Big Brother Canada, Continuum, Top Chef Canada

Shaw announces renewals including Continuum, Big Brother Canada, Top Chef Canada

June 5, 2013 Diane Wild 4 Comments

From a media release:

Record-Breaking Original Series Big Brother Canada, Vikings, Continuum, Top Chef Canada and Yukon Gold Return with New Seasons

Over 600 Hours of Canadian Original Specialty Programming

Following a record breaking season on one of Canadaâ€™s hottest entertainment destinations, Slice has renewed Big Brother Canada, the number one specialty reality series of the year, for a second season.

From Lost and Sold, the unclaimed goods auction series, to tapping into the fascinating world of collecting in Extreme Collectors, Slice brings viewers a range of new original series chock-full of drama, comedy and the deliciously unexpected.

Showcase is excited to announce that the channelâ€™s number one original series Continuum has been greenlit for a third season.

As well, the Canadian original crime drama Copper returns with a powerhouse lineup of guest stars, including EmmyÂ® and Golden GlobeÂ®-winning actress Alfre Woodward, Billy Baldwin and Donal Logue.

Viewers can also look forward to new seasons of Showcaseâ€™s top-rated original series Lost Girl, Beauty and the Beast and Haven.

In a year that saw it claim eight of the top 20 specialty entertainment programs2, HISTORYÂ® upheld its position as Canadaâ€™s number one specialty entertainment channel. This fall, Canadian Restorers introduces viewers to another group of larger-than-life Canadian characters: the employees of The Guild. HISTORY recognizes the 20th anniversary of Canadaâ€™s mission to Sarajevo with the insider documentary Sector Sarajevo. Returning in 2014 are Vikings, this yearâ€™s number one specialty entertainment drama, and Yukon Gold, HISTORYâ€™s number one Canadian documentary series this year.

On the heels of another successful season of Top Chef Canada, Food Network Canada has announced the return of its number one series of all time for a fourth season4. Chopped Canada makes its highly anticipated debut to the network in 2014, bringing the hugely popular US format to Canada with host Dean McDermott (winner of Rachael vs. Guyâ€™s Celebrity Cook-Off season two). Coming this fall are brand-new series Cutthroat Kitchen, taking the average cooking competition further than itâ€™s ever gone before, and Guy & Rachael’s Kids Cook-Off, starring Guy Fieri, Rachael Ray and the most adorable competitors ever!

HGTV Canadaâ€™s biggest celebrities are packing the schedule this fall with new seasons of Holmes Makes It Right with Mike Holmes, Leave It To Bryan with Bryan Baeumler, Income Property with Scott McGillivray, and also brand-new series Real Potential with Sarah Richardson and Undercover Overhaul with the Cousins starring the hugely popular Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri. The channelâ€™s number one series two years running, Canadaâ€™s Handyman Challenge, returns with judges Bryan Baeumler, Scott McGillivray and Paul Lafrance.

Experiencing a year of incredible growth, National Geographic Canada landed as a top 15 specialty channel, achieving an all-time audience high and its best season ever1. This fall, Canadians can play along with Brain Games host Jason Silva as he delves deep into the human brain.

Remedy, Working The Engels

Global adds Remedy and Working The Engels

June 5, 2013 Diane Wild 2 Comments

From a media release:

SHAW MEDIA ADDS REMEDY AND WORKING THE ENGLES TO ITS BOOMING ROSTER OF CANADIAN SCRIPTED SERIES

New Drama and Comedy Set for Mid-Season Premiere on Global

Building on an impressive roster of massively successful original scripted series such as Rookie Blue, Lost Girl and Continuum, Shaw Media gets ready to welcome two additions to its collection of homegrown dramas. The sleek new drama Remedy (WT) and wild comedy Working the Engels will air as part of Globalâ€™s mid-season lineup.

From creator and executive producer Greg Spottiswood (King) comes Remedy, a unique, high-stakes medical drama that goes beyond the operating room and the ER, to reveal a compelling community of hospital staff who make the healing happen. The series follows Griffin Conners, son of the chief of staff, brother to both a surgeon and a nurse, and now â€“ medical school dropout. Having been kicked out in a haze of disgrace, Griffin is forced to return to Broadview Hospital as its newest orderly, where he gets a new perspective on a world he thought he knew through a colourful cast of cleaners, project aides, transport workers and more. The series is produced by Indian Grove Productions with Bernie Zukerman serving as Executive Producer.

Globalâ€™s new comedy Working the Engles comes from writers Jane and Katie Ford (Miss Congeniality, Family Ties). In this laugh-out-loud comedy, a family of neâ€™er-do-wells must band together to keep their heads above water when their father and breadwinner passes away, leaving them a mountain of debt. They all go to work running Dadâ€™s storefront law firm, with one minor problem â€“ daughter Jenna is the only one of them that is actually a lawyer and qualified to practice. Itâ€™s not pretty, but itâ€™s family. The series is produced by Halfire Entertainment with Noreen Halpern serving as Executive Producer.

Casting and additional creative team details for both series will be announced in the coming weeks.

Orphan Black

Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany on the finale

June 4, 2013 Diane Wild

From Jarett Wieselman of ET Online:

Tatiana Maslany Dissects The ‘Orphan Black’ Finale
In the aftermath of Saturday’s season finale that left bodies on the floor, blood on the walls and Kira’s fate up in the air, I caught up with the incredible Maslany to get her take on all the action and find out what fans can expect from season two! Continue reading.

SAG Foundation interview:

Package Deal, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary, Seed

Seed renewed; City adds Meet The Family

June 4, 2013 Diane Wild 10 Comments

From a media release:

City Adds Seven Original Canadian Series to 2013-14 Prime-Time Schedule

Newly commissioned reality series Meet the Family joins prime-time schedule this fall
Multi-camera original comedy Package Deal gets new, fall prime-time timeslot
Seed renewed for Season 2; returns with 13 half-hour episodes in 2014
Mother Up! with Eva Longoria joins mid-season schedule in 2014
Three OLN original series – Storage Wars Canada, The Project: Guatemala and returning hit The Liquidator – to also air on City this fall

Marking the most robust lineup of original Canadian programming the network has ever produced, City today announced seven original series – five new and two returning – join the network’s 2013-14 prime-time schedule.

The announcement was made today as part of Rogers Media’s 2013 Upfront presentation.

Scripted original comedy Package Deal is part of City’s winning comedy block on Mondays this fall, airing at 8:30 p.m. ET. Three all-new original reality series, Storage Wars Canada, The Project: Guatemala, and the newly commissioned Meet the Family, also air on City in prime time this fall, as does OLN’s hit returning original series The Liquidator. Beginning mid-season, new original animated adult comedy series Mother Up!, starring and executive produced by Eva Longoria, will air exclusively on North American television on City.

Along with the new schedule, City announced today it has greenlit Season 2 of its original single-camera, sperm-donor comedy Seed, with an additional 13 half-hour episodes from Vancouver-based Force Four Productions. Premiering to critical acclaim this past February, Seed returns to Halifax this summer to begin production. Recognized for its rich characters, quick-wit, and edgy writing, Seed has been nominated for an international 2013 Banff Rockie Award in the category of Best Sitcom.

For all its originals, City will have a strong digital presence with live chats, blogs, bloopers, and exclusive video content for web that will engage and enhance the viewing experience.

In addition to these seven original series, The Bachelor Canada – the #1 new Canadian show and a top 10 new show in Canada for last fall* – begins production on Season 2 in 2014. A guilty pleasure for all women, the show is slated to air in fall 2014 and will engage across multiple platforms with more co-viewing and dual-screen experiences.

Image by Derek Langer

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