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.
Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Anaïd Productions and AMI-tv announce the start of production on the second season of Mind Set Go

From a media release:

Following the success of the first season of Mind Set Go, Anaïd Productions and AMI-tv announced today that production on the second season of the Vancouver-shot documentary series has begun.

Mind Set Go follows the three-month journey of eight Canadians as they push their limits and overcome the physical and mental barriers preventing them from reaching their fitness and wellness goals. Season 2 of Mind Set Go will air in 2019 on AMI-tv and will feature eight, one-hour episodes.

In each episode, one participant seeks to understand and overcome their negative coping behaviours with insight from returning fitness and health experts Lowell and Julie Taylor (Amazing Race Canada), and from Canadian Paralympians and para-athletes. Learning that a positive mindset can go a long way, these athletes, who have triumphed over adversities in their own lives, share their experiences with participants to help them overcome their biggest obstacles. At the end of three months, each participant tackles a demanding fitness goal that reveals the progress they’ve made throughout their journey.

Mind Set Go features Integrated Described Video (IDV) and is accessible to audience members who are blind or partially sighted.

The series is developed and produced by Anaïd Productions in association with Accessible Media Inc., with the participation of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Canada Media Fund, Rogers Telefund, and the Province of British Columbia Film Incentive BC.

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Industry News

Link: Banff: Netflix launches Canadian charm offensive amid bid to regulate U.S. digital players

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From Etan Vlessing of The Hollywood Reporter:

Link: Banff: Netflix launches Canadian charm offensive amid bid to regulate U.S. digital players
Behind the scenes, Tanz and fellow Netflix execs heard a familiar chorus from local critics about the U.S. streamer’s evil algorithms, its unfair Canadian market advantage and how it doesn’t play by the same rules as domestic broadcasters. And on the eve of Banff, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government in Ottawa unveiled an expert panel to investigate ways to regulate online video and music streaming services and tax their growing business presence north of the border. Continue reading.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Wild Bear Rescue returns for Season 2, premiering June 22 on Animal Planet

From a media release:

Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers, B.C. is bursting with rambunctious cubs for Season 2 of Animal Planet’s original Canadian series WILD BEAR RESCUE. Featuring 44 black bear cubs and a strong-willed grizzly prowling inside the rehab pens, Season 2 of the series premieres June 22, and airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Animal Planet. Bristling with drama, humour, and irresistible cuteness, the 12-part series follows Angelika and Peter Langen and their family-run operation that rescues, raises, and rehabilitates the cubs for their safe return back into the wild.

In Season 2, Angelika and Peter Langen return with their daughter Tanja, son Michael, son-in-law Shawn, and an array of dedicated volunteers who work to provide medical care, housing, and food for wounded and orphaned animals across the region. Throughout the season, the Langen team offers essential treatment to bear cubs, as well as lynx, fawns, birds, moose, cougars, and other wildlife. With a record number of animals in need, and faced with an unforeseen housing crisis, the Langen family must pull together and work harder than ever to provide these animals with the rehabilitation and care they need in order to survive.

WILD BEAR RESCUE is produced by Omnifilm Entertainment in association with Animal Planet. Executive Producers are Gabriela Schonbach and Michael Chechik. Series producers are David Gullason and Brad Quenville.

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Anne with an E, Awards, Featured, Letterkenny

Banff 2018: Anne with an E’s Moira Walley-Beckett and New Metric Media among Rockie Gala Award winners

Anne with an E showrunner Moira Walley-Beckett, Letterkenny and Bad Blood production company New Metric Media, and veteran producer Sheila Hockin were among the Canadians feted during the Rockie Awards gala on Tuesday night at the Banff World Media Festival.

Hosted by Tony Award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth—who began the show by munching ketchup potato chips and Timbits and closed with a stirring rendition of “The Prayer”—the evening also saluted Canadians who’ve made good in Hollywood. Jeremy Podeswa captured the Award of Excellence for his body of work as a director of such programs as Game of Thrones, Queer as Folk, The Tudors and The Pacific. David Shore was on hand to accept The Hollywood Reporter Impact Award for his hit medical drama The Good Doctor.

