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.
19-2, Featured

Interview: 19-2’s Maxim Roy celebrates la belle province

Maxim Roy is fiercely proud of her home province of Quebec. The native of Rigaud is thrilled Montreal and its surrounds serve as another cast member in 19-2 because it allows the series to show off its colour and character.

This second season of Bravo’s Monday night drama has been a tough one for Roy’s character, Isabelle Latendresse. The detective has her sights set on advancing her career in the force, but being married to Nick Barron (Adrian Holmes) seems to have labelled her defective among the higher-ups. Pair that with at-home issues with son Theo (Zackaryer Abdillahi), and things haven’t been easy for Isabelle.

Or, in a way, for Roy. As the veteran actress—and 2015 Canadian Screen Award nominee—tells us, being a French actress who dabbles in roles outside of Quebec has netted her some detractors.

What’s it like having your home province featured in 19-2?
Maxim Roy: It’s so refreshing to finally have our city showcased, and to feel that English Canada has embraced that is really fantastic.

This show is filled with complicated characters. Isabelle is very complicated. There were times in the first season where I shook my fist at the screen. Like when she slept with Nick and then broke things off again the next day.
Yeah … see … [Laughs.] I kind of feel for her, though. She’s in a very difficult position. Nick and Isabelle still love each other and have this amazing chemistry. They have the utmost respect for each other … they just can’t live together and that happens to a lot of couples. It seems so complicated, but the number of couples that I know that are exactly like that? I know a lot. So I thought it was really nice to play somebody that complex for once. She’s not just this superwoman cop who has no emotion. She’s a woman and she has feelings and desires and she is very passionate about her work and her son.

Have you watched the original, French version of 19-2?
I’ve only watched the first season, after we were done with Season 1. I watched it all in two days. I didn’t want to be influenced by performance. I know the girl that plays Isabelle in the French version—we played sisters in a movie—and she’s a fantastic actress. I didn’t want to go there. I wanted to do my own thing and build my own character.

Did you have questions about Isabelle heading into Season 2?
Yeah. Adrian and I had questions about the relationship between Nick and Isabelle and we thought it was important that it stay in there for Season 2. That whole tension thing is interesting and interesting to play. Isabelle is interested in her career and getting ahead this season.

Are you bummed Isabelle isn’t involved in foot chases and taking bad guys down?
[Laughs.] I’m hoping for more flashbacks! I want to wear blue. I want to wear those comfortable shoes, not those frigging high heels! [Laughs.] I am so envious of the other girls.

Quebec is a fascinating province with its own star system.
It’s crazy. You feel like everyone is there encouraging each other and their projects. But there is a lot of pressure in that if you go outside Quebec, like me—I work in both languages—there is some criticism. I have my Facebook page and if I post a picture of me with this crew, there are comments like, ‘Well, why aren’t you doing the French version?’ It’s like a betrayal, almost.

But at the same time it’s so admirable. We have the ratings. We watch our shows and we go and see our own movies, so it gives us jobs. That’s fantastic, but there is a sense of ‘belonging.’ If you belong to Quebec you should stay in Quebec.

19-2 airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Link: City profiles northern Saskatchewan’s Nordic Lodge

From Will Chabun of the Leader-Post:

City profiles northern Saskatchewan’s Nordic Lodge
When Chris Triffo made his pitch to her, Jennifer Huculak-Kimmel was not having the best day: new business, new baby and an outstanding bill of a million bucks for the latter.

Somehow, veteran TV producer convinced her a reality TV series following her and husband Darren Kimmel, as they ran their fishing camp in northern Saskatchewan, could work.

We see the result at 10 p.m. Wednesday night when Citytv Saskatchewan airs the first two episodes of Nordic Lodge. Continue reading.

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Mohawk Girls

Link: Mohawk Girls on APTN asks hard questions with a laugh

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From Bill Tierney of the Montreal Gazette:

Mohawk Girls isn’t brilliant, isn’t to die for. It doesn’t have the fashion budgets of New York-inspired Sex in the City or, more recently, the stylized grit of Girls. Kahnawake and Montreal aren’t New York, and production values can’t match the big networks. But Mohawk Girls is ours and it does ask questions we should be asking. While we’re being amused at the antics of these liberated young women, your laughter evaporates leaving more serious issues exposed. Continue reading.

