, writer and director of the critically acclaimed, multi-award winning Netflix series BEEF. Lee made his directorial debut with Season One’s finale, starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong in Emmy-winning performances. For Season Two, Lee returned to write every episode and direct half the critically praised new season, starring Golden Globe winner Oscar Isaac, three-time Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan, Golden Globe nominee Cailee Spaeny, Golden Globe nominee Charles Melton, Academy Award winner Youn Yun Jung, and Actor Award winner Song Kang Ho. He also served as Executive Producer on Alex Russell’s award-winning film LURKER, which premiered to rave reviews at the Sundance and Berlin International Film Festivals. Next, Lee is writing X-MEN for Marvel, which reunites him with director Jake Schreier. 
  • Glenn Kessler, Emmy®-winning writer, producer, and showrunner who co-created Damages and executive produced Bloodline, currently co-showrunning the Fox series Memory of a Killer alongside Aaron Zelman.
  • Oren Uziel is a renowned writer, director, and producer currently serving as co-showrunner and executive producer of Spider-Noir starring Nicolas Cage. The highly anticipated new series, produced by Sony Pictures Television exclusively for MGM+ and Prime Video, will premiere on May 25 on MGM+’s linear channel and globally May 27 on Prime Video. Oren’s credits also include The Lost City, 22 Jump Street, and The Cloverfield Paradox.
  • Aaron Zelman, Emmy®-nominated writer, producer, and showrunner known for Law & Order, Damages, and Bloodline, currently co-showrunning the Fox series Memory of a Killer alongside Glenn Kessler.

“The Showrunner Super Panel brings together some of the most compelling creative minds working in television today,” said Pam Silverstein, Head of Programming, BANFF. “These are the storytellers behind the shows audiences are watching and talking about around the world. This session offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from them, how they create, lead, and continue to push the boundaries of storytelling in a rapidly evolving industry.”

BANFF is also proud to unveil its 2026 Rockie Awards Gala Honourees:

CANADIAN AWARD OF DISTINCTION: Jason Priestley (Private Eyes West Coast, Wild Cards, 90210)

Presented by the Canada Media Fund (CMF/FMC) and MadeNous, the award is given to a Canadian whose body of work exemplifies outstanding achievement in the entertainment industry. Past honourees include:  Stephan James, Simu Liu, Eric McCormack, Kim Cattrall, Sheila Hockin and Jean-Marc Vallée.

CREATIVE VOICE AWARD: Mae Martin (Wayward)

The creative voice award is bestowed on an executive or creative talent that has created outstanding work that breaks through, inspiring and connecting global audiences. Past honourees include Renée Elise Goldsberry, Rose Matafeo and Jennifer Podemski.

SIR PETER USTINOV COMEDY AWARD: Ken Jeong (Community)

The award recognizes a creative talent who has made an outstanding comedic contribution to the media industry. Past honourees include: Tom Green, Kenan Thompson, Sean Hayes, John Cleese, Tracey Ullman, Bob Newhart, Tantoo Cardinal, John Candy, Bill Hader, Ana Gasteyer and Craig T. Robinson.

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon, Dances with Wolves)

The Career Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose extraordinary work has made a significant impact on the screen-based industries. Past honourees include: Alanis Obomsawin, Dan Rather, Christine Baranski, Larry King, Ed Asner, William Shatner, James Burrows and David Attenborough.

COUNTRY OF HONOUR: Spain

This distinguished recognition highlights Spain’s global influence on the entertainment industry and its trailblazing producers, media companies, and content creators.

“The Rockie Awards Honourees represent the very best of creative excellence and global impact in our industry,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director, BANFF. “From iconic performances to bold, original storytelling, Tantoo, Jason, Mae, and Ken have each shaped the cultural conversation in meaningful ways.”

The Banff World Media Festival and Rockie Awards remain a premier gathering for the global media industry, offering more than 1,200 networking sessions and over 25,000 meetings connecting creators, producers, studios, streamers, brands, and decision-makers. BANFF 2026 will once again serve as a key destination for deal-making, thought leadership, and forward-looking conversations shaping the future of the industry.

