All posts by Greg David

Prior to becoming a television critic and owner of TV, Eh?, Greg David was a critic for TV Guide Canada, the country's most trusted source for TV news. He has interviewed television actors, actresses and behind-the-scenes folks from hundreds of television series from Canada, the U.S. and internationally. He is a podcaster, public speaker, weekly radio guest and educator, and past member of the Television Critics Association.

Link: Ari Millen of ‘Orphan Black’ on Being a Clone and a Dad

From Kathryn Shattuck of The New York Time:

Ari Millen of ‘Orphan Black’ on Being a Clone and a Dad
A maniacal leer, a zipper scar slicing his cheek, a body pumped to kill: You wouldn’t want to run into Rudy, the new guy on the cellblock in BBC America’s “Orphan Black,” in a dark hallway.

But Ari Millen, 33 — who plays Rudy as well as his clone brothers Seth, Miller and Mark — didn’t seem the least bit scary in a recent phone call from Toronto, where Lily, his daughter with his fiancée, the actress Kassandra Santos, squalled in the background just 32 hours after her birth. Continue reading.

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Link: So you want to write a TV show?

From Simon Houpt of The Globe & Mail:

So you want to write a TV show
Seven people in an east-end Toronto conference room are trying to figure out whether they can terrorize a child.

“See what the context is,” one says.

“If we saved a bunch of people’s lives, we could traumatize the kid.”

They’re not sadists, they just write for TV, and right now they’re working up an episode of Bravo’s acclaimed cop show 19-2, trying to settle on a storyline that will offer the most compelling possibilities for drama. Continue reading.

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Link: An Oral History of The Littlest Hobo, Canada’s Greatest TV Show

From Elianna Lev of Vice:

An Oral History of The Littlest Hobo, Canada’s Greatest TV Show
The show’s roots date back to 1958, when ol’ timey Hollywood producers Stuart and Dorrell McGowan made a low-budget film about a wandering German Shepherd dog, which went on to be a big success. Since the character of Lil’ Ho was so endearing, it was eventually turned into a TV series. Shot in British Columbia between 1963 and 1965, the original series had to halt production because of legal disputes concerning ownership between the McGowans and funders Stoner Broadcasting. When the case came to conclusion seven years later, in favour of the brothers, they’d long tired of the idea to keep the show alive. However, a young Canadian named Christopher Dew, who’d worked on the series as a “wet behind the ears” editor, knew the nomadic canine still had more rides to take on that train. Continue reading.

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Poll: Who are your favourite Canadian TV cops?

Have you heard the news, Rookie Blue fans? Season 6 of Global’s homegrown cop drama returns on Thursday, May 21, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Andy, Swarek, Oliver, Dov and the rest make up the latest crop of cops created for Canadian TV shows. How do the Rookie Blue folks stack up against Det. Murdoch and the Toronto Constabulary? Where do Haven‘s east coast coppers rate against B.C. boys and girls in blue?

We’ve put together an exhaustive list of current and past Canadian TV cops for you to choose your three favourites from. If we missed any, type them up in the comments section. Let the voting begin!

Who are your favourite Canadian TV cops?

  • Ed Lane, Flashpoint (30%, 5,737 Votes)
  • Sam Swarek, Rookie Blue (19%, 3,636 Votes)
  • Davis Quinton, Corner Gas (8%, 1,542 Votes)
  • Mike Sweeney, Durham County (8%, 1,465 Votes)
  • Karen Pelly, Corner Gas (5%, 995 Votes)
  • Gail Peck, Rookie Blue (5%, 898 Votes)
  • Andy McNally, Rookie Blue (4%, 757 Votes)
  • William Murdoch, Murdoch Mysteries (2%, 375 Votes)
  • Nathan Wuornos, Haven (2%, 334 Votes)
  • Oliver Shaw, Rookie Blue (2%, 333 Votes)
  • Benton Fraser, Due South (2%, 332 Votes)
  • George Crabtree, Murdoch Mysteries (1%, 216 Votes)
  • Jules Callaghan, Flashpoint (1%, 175 Votes)
  • Tamsin, Lost Girl (1%, 161 Votes)
  • Dyson, Lost Girl (1%, 153 Votes)
  • Traci Nash, Rookie Blue (1%, 127 Votes)
  • Nick Collins, Rookie Blue (1%, 126 Votes)
  • Greg Parker, Flashpoint (1%, 119 Votes)
  • John Constable, The Beachcombers (1%, 117 Votes)
  • Thomas Brackenreid, Murdoch Mysteries (0%, 95 Votes)
  • Ray Kowalski, Due South (0%, 91 Votes)
  • Mike Scarlatti, Flashpoint (0%, 89 Votes)
  • Sam Braddock, Flashpoint (0%, 82 Votes)
  • Michelle Kenidi, North of 60 (0%, 77 Votes)
  • Ray Vecchio, Due South (0%, 73 Votes)
  • Kevin Wordsworth, Flashpoint (0%, 71 Votes)
  • Chloe Price, Rookie Blue (0%, 66 Votes)
  • Dwight Hendrickson, Haven (0%, 60 Votes)
  • Kiera Cameron, Continuum (0%, 60 Votes)
  • Angie Flynn, Motive (0%, 54 Votes)
  • Leslie Bennett, Republic of Doyle (0%, 51 Votes)
  • Kerri, Sunnyside (0%, 50 Votes)
  • Dov Epstein, Rookie Blue (0%, 48 Votes)
  • Donna, Sunnyside (0%, 47 Votes)
  • Art, Orphan Black (0%, 39 Votes)
  • Ben Chartier, 19-2 (0%, 36 Votes)
  • Ben Sullivan, Shattered (0%, 29 Votes)
  • Oscar Vega, Motive (0%, 27 Votes)
  • Chris Diaz, Rookie Blue (0%, 26 Votes)
  • Eric Olsen, North of 60 (0%, 25 Votes)
  • Tinny Doyle, Republic of Doyle (0%, 22 Votes)
  • Carlos Fonnegra, Continuum (0%, 22 Votes)
  • Henry Higgins, Murdoch Mysteries (0%, 21 Votes)
  • Mick Leary, Da Vinci's Inquest (0%, 20 Votes)
  • Slugger Jackson, Murdoch Mysteries (0%, 18 Votes)
  • Aidan Black, Cracked (0%, 17 Votes)
  • Nick Barron, 19-2 (0%, 15 Votes)
  • Harding Welsh, Due South (0%, 14 Votes)
  • Ali McCormick, Cold Squad (0%, 14 Votes)
  • Joshua Nolan, Defiance (0%, 12 Votes)
  • Leo Shannon, Da Vinci's Inquest (0%, 12 Votes)
  • Brian Fletcher, North of 60 (0%, 11 Votes)
  • James Harper, North of 60 (0%, 8 Votes)
  • Jessica King, King (0%, 7 Votes)
  • Kat Loving, Strange Empire (0%, 7 Votes)
  • Angela Kosmo, Da Vinci's Inquest (0%, 7 Votes)
  • Mary Spalding, Intelligence (0%, 7 Votes)
  • J.M. Brouillard, 19-2 (0%, 6 Votes)
  • Mark Cross, Motive (0%, 6 Votes)
  • Audrey Pouliot, 19-2 (0%, 5 Votes)
  • Liz Carver, The Border (0%, 5 Votes)
  • Inspector Dillon, Continuum (0%, 5 Votes)
  • Brian Lucas, Motive (0%, 5 Votes)
  • Gray Jackson, The Border (0%, 4 Votes)
  • Ted Altman, Intelligence (0%, 4 Votes)
  • Poppy Wisnefski, Cracked (0%, 4 Votes)
  • Diane Caligra, Cracked (0%, 4 Votes)
  • Tyler Joseph, 19-2 (0%, 3 Votes)
  • Ed Oosterhuis, Blue Murder (0%, 2 Votes)
  • Isabelle Latendresse, 19-2 (0%, 2 Votes)
  • Mickey Kollander, Cold Squad (0%, 1 Votes)
  • Frank Leo, The Bridge (0%, 1 Votes)
  • Jack Pogue, Blue Murder (0%, 1 Votes)
  • Amy Lynch, Shattered (0%, 1 Votes)
  • Beatrice Hamelin, 19-2 (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 13,495

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Comments and queries for the week of April 24

Orphan Black feedback
I wouldn’t bet on Rachel killing Delphine if only because she clearly has brain damage, so possibly some physical struggle as well as speaking. I sort of felt badly for Rachel during the eye socket torture but went back to hating her by the end for the Helsinki plan. Anyone who threatens Alison is on my bad side instantly.

Clone of the week: Sarah as Rachel. Also, the scene of Felix turning her into Rachel felt like a behind-the-scenes look at the make-up department.—Dan


No love for Coldwater Cowboys
Most of these boys/woman should be put in a rubber room so as not to cause injury to themselves and others around them. The way these people carry on makes me ashamed to be a Newfoundlander. They have more troubles in one season than most people have in their entire fishing carrier. You truly paint a sad pic of Newfies.—Ern


More Murdoch finale chat
Wow! Careful, concise and constructive comments regarding the interview and the possibilities that the course of the show might take, without devolving into name-calling and random political diatribes … how is this possible?! Oh … right … you folks are from Canada, where rational differences of opinion are possible and even encouraged and no trolls allowed! Must be nice. I do have some hope, however, since Sharon appears to be American; between the two of us, we may be the beginnings of a civility movement in the States. All joking aside, I recently discovered The Artful Detective by happenstance and find it charming. Although I have read the synopses of the first six seasons (in order to make some sense of the relationships), I will have to delve into my Netflix account to watch the episodes, as time allows. All the actors look like they are enjoying themselves immensely and they “play it straight,” with only an occasional scandalous wink (think of Julia removing her black wool bathing stockings at the lake) at their audience. I hope the ensemble wants to remain together for many more seasons of Murdoch! P.S. I really enjoy how the show entwines actual historical figures and events with the characters’ story lines … great fun!—Susan

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

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