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Awards, Featured

Canadian Screen Awards: Who should/Will win the TV categories?

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It’s the glitziest week in Canadian television. The third annual Canadian Screen Awards consume the entire week in Toronto with a nominee cocktail party on Monday, two nights of industry awards on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Women Who Act with Patricia Rozema screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox and a Fan Zone on Saturday at the Eaton Centre.

On Sunday, March 1, the two-hour live broadcast concludes the festivities by awarding the top TV and film categories.

With all of that in mind, the editors and contributors here at TV, Eh? have broken down the major television categories, ruminated the talent involved and given our picks for who should—and will—win a Canadian Screen Award.

Who weighed in: Diane Wild, Greg David, Emily Gagne and Chris Jancelewicz.

Best Dramatic Series
19-2
Continuum
Motive
Orphan Black
Remedy

Emily
Should win: 19-2. This show is a true standout in the overcrowded cop drama landscape, as it tackles issues often avoided, whether out of lack of interest, or fear of disturbing viewers. What’s more, it’s beautifully shot and features some truly stellar performances from its leads.

Will win: Orphan Black. The CSAs will want to do everything they can to get Tatiana Maslany on the show while she’s still one of the hottest things out there, right?

Diane
Should win: Orphan Black. It’s not a perfectly plotted show, but it’s entertaining as all get out and touches on social issues in the way only sci-fi can pull off without turning into a mini morality play. The much-lauded performances by Tatiana Maslany are rooted in the excellent characters built by the writers.
Will win: Orphan Black.

Chris
Should win: 19-2. Canadians are always thirsting for new, innovative TV dramas, and here it is right under our noses. While it deserves all the awards and accolades for its amazing cast, inventive cinematography and solid, tight writing, it unfortunately falls off the radar.
Will win: Orphan Black, of course. The most hyped show to come out of Canada (as a co-production) since the beginning of time, there is no doubt OB will take top honours — even though a certain episode from Season 2 signalled a potential meltdown to come in Season 3.

Greg
Should win: 19-2. I do love Orphan Black (which will likely walk away with the award), but Season 1 of 19-2 was far stronger than Season 2 of OB. From the unflinching storylines to the incredible ensemble performances (the show’s cast is nominated in the lead and supporting categories), 19-2 has been simply amazing.
Will win: Orphan Black. The Academy may pull a fast one and choose something else, but I doubt it.

callmefitz

Best Comedy Series
Call Me Fitz
Mr. D
Seed
Spun Out
Tiny Plastic Men

Emily
Should win: Call Me Fitz. This show, run by the awesome Sheri Elwood, was horribly underrated when it was on, which is a total shame because it was one of the funniest—and crudest!—Canadian comedies ever to hit TV. Since this was its last season, it deserves all the attention it can get.

Will win: Anything other than Spun Out, amiright? I mean, after that whole scandal….

Diane
Should win: Call Me Fitz has been one of my favourite Canadian shows since before it began airing. It’s insane in all the right ways.
Will win: Oh please let it be Call Me Fitz in the Academy’s last chance to honour the show again.

Chris
Should win: Call Me Fitz. Creative, funny, smart. Can’t really deny it, especially since the rest of the shows in this category have never made me laugh once.
Will win: Again, Call Me Fitz. If Seed takes this, oh man, I’ll be very concerned for the state of Canadian comedy.

Greg
Should win/Will win: Call Me Fitz. In a classic case of cancelled show wins in the category (sorry Seed, it won’t be you), Fitz is walking away with the award. It’s well-deserved. The writing was sharp, the performances hilarious and Jason Priestley was at the top of his game.

Best Reality/Competition Program or Series
The Amazing Race Canada
Big Brother Canada
MasterChef Canada
The Ultimate Fighter Nations – Canada vs. Australia
Unusually Thicke

Emily
Should win: The Amazing Race Canada. Even people who aren’t into reality TV anymore can get hooked on this show, which captures the same informative, yet engaging spirit of the American series that inspired it.
Will win: The Amazing Race Canada or Big Brother Canada. One of the big names.

