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

Link: What Canadian TV series should be revived?

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From Jim Bawden:

Link: What Canadian TV series should be revived?
The big news on American TV these days concerns the revival of past series hits. Gilmore Girls is back for a limited run and I’m, watching and enjoying it as I find out what happened to the original characters.

So I’m thinking back on all the Canadian TV sets I was on and wondering which ones could be successfully revived. The new Anne Of Green Gables is all the ratings rage on CBC-TV these days. So why not revive some other big hits over the years? Continue reading. 

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Orphan Black

Links: Orphan Black at Paleyfest

From Diane Gordon of Variety:

Link: Tatiana Maslany talks final season at Paleyfest
“Orphan Black” fans, known as the Clone Club, got a special treat at PaleyFest — a very early look at the Season 5 premiere, which won’t air until early June. The company had wrapped production on the farewell season a mere 36 hours earlier.

Tatiana Maslany remarked, “Every day was somebody’s goodbye. It was emotional. It was sad. It was awesome.” The company is tight-knit and Maslany was sincere when she talked about what she’d miss most. “The community, the Clone Club and the set — it’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” she said. Continue reading.

From Derek Lawrence of Entertainment Weekly:

Link: Orphan Black cast previews last season at Paleyfest
Less than 48 hours after a series wrap on Orphan Black, the cast and creators reassembled Thursday at PaleyFest in Los Angeles, where the Clone Club was out in full force to preview the final season and say goodbye.

With emotions still raw from shooting the last scene of Orphan Black thousands of miles away early Wednesday morning, Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany recounted those final moments, which meant saying farewell to each of her clones. Continue reading.

From Christine N. Ziemba of Paste magazine:

Link: 10 Things We Learned about Orphan Black at Paleyfest
Orphan Black wrapped its fifth and final season on Wednesday in Toronto, and by Thursday afternoon, the cast and creators were in front of an adoring audience at PaleyFest 2017 in Hollywood. BBC America’s sci-fi hit has been lauded for its diversity as well as for its thrilling adventures, featuring Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany’s Sarah Manning and her clone “sestras.”

Paste had the chance to interview some of the cast backstage, while Michael Schneider, of IndieWire and Variety, moderated the discussion onstage—asking the panelists to reflect on the impact of their series, their favorite moments and even their favorite clone. Continue reading.

From Teresa Jusino of The Mary Sue:

Link: Orphan Black at Paleyfest: Panel reveals show secrets and Season 5 premiere!
After having the pleasure of chatting with the cast and creative team of Orphan Black one-on-one on the red carpet, there was the actual panel, where fans got more insights into the show, hints about things to come, and the best surprise of all: a screening of the Season Five premiere over two months ahead of the rest of the world! Continue reading.

From Tara Bennett of Blastr:

Link: The Orphan Black cast teases the series finale at Paleyfest
Having just wrapped production on the fifth and final season of Orphan Black, sestra extraordinaire Tatiana Maslany joined her fellow cast mates and show co-creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett for a last reunion and public goodbye to their adoring Clone Club fans at their PaleyFest TV panel in Hollywood Thursday night.

Before the panel kicked off, we talked to actors Ari Millen, Kevin Hanchardand Josh Vokey on the red carpet about their last day on set, the evolution of their characters and some teases about what they’re facing with the reclusive Neolution founder, P.T. Westmoreland. Continue reading.

From Fred Topel of Rotten Tomatoes:

Link: Orphan Black says goodbye: 7 Things to expect in its final season
Prepare to be jealous, because an audience of Orphan Black superfans in Los Angeles was the first to see the sci-fi hit’s fifth season premiere on Thursday night. (Don’t worry, the crowd was forbidden to discuss spoilers on social media, so Twitter should still be safe.) Continue reading.

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Anne, Featured

Enjoying a raspberry cordial with Anne

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First, a couple of facts about me before my preview of CBC’s second episode of Anne. I’m a 46-year-old man who has never read the Anne of Green Gables books or watched the 1985 miniseries starring Megan Follows. Some may say it’s a disadvantage not to have absorbed the novels or landmark TV project, but I think it’s a good thing. It means I go into Anne without any preconceived notions or automatic comparison to the source material or beloved 80s project. I like good TV, and Anne is very, very good.

