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, Republic of Doyle

Review: Republic of Doyle’s great frame-up

Last week Murdoch Mysteries offered up a bottle episode–a mystery contained within the station house–that was stellar in its drama and storytelling. This week Republic of Doyle kept things locked up tight in the constabulary as the Doyles, Des and Leslie were all called to the carpet by Inspector Picard (guest star John Kapelos at his dickish best) who suspected them all in the death of Barbara Warrick, who’d hired the Doyles to test her mansion’s security system.

Picard’s rapid-fire questions rattled off the darkened walls of offices and interrogation rooms between midnight and 8 a.m., making for sparse surroundings and a focus on everyone’s answers. Stripped down like that–there was no GTO and even Des’ usual manic state was more muted than usual–you couldn’t help but focus on the characters, their faces and their words. Marcus Robinson’s script of “Body of Evidence” painted a picture of folks in disarray. A cop who may bend the rules for the man she loves. A guy desperate to get his hands on money and escape town before his bumped-up court date arrives. A couple eager to get their hands on cash to pay off mounting debts. Even Tinny and Des looked like they were good for at least part of the crime.

Of course, we knew it was all going to work out in the end–Barbara Warrick accidentally killed herself while hiding her late husband’s money in a wall and herself in the attic–but none of that came out until very late in the episode when Jake, Leslie, Rose and Malachy met up and put the pieces together. With Doyle’s series finale coming up next week, this week’s penultimate tale was the perfect lead-in to what promises to be one heck of a ride.

Notes and quotes

  • “Are you trying to say I’m ugly? I was born like this.”–Des
  • “I don’t know how to help him and it’s killing me. He’s my best friend. My son.”–Malachy
  • “I love you, that’s all. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”–Leslie
  • “Jake, I can’t do any hard time. Not even any easy time.”–Des
  • Tinny needing time away from Des hit me out of nowhere. Did anyone else see that coming? And can they turn things around by next week?
  • And just what evidence does Picard have that proves Leslie is a dirty cop?

The two-hour Republic of Doyle series finale airs next Wednesday at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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Murdoch Mysteries

Video: Making Murdoch – “High Voltage”

From CBC:

In this edition of Making Murdoch, go behind the scenes with the cast and crew on location at the historic WalperHotel in Kitchener, Ontario. Also, learn more about Thomas Edison’s conflicted relationship with his son, and explore how props master Craig Grant masterminded the Medical Emporium inventions featured in this episode. The cast and producers of Murdoch Mysteries’ talk about how passionate and devoted the show’s fans are and how they inspired this episode. And fans from around the world share what they love most about the series at the annual Murdoch Mysteries studio open house. Watch Murdoch Mysteries Mondays at 8pm on CBC Television!

 

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Link: Playing with fire to shoot a new burning log video

From Marsha Lederman:

After nearly a decade, it was time. The old fire was still burning, sure, but technological advances meant the flame could be brighter, the sparks a little sparklier. And so in the driving rain, exactly seven weeks before Christmas, a crew of four (plus one mysterious cast member) descended on a rustic homestead on Vancouver’s North Shore, to build – and record – a fire. Continue reading.

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Bell introduces CraveTV streaming service

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From a media release:

Premium television, for $4/month. At a press conference this morning, Kevin Crull, President, Bell Media introduced Canada to CraveTV™, the company’s next-generation subscription on-demand video streaming service launching Thursday, Dec. 11. Costing about as much as a latte, CraveTV brings simplicity, ubiquity, accessibility, and premium content to Canadian TV lovers at an unbeatable value.

With a singular focus on delivering the best TV content of yesterday and today, CraveTV is designed to complement Canada’s current TV offerings as an additive service featuring exclusive, premium programming, all at an affordable price.

CraveTV Hallmarks:

Premium Content
With content from all key Hollywood major and independent studios, CraveTV features thousands of hours of programming not found anywhere else. At launch, nearly 65% of the entire CraveTV catalogue is exclusive to the service, with more exclusive titles to be added regularly.

CraveTV provides subscribers with the largest collection of premium content in one place. The programming catalogue falls into three categories – exclusive past-season content, featuring back seasons of television biggest programs currently on air; an extensive and exclusive library, featuring complete catalogues of some of the best TV series that have ever aired; and original series never before seen in Canada. In its first year, CraveTV will feature more than 10,000 hours of premium, non-kids, TV content, representing more than 600 unique titles, including:

· the entire off-air library of HBO’s iconic programming catalogue, including THE SOPRANOS, THE WIRE, and SEX AND THE CITY;
· an unmatchable comedy slate headlined by SEINFELD and including THE BIG BANG THEORY, CHEERS, FRASIER, and CORNER GAS;
· an exclusive catalogue featuring every single episode of MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS;
· exclusive CraveTV originals: programming that will launch first in Canada on CraveTV, including MANHATTAN, BOSCH, and DEADBEAT;
· a Superhero collection headlined by some of the most-watched television programs currently on air including ARROW and, later in 2015, THE FLASH;
· a Sci-Fi & Fantasy collection led by genre blockbusters ORPHAN BLACK and DOCTOR WHO, and featuring all six series comprising the complete STAR TREK TV collection;
· an iconic Music Collection – TV programming expressly dedicated to music and its legends, including FOO FIGHTERS: SONIC HIGHWAYS, and CLASSIC ALBUMS;
· additional premium drama programming from Hollywood and the U.K. including MASTERS OF SEX, NURSE JACKIE, PERSON OF INTEREST, HOMELAND, THE FOLLOWING, GRACELAND, THE FALL, DALLAS, THE LAST SHIP, and UTOPIA;
· and the most-watched and most-acclaimed original Canadian primetime scripted programming, featuring SAVING HOPE, MOTIVE, 19-2, FLASHPOINT, and DEGRASSI.

Value
Truly complementary, CraveTV does not attempt to duplicate existing services, and as a result is able to deliver best-in-class, premium TV programming at an incredible value. CraveTV delivers more to subscribers by allowing them to marathon-watch best-in-class programming for just $4/month.

Accessibility
CraveTV delivers to subscribers access to the service on the platform of their choice, including on their traditional on-demand service via their set-top box. In addition, CraveTV will be available at launch on iOS, including Airplay, as well as Android handsets and tablets via the CraveTV app, and online at CraveTV.ca. And early next year CraveTV will be available on the Xbox gaming consoles, Windows 8, Windows Phone, Samsung Smart TVs, and Chromecast.

Ubiquity
With an objective of getting CraveTV into as many Canadian homes as possible, Bell Media has offered the service to all TV providers. Previously, Bell Media announced distribution partnerships for CraveTV with TELUS Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV, Bell Aliant FibreOP TV, and Bell Satellite TV at launch. Today, Bell Media confirmed that Eastlink is the latest distribution partner for CraveTV and will make the service available at launch, while Northwestel and other Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA) members will also provide the service soon.

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Uncategorized

Link: In praise of Doyle (the fictional one)

From John Doyle:

‘We’re going to make a movie … so stay tuned.” That’s what Allan Hawco, who plays Jake Doyle, said recently. So there – good news about Republic of Doyle. (CBC, Wednesday, 9 p.m.) Oh yeah.

Tonight’s episode takes place almost entirely inside a series of small rooms. There’s an awful lot of talk. Just talk. The tires on Jake Doyle’s GTO are not screechin’. There are no varmints being chased thither and yon around the sun-filled streets of St. John’s. There isn’t even a dame to get Jake going all “Hello, darlin’…” Continue reading.

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