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

TVO’s Opie takes the fear out of kindergarten

1 Comment

Kindergarten can be a scary place for children. For most, kindergarten is the first time that five-year-olds are away from their parents and home for an extended period of time. It can be an unfamiliar place filled with strangers and loud noises.

That’s where Opie comes in. Created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, Opie is the five-year-old puppet star of Hi Opie! a 39-episode series targeted at kids aged three to five that introduces them to the world of kindergarten and all that comes with it. Brightly-coloured and with a shock of yarn-like hair, Opie is a friendly fellow who interacts with young co-stars who immediately accept the puppet as a real character.

“It’s the power of a puppet who is designed in a particular way to get the attention of a child and make them feel comfortable,” says Pat Ellingson, creative Head of Children’s & Parents’ Media for TVO. “And a puppeteer [in Jordan Lockhart] who is able to make them take that leap of faith that this is a real character.”

Developed in partnership with TVO and produced by marblemedia in association with The Jim Henson Company, Hi Opie! aims to entertain as well as educate families as their little ones prepare for full-time kindergarten, something Ellingson explains was an important part of developing the series. Math, science, social skills, patience, teamwork and interaction with peers and teachers are all addressed in upcoming instalments. Ellingson says Hi Opie! has a three-pronged message aimed at children about to start full-day kindergarten, parents new to the environment and for children already in the program.

TVO is offering a sneak peek of Hi Opie! on Monday, Aug. 25, at 7 a.m. and noon ET, and Friday, Aug. 29, at 7 a.m. ET.

Meanwhile, Opie took some time out from his school preparations to answer a few questions from us:

Opie, are you excited to go into kindergarten, or are you a little nervous?
I’m really excited to start kindergarten! I can’t wait to meet new friends and play games. Doing crafts and playing with dinosaurs are my favourite.

If you are nervous, what are you nervous about?
I’m a little nervous … I’ve never been to school before and the school is really big!

What do you think your favourite part about going to school every day will be? Is it learning? Seeing your friends? Snack time?
I can’t wait to meet new friends.

What would you say to any kids that are nervous about going to kindergarten for the first time? What would you tell their parents?
I’m practicing how to introduce myself so when I meet new friends I’m going to say, ‘Hi, my name is Opie. What’s yours?’ I’ve also been practicing packing my backpack with my lunch, favourite toy and an extra change of clothes. I’m going to pack these on the first day.

Hi Opie! debuts on Monday, Sept. 1 and will air Monday to Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. ET on TVO, Monday to Friday at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. CT on City Saskatchewan and Monday to Friday at 11:50 a.m. PT on Knowledge Network.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Uncategorized

City unveils Bachelor Season 2 bachelorettes

4 Comments

bach

From a media release:

Will it be the lingerie model? The ER doctor? Or maybe the personal trainer? Viewers are a little bit closer to discovering who will win Bachelor Tim’s heart as City unveils the identities of all 25 bachelorettes for Season 2 of original series The Bachelor Canada. Find out who will get the coveted first-impression rose on the special two-hour premiere, airing Thursday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings) on City.

Beginning today, fans can learn more about the 25 women looking for love this season as five different bachelorettes are highlighted each morning in exclusive video reveals on Breakfast Television programs across the country. Following the Breakfast Television debuts, romantic hopefuls can catch up on all of the candid confessions by visiting Citytv.com/BachelorCanada.

Announced in April, Canada’s newest bachelor, Tim Warmels, 28, is putting his life on hold in pursuit of the one thing missing from it – true love. The successful entrepreneur and Richard Ivey School of Business graduate is looking for a woman who is happy in her own skin and wants just as much out of life as he does. As the limos pull up on Night 1, will Jennifer the “joyologist” win him over with her positivity? Or will quiet-but-confident Christine make a more memorable impression? Can April Borgnetta’s burlesque moves, Lisa’s edgy style, or Rileigh’s party-girl personality steal Tim’s attention away from the other women?

Ranging in age from 23 to 42 – and hailing from all over the country – the 25 bachelorettes are a diverse collection of character, energy, and background, with one thing in common – the chance to win Tim’s love.

