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.
Featured, X Company

Review: Trains and strain on X Company

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I love Juliet Stevenson. I first saw her in Truly Madly Deeply, then Bend it Like Beckham, Nicholas Nickleby, The Hour and Atlantis. So I was thrilled to see her take on the role of Marie Bellaire, the fiery French mayor of Saint-Antoine.

X Company‘s latest, “Walk with the Devil,” carried on the exploration into the complex relationship between the French and the Nazis during the occupation of France. Though some citizens saw Marie rubbing shoulders with the SS officers in town as blasphemy, she saw it as a guarantee of keeping her citizens safe. I could certainly understand her feelings; she was voted into office and had a responsibility to uphold. Things got complicated, however, when several of the town’s girls, including her niece Claire, were taken to a private school.

Instead, the girls were impregnated by German soldiers as part of the Ledensborn Program, Adolf Hitler’s plan to breed the perfect Aryan race. Give birth to a healthy, blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby and it was adopted by a German family. Have anything else and it would be disposed of.

The lengths Marie would go for the town was driven home when Harry and Neil’s plot to blow up the German train—packed with torpedoes—hit a snag and the train was halted while still in the station and with the fuse lit. Putting a gun in the back of the SS officer was signing her death warrant, but it ensured the train left town before it blew sky-high. I knew it was coming, but I was still shocked when Marie took a bullet in the forehead.

But at least the townspeople were safe.

Notes and quotes

  • I love old trains and that one in Wednesday’s episode was beautiful.
  • I’m relieved that Sinclair knew all along that Krystina was reporting back to British high command and that the two have become a united front.
  • The Oberfuhrer better watch himself. I’m betting his underling will be all to willing to report his son has Down’s syndrome if it means an advancement.

X Company airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

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Uncategorized

Link: Is Canadian TV Doing Better Than We Want to Admit?

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From D.K. Latta of The Huffington Post:

Is Canadian TV Doing Better Than We Want to Admit?
Half the time you read anything about Canadian TV the columnists are ringing the death knell. “No one’s watching,” they lament, “and the shows are mediocre.”

But there’s never been another time in the history of television when so many Canadian series were boasting such numbers. No other time when you could claim over a million English-Canadians were watching so many different and varied domestic scripted series in a week (I’m assuming these numbers are mostly reflective of English-speaking viewers).

So why? And how can this be built upon? Continue reading.

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Uncategorized

AMI explores the accessibility of major Canadian cities in new TV series

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From a media release:

Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) announced today that it will air a new original series that addresses the question: just how accessible are some of Canada’s major cities?

The four-part special, entitled Access Unlimited, is produced in partnership with Summerhill Media Inc. and travels across the country with stops in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax. Each 30-minute episode follows three local residents and examines their daily routine – everything from their commute to work, to visiting a local museum, to playing with their kids in the park. Those featured in the episodes are living with either vision loss or mobility restriction that can present a unique set of challenges when navigating their respective city. Episodes will also feature interviews with experts and decision makers including transit officials, politicians and accessibility innovators.

In keeping with AMI’s mandate of making accessible media for all Canadians, the series will feature embedded described video, integrating natural environmental sounds while interviewees describe actions and surroundings as needed. AMI hopes the series will inform residents of accessibility initiatives or lack thereof, inspire those living with a disability to travel and engage in their community, and encourage cities across Canada to be innovative and conscientious in terms of accessibility.

From March 23 to 26 Access Unlimited will air every night at 8 pm beginning with the Toronto episode, followed by Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver. Episodes will also be available with the AMI-player on AMI.ca one week after the initial air date. AMI-télé will air the series in French under the name Villes Accessibles at a later date.

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Dragons' Den

Joe Fresh’s Joe Mimran joins Dragons’ Den

From a media release:

CBC announced today that Joe Fresh founder Joe Mimran will join the upcoming 10thseason of DRAGONS’ DEN. The new season of DRAGONS’ DEN will air in fall 2015.

Throughout his storied career, Joe Mimran has founded and built brands that helped define the industry landscape, including Joe Fresh, Club Monaco, Alfred Sung, Caban and—with his wife, Kimberley Newport-Mimran—Pink Tartan. With an intuitive design vision and a keen business sense, Mimran has been at the forefront of fashion and retail for over thirty years. As founder and former creative director of Joe Fresh for Loblaw Companies Limited, Mimran oversaw the brand’s design, merchandising and retail concepts. Under Mimran’s guidance, Joe Fresh has grown to become Canada’s second largest apparel brand, encompassing women’s, men’s, children’s, baby and beauty collections. Additionally, Mimran oversaw creative direction of Home and Entertainment brands for Loblaw, including PC Home, Life at Home, Everyday Essentials, Jump Kids World, Jogi and Tera Gear, among others.

Mimran is also a private investor in Canada-based businesses, ranging from steel to pharmaceuticals. Educated at York University and the University of Windsor, Mimran joined the family dress manufacturing business in 1977. The company marketed several labels, including its marquee Alfred Sung line. The business grew rapidly from a small rented factory to a 50,000 square-foot space on King Street and was renamed Monaco Group in 1981. A longtime collector and patron of the arts, Mimran’s wide-ranging philanthropic activities include support of the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards and Nuit Blanche. Additionally, he was co-chair of the 2014 Big Bang Bash benefiting Toronto’s popular Luminato Festival.

Big things are in store for the anticipated 10th season of DRAGONS’ DEN, which will feature top entrepreneurs, innovative business pitches and new Dragons. Further details about the 10th season of DRAGONS’ DEN will be announced in the coming weeks.

DRAGONS’ DEN continues to be the top-rated Canadian unscripted program this season, with an average audience of about 1 million Canadians each week.

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