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.
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When Calls the Heart returns to Super Channel for second season

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From a media release:

When Calls the Heart, the sweeping frontier drama that captured the hearts of loyal viewers in both Canada and the US (aka “Hearties”), returns toSuper Channel, Canada’s only national English pay television network, on Sunday, May 3 at 7 p.m. ET (SC1). The Hallmark Channel Original series is a Canadian co-production filmed on location in British Columbia and based on the bestselling book series by acclaimed Canadian author Janette Oke.

Series stars Lori Loughlin (Full House, 90210), Erin Krakow (Army Wives) and Daniel Lissing (Last Resort) all return for season two and are joined by Jack Wagner (The Bold and the Beautiful) who returns as a series regular. Kristina Wagner (General Hospital) also joins the cast in the third episode of the season.

Season two will follow the residents of Coal Valley, as they navigate matters of the heart during uncertain times in the wake of the mine disaster investigation. As the season begins, young schoolteacher Elizabeth Thatcher (Krakow) and Mountie Jack Thornton (Lissing) are just starting to build on their relationship. But when Elizabeth gets bad news from home, she must return to the wealthy, high-society life she left behind, where her feelings for Jack will be put to the test. The hard-working and kind-hearted citizens of Coal Valley are facing turmoil as they await justice for the coal mining tragedy, just as new romance heats up on the frontier. In Coal Valley, café owner and widow Abigail Stanton (Loughlin) nervously awaits the trial that she hopes will clear her late husband’s name in the fault of the mine explosion that took his life. Emotions run high and long-kept secrets will be revealed as she works with a surprising new prosecutor, and with forensic investigator, Mountie Bill Avery (Wagner), who is hiding something from his past that could jeopardize their own romantic future.

The series is produced by Canadians Vicki Sotheran and Greg Malcolm, and executive produced by Brad Krevoy, Brian Bird, Michael Landon Jr., Michael Shepard, and Eric Jarboe. Second Season writers include Tony Blake (co-showrunner), Robin Bernheim (co-showrunner), Neal Dobrofsky, Tippi Dobrofsky, Andrea Stevens, and Derek Thompson. Directors are Emmy-nominee Neill Fearnley (also co-executive producer), Michael Rohl, and Martin Wood.

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Featured

Preview: Emergency spotlights the human element in the ER

We’ve all either spent time in an emergency room or know someone who has. I’ve been there a few times myself, most recently when I took a header getting out of bed and cut my chin open. I was in Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre for several hours while tests were done to determine why I fainted, if I had a concussion and whether I would need stitches. Everything was fine, but being in an ER is a scary place. Patients aren’t there because they’re having a good day, and having doctors and nurses who can make you feel better physically and emotionally is key.

The human stories of patients and practitioners is the focus of Slice’s new documentary series Emergency. Debuting tonight with two back-to-back episodes, the project focuses on the dozen hospitals that make up British Columbia’s Fraser Health, some of this country’s busiest emergency departments.

Narrated by Jann Arden, Thursday’s first episode jumps back and forth between Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster and Surrey Memorial, spotlighting stories alternating between superficial and serious.

Magdi’s plans for a fishing trip with his son are scuttled when searing back pain sends him to Royal with spasms and medical professionals left scratching their heads. Is Magdi’s back acting up or is it something more deadly? And while Magdi is keeping up a brave face—I’m pretty sure the painkillers have something to do with that—his twentysomething son is moved to tears seeing his dad laid up and in pain.

Meanwhile, a few beds away, 67-year-old Debra has checked herself into the ER because of her racing heart. She’d forgotten to take her medication and, 48 hours later, she’s scared. Enter RN Danielle, who not only calms Debra down but hopes the IV medication she has her patient on will take care of the problem. Unfortunately, Danielle has to take drastic steps to correct the issue.

Emergency isn’t all doom and gloom. Offsetting Magdi and Debra is Jordan in Surrey, who has ignored an ingrown hair in his armpit for so long that it’s become badly infected. Of course, all Jordan cares about is whether or not he’ll be able to go to work the next day.

A glaring gaffe is the scheduling of Emergency. Slice is broadcasting the series outside of primetime in B.C., a.k.a. the province where Fraser Health is located. I’m no programming genius, but it would make sense to slot Emergency between 8 and 10 p.m. local time in order to get the most eyeballs possible.

Emergency airs Thursdays with back-to-back episodes at 9 & 9:30 p.m. ET/11 & 11:30 p.m. PT on Slice.

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Featured

Video: Due South reunion on ET Canada

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“It’s hard to believe it’s been that long … that’s crazy.”

Those are the words from Paul Gross, reacting to Sangita Patel’s news that it has been 16 years since Due South went off the air. Gross, along with co-star Callum Keith Rennie, sat down with ET Canada to reflect on the series about that polite RCMP officer who teams up with a wise-cracking Chicago cop to solve crimes in The Windy City.

Created by Paul Haggis, Fraser starred as Constable Benton Fraser, a member of the RCMP who travels to Chicago to solve his father’s murder. It’s there he is partnered with Ray Vecchio (David Marciano). Running from 1994 to 1999, Due South also starred Gordon Pinsent, Beau Starr, Camilla Scott, Tony Craig, Ramona Milano, Dean McDermott and Daniel Kash.

Airing on CTV, Due South was picked up by CBS, making it the first-ever Canadian series to be broadcast in the U.S.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store on tonight’s final instalment for Canadian TV week.

 

ET Canada airs weeknights at 7:30 p.m. ET on Global.

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Bitten

Link: Women Behind The Scenes Spotlight: Daegan Fryklind

From NiceGirlsTV.com:

Women Behind The Scenes Spotlight: Daegan Fryklind
“I think there is a lot of expectation from book fans as to the roster of characters we will involve, and what we can accomplish. We’re working with an amazing cast and crew, we are able to achieve a lot with the resources at hand. We cast based on best performer for the role, which means that even with best intentions, our cast may not look exactly as described in the books, and we may not be able to bring in as many characters from the books because it would dilute the screen time for the characters we already have in play. We also need to build story on our standing sets – Stonehaven; Philip’s apartment in Season 1; the compound in Season 2 – to help keep our locations and travel budgets in hand. The books send a lot of story out into the world. We need to bring a lot of story home.” Continue reading.

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Industry News

Discovery Canada Orders First Original Scripted Series

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From Broadcaster Magazine:

Discovery Canada announced today from MIPTV  that it has ordered its first original scripted series, Frontier, from leading Canadian independent producer Take the Shot Productions (Republic of Doyle). Created by Rob Blackie and Peter Blackie, Frontier is an action-packed adventure drama following the chaotic and violent struggle to control wealth and power in the North American fur trade in the late 18th century. Told from multiple perspectives, Frontier takes place in a world where business negotiations might be resolved with close-quarter hatchet fights, and where delicate relations between Native tribes and Europeans can spark bloody conflicts.

Executive produced by Alex Patrick, John Vatcher, and Perry Chafe, the six-episode, hour-long series will begin principal photography in St. John’s, N.L. in July 2015.

 

 

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