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.
Degrassi, Featured, Trailer Park Boys

Television Shows That Impacted Canadian Culture

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Canadian television is an interesting blend of homegrown material and foreign shows. Like anywhere else, some of these shows have managed to have a profound effect on pop culture here, and have proven to stand the test of time. These are some shows and series that have had a lasting effect in Canada.

Degrassi: The Next Generation
The Degrassi series was a smash hit in Canada and was picked up by Teen Nick in the states. Even after 20 years, the legacy and impact of Degrassi is still felt. Degrassi Junior High was one of the first drama series in Canada that was directed with the teenage market in mind, and Degrassi: The Next Generation expanded on the concept in the early 2000s. This was the groundwork for many different shows that came later, and it is credited with launching the careers of many actors and performers, notably the incredibly successful musician Drake.

Degrassi didn’t shy away from controversial topics, and in fact it was one of the first televised series to shine a light on these issues that would later become widely discussed. It has a way of teaching empathy, and helping people understand different walks of life. In another light, this series has also become a blueprint for other drama series as it illustrates how to grow and build characters, and keep a series going through cast changes over years while fighting to stay relevant. Degrassi has proven to be an impactful and important series in Canada that is likely to live on for generations.

Ed, Edd n Eddy
Ed, Edd n Eddy is the brainchild of Canadian cartoonist Danny Antonucci who is responsible for numerous animated series. The show was a massive success in Canada and globally, and became one of Cartoon Network’s most successful properties. Over a 10-year span, it had 70 episodes and won several awards like a Reuben Award, Leo Awards and a SOCAN Award.

If you ask people who grew up during the early 2000s, many remember this show fondly. It had a certain charm and an endearing structure that revolved around the main character’s whacky schemes to fund their love of Jawbreaker candies. There is something about this show that resonates deeply in Canada and if it were not for the success of Ed, Edd n Eddy, many later Canadian cartoons like Total Drama Island would never have had their chance to shine.

World Poker Tour
While it may not be specifically Canadian, the live World Poker Tour series certainly was a massive inspiration for people across the country. Canada is known globally as a massive hotbed for poker talent, and the boom can be traced back to this live series that brought the game into the households of millions of Canadians.

The World Poker Tour was very enthralling and found a way to keep the audience engaged, even during the tedious segments. One of the big reasons for this has been contributed to the entertaining chemistry between co-hosts Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten who kept things lively throughout the program. This series really managed to capture the intensity and suspense of high-stakes poker games and the long term effects of the WPT cannot be ignored.

Trailer Park Boys
Whether you love it or hate it, you cannot deny that TPB has had a lasting effect in Canadian culture. The long-running series has become a phenomenon at home and abroad, and there are legions of fans around the world supporting the many reboots, specials and spinoffs the comedy trio have produced. Somehow, even amongst claims of being stale and past its prime, TPB lives on.

Trailer Park Boys certainly does not represent all of the country, but it does have a specific Canadian charm that comes across in many of the jokes and dialogue that the series has become known for. Pop culture is rife with running jokes and references to characters that have appeared on the show and many millennials of today can say they grew up watching the TPB hijinks. The chemistry between the main trio of Ricky, Julian, and Bubbles and the oftentimes improvised script that plays out between the characters can only have proven to be a formula for comedy excellence that has managed to preserve over 20 years.

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Children's Programming, Industry News

Two new innovative family comedies coming to Super Channel Heart & Home: The Parker Andersons to premiere April 19 followed by Amelia Parker

From a media release:

Super Channel is pleased to announce it has acquired two new innovative family comedies slated for their Canadian premiere on Super Channel Heart & Home this April. The Parker Andersons (10 x 30 min) and Amelia Parker (10 x 30 min) follow the life of one interracial family, blended by marriage. The two interwoven scripted series highlight events in the life of the Parker-Anderson family from two different perspectives. Produced by marblemedia and Beechwood Canyon Productions, both series were shot in Toronto.

The Parker Andersons will premiere on Monday, April 19 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Amelia Parker at 8:30 p.m. ET. Each half-hour episode will also be available on Super Channel On Demand, the day following its weekly linear broadcast.

This completely new and innovative concept enhances traditional TV storytelling by creating two stand-alone comedy series, each with their own storylines and episodes, while still connected by larger overarching plotlines tying the two independent shows together. The Parker Andersons follows the heartfelt family moments and warmly comedic antics of a newly blended family, while Amelia Parker centers around the quietest member of the family as she navigates the world around her.

