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.

TSN expands to five national feeds

TSN

From a media release:

– Leading television service providers sign on for TSN’s new lineup of five national feeds –

– TSN’s suite of channels to debut on the opening day of the U.S. OPEN, delivering expanded live coverage of the final tennis Grand Slam of the season –

TSN announced today that its highly-anticipated expanded package of five national feeds will debut across Canada on Monday, August 25 – delivering more sports, more choice, and #MoreTSN to Canadian sports fans than ever before.

Optimized to give Canadians the most extensive selection of sports programming on television, TSN’s suite of five national channels – branded TSN1, TSN2, TSN3, TSN4, and TSN5 – will deliver a slate of expanded programming, including the ability to schedule key programming to serve multiple time zones.

TSN’s five national feeds will be available to subscribers on the first day of the U.S. OPEN, enabling Canada’s Sports Leader to broadcast an unprecedented amount of live coverage of the final tennis Grand Slam of the season.

Distribution for TSN1, TSN2, TSN3, TSN4, and TSN5
TSN also confirmed today that the expanded five-feed service will debut in millions of Canadian homes, with a slate of leading television service providers already signed on to carry the service.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the reaction to our expansion plans across the industry – it’s clear that our viewers, partners, and clients all want more choice and more access to the biggest events in sports,” said Stewart Johnston, President of TSN. “We are delighted that so many television service providers have signed on for the launch, and we are looking forward to announcing further distribution partners in the coming weeks.”

The following distributors are among the first to offer TSN1, TSN2, TSN3, TSN4, and TSN5 to their customers when it launches on August 25:
Bell Fibe TV
Bell Satellite
Cogeco Cable Inc.
Eastlink
FibreOP TV (Bell Aliant)
MTS
Rogers
SaskTel
Shaw
Shaw Direct
Source Cable
TELUS Optik TV

More Sports, More Choice, and #MoreTSN
Already home to Canada’s most diverse lineup of sports programming and the biggest championships – among them the World Juniors, Grey Cup, FIFA World Cup 2015-2022, Grand Slam tennis, all of golf’s majors and much more – Canada’s Sports Leader is now able to fully leverage its deep lineup of world-class content with its expansion to five feeds: TSN1, TSN2, TSN3, TSN4, and TSN5.

Key programming highlights that viewers can expect to see across TSN’s suite of five national feeds include:
· More live game coverage
· More choice of games and events taking place at the same time
· Expanded coverage of marquee live events
· Effective scheduling of TSN news and studio shows, including SPORTSCENTRE
· NHL hockey
· ESPN programming
· New acquisitions and partnerships

TSN is Canada’s Sports Leader and #1 specialty network. With a broad portfolio of multimedia sports assets, TSN currently delivers world-class content across industry-leading platforms including TSN2, TSN.ca, TSN GO, and TSN Radio. Official broadcaster of the Grey Cup, IIHF World Junior Championship and FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015, TSN’s slate of live sports coverage includes NHL, CFL, NFL, NBA, MLS, Season of Champions Curling, UEFA Euro 2016, MLB, Barclays Premier League, Golf’s Majors, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Canadian Tire Series, F1, Grand Slam Tennis, NCAA March Madness, and Skate Canada events. TSN is a division of Bell Media, which is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

CBC presents Just for Laughs galas

From a media release:

CBC brings the best in Canadian and international comedy to homes across Canada late this summer with the Just For Laughs Galas, featuring renowned comedians Eddie Izzard, Kathy Griffin and Joan Rivers, along with an impressive lineup of comedians from around the world.

British comedy legend Eddie Izzard presents The United Nations of Comedy, featuring some of the hottest stand-up comedians from around the globe, including American Colin Quinn, Malaysian-Australian Ronny Chieng, South African sensation Trevor Noah, French superstar Gad Elmaleh (performing in English for the first time ever), and Trinidadian-Canadian Jean Paul. The United Nations of Comedy airs Friday, August 22 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT).

She’s the diva of the D-list, the she-wolf of show business, and one of the funniest women around. Straight from Montreal’s Just For Laughs festival comes Kathy Griffin and some of her very best frenemies. This one-hour special, airing Friday, August 29 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT), features celebrity trash-talk from Kathy herself, with stand-up performances from comedy pros Jon Reep, Sebastian Maniscalco, Alex Nussbaum, Kitty Flanagan and Scottish superstar Danny Bhoy.

A trail-blazer and bridge-burner, the ageless Joan Rivers is sure to deliver the laughs in this one-hour special, airing Friday, September 12 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT). Audiences can look forward to a star-studded line-up of comedians including Tom Papa, Laurie Elliott, Lynne Koplitz and improv superstars Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Global announces fall 2014 premiere dates

 

sleepy

From a media release:

This fall, Global delivers the wow factor with a powerhouse schedule of captivating new dramas, charming comedies and long-awaited comebacks of returning favourites, drawing viewers in to sensational TV moments.

