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.
Featured

Preview: Wishfart shakes up Saturday mornings on Teletoon

I grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons. Scooby Doo, Sylvester and Tweety, Bugs Bunny and the Pink Panther were all mainstays at my house. Now, decades later, I’m adding a new one to my Saturday morning viewing: Wishfart.

Debuting this Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT on Teletoon, the outrageous, hilarious Wishfart shakes up the airwaves in this country. After premiering in the UK, Italy, Africa and Belgium already—and headed to the Ukraine and Russia soon—Wishfart finally bows in its home and native land. It’s about time.

Created and produced by John Hazlett, Lienne Sawatsky and Dan Williams, the founders of Wishfart Productions, each episode of the animated project focuses on Dez (voiced by Mac Haywood), a teen leprechaun who is just getting used to his wish-granting powers. Alongside his friends—a ghost named Akiko (Grojband‘s Stephany Seki) and a puffin named, well, Puffin (Flashpoint‘s Sergio Di Zio)—Dez tries to fix wishes that have gone horribly wrong, a.k.a. wishfarts.

In Episode 1, “Cartwheel, Cartwheel, Cartwheel,” Dez gets into major trouble when he grants Akiko her wish of becoming human again. She’s overjoyed to have feet and be able to feel things—she’s positively giddy when she licks a cactus and studs her tongue with thorns because she can register pain—but Dez’ actions have a disastrous effect. The King of the Underworld emerges and commands Dez to reverse the wish before it brings an end to the world. Wishfart‘s scripts are tight, the voice actors are stellar and the animation, while current, is definitely reminiscent of the classics I tuned in to. Check it out.

Wishfart airs Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT on Teletoon.

Image courtesy of Wishfart Productions.

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Industry News

Corus Entertainment and Bell Media agree to terminate share purchase agreement for Historia and Séries+

From a media release:

Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) (“Corus Entertainment”) today announced that Corus Entertainment and Bell Media Inc. (“Bell Media”) have agreed to terminate their Share Purchase Agreement for French-language specialty channels Historia and Séries+.

As announced on May 28, 2018, the Commissioner of Competition did not approve the sale by Corus Entertainment of these channels to Bell Media.

Corus Entertainment will continue to own and operate Historia and Séries+ and also remains an active contributor to the Quebec broadcast and production community with Global Montreal, Télétoon and La chaîne Disney, as well as Toon Boom, its animation software company.

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Montreal’s Pixcom options Morgue: A Life In Death for true crime series

From a media release:

Pixcom Productions is announcing an exclusive agreement with Dr. Vincent Di Maio and co-author Ron Franscell, which includes an option on their recent book Morgue: A Life In Death. Both the book and the series mine Dr. Di Maio’s prolific career in forensic pathology for the most amazing mysteries he helped solve. From Trayvon Martin to Lee Harvey Oswald, Phil Spector, and the West Memphis Three, the series will showcase Di Maio’s pivotal insights into the real world of autopsies, exhumations and courtroom testimony. Every episode will explore one gripping case from his unique perspective, highlighting the incredible science and scalpel-sharp logic behind each solve.

Dr. Di Maio is internationally renowned in the field of forensic pathology. He wrote the foremost textbook on gunshot wounds, has performed more than 9,000 autopsies and investigated over 25,000 deaths. Ron Franscell is a bestselling crime author whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Denver Post, among others.

Morgue joins other titles in Pixcom’s true crime slate, including an active cold-case investigation series currently in production with Investigation Discovery and 13 seasons of The Killer Next Door produced for Bell Media.

Pixcom is bringing Morgue: A Life in Death to Realscreen West this coming June.

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Children's Programming, Greenfields, Industry News

Family Channel, Universal Kids and Six Eleven Media start production on new live-action scripted comedy Greenfields

From a media release:

DHX Television’s Family Channel, Universal Kids and Six Eleven Media are pleased to announce that production has begun on the new live-action series Greenfields. Created by Derek Harvie, the half-hour, single-camera comedy follows 12-year-old Max and his eclectic group of friends as they navigate the highs and lows of running a start-up company. The 20-episode order is being filmed in Toronto, with the series scheduled to debut on Family Channel (Canada) and Universal Kids (U.S.), NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment’s network for kids 2-12, in fall 2018.

Twelve-year-old Max Graham (newcomer Ricardo Ortiz) is President and CEO of a tiny start-up company, which he runs out of his parents’ garage with his neighbourhood pals. Their goal: to invent an amazing product, change the world and maybe even make a bajillion dollars! With every flop – and there’s quite a few – the gang learns valuable lessons, creates closer bonds and comes one step closer to their BIG idea, all the while trying to find the balance between business and friendship.

Featuring a predominantly Canadian cast, Greenfields stars Ricardo Ortiz as Max Graham; Arista Arhin (Odd Squad, Star Trek: Discovery) as the team’s newest member and Chief Product Designer, Alicia Windsor; Mya Singh (Odd Squad) as Max’s oldest friend and Head of Marketing and PR, Kaylyn French; Alec Dahmer as accidental class clown and Research Technician, Noodles; Jadian Toros as the youngest member of the team and Chief Financial Officer, Zeke; Adrianna Di Liello (Backstage, Annedroids) as Max’s older sister, Chelsea Graham; Sandy Jobin-Bevans (Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) as Max’s dad, Bryan Graham; and Allison Price (The New Yorker Presents) as Max’s mom, Helen Graham.

Greenfields is produced by Six Eleven Media in association with DHX Television’s Family Channel and is executive produced by Derek Harvie and Charles Bishop with his team at Six Eleven Media. Greenfields is also produced with the participation of the Canadian Media Fund (CMF). International distribution will be handled by DHX Media.

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