From D.K. Latta:
As someone who writes a lot about Canadian film and TV I had been thinking of writing a post titled something like: “It’s Okay to Dislike a Canadian TV Show.” There are people within the Canadian entertainment biz (as well as their fans) who feel the industry is so fragile it behooves critics to “get on-side.” And that you have to like particular shows or movies to be considered Canadian.
Which is complete and utter balderdash. Continue reading.
It’s been awhile since Canadians had their own late-night talk show to tune in to. Since 2004, in fact, when The Mike Bullard Show decamped from Global due to low ratings.
Now, over a decade later, there’s a new kid on the Canadian late-night block. Juno award and Canadian Aboriginal Music Award winner Derek Miller hosts Guilt Free Zone, debuting Tuesday on APTN, a ribald no-holds-barred talker that spotlights Aboriginal artists and performers, Miller’s offbeat sense of humour and a promise to discuss delicate subjects without fear of being judged.
Tuesday’s first instalment, “I Like Sex and Fonzie,” (the first of six episodes taped in front of live studio audiences across the country), sets the offbeat tone from the start with Miller introducing himself and outlining the show’s mantra to chat openly about sex. His first guest is Inez Jasper, a nurse, public speaker and singer-songwriter who stresses educating First Nations youth about avoiding sexually-transmitted diseases and pregnancy by using condoms, at which point Miller produces a handful. Jasper then jumps up and performs an original tune. Miller’s second guest, Jayli Wolf, chats briefly about her acting career on Mohawk Girls before performing as well.
When not chatting with his guests or watching them sing, Miller is yukking it up with a guy dressed up like Jesus who rides by on a Segway.
Guilt Free Zone is a little rough around the edges–there were several moments of dead space between bits and a little bit of stilted conversation–but on the whole I was entertained, especially when Miller grabbed his guitar and jammed with the GFZ house band to close out the episode.
Check GFZ out and let me know what you think.
Guilt Free Zone airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/MT on APTN.
From a media release:
This winter, TVO’s critically acclaimed medical series, Hard Rock Medical, returns for a second season. The first commissioned drama series for TVO, Hard Rock Medical, follows the lives of eight medical students as they adapt to practicing medicine and living in Northern Ontario; Season 2 dives deeper into the character development of the North, and demonstrates the challenging realities of providing medical care in remote rural communities. From providing aid to residents of a ‘tent city’, to a patient being struck by lightning, and a fishing trip ending with a fisherman caught on the line, the students at Hard Rock U become well-versed in the medical realities of the North.
Hard Rock Medical, loosely inspired by the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM), sees its ensemble cast return including Canadian talents, Patrick McKenna, Angela Asher, and Stéphane Paquette. This season, both students and teachers alike are pushed to their limits as they struggle to meet the medical and personal challenges life throws their way.
Dr. Healy’s (McKenna) struggles with mental health issues, specifically addiction, lead him down a dark path, resulting in neglect and isolation; Nancy (Asher) is forced to confront a challenging relationship with her soon-to-be ex-husband when she finally comes face-to-face with his new fiancée; and Charlie (Paquette) struggles to find financial support for school and family, with a fourth child on the way.
Hard Rock Medical Season 2 premieres on Sunday, February 15 at 8 pm in a 1-hour special broadcast with two back-to-back episodes. The remaining six 30-minute episodes air from Sunday, February 22 to Sunday, March 29at 8 pm. Season 2 episodes will be available online at tvo.org/hardrockmed following the broadcast. Leading up to the premiere, viewers can catch up on Hard Rock Medical Season 1 Sundays at 8 pm and 8:30 pm on TVO beginning January 4 – with a special 3-episode broadcast, starting at 8 pm – and the remaining episodes airing until February 8, and available at tvo.org/hardrockmed.
Hard Rock Medical is a medical drama shot entirely in Northern Ontario and is a joint venture of Distinct Features Inc. and Carte Blanche Films Inc. Hard Rock Medical received funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation to support the regional production of the series.
[Season 2 of Hard Rock Medical previously aired on APTN.]
From John Doyle:
Now me, I haven’t been to a wedding in years. But I do enjoy the bridal shopping experience every week.
It is totally true. On a regular evening when I’ve done the dishes and finished the ironing, I’ll relax with an episode of Say Yes to the Dress. (Sometimes it’s Four Weddings Canada, which is outrageous, simmering with snark, but that’s another story.) The SYTTD franchise is one of reality television’s great triumphs. There’s a genius to it. Continue reading.
From a media release:
New year, new ETALK! CTV announced today that Danielle Graham is the new Co-Anchor of ETALK, Canada’s most-watched entertainment news program. Formerly an ETALK senior reporter, Graham begins her new role alongside Anchor Ben Mulroney tonight, as they get ready to kick off ETALK’s exclusive awards season coverage. Graham will be front and centre for all the action with the biggest stars in the world, starting with THE 72nd ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE® AWARDS, airing live across the country Sunday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CTV (visit CTV.ca to confirm local listings). ETALK’s Graham will be positioned alongside Mulroney as the only Canadian outlet to have an exclusive platform on one of the biggest red carpets of the year.
With close to a decade of national TV experience, Danielle Graham’s charming personality has put her face- to-face with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, covering high-profile events both here at home, and around the world. In recent years, Graham has interviewed the likes of Ben Affleck, James Franco, Robert Downey Jr., Jennifer Aniston, Beyoncé Knowles, and most recently Taylor Swift. Graham has also made her mark on red carpets around the world including the Toronto International Film Festival® (TIFF), Sundance Film Festival, the Independent Spirit Awards, Elton John’s annual post-Oscar® bash, and THE 65th PRIMETIME EMMY®AWARDS. Graham was also the first ETALK reporter to go on the road with the CTV smash-hit THE AMAZING RACE CANADA during its inaugural season, and co-hosted THE AMAZING RACE CANADA after-show, INSIDE THE RACE.
Graham got her start in broadcasting in 2001 working at various broadcasters before making her on-camera debut on YTV’s weekly music countdown show THE HIT LIST prior to joining Bell Media in 2005 as an entertainment reporter for STAR! DAILY. She officially joined the ETALK team in 2007 as a reporter, and was promoted to Senior Reporter in 2013. Born and raised in Guelph, Ontario, Danielle Graham graduated from Seneca College with a diploma in Radio and Television Broadcasting.