With a schedule packed with TV’s fiercest females, hottest men and thrilling event series, Global gears up for an unstoppable season. Ten o’clock is home to Global’s most buzzed about new dramas, including the heart-pounding new thriller Stalker, premiering on October 1, comic book adaptation Constantine beginning October 24, and the gripping CIA drama State of Affairs, debuting on November 17. Unapologetic political drama Madam Secretary joins critically acclaimed The Good Wife, rounding out Global’s must-see Sunday night schedule. From dynamic characters to spine-tingling twists, Global also brings viewers the highly anticipated event of the season Gracepoint, premiering October 2.

Balancing out the high-stakes drama, Global’s fall schedule has something for everyone with an array of diverse comedies. Brand-new sitcom Mulaney debuts on October 5, and the hilarious new series Marry Me ties the knot between love and laughs beginning October 17. The unorthodox legal comedy Bad Judge and the quirky romantic comedy A to Z complete the comedy lineup, both premiering on October 3.

Global keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with the return of last season’s explosive hit series The Blacklist, alongside fan-favourite Sleepy Hollow. Other returning favourites include the powerhouse franchise NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles, Bones, Hawaii Five-0, Survivor, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD.

FALL 2014 PREMIERE DATES and TIMES for GLOBAL TV:
All times are ET and subject to change. New series are bolded.

Sunday, September 21st
Madam Secretary, 8 pm
The Good Wife, 9 pm

Monday, September 22nd
Sleepy Hollow, 9 pm
The Blacklist, 10 pm

Tuesday, September 23rd
NCIS, 8 pm
NCIS: New Orleans, 9 pm
Chicago Fire, 10 pm

Wednesday, September 24th
Survivor, 8 pm
Chicago PD, 7 pm

Thursday, September 25th
Bones, 8 pm
Parenthood, 10 pm

Friday, September 26th
Hawaii Five-0, 9 pm

Sunday, September 28th
The Simpsons, 7:30 pm
Family Guy, 10 pm

Monday, September 29th
NCIS: Los Angeles, 8 pm

Wednesday, October 1st
Stalker, 10 pm

Thursday, October 2nd
Gracepoint, 9 pm

Friday, October 3rd
Bad Judge, 8 pm
A to Z, 8:30 pm

Sunday, October 5th
Mulaney, 7 pm
Bob’s Burgers, 7:30 pm

Friday, October 17th
About A Boy, 8 pm
Marry Me, 8:30 pm

Friday, October 24th
Constantine, 10 pm

Thursday, October 30th
Elementary, 10 pm

Monday, November 17th
State of Affairs, 10 pm

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

Doyle stars reveal their Canadian TV faves

“Oh yeah!” is the common refrain on Republic of Doyle, but a more apt one for fans may be “Oh no!” since word came down earlier this year that the series’ upcoming sixth season will be its last.

Yup, Jake Doyle (Allan Hawco) is hanging up the keys to his GTO after driving his way into our hearts. Hawco and the rest of the cast told me that it was his plan to have the series he co-created with Perry Chafe and Malcolm MacRury go out on top rather than fizzle out (or, one supposes, be part of CBC’s recent cull that saw the cancellation of Arctic Air, The Ron James Show and Cracked).

Republic of Doyle‘s action-packed hours of crime solving and witticisms will be missed, but so will the weekly sojourns in St. John’s, a city that’s pretty as a postcard and boasts memorable real-life characters. Doyle is a unique and memorable series, and one that  ranks among viewers’ favourite Canadian series of all time next to programs like Corner Gas, Due South, The Beachcombers and even The Littlest Hobo. As we count down to Doyle‘s final season on the air, we got the stars of the East Coast drama to name their favourite home-grown series of all time.

Allan Hawco (Jake Doyle)
Quentin Durgens, M.P.  Gordon Pinsent played an M.P. in Ottawa.”

Krystin Pellerin (Leslie Bennett)
Mr.  Dressup.”

Mark O’Brien (Des Courtney)
Codco.”

Marthe Bernard (Tinny Doyle)
“I was going to say The Kids in the Hall, but I feel like I should say Codco because my dad worked on it, but he also wrote for The Kids in the Hall, so I’ll say that.”

Sean McGinley (Malachy Doyle)
Due South.”

Lynda Boyd (Rose Miller)
“It’s a toss-up between The Beachcombers and Mr. Dressup, because I grew up with both.”

Republic of Doyle returns to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET this fall on CBC.

Which is your favourite Canadian TV show of all time? Comment below to let me know!

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail

City announces Fall 2014 premiere dates

citytv

From a media release:

Heading into another stellar season on City, the network announced today its fall 2014 premiere dates for four new and 16 returning hit series, and two nights of NHL action. As the destination for the most buzzed-about comedies and reality shows, daring dramas, and live events, plus new NHL game coverage this season, City delivers the most diverse schedule of fresh new series and proven fan favourites this fall, beginning Sunday, Sept. 7.

