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.

Comments and queries for the week of May 15

I was crying through the last season of Cardinal and blubbering so hard during the last episode (rather incongruous for a murder mystery, I know). I’m glad that it wasn’t a tidy ending in that Delorme does end up going and Cardinal just starts on another case. I understand the actors would willingly return if there is a chance for more stories. I hope it happens. —John

I loved this show from the first episode in Season 1. Billy and Karine are unforgettable as Cardinal and Lise. I love them both. The music, the scenery, the shots … it was a treat to watch and I looked forward to every episode. Farewell, parting is such sweet sorrow.  Hope to see Karine again soon, but don’t expect that Billy is going to leave Denmark/Norway anytime soon. At least we had him for four [brief] seasons. —Judy

Canadian TV at its absolute best and on a par with Motive. I’m sad it has come to an end but how many more deranged serial killers could there be in Algonquin Bay?! Still, I’ll miss the scenery and stellar cast. —Paresh

On one level it was a shame the TV show attempted to blend the novels together. Each book alone could have been one season! On another level, some of the scenes in the novels couldn’t be filmed, right? But this show did an amazing job of bringing the books to life. Damn, I don’t want it to end!! —Stephen

Will miss this hauntingly beautiful show; maybe, just maybe, they can muster up another season or movie. The scenery’s too beautiful to waste, along with the fabulous leads. One can hope. —D Mac

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg.david@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

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Canada’s Drag Race premieres Thursday, July 2, only on Crave

From a media release:

As Canada prepares to honour one of the world’s most iconic queens on Victoria Day, Crave announces the cast of its majestic inaugural season of CANADA’S DRAG RACE. Season 1 of the Crave Original Series promises to have viewers clutching their royal pearls as 12 of the fiercest queens in the land showcase their Canadian Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent to compete to become Canada’s First Drag Superstar, and win the $100,000 grand prize.

Crave also announced today that in celebration of Canada Day, the herstorical first season premieres Thursday, July 2 only on Crave. New episodes roll out weekly, Thursday nights on Crave’s TV channel, Crave.ca, and the Crave app.

With Snatch Game, Rumail, the reading challenge, puppets, makeovers, and gag-worthy untucked sessions, CANADA’S DRAG RACE serves up fan-favourites from RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, but with a dash of maple-flavoured Canadian realness. Each episode tests the queens’ talents, and challenges them to master singing, dancing, acting, impersonation, costume making, and improvisation. One competitor sashays away at the end of each episode, until the last queen standing is announced the inaugural winner. Throughout this journey, the queens share their personal struggles and successes, highlighting their individuality.

As previously announced, presiding over each of the 10 episodes is a panel of expert judges – Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and Stacey McKenzie – while ETALK Senior Correspondent Traci Melchor is Canada’s very first Squirrel Friend, making appearances throughout the season and adding her trademark fabulousness to the werkroom, challenges, and the main stage. Weekly celebrity guest hosts also join the panel, and will be announced in the coming weeks.

As previously announced, Crave and OUTtv formed an unprecedented partnership that extends the reach of international television phenomenon, RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE in Canada. This partnership includes the new Crave Original Series, CANADA’S DRAG RACE, the first-ever Canadian adaptation of the show, and all past seasons of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, currently available on Crave.

In association with Crave, CANADA’S DRAG RACE is produced by Blue Ant Studios. Executive producers for World of Wonder are Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, and Tom Campbell. RuPaul serves as Executive Producer. Executive producers for Blue Ant Studios are Michael Kot, Laura Michalchyshyn, Mike Bickerton, and Betty Orr.

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Preview: Dan Aykroyd hosts spooky goings-on in Hotel Paranormal

Dan Aykroyd is no stranger to the paranormal. In addition to hosting PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal—tales inspired by the paranormal investigations of the Office of Scientific Investigation and Research—for 88 episodes, Aykroyd’s great-grandfather was a spiritualist who held séances and his father published a book called A History of Ghosts.

So it’s not a shock, really, that Aykroyd was tagged to narrate T+E’s latest peek into the paranormal. Debuting Friday, May 15, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on T+E, Hotel Paranormal retraces the terrifying, true stories of those who have come face-to-face with otherworldly hotel guests.

“Millions check into hotels each year,” Aykroyd states in the opening credits. “Some check into another dimension.” In Friday’s debut instalment—the first of 10 episodes—we’re introduced to “Paranormal Predator,” three stories of scares from around the world.

Paranormal experts complement the stories told by witnesses, offering suggestions and clues as to what—and why—spookiness is going on. Many believe the fact hotel rooms, which see thousands of guests, are the perfect places to house spirits. I’m not sure I believe in the supernatural, but I do have my own odd tale. Years ago, I spent several nights in a B&B outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Built in 1812, the property had served as a field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg. From the moment I entered the room I was staying in, I felt out of sorts and two nights of sleeplessness followed. Nothing grabbed at me or moved stuff around, but something was going on in that room.

But back to Hotel Paranormal.

In 2017, travelling repo man Frank spent the night in a low-budget Texas motel boasting five decades of service. But instead of respite, Room 38 oozed unease from the get-go. What began as the phone receiver hopping out of its cradle and a plastic cup sliding across a bedside table was enough to send Frank scrambling for the door. Luckily for us, Frank recorded what happened in Room 38 with his cell phone and it’s shown. Sadly, much of the evidence could be dismissed as Frank moving those items himself.

Also included in Friday’s debut is the 2014 account of American high school students unleashing ancient evil in an Italian guest house, and something unseen attacking news reporter Patricia Stark in a New England B&B in 2014.

If you’re a fan of this type of programming, as I am, you’re going to love Hotel Paranormal, particularly thanks to the stories told, accented by Arkroyd’s deep baritone.

Hotel Paranormal airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on T+E.

Images courtesy of Blue Ant Media.

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Shaftesbury’s Dead Still premieres Friday, May 15 on Citytv

From a media release:

Take yourself to a whole other place and time with Dead Still, a six-part one-hour Victorian-era drama, premieres Friday, May 15 on Citytv at 10:00 p.m. The Canadian/Irish co-production by award-winning Shaftesbury (Murdoch Mysteries, Frankie Drake Mysteries) and Deadpan Pictures (Moone Boy, Trivia) brings us to 1880 Dublin. The cameras are cheap and the country is flourishing with photo studios. However, the practice of post-mortem photography is not doing so well.

Enter Brock Blennerhasset, renowned memorial photographer. Together with his assistant Conall Molloy and estranged niece Nancy Vickers, they are struggling to revive his business, but it appears someone more sinister is getting in on the death photography game. When a string of strange murders that appear to be attached to Blennerhasset take place, Detective Frederick Regan is on the case. Regan suspects that a killer may be cashing in on a developing taste for a different type of memorial imagery, in this case, pictures of people in their death throes. As the body count begins to escalate, Blennerhasset and his team have to stop a murderer intent on ruining not just their business, but their lives.

In the first two episodes:

“Photochemistry” – Blennerhasset, Conall and Nancy are thrown together in a story of a family feud, a vengeful husband and a stolen photograph.

“Development” – Blennerhasset and Molloy are trapped in a coastal town during a storm where some ghostly occurrences make them feel most unwelcome.

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