Tim’s 25 bachelorettes are (in alphabetical order):

  • Alison, 27 (nurse), from Montreal
  • Andrea, 30 (dental hygienist), from Kelowna, B.C.
  • April Borgnetta, 30 (wax artist/”vagician”), from Victoria
  • April Brockman, 27 (realtor), from Wasaga Beach, ON
  • Christine, 29 (music teacher), from Vancouver
  • Dominique, 28 (reception & IT/model), from Montreal
  • Jacqueline, 23 (law office administrative assistant), from Toronto
  • Jennifer, 26 (“joyologist”), from Montreal
  • Jenny, 26 (personal trainer), from Vancouver (b. Hong Kong, China)
  • Jewel, 32 (payroll accountant), from Toronto
  • Kaylynn, 26 (ballerina), from Vancouver
  • Kelsey, 28 (sommelier), from Calgary
  • Lisa, 25 (hairstylist), from Calgary
  • Martha, 26 (fashion buyer), from Montreal (b. Cuernavaca, Mexico)
  • Natalie, 27 (elementary French teacher), from Cambridge, ON
  • Raelee, 26 (gymnast/art director), from Calgary (**Previously announced as winner of the ‘Canada’s Choice’ bachelorette contest)
  • Rebecca, 24 (waitress), from Calgary
  • Renée-Anne, 28 (ER doctor), from Sherbrooke, QC
  • Rileigh, 23 (philosophy student/waitress), from Kingston, ON
  • Ritiuska, 33 (engineer) from Calgary (b. Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela)
  • Sachelle, 24 (university recruitment coordinator), from Sudbury, ON
  • Sarah, 31 (personal support worker), from St. Catharines, ON
  • Sharan, 23 (IT sales), from Vancouver
  • Sonia, 42 (lingerie model), from Calgary
  • Trisha, 28 (beauty queen), from Edmonton

As the countdown to the eagerly awaited premiere winds down, learn more about Tim and get an inside scoop straight from the bachelor himself by connecting with him on Twitter@BachCanTim (official hashtag #BachCan) and on Instagram at @timbo0505.

Hosted by Tyler Harcott, The Bachelor Canada is the Canadian version of the perennially successful The Bachelor franchise, which recently concluded its 18th season on City and OMNI Television. This 10-episode, original reality series is produced by Good Human Productions Inc., with Claire Freeland and Sean De Vries serving as executive producers. Nataline Rodrigues is the Director of Original Programming, Rogers Media, and Hayden Mindell is Vice President of Television Programming & Content, Rogers Media.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Featured

Preview: William Shatner explores Star Trek chaos

11 Comments

I’m what you’d call a fringe Star Trek fan. I was definitely late to the party with regard to the original television series and its subsequent spinoffs. I have, however, seen every Trek film (The Wrath of Khan is still my fave) and have become fascinated with the behind-the-scenes stuff. I was engrossed in William Shatner’s The Captains documentary, where he chatted with Chris Pine, Avery Brooks, Scott Bakula, Kate Mulgrew and Sir Patrick Stewart about how their roles defined their acting careers.

So it was with excitement that I checked out a screener for Monday’s HBO Canada debut of William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge, a Canadian original documentary from Ballinran Entertainment in which the former Capt. James T. Kirk explores the inner workings of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the first (and some may say most successful) spinoff that ran for seven seasons and made Stewart and his co-stars household names.

I think Shatner is at his best in a project like this, drolly voicing over the opening frames that explain how a cult hit sci-fi series spinoff was re-imagined by legendary creator Gene Roddenberry with a major studio behind it and seemed destined for success … until bickering, feuds, distrust and confusion almost derailed the whole darn thing.

It’s a kick to see Shatner strutting around Paramount Studios’ cavernous Stage 8 where the Enterprise bridge once sat, painting the picture of Roddenberry as a man in failing health who was clinging to hold onto his beloved creation. Roddenberry is depicted as an enigma, a man who was–depending on who you talked to–a visionary, stubborn, supportive, deceitful and decent. After years of failed television pilots and relegated to being a consultant on the various Trek feature films, he ended up in the captain’s chair of a new series. It wasn’t smooth sailing, as former Paramount executives recount Roddenberry’s lawyer and the Trek creator’s own health as major hurdles to jump on the way to getting cameras rolling on The Next Generation.

Those revelations, along with interviews with such cast members as Denise Crosby, Jonathan Frakes, Stewart and John de Lancie, paint an incredible picture. The cast weren’t sure they should even be doing an updated Trek series, much less whether or not it would be a hit with die-hard fans who were upset it didn’t focus on Kirk, McCoy and Spock. The briskly-paced one-hour doc covers every facet of the process that followed–from failed network pitches to a ludicrous suggestion that TNG be a miniseries–until the final product hit the air.

