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.
Cardinal, Featured, Frankie Drake Mysteries, Murdoch Mysteries

Why Are Thrillers and Mysteries so Popular in Canada?

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Research has found that thrillers and mysteries are the fifth-most watched TV genre in Canada, with 45 percent of the population enjoying this type of content. Making up the other top four genres are comedies, dramas, news, and documentaries. There seems to be a high volume of top-quality content being released and rather than the thriller genre becoming over-saturated, viewers are hungry for more. This has spread out into other forms of entertainment as well, with games and books also featuring a heavy number of thrills and mystery.

Top Thrillers and Mysteries in Canada
One of the primary reasons for the rise of thrillers in Canada could be the success of Criminal Minds. This is the fourth-most popular TV series in Canada according to IMDB, behind The Expanse, Vikings, and the popular comedy, Schitt’s Creek. The procedural drama began in 2005 and ran for 15 seasons until 2020. In total, there were 324 episodes, and the original series also led to two spinoffs called Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. Similar offerings like Murdoch Mysteries, Frankie Drake Mysteries and Cardinal are also hugely popular across the country.

Now that the CBS series has finished, it has left a vacuum in the market for thrillers. Canadian viewers are hungry for more of the same, so it is not surprising to see a vast number of other options emerging in Criminal Minds’ wake. The multiple award-winning series also led to other Criminal Minds-related content in different forms of entertainment, as well as a South Korean version that was launched in 2017.

Other types of thriller and mystery have been successful in Canada as well, and some of these are worlds apart from the procedural structure of the Jeff Davis offering. Some of the other most popular mysteries also belong in the fantasy and sci-fi genres. These include The Magicians, The 100, and the iconic sci-fi offering, The X-Files. Perhaps the main reason why the thriller and mystery genre is so popular in Canada is down to the fact that it is so broad, and can encompass a wide variety of shows.

Thriller and Mystery in Other Forms of Entertainment
The thriller genre isn’t just making waves on television, it is also prevalent across all other forms of mainstream entertainment. For example, it is a common source of inspiration for slot developers. This could be because it is associated with being exciting and intriguing. Agent Jane Bond Returns and Hitman are two examples of thrilling slots that have attracted a lot of players and are used on the front pages of slots sites to draw people in. The ubiquity of Sherlock Holmes across various forms of entertainment also shows how people have a strong desire to experience mystery. There have been eight games in the Frogwares Sherlock Holmes series, with the ninth installment, Chapter One, due for release in 2021.

Thrillers and mysteries continue to rank among the top genres in the world of books. Some of the most notable titles of the last 20 include Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, and Before I go to Sleep by S. J. Watson.

What Other Great Thrillers and Mysteries Should Viewers Watch?
For Canadian viewers who simply can’t get enough of the thriller and mystery genre, there are plenty of great options to check out in 2021. As long as the market is there, studios will keep creating content. And because there are so many offerings in the genre, it serves to maintain a high standard.

One of the most popular Netflix series of recent times is Lupin. This is a French mystery thriller starring Omar Sy as an expert thief. Another one to watch out for in the year ahead is Clarice. This offering from CBS Studios focuses on the FBI agent Clarice Starling from Thomas Harris’s The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. It is set one year after the events of the 1988 novel and stars Rebecca Breeds in the title role.

With the thriller and mystery genre being so diverse, it’s no wonder why it is so popular in Canada. It can span numerous other genres, from sci-fi to fantasy. As long as there is an audience for it, developers will keep creating enjoyable content. 2021 should see some great new offerings hitting television screens.

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Workin' Moms

Links: Workin’ Moms, Season 5

From Norman Wilner of NOW Toronto:

Link: Video: The stars of Workin’ Moms on season 5, Calgary and COVID
“Our writers room opened in February of 2020 when the virus was very much alive, but we didn’t really know about it. We broke to draft scripts in March, when the world shut down. The writers broke the same day that the world shut down.” Continue reading.

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Catherine Reitman and Dani Kind preview Season 5
“Season 5 definitely had its new challenges because of COVID. I joke that as producers you think the biggest challenge is ‘Wow, how am I going to make a season of a television show?’ You never think you’ll have the responsibility of people’s lives like we did this season. That was a new, complicated layer to add.” Continue reading.

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Workin’ Moms: What’s behind Anne’s new life in Cochrane
It came as a shock to all Workin’ Moms viewers when Anne (Dani Kind) told Kate (Catherine Reitman) at the end of last season she was going to go with Lionel (Ryan Belleville) as he pursued new career opportunities in Calgary. Continue reading.

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Workin’ Moms stars preview big changes for Frankie and Jenny
“Being on a show for 5 years, I’ve never experienced that before so the amount of growth and learning — personally and professionally — has been massive.” Continue reading.

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Children Ruin Everything

Meaghan Rath joins CTV original comedy Children Ruin Everything

From a media release:

CTV, Canada’s most-watched network, together with award-winning independent production company New Metric Media, announced today Canadian actress Meaghan Rath (BEING HUMAN, HAWAII 5-0) has been cast in a starring role in the new eight-episode, half-hour CTV Original comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING.

A dynamic and versatile performer, Rath, who also serves as Executive Producer, is quickly emerging as one of the entertainment industry’s brightest young talents. Best known for her award-winning work on BEING HUMAN and her role on HAWAII 5-0, she has also appeared in recurring roles on several popular series including SUPERGIRL and NEW GIRL.

Created by Emmy® Award-winner and Golden Globe® Award-nominee Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK, KIM’S CONVENIENCE), CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is an original comedy about living with the worst roommates of all: young children. Astrid (Rath) and James struggle to find a balance between being ‘Mom and Dad’ to two kids, and being who they were before offspring. CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING explores the hilarious and varied ways kids can tear down your life and, if you’re lucky, replace it with something you have to admit is pretty okay, too.

Rath stars as “Astrid”, who’s smart, funny, and caring. She’s a great mother who is feeling the pull between returning to work and stay-at-home motherhood. Although she’s more than ready to leave the stained sweatpants and kid scheduling behind to focus more on her career, she also wonders what life would be like with a third child.

Alongside Smeaton, one of television’s premier comedy writers, Chuck Tatham (MODERN FAMILY, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT) joins multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mark Montefiore (LETTERKENNY, WHAT WOULD SAL DO?) as executive producer, with Beth Iley (KILLJOYS) serving as producer.

Bell Media Distribution is the international rights holder for CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, and New Metric Media is the series’ exclusive Sales Agent. The series is produced by New Metric Media in association with CTV, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Preview: HGTV’s Rock Solid Builds is a party on The Rock

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I’ve written a lot about home renovation shows over the years.

As such, I can get bored with the usual “take an old house, be surprised by shocking electrical or plumbing behind the walls, wonder if the job will come in on time and budget, and marvel at the final results” formula. It can get as tired as peeling wallpaper.

But Rock Solid Builds is like nothing I’ve seen before.

Debuting Thursday at 10 p.m. Eastern on HGTV Canada, Rock Solid Builds is as quirky as the location it’s set in: Brigus, Newfoundland. It’s there we meet up with Randy Spracklin of Newfound Builders and his team of equally entertaining folks renovating and building homes on The Rock. This third-generation builder—dad Scott is also part of the crew—takes on projects in one of the most beautiful places in the world. But also one of the most rugged and hard to get to; delayed shipments of supplies from the mainland are regularly faced by Newfound Builders.

Yes, the jaunty fiddle-heavy music and accents are the first thing to set Rock Solid Builds apart from, say, Backyard Builds or Save My Reno, but it adds to the charm exuded by Randy Spracklin, who tackles weather, design and construction issues with a crooked smile and quip.

In Thursday’s debut, Randy, Scott, Nikki and Paul document putting the finishing touches on one home, adding two additions to another, and beginning work on a 200-year-old home. It’s that last home, dubbed Earle House, that intrigued me. After all, adding another foot to ceilings isn’t something you see every day. The first three layers of flooring are peeled back to reveal the original, 200-year-old beams, which Randy explains were probably cut close by and squared off. Floorboards were attached with square nails forged locally.

It’s a heck of a history lesson not only in home building but building in a fabulous, unique part of the country. I can’t wait to see more.

Rock Solid Builds airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. Eastern on HGTV.

Image courtesy of Cineflix.

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Awards

ACTRA Toronto announces 19th annual ACTRA Awards in Toronto on-camera and Series Ensemble nominees

From a media release:

ACTRA Toronto is pleased to announce the nominees for the Outstanding Performance – Female and Male awards and the Members’ Choice Series Ensemble nominees. The ACTRA Awards in Toronto will be broadcast on YouTube on Sunday, February 21, 2021, at 8 p.m. EST.

Nominees for Outstanding Performance – Female:
Clark Backo as Samira in Happy Place (Sienna Films)

Jayne Eastwood as Lady in Hey Lady!, “Episode 1.1” (CBC Gem Original)

Nicole Law as May in Tales from the Loop, “Stasis” (6th & Idaho Productions)

Kari Matchett as Ruby Howard in Fortunate Son, “Eve of Destruction” (Lark Productions/Seven24 Films)

Tamara Podemski as Alison Trent in Coroner, “One Drum” (Back Alley Film Productions/Muse Entertainment Enterprises)

Nominees for Outstanding Performance – Male:
Amir Bageria as Siddhartha Pakam in Grand Army, “Making Moves” (Westward Productions)

Jesse LaVercombe as Dylan in Violation (DM Films)

Brandon Oakes as Aluk in Anne with an E, “A Dense and Frightful Darkness” (Northwood Entertainment)

Rick Roberts as Ted Howard in Fortunate Son, “Chimes of Freedom” (Lark Productions/Seven24 Films)

Adrian Walters as Cassius Ewing in Nurses, “What Size Are Your Feet?” (ICF Films Inc./Entertainment One/Corus Entertainment Inc.)

Nominees for Members’ Choice Series Ensemble Award:
Band Ladies (Highball TV, Moon Astronaut Studios, Dei Gratia Pictures)

Baroness Von Sketch Show (Frantic Films)

Kim’s Convenience (Thunderbird Entertainment)

Murdoch Mysteries (Shaftesbury)

Schitt’s Creek (Not a Real Company)

ACTRA Toronto is the largest organization within ACTRA, representing over 15,000 of Canada’s 27,000 professional performers working in recorded media in Canada. An advocate for Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA is a member-driven union that continues to secure rights and respect for the work of professional performers.

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