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, Heartland

Review: Heartland’s pasts and futures

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We can all breathe easy, Heartland fans. After a pretty rough go this fall–Peter and Lou accused of child abuse, Amy and Ty broken up and those wild horses looking like dead meat–Sunday’s return set everything right.

“The Heart of a River,” written by Heather Conkie, closed out with the best news of this season: Ty and Amy are getting married. Yes, I know, it’s early days and I can’t help but think there will still be challenges along the way (the Prince will return or perhaps Ty will be hit with a bout of rabies), but for now the couple are truly happy. And Tim is pretty sure he’s the reason why. (We won’t tell him the truth, will we?) Both Amy and Ty have been on emotionally personal journeys this year–I’ve really enjoyed Ty’s character growth as a man and businessman–and they both know the future includes each other.

Cue Lou, who is clearly glad she’s got a new project to take on now that Peter and she are on the same page and have excised Crystal from their lives. Crystal’s attempt to have Georgie taken from the ranch with trumped-up charges of child labour and abuse failed when she tried to blackmail Lou and Peter for money; having the social worker there to witness the attempt was savvy (where did the social worker park her car?) and sent Crystal packing, hopefully for good. I mentioned earlier this season how fantastic Alisha Newton has been as Georgie and she proved it once again in an emotional scene with the social worker, explaining that Crystal was someone she didn’t want to associate with and concluding with the heart wrenching lines: “You’re supposed to be helping us. You’re supposed to be helping me!” Needless to say, Georgie is staying put.

The final piece of Sunday’s puzzle were the wild horses, Will and Matt. Before the Christmas break Matt was poised to have Amy and Ty arrested for loosing the horses from his pen. They returned them to Matt–rather than be arrested–and the poor, proud animals seemed destined for the glue factory. (The fact Matt blamed the horses for the death of his father rang a little hollow for me; perhaps it would have been more believable if he’d said he was ignored in favour of the beasts all his life.) An impassioned plea by Will finally sunk in and Matt released the horses back into the valley where they belonged. It was as Amy walked slowly through the herd that Ty finally realized he couldn’t live without Amy and he made the move to make her his wife. Awwww. Are you happy Ty and Amy are finally tying the knot? Let me know in the comments below or via Twitter @tv_eh.

Heartland airs Sundays at 7 p.m. on CBC.

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Schitt's Creek

CBC orders second season of Schitt’s Creek

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schitts_creek

From a media release:

With the first season of SCHITT’S CREEK premiering this Tuesday, January 13 at 9 p.m., CBC is pleased to announce that the second season has already been greenlit and is set to premiere in winter 2016. The highly anticipated character-driven, half-hour single-camera comedy is co-created by Eugene and Daniel Levy, who also star in the 13-episode series alongside the legendary Catherine O’Hara and rising star Annie Murphy, all of whom are set to return next season.

The series centres around a wealthy family who suddenly find themselves broke and forced to live in Schitt’s Creek, a small, depressing town they once bought as a joke. With their pampered lives now abandoned, they must confront their new-found poverty and discover what it means to be a family, all within the confines of their new home.

SCHITT’S CREEK is commissioned by CBC, produced by Not A Real Company Productions Inc. and created by Eugene Levy and Daniel Levy.  The executive producers are Eugene Levy, Daniel Levy, Andrew Barnsley, Fred Levy and Ben Feigin.  SCHITT’S CREEK is distributed by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

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Schitt's Creek

Link: ‘Schitt’s Creek’: Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Dan Levy talk new CBC comedy

From Bill Harris of the Toronto Sun:

I had a philosophical reaction to Schitt’s Creek.

Remember how legendary comedian George Carlin used to talk about the importance of “stuff?”

“That’s the whole meaning of life, isn’t it?” Carlin would say. “Trying to find a place for your stuff. If you didn’t have so much stuff, you wouldn’t need a house.” Continue reading.

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Schitt's Creek

Link: Schitt’s Creek: Far Better Than Its Name

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From James Bawden:

I wasn’t even sure I wanted to watch the previews of Schitt’s Creek which CBC sent my way. I mean the title is terribly off putting but eventually curiosity got the better of this TV critic and I watched three episodes one after the other, barely pausing for a cup of tea.

And you know what?

At times this sitcom starring Eugene and Dan Levy and Catherine O’Hara is funny and crazy as hell. Continue reading.

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Uncategorized

Slice looks for singles for First Date Canada

First Dates Canada Logo

From a media release:

Force Four Entertainment and Remedy Canada Productions, in association with Shaw Media, are proud to announce the start of production on First Dates Canada, a new Canadian documentary series scheduled to air on Slice in 2015. Based on the hit format from Warner Bros. International Television Production, First Dates Canada brings viewers a compulsively watchable look at the attractions, the heartaches, the connections, and the perils of a first date.

Filmed on location in Vancouver, each episode of First Dates Canada documents a restaurant of single men and women who have been paired up for a first date with someone they’ve never met. The restaurant is fitted with more than 40 hidden cameras capturing every moment of the ensuing, and sometimes cringe-worthy, conversational foreplay. Honest and observational at its core, First Dates Canada is a real-life romantic comedy where the players direct themselves.

Online applications for First Dates Canada can be filled out by visiting www.Slice.ca/First-Dates-Canada. Applicants must be 19 years of age or older, available for filming in the Vancouver area, and must provide a headshot of themselves. The casting site also allows people to nominate friends or family for the show through the same online application process.

Originally produced in the U.K. by Twenty Twenty for Channel 4, First Dates has become an international hit, with local versions produced in a number of other territories including Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands. First Dates Canada is a co-production between Force Four Entertainment and Remedy Canada Productions, in association with Shaw Media and Slice.

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