I don’t want to give everything away, but the stories that fascinated me the most in Chaos on the Bridge involve the casting of the follically-challenged Stewart (he was not anyone’s first choice as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), the off-screen shenanigans amongst the American cast, the power struggle in the writers’ room and the positive impact Michael Piller had on the show when he arrived in Season 3.

Whether you’re a Star Trek fan or not, Chaos on the Bridge is a fascinating peek into the struggles that occurred on what’s become an iconic sci-fi television show.

William Shatner Presents: Chaos on the Bridge airs Monday, Aug. 25, at 9 p.m. ET/MT on HBO Canada.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Featured, Uncategorized

Comments and queries for the week of Aug. 22

2 Comments

Welcome to what I hope will become a weekly column, where I respond to your questions and comments about your favourite Canadian television shows and the TV industry overall.

Could you please tell me if the following Canadian shows have been renewed: Motive, Played, Seed, Saving Hope, Cracked, Remedy and Night Shift? I really like these shows and hate to not get another season. Please tell me they have been renewed. Also, when will Heartland premiere this year? –Debbie

Hi Debbie, congratulations on being the first-ever Mailbag question! It’s a good news/bad news for several of your faves, so let’s start with the good: Motive, Remedy and Saving Hope have all be renewed, the first two are headed into production while Hope returns to CTV on Sept. 22 and 25th for a two-night event. Seed, Played and Cracked were all cancelled. U.S. series Night Shift has been renewed for a second go-round by NBC.

As for Heartland, we’re still waiting on CBC to make their formal announcement with regard to when new shows will debut and favourites will return, but I’m thinking it will be in September. What I do know is that Season 8 of Heartland will celebrate its 125th episode, making it the longest-running Canadian one-hour dramatic series in history.

 

Got a question or comment? Email me a greg@tv-eh.com.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail
Big Brother Canada

Big Brother Canada opens Season 3 casting

2 Comments

BigBrotherCA Logo on White

From a media release:

Following a record-breaking sophomore season, Big Brother Canada is gearing up for its national casting call for season three, airing on Global in 2015. Canadians 19 years of age and older can apply online at BigBrotherCanada.ca beginning today, and in person this fall at open casting calls across Canada. The online submission deadline is November 24, 2014.

“Our Canadian edition of the beloved Big Brother franchise has quickly become one of the most acclaimed productions in the world and with its move to Global this year, Big Brother Canada’s third installment is looking for the biggest, boldest personalities in Canada to entertain our audiences three nights a week on-air and 24/7 online,” said Barbara Williams, Senior Vice President of Content, Shaw Media.

Big Brother Canada is looking for Canucks from all corners of the country; from superfans and strategists to drama kings and queens. As part of Endemol’s worldwide hit franchise, Big Brother Canada’s secret recipe for raucous reality is in its eclectic crew of houseguests. They boldly compete for a grand cash prize through a gruelling series of weekly challenges that test both brain and brawn.

“Big Brother Canada season two was a blockbuster for the franchise with a perfect storm of personalities pitted against each other inside the Big Brother house and cut off from the outside world,” said John Brunton, Chairman & CEO, Insight Production Company Ltd. “The bar has once again been raised and we know our BBCAN Superfans will bring their A-Game to the casting calls this year.”

Those interested in applying can either apply online at BigBrotherCanada.ca with a short video about why they would make the perfect houseguest, or in person at open casting calls throughout October and November. Applicants must be 19 years of age by March 1, 2015. Additional information about the casting calls in select cities will be released in the coming months.

Open casting calls will be held in the following cities:

Vancouver, British Columbia – Sunday, October 19

Calgary, Alberta – Sunday, October 19

Regina, Saskatchewan – Friday, October 24

Halifax, Nova Scotia – Friday, October 24

St. John’s, Newfoundland – Wednesday, October 29

Montréal, Québec – Thursday, October 30

Toronto, Ontario – Sunday, November 23

Coming exclusively to Global in spring 2015, Big Brother Canada season three plucks a group of hand-picked strangers from their homes, sequesters them from the outside world, and places them inside a house outfitted wall-to-wall with cameras and microphones that capture their every move. Each week the houseguests compete in a series of challenges that give the houseguests power or punishment, voting each other out until the fate of the final two is decided by a jury of fellow houseguests.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail