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.
Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

CTV Comedy Channel cranks up the heat this summer with Season 3 of Roast Battle Canada, beginning July 10

From a media release:

More epic battles of burns are coming to CTV Comedy Channel, as original series ROAST BATTLE CANADA returns for an eight-episode third season Mondays at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT beginning July 10 on CTV Comedy, CTV.ca, and the CTV app. Each half-hour episode sees two pairs of Canadian comics face-off, as they hurl heated and ruthless jabs at each other in hopes of being crowned the superior roaster.

Season 3 of ROAST BATTLE CANADA sees the return of the distinguished panel of judges – Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees, and K. Trevor Wilson – while actor and comedian Ennis Esmer returns to preside over the roastings as host.

Canadian comedians facing off in the ROAST BATTLE CANADA Season 3 matchups are:

Episode 1 – Monday, July 10 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Allie Pearse vs. Brendan d’Souza
Battle 2 – Tyler Morrison vs. Crystal Ferrier

Episode 2 – Monday, July 17 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Rachel Schaefer vs. Sophie Buddle
Battle 2 – Alan Shane Lewis vs. Todd Graham

Episode 3 – Monday, July 24 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Olivia Stadler vs. Kyle Brownrigg
Battle 2 – Garrett Jamieson vs. Keith Pedro

Episode 4 – Monday, July 31 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Tom Henry vs. Todd Graham
Battle 2 – Crystal Ferrier vs. Cassie Cao

Episode 5 – Monday, August 7 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Dakota Ray Hebert vs. Paul Rabliauskas
Battle 2 – Sophie Buddle vs. Jordan Wellwood

Episode 6 – Monday, Aug. 14 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Keith Pedro vs. Allie Pearse
Battle 2 – Danish Anwar vs. Olivia Stadler

Episode 7 – Monday, Aug. 21 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Jordan Wellwood vs. Tyler Morrison
Battle 2 – Dakota Ray Hebert vs. Alan Shane Lewis

Episode 8 – Monday, Aug. 28 at 10:30 p.m. ET
Battle 1 – Rachel Schaefer vs. Brendan d’Souza
Battle 2 – Cassie Cao vs. Daniel Woodrow

Ahead of the Season 3 premiere on July 10, it was recently announced that a fourth season of ROAST BATTLE CANADA has been ordered. Viewers can also catch up on the first two seasons, which are currently available for streaming with with no subscription or sign-in required on CTV.ca and the CTV app, and are also available on Crave.

ROAST BATTLE CANADA is produced by CTV Comedy Channel, in association with Just For Laughs Television and Counterfeit Pictures. Bruce Hills is Executive Producer and also President, Just For Laughs. Executive Producers are Dan Bennett, Shane Corkery, and Anton Leo of Counterfeit Pictures, along with George Reinblatt. Comedian Russell Peters also executive produces. The series was directed by Shelagh O’Brien.

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Featured

What the Games Industry is Learning from TV in 2023

The games industry was once far smaller than the TV and movie sectors, but nowadays the tables have turned. All told, the global video game market is worth around $300 billion annually, and it’s increasingly using those new resources to integrate greater immersion and storytelling into its design. In doing this, it’s looking to take a leaf out of the world of TV which has proven such a mass-audience favourite over the past 50 years. Let’s take a look below at some examples of this in action.

Integrating the Live Show Format

One key sector going above and beyond in serving its patrons up a slice of showbiz is of iGaming. In recent years, leading platforms have increasingly sought to integrate live casino game shows into their core feature set. Online gaming establishments have consistently outcompeted their brick-and-mortar predecessors over the past two decades, with tech-savvy gaming fans citing the on-demand nature of these platforms as a major draw.

Though if any criticism could have been raised, it was that digital services often lacked the opportunity for human interaction that is given at a physical venue. Live dealer rooms and game shows are seen as the perfect response to this requirement. Live dealer rooms take the standard table game format familiar to online gaming aficionados and adds in the extra dimension of a live host and dealer.

This boosts immersion and creates a richer experience for patrons. Game shows, as the name suggests, take this a step further by eschewing the classic casino titles in favour of emulating traditional TV game shows. These types of shows are well-loved and have left an enduring impression on Canadian audiences thanks to their memorable combination of trivia, exciting rounds, human interest and exotic prizes. Among the most popular Canadian examples of this genre is Canada’s Smartest Person.

In Canada’s Smartest Person, the traditional trivia show of yesteryear is reimagined along the lines of crucial advances in psychology. It draws upon the ‘multiple intelligences’ theory of psychology Howard Gardner which posits that there are, in fact, 9 separate forms of intelligence and that, distributed among the general population, you will find people who are especially skilled in one or several of these.

In the show, contestants compete across a variety of rounds focused on any one of these distinct intelligences – be that visual, logical, physical, linguistic, musical or social. Whereas a normal trivia show rewards memory retention, to do well in Canada’s Smartest Person requires a diverse and broad intellect capable of adapting to a range of unique tasks. The show has been running with great success since 2014 and is currently in its fourth season.

Due to its success, it’s natural that live casino shows that look to ape its watchable appeal are in the ascendant. A prominent example of a casino show that emulates a popular game show is Dream Catcher, which incorporates a spinning wheel like those made popular by Wheel of Fortune. In doing so, these shows are pioneering a new level of interactive entertainment.

Incorporating Serialization

The rise of prestige TV series in the 21st century validated the medium as an art form in its own right, winning over skeptical critics and encouraging new creators to tell stories with the format. Serialized TV in the 90s, with the exception of soap operas, were typically episodic in their storytelling.

This means that stories and events would typically be contained within each episode, exerting minimal impact on overarching character development or background plot. This is most keenly recognized in the ‘monster of the week’ format that made shows like the original Star Trek series so accessible and popular.

By the time of the year 2000, larger budgets and a growing appetite to tell bigger stories on the small screen gave rise to shows like The Sopranos, Lost, and The Wire which used the medium to tell long-form and intricate stories. These new types of shows could unfold with the pacing of a novel, and incorporate much richer and deeper character development into their design.

Likewise, historically gaming was relatively episodic. A sequel to a game would likely advance the story of the previous title forward, but would seldom be required playing for new users. This is very similar to how movie sequels work. However, it is becoming increasingly commonplace for games to focus on telling richer and more nuanced stories, and even to incorporate season-length story arcs into their design.

This is particularly noticeable with so-called live service games that debut new content every several months. Bungie’s Destiny 2, for example, enjoys several interlocking levels of storytelling. The largest level of these are yearly expansion packs that cost a premium, and introduce new mechanics alongside major new story beats.

But in between these yearly releases, Destiny 2 also runs seasonal storytelling that unfolds in real time over the course of three months each. This gives the developers greater scope to tell backstories, call back to previous plot points, and focus on world-building in between major expansions.

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Bon Cop, Bad Cop

An original series adapted from the hit films Bon Cop, Bad Cop coming soon to Bell Media

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From a media release:

Bell Media, Jessie Films and PaNik Fictions are working together to adapt the successful feature films BON COP, BAD COP into an original series. Patrick Huard is heading up a talented and seasoned team of writers who include Éric K. Boulianne, Suzie Bouchard, Benoît Chartier and Sébastien Ravary. Patrick Huard and Colm Feore are reprising their respective roles in this scripted series, which is currently under development.

“The BON COP, BAD COP brand really resonates with the public. We’re thrilled to revisit this franchise as an original series,” said Suzane Landry, Vice-President, Content Development, Programming and News at Bell Media. “We definitely fell for the charm of their pitch. We’re extremely delighted that Patrick Huard is heading up the writing and production of this series and coming back in his role as David Bouchard.”

Inspired directly from the BON COP, BAD COP films, the series of the same name will follow the adventures of Martin Ward (Colm Feore) and David Bouchard (Patrick Huard), who once again join forces for a police investigation that starts in an Indigenous community. This time, they are teaming up with a new generation of cops who are just as unorthodox as they are.

“I’m as excited and inspired as ever to bring the world of BON COP, BAD COP to television as a series,” said Patrick Huard. “For us, this means more time to delve deeper into the characters and their relationships and to exploit the stories’ full dramatic and comedic potential. For fans, this means many more laughs and a lot more fun. It also means a chance to reach as many people as possible across the country!”

The 8 one-hour episodes are being produced by PaNik Fictions and Jessie Films (Patrick Huard, Anik Jean, Antonello Cozzolino) in collaboration with Bell Media.

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The Lake

Link: With ‘The Lake,’ ‘Hudson & Rex’ and ‘LOL,’ Canadian TV is having a moment, but it’s still tough going

From Amber Dowling of Variety:

Link: With ‘The Lake,’ ‘Hudson & Rex’ and ‘LOL,’ Canadian TV is having a moment, but it’s still tough going
From the outside, Canadian television is having a moment. Over the past 18 months, major streaming services — Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount+, Disney+ and Apple TV+ — have established Northern presences via offices, execs or PR teams. Continue reading.

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Industry News

Paramount+ announces first Canadian development slate, commissioned Canadian documentary and investment in acquired Canadian series and films

From a media release:

Paramount+ today announced a Canadian content strategy in development, commissioned features and acquired programming. Announced at the BANFF World Media Festival, the slate includes an impressive roster of critically acclaimed Canadian series and features, including a Paramount+ Original documentary and four new development projects in partnership with some of the best and most diverse creators in the country.

Paramount+ Canadian Series in Development

HATE THE PLAYER: THE BEN JOHNSON STORY
A scripted comedy about the scandal behind the scandal that brought the “world’s fastest man” from hero to zero in 9.79 seconds. From writer Anthony Q Farrell (The Office U.S.) and award-winning producers New Metric Media (Letterkenny).

LEN & CUB
Based on a true story, this limited six-part series dramatizes the secret relationship of two young men in rural 20th-century New Brunswick whose story came to light when a box of photos was recently discovered in an estate sale. From writer Lynne Kamm and producers Muse Entertainment and Elliot Page’s Page Boy Productions.

CARPE DEMON
A one-hour genre series, based on the best-selling book series by Julie Kenner, about a frazzled suburban mom with a loving husband, two kids and one massive secret: she used to be a Demon Hunter. Out of practice and overwhelmed, she has no choice but to get back in the game when her supernatural past comes calling from award-winning showrunner Emily Andras (Wynonna Earp, Lost Girl) and producers December Films, Cineflix Studios, Gina Marcheschi and Jon Brown.

THEY DRIVE AT NIGHT
A dark comedy genre series about two best friends, a vampire and a werewolf, on a road trip across Canada. Written by Emmy Award winner Craig Wallace (Murdoch Mysteries, Todd & The Book of Pure Evil) and producers Black Birds Entertainment.

Paramount+ Original Documentary

500 DAYS IN THE WILD – Paramount+ Original
Fall 2023
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Dianne Whelan (This Land, 40 Days at Basecamp) recorded a solo self-recorded journey travelling across Canada in 2015. She began her trek feeling disillusioned with the state of the world, but six years and 28,000 km later she arrived back in Victoria, BC, feeling wiser, more hopeful, in love and with a passion to share her remarkable journey. Produced by Betsy Carson with Executive Producers Christine Haebler and Dianne Whelan for Rebel Sisters Productions and distributed in Canada by Elevation Pictures.

Produced in Association with Paramount+

THE BOY IN THE WOODS
The remarkable true-life survival story of a Jewish boy hiding and being hunted in the forests of Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe. Based on the memoir The Boy In The Woods by Maxwell Smart. The film is produced by Lumanity Productions and JoBro Productions and distributed by Photon Films.

Paramount+ Canadian Acquisitions

Today’s announcement comes on the heels of Paramount+’s ongoing investments in best-in-class content and promotion for its Canadian catalogue. Recently, Paramount+ invested in marketing and publicity for acquired Canadian content such as the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) Documentary Anything For Fame and the CSA nominated NEVER SEEN AGAIN from Efran Films.

Paramount+ has also acquired Canadian feature films Midnight At The Paradise from LevelFILM currently slated for 2023, along with All The Lost Ones, Café Daughter, Orah and Who’s Yer Father? for 2024.

From Vortex, Paramount+ has acquired the romantic comedy feature The End Of Sex.

By the end of this year, Paramount+ will have acquired hundreds of hours of Canadian content from numerous partners including those noted above as well as Elevation Pictures, Mongrel Media, Sphere Films and Blue Ant Media. A selection of those titles currently streaming on the service include Paramount+ Original series NEVER SEEN AGAIN and FBI: TRUE as well as PAW PATROL and films Away from Her (available July 1), Aline, Kayak to Klemtu and PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE.

The Paramount-owned streamer’s expanded Canadian content offering complements the company’s existing expansive Canadian content lineup on its FAST service in the market, Pluto TV. Currently, Pluto TV offers 45 dedicated Canadian channels spanning different genres including Home + DIY, Food, Kids, Factual and News through its ad sales and content partnership with Corus Entertainment Inc., based in Toronto. In addition, in February Pluto TV in Canada had the Worldwide premiere of Canadian FAST Channel Out TV Proud and also launched the Blue Ant Media-owned channels HauntTV, Crimetime, HistoryTime and Homeful. In March the service debuted The Weather Network’s new FAST Channel.

On July 1, three additional channels will join the Pluto TV family. Truly Canadian, which will highlight Canadian-produced scripted series such as Little Mosque on the Prairie, Edgemont and Arctic Air and Pluto TV Documentaries which will include NFB documentaries and films that have been featured at Hot Docs such as Canadian-produced When Jews Were Funny by Alan Zweig and Randy Bachman’s Vinyl Tap: Every Song Tells a Story. On July 1, Pluto TV will also launch The Red Green Show Channel.

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