“Support is at the heart of innovation,” Mark Montefiore, New Metric Media’s president and executive producer of Letterkenny, Bad Blood and What Would Sal Do?, said upon receiving the Innovative Producer Award. “One can dream big all day long, but without the support of countless people, those ideas would simply remain as big dreams and not realities.”

Hockin was given the Canadian Award of Distinction for producing such shows as Vikings, The Handmaid’s Tale, Penny Dreadful, The Borgias, The Tudors, Canada’s Next Top Model and Queer as Folk.

Walley-Beckett accepted the Showrunner of the Year Award for her work on Anne with an E, set to return for Season 2 on Netflix next month and CBC in September.

“[Showrunning] is like conducting a full orchestra to play a symphony that you composed,” she said on-stage. “At the end of every season, I celebrate that I’ve lived to tell the tale. I love my work. Sleep is overrated. So is sanity.”

Here is the complete list of winners:

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Jeremy Podeswa

INNOVATIVE PRODUCER AWARD
New Metric Media

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER IMPACT AWARD
The Good Doctor

A&E INCLUSION AWARD
Elizabeth Vargas

CANADIAN AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Sheila Hockin

SHOWRUNNER OF THE YEAR
Moira Walley-Beckett

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR
This Is Us

SIR PETER USTINOV COMEDY AWARD
Sean Hayes

COMPANY OF DISTINCTION
NBCUniversal

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Northern Rescue

CBC and Netflix family drama Northern Rescue confirms additional casting as production begins

From a media release:

With production now underway in and around Parry Sound, Ontario, Don Carmody Television (DCTV) today revealed additional casting for new CBC and Netflix family adventure series NORTHERN RESCUE (10×60).

The series follows John West (William Baldwin), who uproots his three children from the big city to return to his hometown to take command of the local Search & Rescue service after the death of his wife. As the family comes to terms with their loss, the series explores the effects on their individual lives. The children’s Aunt Charlotte (Kathleen Robertson), struggles to help John and his children heal as she copes with the loss of her sister and her desire to have a family of her own. Along the way, John faces many situations that challenge him professionally and personally. As the family members work on rebuilding their lives, they will come to meet many colourful characters living in their northern community.

Joining the series are Amalia Williamson (Level 16) as Maddie West, John’s 16-year-old daughter;  Spencer MacPherson (DeGrassi: Next Class) as Scout West, John’s 14-year-old son;, and Taylor Thorne (Odd Squad) as Taylor West, John’s 10-year-old daughter. Also joining the cast are Michelle Nolden (Saving Hope) as Sarah West, John’s wife, Michael Xavier (Bitten) as Paul Simmons, a volunteer member of the SAR team; and Peter MacNeill (Call Me Fitz) as Harry, John’s retired SAR commander.

Created by Mark Bacci (Between, Real Detectives), David Cormican (Tokyo Trial, Between) and Dwayne Hill (Peg + Cat, Billable Hours), NORTHERN RESCUE is produced by Don Carmody Television (DCTV) for CBC and Netflix with the financial participation of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and the Independent Production Fund. Executive Producers are Carmody (Goon, Polytechnique, Chicago), Cormican, Bradley Walsh (Flower Shop Mystery, Kaya), Bacci, Hill and Baldwin. Producers are Carmody and Cormican. Walsh will also direct four episodes. Gail Harvey (Lost Girl, Heartland), Eleanore Lindo (Ransom, Murdoch Mysteries) and Michael McGowan (Between, Reign), each direct two episodes. Cinematography is by Brett Van Dyke (Bitten, Dark Matter) and Production Design is by Tony Cowley (Dexter, Jigsaw). Casting is John Buchan and Jason Knight (Titans, American Gods). For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Programming; Helen Asimakis is Senior Director, Scripted Content; and Deborah Nathan is Executive in Charge of Production.

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