From the opening scene in last week’s debut where Matthew thundered towards the train station to grab Anne before she left town to that same shot bookending those initial 44 minutes, I was in thrall not only by the cast, scenery and cinematography but the writing too. So far Moira Walley-Beckett has stayed true to L.M. Montgomery’s tale (the die-hard fan in my house tells me so) while adding a decidedly dark edge when Anne is recalling her time with the Hammonds.

So, what does Episode 2, “I am no bird, and no net ensnares me,” written by Walley-Beckett and directed by Helen Shaver hold? Here’s what CBC’s episode synopsis reveals:

Hoping all is not lost; Matthew races to catch up with Anne while Marilla anxiously hopes and waits for their return to Green Gables.
And here’s what I can tell you after watching a screener.

Oh, those credits
I’ll never get enough of hearing “Ahead by a Century” as Anne‘s opening credits, nor the amazing, twisting, tree animation.

A Workin’ Moms star is workin’ it
Keep an eye out for Workin’ Moms actor—and recent You’ve Been Hooked interviewee—Alden Adair, who plays a small, but pivotal, role in Sunday’s opening minutes. That scene adds a gritty realism to Anne; not everyone is a nice person and wants the best for children. Other notable Canadian faces include Daniel Kash and Rob Ramsay in supporting roles.

Marilla’s crisis of confidence
From what I understand, Colleen Dewhurst was one heck of a Marilla Cuthbert. I have to say Geraldine James is simply fantastic in this iteration. She’s crusty and cross on the outside, but a total softie inside. She clearly sees some of her younger self in Anne … and is feeling awful for accusing the girl of stealing the broach and not believing Anne when she denied doing it. Marilla wants so badly to do something to right her wrong, but must leave Matthew to find Anne and wait at Green Gables, hoping for good news.

The little things mean a lot
I’m not talking about characters or performances in this case, but the minute details in sets and props that bring Anne’s world to visual life. Dirt caked under fingernails describes hardscrabble lives where hard work is important, sunlight blazing through a cherry blossom denotes hope and a bustling, loud, crowded Charlottetown dock is a sharp contrast to the quiet sanctuary that is Green Gables. Also, kudos to Amin Bhatia and Ari Posner (most recently of X
Company) for their stellar music.

Anne airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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What Would Sal Do?

Link: What Would Sal Do? Be crude, dumb and very funny

From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:

Link: What Would Sal Do? Be crude, dumb and very funny
What Would Sal Do? (now streaming on CraveTV) is the latest entry in the arena and it’s darn funny without having quite the precision of Letterkenny or the intricately mad harmony of Trailer Park Boys, but it has a comic cultural specificity that is a delight to see. Continue reading.

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Featured, Heartland

Heartland says goodbye to Season 10 with a new addition

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If you’ve seen the teaser commercials for Heartland‘s season finale, you know Amy has the baby. But will “Greater Expectations” be a love-in all episode, with every character going goo-goo over the little sprite or would other storylines be featured? That was my big question before watching a screener.

Here’s what CBC had to say about “Greater Expectations,” written by showrunner Heather Conkie and directed by Dean Bennett:

Amy, Ty and the entire Heartland family are thrilled to welcome a new member into the fold. Meanwhile, the ghost horse returns and Amy disagrees with Georgie’s plan to capture and gentle him. Then, Lou changes her mind about a business deal but not before Mitch makes a surprising choice. 

And here are some more non-spoiler bits about Sunday…

A Ghostly appearance
Ghost, that mysterious horse with the black spots returns, and Amy and Georgie are transfixed. Is Ghost a good luck charm or a harbinger of bad things to come?

Caleb ties the knot … with help from Ty
Tim voices his concern, but Caleb is adamant: he and Cass are getting married and Ty is supposed to be his best man. The only issue is that Caleb is currently unemployed … and that’s where Tim comes in. Is Tim willing to hire Caleb as an instructor at the rodeo school, or will he send this cowboy packing?

Georgie + Jack = good times
It’s not often that Jack and Georgie have their own storyline, but they get a doozy on Sunday. It involves Ghost. That’s all I’ll say, except that I hope the pair get more screen time together in Season 11.

Lou makes a decision about the business
Did Lou listen to Lisa’s advice, or did she partner with Peter? You find out on Sunday. Her choice has a ripple effect on what Mitch does next.

Let me know what you think of Sunday’s finale by commenting below after you watch it!

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