CBC delivers the goods in daytime with The Goods

You simply can’t fake chemistry on television. Viewers catch on when folks don’t click. It’s the reason networks recast roles during pilot season; if co-stars don’t connect with each other, they simply won’t with an audience.

The Goods explodes with chemistry and makes for a wild daytime ride. Debuting Monday on CBC and marking Steven Sabados’ return to television, The Goods combines lifestyle, food, relationships and home and design into a fun package. Yes, the daytime market is packed with such U.S. fare as The Chew, The View and The Talk while Canadian rival CTV offers The Social, but The Goods is a welcome addition thanks mainly to its cast.

Surrounding Sabados on the panel is style maven Jessi Cruickshank, relationship and wellness expert Andrea Bain and Levetto chef Shahir Massoud covering all things culinary. Earlier this week, I was invited down to watch a taping of The Goods and experienced a well-oiled machine despite having just seven episodes already in the can.

(l-r) Bain, Cruickshank, Sabados, Massoud
(l-r) Bain, Cruickshank, Sabados, Massoud

“You always feel, on some other shows, as if people are trying to take away airtime,” Sabados says after the three-hour taping in front of a studio audience of just over 100 concluded. “There is that battle of, ‘You said that, so I have to say this,’ … Shahir didn’t have a segment today, but it’s all good because he’s still part of the show. We’re all here, so it’s all good.” It’s true. While Massoud didn’t contribute content-wise, he was still front and centre in a comedic role both unintentionally during Sabados’ decor quiz when he asked how to spell “teak” and on purpose during Cruickshank’s style bit when he walked the runway decked out in overalls, a baseball cap propped rakishly on his head.

Massoud explains he and his co-hosts come up with what their individual segments will contain with their own producers. Once that’s decided, the producers and hosts compare notes and figure out who will be interacting with who. Yes, The Goods is scripted when it comes to what segments make up an episode, but the interaction itself is done on the fly. That came into play Tuesday when Cruickshank dashed off to the control room and requested a hula hoop challenge be re-cut and slowed down for broadcast. The result was a very funny replay of Bain’s facial expressions and body language as she owned the hula segment (“I will never Iive that down,” Bain says with a laugh.) Cruickshank set herself up for criticism during her style portion, suggesting that sometimes socks can be worn with sandals. She was met with a chorus of good-natured boos from the audience.

“Where else can you get an audience who feels comfortable enough to boo the host?” Cruickshank asks. “There is this feeling of being in the round and we make sure people know they’re supposed to yell. They’re part of the show.”

The Goods airs Monday to Friday at 2 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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19 thoughts on “CBC delivers the goods in daytime with The Goods”

  1. Though I haven’t watched daytime TV in maybe 5 yearsI might give this show a small gander. However I’m a rural Saskatchewan woman and I care little about fashion or design or upscale cooking so I probably won’t be able to relate.

  2. I have watched the show 3 times and feel little chemistry, a lot of uneasiness, and I am very disappointed. Love seeing Steven again but really would like to see a much higher quality show.

  3. Cruikshank is the most unnatural co host ever. She is inrelatable. I think the other 3 are great and have great chemistry.

  4. I was really looking forward to this show & set my Pvr to watch the shows each evening. I loved Steven & Chris. However I have now given it the Goods a trial & as far as I am concerned it should be Steven & Shahir show. Andrea is ok but Jessi is extremely inane and it’s got to be all about her. Please stop torturing us with her foolish humour -it’s not appealing . She adds nothing but idiotic commentary. Sorry but this is just not her venue.

    1. I agree. Not only does Jessi not add to the show, she takes away from it, greatly. She seems so forced. Perhaps another venue for her but please take her off this show!

  5. This show is horrible! The change over to each segment is disjointed and choppy. The only chemistry here is that reminiscent of a “bad” science experiment gone wrong. Steven is known for his ability to relate to the audience- sadly that is lacking here.

    Sorry – nothing good about “The Goods” here. Won’t be watching this show anymore.

  6. Love your show – – you all make me laugh ! Just finished watching , find it refreshing . It was a little stiff in the beginning but now everyone is blending in ! Terrific , light – no politics , my new must watch every day for a dose of positive – – Jessi adds perfect touch of comedy – – –

    1. I was devoted to Steven and Chris… now loving The Goods! I hope viewers stay with it because it gets better every day. I laugh, I cry and learn lots. What a fun team… keep it up!

  7. I was devoted to Steven and Chris… now loving The Goods! I hope viewers stay with it because it gets better every day. I laugh, I cry and learn lots. What a fun team… keep it up!

  8. So glad to see Steven back on TV.
    (Will always miss Chris. They both will always have a special place in my heart.)
    I sincerely think that Steven and Shahir would make such a great team. CBC, please consider this. Both of them could have guests talking about interesting topics, just the same.They’d be VERY successful.
    Thank you for reading my comment.

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