The Parker Andersons follows Tony Parker, a British widower and father of two (Nathan and Amelia), who moves to the United States, where he marries Cleo Anderson, the mother of two kids (Victoria and Charlie). The series follows this diverse family as they learn that their differences are exactly what they need to create a happy new life together.

Amelia Parker centers around the quietest member of the Parker Anderson family, a tween girl who has been selectively mute since her mother died a few years ago. If she’s going to participate in the world again, she’d better find her voice. In confessionals, we see that
Amelia is actually an opinionated, vivacious girl, who openly explains her hopes, anxieties, and fears in virtual conversations with her deceased mom.

Anthony Q. Farrell serves as showrunner and an executive producer for both series. Farrell has written for The Office, Little Mosque on the Prairie and Nickelodeon’s The Thunderman’s and has developed shows for CBS Studios, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network, among others. He is also the creator of Secret Life of Boys, the BAFTA-winning CBBC series in its fifth season.  

The Parker Andersons and Amelia Parker stars Arnold Pinnock as Tony Parker (Cardinal, Coroner, Baroness Von Sketch), Kate Hewlett as Cleo Anderson (The Stanley Dynamic, Degrassi: The Next Generation, The Girlfriend Experience), Millie Davis as Amelia Parker (Odd Squad, Dino Dana, Wonder, Orphan Black), Agape Mngomezulu as Nathan Parker (Best Intentions, The Twilight Zone, Supernatural), Devin Cecchetto as Victoria Anderson (Ginny & Georgia, The Craft), Charlie Zeltzer as Charlie Anderson (The Handmaid’s Tale, Anne with an E), Sandy Jobin-Bevans as Roger Anderson (Designated Survivor, Just Like Mom and Dad, Good Witch) and Akiel Julien as Nick Parker (Utopia Falls, The Boys, What We Do in the Shadows).

Executive Producers for the series include Mark J.W. Bishop, Matt Hornburg, Carrie Paupst Shaughnessy, and Co-Executive Producer Donna Luke (marblemedia); Executive Producers Frank van Keeken and Yolanda Yott (Beachwood Canyon); Executive Producer and Showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell and Producer Jim Corston. Executive producers for BYUtv include Michael A. Dunn, Andra Johnson Duke, Melissa Puente and Jim Bell.

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Industry News

Content Catalyst Fund makes triple hire and reveals first development slate

From a media release:

Content Catalyst Fund (CCF) — the development and funding company that focuses on content developed, delivered and designed by women, about women — has announced three new hires to support both its growing portfolio of in-development projects and its rapidly expanding network of partnerships.

In order to realise these premium projects at speed, CCF has appointed a trio of unscripted specialists: Vibika Bianchi, Maria Farano and Heather Findlay as executive producers. CCF, which entered into a non-scripted co-production joint venture with international producer, distributor and channel operator Blu Ant Media in late February, has also announced its first slate of female-generated unscripted projects for the global marketplace.

Vibika is a respected curator, format creator and executive producer, who has delivered countless hours of top-tier unscripted content for the likes of HGTV, Food Network, Discovery and CBC. In addition to guiding the creation of lifestyle hits Property Brothers and Love it or List It, she has overseen local adaptations of some of the world’s most successful formats, including Undercover Boss, Come Dine With Me, How to Look Good Naked and Jamie Oliver’s Pressure Cooker. Her genre experience spans food programming (Chuck & Danny’s Road Trip), docusoap (Cupcake Girls), premium reality (Hockey Wives), scripted (Davinci’s Inquest) and true crime (Murder She Solved). Vibika’s CV includes SVP roles at Our House Media and Entertainment One, as well as nearly 11-years at Corus Entertainment, where she led the commissioning strategy for several channels including W Network, OWN Canada and CMT. 

Storyteller, executive producer and creative executive Maria Farano has 20 years of experience in developing and producing unscripted content for the global market. She brings with her a wealth of experience gained from producing critically acclaimed and commercially successful content for, among others, HGTV, History, W Network, SLICE, OWN, Discovery, ABC Spark and CMT. Farano’s career highlights include serving as Corus Entertainment’s director of original unscripted programming, during which time she developed a string of successful formats, including The Bachelorette Canada/The Bachelor Canada, Game of Homes, To Catch a Killer, Undercover Boss Canada, The Real Housewives of Toronto, Tornado Hunters and My Mom’s A Medium.