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Featured, Son of a Critch

Son of a Critch gets ready to graduate as cameras roll on the final season of the coming-of-age comedy

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From a media release:

As production begins on Season 5 of Son of a Critch (12×30), co-creator, executive producer and star Mark Critch announced today that the upcoming season will be the series’ last.

Critch shared a video and the following statement on social media:   

To all of you who’ve been watching along, we’ve officially started filming Season 5 of Son of a Critch. 

We’re heading back to 1992 – the year I graduated high school –  so you can expect all the awkwardness and growing pains that come with it.

And since it’s the last year of high school, it will also be our final chapter. Growing up is hard to do – but it sure is fun to watch.

We hope you’ll join us this fall as we go back to school one last time on CBC and CBC Gem.

Class dismissed, 

Mark Critch

In its final season, Son of a Critch finds Mark in his last year of high school just as Newfoundland’s cod moratorium crisis turns his world upside down. While the adults scramble and the future feels suddenly uncertain, Mark is more determined than ever to chase his dream of becoming an actor—whether anyone’s ready for him to grow up or not. As friendships evolve, first love gets complicated, and the family faces changes they can’t outrun, this season captures the messy, funny, and deeply human moment when everything ends and begins at the same time. After five seasons of growing up together, it’s a heartfelt goodbye to Mark’s childhood—and to the Critch family we won’t soon forget.

“Son of a Critch has formed a deep bond with audiences who have watched young Mark grow up through his most formative years,” said Sally Catto, General Manager, Entertainment, CBC. “We have been there for every laugh and tear along with Mark and the incredible cast and crew, and  look forward to celebrating with them and the loyal audiences as we head into this final chapter.” 

Production on the fifth and final season is now underway in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with filming set to continue until June 18. 

Since its debut, the series has garnered widespread recognition, including a recent 2026 Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Comedy Series and winning the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards. 

Season 5 will premiere Fall 2026 on CBC and the free CBC Gem streaming service. Seasons 1-4 of Son of a Critch are available to stream now on CBC Gem. 

Son of a Critch stars Mark Critch portraying his own father, Mike Sr., while Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Legend of Zelda, Everything’s Going to Be Great) plays young Mark. Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Entourage) is his grandfather, Pop; Claire Rankin (Stargate Atlantis) plays his mother Mary; Colton Gobbo (Ginny & Georgia) as his older brother Mike Jr.; Mark Ezekiel Rivera (Son of a Critch) is his best friend Ritche; and Sophia Powers (Murder in a Small Town) is Fox, Mark’s girlfriend. Returning cast members include Richard Clarkin (Memory of a Killer) as Dick, Nicole Underhay (Hudson & Rex) as Fox’s mom Suzanne, Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll (Doc) as Father Garcia, and Nora McLellan (Strays) as Sister Rose. Guest stars this season include Shawn Doyle (Star Trek: Discovery)asMr. Kevin Lewis, Mark’s former theatre teacher, Susan Kent (The Snake) as Linda Lahey, and Rick Mercer (The Mercer Report)as station ownerMr. Bartlett. 

Son of a Critch was created by showrunners Mark Critch (This Hour Has 22 Minutes) and Tim McAuliffe (The Office, Last Man on Earth), and is produced by Project 10 Productions and Hawco Productions in association with CBC and Lionsgate Television.

Executive producers are Critch, McAuliffe, Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning producer Andrew Barnsley (Schitt’s Creek), and Allan Hawco (Republic of Doyle). Perry Chafe and Amanda Joy serve as co-executive producers, Janine Squires, Erin Sullivan and John Vatcher are producers, and Shelby Bronstine is series producer. Series directors this season are John Vatcher (Caught), Deanne Foley (Son of a Critch) and Renuka Jeyapalan (Wayward).

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Industry News, The Office Movers

Jermaine and Trevaunn Richards’ Random Order Studios and Bell Media ink co-development deal

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From a media release:

Bell Media and Random Order Studios today announced a co-development and first-look agreement, marking a significant evolution in their ongoing partnership and a new chapter for globally minded, culture-driven storytelling.

The deal builds on the success of Crave Original series THE OFFICE MOVERS and JUDGE TYCO, and reflects a shared commitment to developing premium content that resonates both locally and globally.

“Random Order Studios brings a bold, distinctive voice and sharp comedic sensibility to Bell Media’s world-class content portfolio,” said Justin Stockman, VP, Global Content, Bell Media. “Our collaboration with Jermaine and Trevaunn underscores our commitment to expanding our digital and premium content footprint—delivering authentic, globally resonant storytelling that connects with audiences everywhere.”

“We’ve always built from a real place, from our community, from our experiences, and from the people who have supported us from the beginning,” said Jermaine Richards. “This partnership is a continuation of that, just at a different level. It allows us to stay true to who we are while opening the door to tell bigger stories and reach audiences around the world.”

“We understand what audiences connect with because we’ve been building with them for years,” said Trevaunn Richards. “Now it’s about taking that same instinct and applying it to bigger ideas, bigger formats, and a global stage. We’re coming into this with momentum, and we plan to make the most of it.”

“This is a milestone, but it’s also momentum,” said Julian Lloyd, Executive Producer at Random Order Studios. “ We built outside the traditional system — audiences first, trust through consistency. This partnership proves creator-led studios can scale into long-form without losing what made them resonate. We’re still community-first — now we’re building at scale.”

Random Order Studios currently operates with a broad production slate spanning scripted and unscripted series, branded content, and athlete and culture-driven storytelling. The studio is actively developing projects alongside leading cultural production partners and global brands, with a focus on bridging internet culture, sports, and television.

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Featured

Jesse Armstrong to keynote Banff World Media Festival 2026 

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From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) today announced additional programming for its 2026 edition, featuring a keynote from Emmy Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated writer, director and producer Jesse Armstrong (writer, director, and executive producer, Mountainhead; creator, showrunner, and executive producer, Succession), moderated by CBC Q’s Tom Power. The festival continues to expand its lineup of global leaders and industry voices across scripted, unscripted, brand storytelling, and emerging formats. The 47th annual Banff World Media Festival will take place June 14–17, 2026, at the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

Armstrong is a British author, screenwriter, and producer. He is a co-creator of the Channel 4 comedy series Peep Show and Fresh Meat, a writer on The Thick of It and Four Lions, and the creator of the HBO series Succession. His work has earned numerous accolades, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for In the Loop, and four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Succession.  Jesse’s directorial debut feature Mountainhead is nominated in the Feature Length Film category at this year’s Rockie Awards.

BANFF will also present an In Conversation With Georgie Holt, CEO of FlightStory, the exponentially growing media company behind Steven Bartlett’s hit Diary of a CEO podcast.  Holt will discuss the evolution of creator-led studios and the future of audience-first IP.

The festival will also host a special In Conversation with Henry Winkler, tied to his work with A+E Factual Studios and his popular series Hazardous History on HISTORY in the U.S., offering an inside look at his enduring career and latest creative work. A+E’s Sharon Scott will introduce this session.

A featured opening-day session will be led by Adam Cunningham, CEO Allied Global Marketing, offering an unfiltered, forward-looking conversation designed to challenge what we think we know about the future of media, entertainment, marketing, AI, and the broader cultural landscape. Cunningham is an industry expert who will open with three urgent questions that will examine how brands and content companies can adapt to rapidly shifting consumer expectations and what it will take to earn and sustain attention in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

Further highlighting BANFF’s commitment to cultural conversation and audience engagement, the festival will introduce Fandom Wednesday, a dedicated track of programming on Wednesday, June 17th, exploring fan-driven ecosystems, community-building, and the growing influence of audiences in shaping content success. Speakers include David Madden, President at Webtoon Productions, Wattpad; Melissa Ahlstrand, Marketing Director of Americas, Hayu; Justin Stockman, VP, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media; Dawn Yang, Global Head of Entertainment Partnerships, TikTok, and more to come.

Expanding its focus on the intersection of entertainment, marketing, and cultural impact, BANFF will feature a brand storytelling panel featuring Adam Puchalsky, President of Brand Studio at Blink49 Studios, Brendan Gaul, Global Chief Entertainment Officer of McCANN, Oliver Gray, Vice President of Network Sports and Client Partnerships, The E.W. Scripps Company and Daniel Mekinda, Executive Vice President, WPP Media Canada.

“Jesse Armstrong doesn’t just capture the cultural conversation, he drives it. Having him join us at BANFF alongside an incredible lineup of creators, executives, and industry disruptors says everything about where the global media business is right now: bold, unpredictable, and evolving fast. BANFF 2026 is bringing together the people shaping what’s next, and the conversations this year are going to be unforgettable,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director, BANFF.

As previously announced, Jinny Howe, Netflix’s Head of U.S. and Canada Scripted Series, will serve as a keynote speaker at the festival. The program will also feature an In Conversation with the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister, as well as a keynote conversation with Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and CEO of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Spain has been named the Country of Honour for 2026 and will be spotlighted throughout the festival with dedicated programming, networking opportunities, and curated events highlighting its dynamic content ecosystem across scripted, unscripted, film, and digital-first storytelling.

Further reinforcing BANFF’s role as a global hub for co-production and international collaboration, the festival will also welcome a strong European cohort, including commissioners from The Walt Disney Company Spain, Germany’s ZDF Studios, France Télévisions, Spain’s RTVE, TG4 in Ireland, as well as Channel 5 and BBC in the UK, creating expanded opportunities for cross-border partnerships and deal-making.

The prestigious Rockie Awards will once again celebrate the industry’s most influential talent and business leaders via special Gala Honours to be announced,  alongside awards for outstanding content, selected by an international jury from entries hailing from more than 45 countries around the world

The Banff World Media Festival and Rockie Awards remain a premier gathering for the global media industry, offering more than 1,200 networking sessions and over 25,000 meetings connecting creators, producers, studios, streamers, brands, and decision-makers. BANFF 2026 will once again serve as a key destination for deal-making, thought leadership, and forward-looking conversations shaping the future of the industry.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Rezervations for Two brings rez humour, real chemistry and Indigenous love stories to reality TV

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From a media release:

APTN audiences have been asking for an Indigenous dating show that reflects real life, and now it’s here! Rezervations for Two, produced by APTN, Animiki See Digital Production and Media Rendezvous, premieres June 15 on APTN and APTN+. To celebrate the debut, APTN is also making the first episode available on YouTube. Equal parts hilarious, heartfelt and hot mess, the series brings together lovable Indigenous singles of diverse genders, sexualities, ages and nations for a dating experience that throws the reality TV rulebook out the window.

Season 1 unfolds in Winnipeg, in the heart of Turtle Island, with dates set in and around The Forks — a gathering place for thousands of years and the perfect setting for modern Indigenous connections to take shape. From fireside chats by the river to hands-on creative dates in the central market, each meet-cute is grounded in place, history and community while still leaving plenty of room for unexpected chemistry.

At the centre of the drama (and the commentary) are iconic hosts Kairyn Potts and Scott Wabano. The besties send each dater on two blind dates and then watch in real time, reacting to every awkward silence, flirty exchange and spicy pickup line with their signature “fairy god-auntie” energy. Their charm, wit and zero‑filter reactions are as much a part of the show as the dates themselves.

“We’re really excited to bring Rezervations for Two to APTN audiences,” said Crystal Dubois, APTN’s Development, Factual and Special Events Executive. “This show is about finding your forever snag and keeping it real while you do. Nothing is scripted. It’s packed with rez humour and heart, and it’s a true celebration of love in all its forms. We want Indigenous and non-Indigenous viewers alike to see us as we really are: vibrant, funny and full of life. This is us — unfiltered, unapologetic and totally fabulous.”

While reality TV continues to dominate screens, Indigenous voices are still rarely given space to be funny, raw, romantic or vulnerable on their own terms. Rezervations for Two changes that. By centring real people and real connections, the series portrays Indigenous relationships as layered, joyful and deeply human — pushing back against stereotypes and showing that there’s no single way to be Indigenous, or to experience love.

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