Diane
Should win: I hate reality TV and I’m embarrassed our industry keeps pumping out [X] Canada type reality shows. Is the Firelog nominated? No? Then I don’t care.
Will win: Amazing Race Canada, because I guess something has to win.

Chris
Should win: The Amazing Race Canada. A Canadian reality show went international (albeit briefly)?! They deserve to win just for that. Big Brother Canada is a close second, just because of the major drama that went down in that house. It even drew the attention of American Big Brother fanatics, and that says something.
Will win: The Amazing Race Canada. High production values, international travel, good reality-show drama.

Greg
Should win: The Amazing Race Canada. This unscripted love letter to our country was even better in Season 2, spotlighting key locations in Canada and venturing overseas for key moments, like having the competitors run across Juno Beach in France on the anniversary of the D-Day landings and come face-to-face with a Second World War veteran.
Will win: The Amazing Race Canada … but Big Brother Canada could sneak in as a dark horse. I’ll weep for the future of Canadian TV if Unusually Thicke gets it.

Best International Drama
Vikings
The Great Martian War

Emily
Should win/Will win: Vikings. This is a powerhouse show with a hold on both the industry and viewers.

Diane
Should win/Will win: I haven’t seen either one of these shows so … um … Vikings?

Chris
No brainer. Should win: Vikings. The gritty action drama keeps upping the ante with every new season, and it’s not just because (like everyone else) I’m hypnotized by Travis Fimmel’s ice-blue laser-beam eyes. A great ensemble with interesting storylines, not to mention beautiful, well-shot scenery, make this a cinch to win.
Will win: Vikings, for all the reasons above.

Greg
Should win/Will win: It’s not even close. Though The Great Martian War was a very well-done special that combined real-life First World War footage with CGI that made it look like that conflict was really a fight with invading Martians, Vikings will not be beaten. Stunning visuals, memorable characters and wonderful scripts written by creator Michael Hirst means the vikings will claim their golden plunder.

Rick_Mercer

Best Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series
Rick Mercer Report
Funny as Hell
Seth Rogen: Hilarity for Charity
This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Emily
Should win/Will win: Rick Mercer Report. Every year, Rick comes up with fresh material to not only keep us laughing, but also to keep us thinking.

Diane
Should win: Rick Mercer Report. It’s been on the air for a million years and is still hilarious, with rants that still make people laugh, think and talk. Mercer for PM, never mind for a Screenie.
Will win: Seth Rogen: Hilarity for Charity because he’s one of the “fresh” names in a category of oldsters, and it was for charity so come on, how could voters be anti-Hilarity for Charity?

Chris
Should win: Rick Mercer Report. Rick has his finger on the pulse of this country, and it shows. Never stale, never lame, the man rants like no one else — and it’s always smart.
Will win: Rick Mercer Report, with 22 Minutes as a possible dark horse. Both are CBC, but I think Mercer resonates with both young and old, while the 22 Minutes audience is … um … not both.

Greg
Should win: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Funny as Hell. The HBO Canada stand-up series hosted by Jon Dore is indeed funny as hell, spotlighting comedians like JB Smoove, Jim Jeffries and Marc Maron. Come on Academy, let’s mix things up a bit!
Will win: Rick Mercer Report

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Gerry Dee, Mr. D
Adam Korson, Seed
Don McKellar, Sensitive Skin
Dave Foley, Spun Out
Mark Meer, Tiny Plastic Men

Emily
Should win: Adam Korson, Seed. I was always a huge supporter of Seed when it was on, and a big part of that had to do with Korson being an expert lead with effortless charm and spot-on timing. His chemistry with Carrie-Lynn Neales was enough to make me want to captain their on-screen ship, Rosarry.
Will win: Gerry Dee. He’s a crowd pleaser and Mr. D really is a great show.

Diane
Should win: Jason Priestley. What? Not nominated? Good grief. OK then, Don McKellar. His off-beat neurotic humour always makes me laugh.
Will win: Adam Korson, because he’s so darn charming, and was on a show more than five people saw.

Chris
Should win: Don McKellar, Sensitive Skin. I know, I know, he was a bit annoying at first, but he grew on me with his neuroses. I actually chuckled aloud at McKellar’s character’s ridiculous urban behaviour.
Will win: Gerry Dee. Everyone loves this guy.

Greg
Should win: I’m going to side with Chris on this one. Normally I’m not a huge fan of Don McKellar, but I really enjoyed him in Senstive Skin. Can I also use this space to complain that Kim Cattrall was robbed by not being nominated in the Actress category? Thank you.
Will win: Gerry Dee.

seed-1.jpg

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Joanna Cassidy, Call Me Fitz
Julia Voth, Package Deal
Carrie-Lynn Neales, Seed
Kacey Rohl, Working the Engels
Andrea Martin, Working the Engels

Emily
Should win: Either Carrie Lynn-Neales or Kacey Rohl. I’d honestly be happy with a tie for these two, as they showed us that Canada can do the adorkable leading lady thing too, and perhaps with even more heart than our neighbours to the South.
Will win: Andrea Martin. Uh, it’s Andrea Martin. And this is the only time they can give her an award for Engels.

Diane
Should win: Joanna Cassidy. Everyone in Call Me Fitz is terrific, and if Jason Priestley had to be robbed then his costar should take home the prize.
Will win: Andrea Martin, because even though the show was less than great, she’s Andrea Martin.

Chris
Should win: I’ll ignore the insane snub of Kim Cattrall (c’mon, that’s just plain nutty) for Sensitive Skin, and say Andrea Martin for Working the Engels. Martin is blessed with impeccable comedic timing and one of those faces that just triggers laughter.
Will win: Andrea Martin for Working the Engels. She’s hosting this thing. You do the math.

Greg
Should win: Julia Voth. This is partly my heart talking because I visited the set and met the very nice folks who are involved in it. Plus, Voth had no prior experience as a comic actress and proved to have a natural gift for physical comedy, a big feat considering she was sharing the screen with Harland Williams.
Will win: I can’t decide between Joanna Cassidy or Andrea Martin.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Adam Beach, Arctic Air
David Sutcliffe, Cracked
Jared Keeso, 19-2
Michael McLeod, Forgive Me
Dillon Casey, Remedy

Emily
Should win: Jared Keeso. 19-2 might be well-written and shot, but it wouldn’t have the same star power without Keeso and his screen partner Adrian Holmes repeatedly killing it.
Will win: Keeso.

Diane
Should win: Jared Keeso is head and shoulders above the rest, and I say that as someone still catching up with season one of 19-2.
Will win: Jared Keeso or there is no justice.

Chris
Should win: Jared Keeso, 19-2. Keeso is the blood, sweat and tears of this show (along with co-star Holmes), and he’s displayed some serious acting chops in the past year.
Will win: Keeso for 19-2, for the reasons above.

Greg
Should win/Will win: Jared Keeso. Keeso and Adrian Holmes are the faces of 19-2 for good reason. They head up an incredible ensemble cast. Keeso, who was so good playing Don Cherry for CBC’s TV-movies, has come into his own in Bravo’s cop drama, playing a sensitive Montreal cop who means well in everything he does, even if it verges into some grey territory. Want to see Keeso’s comic side? Check out Letterkenny Problems.

orphanblack2.jpg

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Meaghan Rath, Being Human
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Megan Follows, Reign
Jennie Raymond, Sex & Violence

Jackie Torrens, Sex & Violence

Emily
Should win/Will win: Maslany/one of her clones.

Diane
Should win/Will win: Tatiana Maslany, eight times over.

Chris
Should win: Tatiana Maslany for Orphan Black. Do we really need to go over this? Maslany plays so many characters, without her the show would have like four other credits. Even if you’re not a fan of OB, you can’t deny her ability to throw herself into every single clone role.
Will win: Maslany, Orphan Black. If she doesn’t, the universe will fold into itself.

Greg
Should win/Will win: Tatiana Maslany. Yes, she’s as good as everyone says she is. My only question is: which clone will accept the award?

 

The Canadian Screen Awards gala airs Sunday, March 1, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

What do you think of our picks? Who do you think should and will win? Comment below or via @tv_eh.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Interview: Murdoch Mysteries author Maureen Jennings sounds off on origins episode

It just makes sense to have Maureen Jennings write the origins episode of Murdoch Mysteries. After all, the author created him. Back in 1997, long before Yannick Bisson straddled a bike and drove into viewers’ lives eight seasons ago, Jennings published her first Murdoch mystery novel, Except the Dying.

In 2000, Shaftesbury Films optioned the novels for television, which led to three TV-movies with Peter Outerbridge in the titular role. On Monday night, the franchise came full circle as Jennings’ script for “Shipwrecked” brought Outerbridge and Bisson together on the small screen. We spoke to Jennings about the episode and her thoughts on the state of the franchise.

I know we’re eight seasons into Murdoch Mysteries with Yannick Bisson in the starring role, but is it still weird to see your creation on television?
Maureen Jennings: Oh, no. He does a fabulous job. It’s his Murdoch now, that’s for sure.

Obviously the show has evolved over the years and has changed from what has been in your seven novels. What are your thoughts on the evolution of the franchise?
I feel very lucky because it hasn’t strayed that far over the last eight years. Early on, someone had a brilliant idea—it wasn’t mine—to move us up in time. You can put out the books in for or five years and move the fictional timeline by a few months. But in terms of television, we’re advancing a year which gives a lot more scope to what was happening at the time. I think it was a really good idea.

Do you watch the show every week?
Oh yes!

How did the whole idea for Monday’s episode, William Murdoch’s origin story, come to be?
I love answering this question. We were actually in Halifax a few years ago and they have a fabulous museum there. What I didn’t know was that a lot of people from the Titanic washed up there. It’s gruesome, but they did. They have a lot of the artefacts that they found on the bodies in that museum. I was looking at that and thought, ‘Wow, isn’t that interesting what you can tell from what somebody was carrying in their pockets?’ One of the men had gold coins in his pockets, which is a morality tale because they didn’t do him any good.

I had long before established that Murdoch grew up in Nova Scotia, so this really got me going. It was actually a short story called ‘Wreckwood.’ That is the term they used in Nova Scotia to refer to a piece of the boat that they had found. It was very respectful. It was their way of honouring those ships that had foundered on their shores. I then changed the title to ‘Shipwreck’ and wrote a novella, which was intended for adults. It was a Murdoch story intended for a slightly different audience. I had framed it as Murdoch telling the story to his grandchild and that was really fun to to.

I always enjoy it when people talk about their past, so that’s really how it started.

Was it always the plan to have Peter Outerbridge cast as Father Keegan?
We absolutely wanted Peter in with Yannick. Everybody wanted Peter in, we just had to figure out the scheduling. He was happy to be there too and it was a lovely moment on many levels. Peter, the first Murdoch was there with the current Murdoch and they worked together. It was really nicely done. It was a fabulous experience.

Did you get a chance to watch any scenes filmed?
Yannick wasn’t there the day I was. We were there the day they filmed in Sutton, Ont., filming the shipwreck scenes. We went to a gravel pit to film the shipwreck. It was cold and wet and they were using rain towers to simulate the storm. It was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever experienced. There was Peter as Father Keegan, getting soaked to the skin and doing brilliantly.

I know scripts go through many edits. Were there any important plot points featured in this episode?
We had to work hard in terms of bringing together the two storylines. That was much more difficult that what I’d thought originally. One of the writers, Carol Hay, came up with the idea of rather than trying to link the two stories in terms of the plot, why don’t we just link them together in terms of theme and have this story of William’s relationship with Father Keegan be paramount. I thought that was very clever and it worked.

I enjoyed seeing young William and seeing his curiosity and Catholic faith established.
I was not raised in any way Catholic, but I went to a Catholic university—which was then called Assumption—and I was so impressed by the fathers there. That has definitely morphed into Father Keegan. And I think that, really, the young Murdoch is the young me.

Murdoch Mysteries returns with new episodes on Monday, March 16, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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