Creative executive and producer Heather Findlay, has a proven track record in developing strong concepts into ratings-generating content. Over the past 20 years, Findlay has played a key role in the development and production of hundreds of hours of content for Discovery, CBC, W Network, T&E, CMT, HGTV, Travel Channel, Science Channel and Food Network. Her genre experience also spans factual, kids and food programming, with credits including Canada’s Worst Driver, Chuck and Danny’s Road Trip, The Great Canadian Baking Show and Keeping Canada Alive.

CCF founder Julie Bristow said: “This powerhouse trio of unscripted executives brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, both domestic and international, to the CCF team. In addition to being inspirational leaders with razor-sharp creative instincts, all three are exceptional in that they have experience of both the buying and selling side of the business. With Vibika, Maria and Heather on board, CCF is in the best possible shape as it begins to give voice to the best female stories and storytellers.”

To coincide with the announcement of its new creative team, CCF has also unveiled its first slate of in-development projects, which span true-crime, ‘occu-doc’ and comedy.

Highlights include Darkness in Daylight, developed in collaboration with producer/actor Folklaur Chevrier, which revists the brutal murder of nine-year-old Christine Jessop in 1984. After 36 years without justice and a wrongful conviction, a killer has finally been identified — but the Jessop family is still a long way away from closure. Home Made with Kara Beckmann is a renovation series featuring savvy real estate investor, builder and designer Kara Beckmann, who’s not afraid to take risks as she flips properties for profit. Also in development is factual comedy I Have Nothing, on which CCF is collaborating with creators Carolyn Taylor (Baroness Von Sketch) and Zack Russel. The show follows Carolyn’s quixotic quest to choreograph a figure-skating routine inspired by her (unhealthy) obsession with the 1988 Calgary Olympics.

About CCF
Content Catalyst Fund is a mission-driven, for-profit business dedicated to catalysing the creation of commercially viable content for an underserved global market by powering female creators and investing in their ideas. CCF partners with female creators and producers to advance their projects from inception through to full monetisation of content. The company invests strategic, business and creative power in the best ideas, with the aim of ensuring that they are realised in the shortest possible time frame.

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Featured, Kim's Convenience

Kim’s Convenience comes to an end after five seasons

After five seasons on CBC, Kim’s Convenience is closing its doors.

The news came on Monday afternoon via producers.

“Authenticity of storytelling is at the centre of the success of Kim’s Convenience,” the show’s producers said in a statement. “At the end of production on Season 5, our two co-creators confirmed they were moving on to other projects. Given their departure from the series, we have come to the difficult conclusion that we cannot deliver another season of the same heart and quality that has made the show so special. Kim’s Convenience has meant so much to our cast, writers, crew, and audiences around the world. Despite the restrictions and complications of shooting during the pandemic, Season 5 is our finest season to date. It’s been a privilege and a very great pleasure to work with the Kim’s family of gifted writers and performers for the last five years. Thank you to our fans for the love and support you’ve given this show.”

The statement was followed by messages from the cast on social media. The series had previously been earmarked for Season 6.

“It was announced today that the current season of #kimsconvenience will be our last and we will not make a season 6,” Andrew Phung posted on Twitter. “It’s a bittersweet end to one of the greatest experiences of my life. I’m so proud of what we’ve done and want to reflect and thank those who made it possible.

“We were the little show that could,” he continued. “Based on a fringe fest play that major theatres passed on. Ins Choi took this from an idea, to the stage, and w/ Kevin White to the TV screen. Few gave us a chance but we were a breakout hit. Thank you Ins and Kevin for your ideas and stories.”

You can read the rest of Phung’s heartfelt message, and feedback here, as well as Twitter posts by co-stars Simu Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Jean Yoon.

This fifth season has seen the Kim family face one of its toughest challenges yet, with a difficult medical diagnosis for Umma (Jean Yoon), Appa (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) stepping up as the primary caregiver, and recently-graduated Janet (Andrea Bang) moving back home. Meanwhile, Jung’s (Simu Liu) trip to business school has tested his relationship with Shannon (Nicole Power) and Kimchee (Andrew Phung) reconnected with his family, and his high school crush.

Recently, Kim’s Convenience was recognized by TV Guide as one of the best “feel good” streaming series available and a perfect quarantine distraction by Oprah magazine.

Awards it has collected include Canadian Screen Award wins for Phung, Sun-Hyung Lee, Amanda Brugel and the series, and nominations for Bang, Yoon and Power. The series has also received nominations for awards from the Writers Guild of Canada, and the Directors Guild of Canada.

In addition to airing in Canada on CBC and CBC Gem, the series also streams on Netflix and is watched on cable and VOD platforms around the world, including in Japan and Korea.

The news comes a week after it was announced Frankie Drake Mysteries would not return for Season 5 on CBC.

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Featured, Masterchef Canada

MasterChef Canada takes on its first team challenge

After two weeks featuring the returning contestants jockeying for position in solitary tests, MasterChef Canada threw the group its first team challenge of the Back to Win season. And what a doozy it was.

But when the Top 10 reported for duty in the MasterChef kitchen, April Lee was missing. Had she decided to leave? Turns out April Lee injured herself and had to drop out of the competition. I looked at it as one less competitor to worry about. I was wrong about that because the producers brought back a competitor to take her place: Barrie.

The global pandemic has affected everyone, and restaurants are no different. Many have adjusted by offered take-out and delivery menus, the latter of which use services to get food to customers. MasterChef brilliantly employed the same idea on Sunday, tasking the Red and Blue teams with creating recipes to be delivered to hungry folks using the “MasterChef Canada 4U” app.

Captaining the Red team was Jeremy, who chose Andy, Christopher, Thea, and Marissa for his squad. Heading the Blue team was Mai, who picked Andre, Andrew, Jen, and Barrie to join her. Each team created three entrees with protein, vegetables, and starch as the main feature, to be rated out of five stars. With just one hour to prepare before the app went live for 200 select customers (100 per team) and a 90-minute cooking and serving window, it seemed like an impossible task. (I would have started crying.)

Jeremy chose to go with his strength—Filipino food—with a chicken Karaage bowl, charred eggplant, and sweet potato stew. Andy worried that, since Jeremy was the only one who knew what the flavour profiles should be, the team would be confused. Mai opted for bold flavours in jerk chicken wings, soba noodle salad, and mushroom tacos. Listening to the Blue team talk it out indicated to me (Barrie rightly had concerns about assembling tacos) they might have the upper hand in the challenge. But things can change once the clock starts running … and footage hits the editing suite.

The Red team started off the hour focusing on prepping vegetables for Jeremy’s plan, with him tackling sauces and flavours and Christopher rice and chicken. On the Blue team, Andrew took on the sauce, Barrie vegetables, and Andre the chicken wings; Jen floated around, helping wherever she could. Mai was concerned with Barrie’s performance and his somewhat cocksure attitude and Thea was worried a lack of communication on the Red group would sink them when the app went live. With minutes before orders were scheduled to come in, Andrew’s pork tenderloin was still raw and he had to refire the lot in hot pans.

Then? Chaos.

Both teams reeled from the onslaught, struggling to keep up and figure out who should be calling out orders and who should be plating. With no servers and faceless customers, it was nuts. Andrew quickly recovered, calling out orders while the Blue team prepared containers. Andy, meanwhile, shouldered that for the Red squad so Jeremy could focus on plating.

Chefs Alvin, Michael, and Claudio, meanwhile, tasted and critiqued the food. Blue’s chicken wings were tasty but lacked true jerk heat. Red’s chicken Karaage poke bowl was impressive, but the trio yearned for more chicken pieces. And while Andrew was calling out orders for Blue, no one was doing that for Red, with Christopher telling Thea to “go look” to see what she had to prepare next. It was so concerning that Chef Michael stepped in and instructed Jeremy to do it. Not good.

Meanwhile, mushroom tacos threatened to be the Blue teams undoing. Three tacos and many ingredients per taco slowed them down considerably. What did Alvin, Claudio, and Michael think of those tacos? A nice concept but seriously lacking flavour. As for Blue’s charred eggplant, the trio used words like “underwhelmed,” “under-seasoned” and “bland.” Even worse, both teams were running low on ingredients. The Blue team addressed this by making more, while the Red chose smaller portions. I’d be upset if I was paying for food and got a small portion and Chef Claudio said exactly that.

It was time for the Chefs to taste each starch dish. Blue’s cold soba noodle salad with pork was a hit, and Red’s sweet potato noodles were “awesome” according to Chef Claudio.

It was up to the customers to decide, and with a 4.1-star rating out of five, the win was delivered to Jeremy’s Red team.

But in a bit of a shake-up with episode timing, we won’t find out which member of the Blue team might be leaving the competition until next week during a surprise-filled Pressure Test. Who do you think might go home next week? Let me know in the comments below.

MasterChef Canada: Back to Win airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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