Utopia kicks off City’s fall schedule on Sunday, Sept. 7 with a special two-hour episode, the first of a three-night series premiere. From unscripted mastermind John de Mol (The Voice), and based on the hit Dutch television series of the same name, comes television’s biggest social experiment to date. For one full year, 15 pioneering individuals leave their everyday lives and move to an isolated, undeveloped location where they are challenged to create their own civilization from scratch.

Anchoring City’s solid Monday lineup of 2 Broke Girls and Mom comes the new adrenaline-filled dramedy Scorpion, starring Elyes Gabel (World War Z, Game of Thrones) and Katharine McPhee (Smash, American Idol). Inspired by a true story, Walter O’Brien (Gabel) and his team of brilliant misfits become Homeland Security’s new Think Tank, helping to solve the nation’s crises.

Following critical darling Modern Family on Wednesday nights is freshman comedy Black-ish, starring Anthony Anderson (Guys With Kids), Laurence Fishburne (Hannibal), and Tracee Ellis Ross (Girlfriends). The series centers around Andre ‘Dre’ Johnson (Anderson), who feels as though his success has brought too much assimilation upon his black family.

Delivering high-octane sports programming every Saturday and Sunday night, City proudly welcomes live NHL coverage to its prime-time lineup beginning Saturday, Oct. 11 with Hockey Night in Canada, hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos and featuring Ron MacLean and Don Cherry on Coach’s Corner. Sunday nights bring a new Canadian tradition to City with Rogers Hometown Hockey, the newest national night on the NHL schedule, hosted each week by Ron MacLean from a different community in various hometowns across Canada. In the first edition on Sunday, Oct. 12, MacLean is live from London, ON, as the Maple Leafs hit the Big Apple to take on Henrik Lundqvist and the Stanley Cup finalist New York Rangers. Twenty-four of the 25 Rogers Hometown Hockey broadcasts will feature a Canadian NHL team in action, and each week’s broadcast will feature local NHL player profiles, grassroots stories, and local entertainment features.

Joining City’s dramas and comedies this fall comes the television event of the season, Peter Pan Live!, the musical production of the beloved story of Peter Pan, played by Allison Williams (Girls), and starring Christopher Walken (Seven Psychopaths) as Captain Hook. Plus, City will carry a special live broadcast of the Canadian Concert for Human Rights, featuring performances by some of Canada’s top musical talent, in celebration of the grand opening of the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg. Returning television events include The 48th Annual Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, GRAMMY® Nominations Concert Live!, and CMA Country Christmas.

Also this fall, smash-hit comedies 2 Broke Girls and Two and a Half Men keep the laughs coming every night, airing back to back in strip, beginning Monday, Sept. 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT (check local listings).

Rounding out City’s competitive schedule are new seasons of original series The Bachelor Canada, Package Deal, Meet the Family, and fan-favourite shows Hell’s Kitchen, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl, The Mindy Project, Scandal, The Middle, and Revenge.

FALL 2014 PREMIERE DATES
All dates are subject to change. All times ET. (s) = simulcast

Sunday, Sept. 7
8 p.m. – Utopia (s) **NEW – Special Two-hour Episode; First of a Three-Night Premiere** **Moves to its regular timeslots in simulcast Tuesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. beginning September 9**

Wednesday, Sept. 10
8 p.m. – Hell’s Kitchen (s) **Special Two-hour Premiere**

Friday, Sept. 12
9 p.m. – Package Deal **City Original Series**

Thursday, Sept. 18
8 p.m. – The Bachelor Canada **City Original Series – Special Two-hour Premiere**
10 p.m. – New Girl **Moves to its regular timeslot in simulcast Tuesdays at 9 p.m. beginning September 23**
10:30 p.m. – The Mindy Project **Moves to its regular timeslot in simulcast Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. beginning September 23**

Saturday, Sept. 20
8 p.m. – Canadian Concert for Human Rights **Rogers Original Broadcast – Two-hour Live Special**

Monday, Sept. 22
9 p.m. – Scorpion (s) **NEW**

Wednesday, Sept. 24
9 p.m. – Modern Family (s)
9:30 p.m. – Black-ish (s) **NEW**

Thursday, Sept. 25
9 p.m. – Scandal (s)

Friday, Sept. 26
9:30 p.m. – The Middle

Sunday, Sept. 28
8:30 p.m. – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (s) **New Date**
10 p.m. – Revenge (s)

Monday, Sept. 29
8:30 p.m. – Mom (s)

Saturday, Oct. 11
7-10 p.m. – NHL: Hockey Night in Canada **NEW to City**

Sunday, Oct. 12
6:30 p.m. – NHL: Rogers Hometown Hockey Pre-game **NEW**
7-10 p.m. – NHL: Rogers Hometown Hockey **NEW**

Monday, Oct. 27
8 p.m. – 2 Broke Girls (s)

**NOTE: The 48th Annual CMA Awards, CMA Country Christmas, Peter Pan Live!, GRAMMY® Nominations Concert Live!, and original series Meet the Family will join City’s fall schedule – date and time TBC.

Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail