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.
Saving Hope

Link: Women Behind Canadian TV: Sonia Hosko

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Women Behind Canadian TV: Sonia Hosko
“It was Ilana Frank though, who invited me to come along and work with her on her new show Rookie Blue. And that was my entrance into the TV world. I love television. I always have. I grew up in an age where no one dreamed about working in television. Everyone wanted to work on a movie–that was the dream. And now, the pendulum has swung the other way and I’m thrilled. To have the opportunity to work with writers and actors who get to create and play characters that are developed over years, and to watch audiences follow along with fervour, is incredibly satisfying.” Continue reading. 

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Anne, Featured

CBC announces debut date for Anne; plus photo gallery & teaser trailer!

Mark your calendars Anne of Green Gables fans! CBC announced that Season 1 of Anne is set to debut Sunday, March 19, at 8 p.m. on the public broadcaster.

Written and executive-produced by Moira Walley-Beckett (Breaking Bad), Anne stars Amybeth McNulty in the title role. Geraldine James and R.H. Thomson portray Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert.

We visited the set recently, so look for interviews from the cast and executive producers closer to airdate.

Check out the photo gallery of the key cast:

[slideshow_deploy id=’39334′]

And the teaser trailer!

Here are CBC’s official notes on the project:

ANNE is a coming-of-age story about an outsider who, against all odds and many challenges, fights for love and acceptance and her place in the world. Set in Prince Edward Island in the late 1890s, the series centers on Anne Shirley (Amybeth McNulty), a young orphaned girl who, after an abusive childhood spent in orphanages and the homes of strangers, is mistakenly sent to live with an aging sister and brother. Over time, 13-year-old Anne will transform the lives of Marilla (Geraldine James) and Matthew Cuthbert (R.H. Thomson) and eventually the entire small town in which they live with her unique spirit, fierce intellect and brilliant imagination. Anne’s adventures will reflect timeless and topical issues including themes of identity, feminism, bullying and prejudice.

ANNE is executive produced by Moira Walley-Beckett (three-time Emmy® and Golden Globe award winner, Breaking Bad, Flesh & Bone) and Miranda de Pencier (Beginners, Thanks for Sharing), under her Northwood Entertainment banner. Walley-Beckett is penning the entire first season of the series and serves as showrunner. ANNE is produced by Northwood Entertainment for CBC and Netflix.

Anne debuts Sunday, March 19, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Related: Check out our interview with Walley-Beckett during the cross-Canada Anne auditions.

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Murdoch Mysteries

Link: Inside CBC’s hit series Murdoch Mysteries with showrunner Peter Mitchell

From Eleanor Besley of Pop Journalism:

Link: Inside CBC’s hit series Murdoch Mysteries with showrunner Peter Mitchell
“I’m responsible for the large, creative parts of the show. I work with the writers to come up with ideas for stories, casting, and the post-production and editing work. From beginning to end, I have a hand in all those aspects. This show has been running for ten years now, so everybody knows their job. On a good day, I don’t have to do anything, except to say “yes,” “no,” or “sure, try that,” and just let everybody do their jobs.” Continue reading. 

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Industry News

Link: How the CRTC failed Cancon with the Super Bowl simsub decision

From Greg O’Brien of Cartt.ca:

Link: How the CRTC failed Cancon with the Super Bowl simsub decision
The decision to set aside simultaneous substitution and, essentially, cause direct harm to Bell Media – the company which purchased the rights to the game in Canada – is a fundamental departure from what the Commission is supposed to do, which is promote, foster and enable the distribution of Canadian content and culture through the Canadian broadcasting system. It’s impossible to fathom how setting aside the simultaneous substitution rules for a single program – the most popular one of the year at that – meets those objectives. Continue reading.

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Industry News

Link: Bell/CTV hit for Super Bowl loss as half the Canadian audience opts for US ads

From Bill Brioux of Brioux.tv:

Link: Bell/CTV hit for Super Bowl loss as half the Canadian audience opts for US ads
The overnight, estimated tally for Bell Media’s share of the Super Bowl audience suggests that up to half the Canadian football audience opted to watch the game — and the American ads — on Fox Network border stations.

For the game itself –from kickoff at approx. 6:37 p.m. ET to the end of overtime and the beginning of celebrations on the field at 10:25 p.m., Bell’s triple-channel take broke down as such: CTV: 2,912,000 viewers; TSN: 515,000; CTV Two: 446,000. Continue reading. 

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