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.
Letterkenny

Season 2 of CraveTV original series Letterkenny to launch Christmas Day

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From a media release:

As revealed last night during TSN’s 104th GREY CUP broadcast, Season 2 of CraveTV’s smash-hit original comedy LETTERKENNY launches Christmas Day with a brand new six-pack ready to stream. That’s a great day for binging on appies and TV, bud. In keeping with tradition, CraveTV released this beauty of a Season 2 cold open today.

Created and co-written by Jared Keeso of Bravo’s hit Canadian Screen Award-winning original drama 19-2, Season 2 sees the return of hick-with-a-heart-of-gold Wayne (Keeso) and the rest of small-town foes The Hicks, The Skids, and The Hockey Players.

Season 2 of LETTERKENNY proves all is fair in love and politics with a power struggle in the Agricultural Hall, the Hockey Players getting knocked down a peg both on and off the ice, and some interesting inter-group romantic tanglings.

Already confirmed for a third season, LETTERKENNY is produced by New Metric Media in partnership with DHX Media. Season 3 is set to begin production on another six pack on location in Sudbury, ON in 2017. Season 1 is currently streaming on CraveTV.

LETTERKENNY revolves around the dustups Wayne and his buds get into with their small-town Ontario rivals. Back to cause a whole lot of ruckus out of a whole lot of nothing, The Hicks, The Skids, and The Hockey Players get at each other about the most mundane things, often ending with someone getting their ass kicked. Wayne, his best bud Daryl (Nathan Dales, Goon: Last of the Enforcers), Wayne’s free-spirited younger sister Katy (Michelle Mylett, FOUR IN THE MORNING), and Wayne’s buddy, Dan (K Trevor Wilson, JEFF ROSS PRESENTS: ROAST BATTLE) are all Hicks. McMurray (Daniel Petronijevic, 19-2) is a Hick but has been outcast due to his inability to relax. He also runs the Agricultural Hall with his loving wife Mrs. McMurray (Melanie Scrofano, WYNONNA EARP). Dylan Playfair (HATERS BACK OFF) and Andrew Herr (Mr Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story) reprise their roles as Hockey Players “Jonesy” and “Reilly”. Tyler Johnston (MOTIVE) stars as lead Skid, Stewart, and Stewart’s “Sideskid” Devon is played by Alexander De Jordy (19-2). Evan Stern(RoboCop) stars as Third-Skid-in-Command, Roald. Lisa Codrington (COPPER) returns as Modeans bartender, Gail, and Jacob Tierney (The Trotsky) as the Christian leader Glen.

Season 1 of LETTERKENNY continues to reign as the biggest debut of any series on CraveTV since the premium TV streaming service launched in 2014, with more CraveTV users watching LETTERKENNY than any other series or title on CraveTV. LETTERKENNY is based on the Internet sensation Letterkenny Problems, a series of shorts which have raked in more than 21 million views.

LETTERKENNY is produced by New Metric Media (What Would Sal Do?), in partnership with DHX Media in association with Bell Media, with the participation of Canadian Media Fund, OMDC Tax Credits and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund. Jacob Tierney is executive producer, director, and co-writer. Patrick O’Sullivan and Mark Montefiore are executive producers for New Metric Media.

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Featured, Travelers

The Travelers try to assimilate

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Last week, the Travelers team detonated the device in hopes that would change the course of Helios and affect the future for good. But as MacLaren said then, he wasn’t sure it worked because they all still existed. Wouldn’t changing the future mean they’d fail to be born? That’s just one of several questions raised during the first six episodes.

With Monday’s new instalment, “Protocol 5,” representing Episode 7, the team goes back to their “normal” lives. After all, with the mission completed—theirs anyway—there’s nothing to do but live in this time. It’s a struggle for everyone, and all isn’t as it seems.

MacLaren
Forbes needs MacLaren’s help, desperately, and what looks like a dangerous, covert operation turns into something completely different and threatens to blow his cover.

travelers1

Marcy
We’re not sure what’s going on with Marcy, but it involves soft music, a bathtub and some very sharp things. That causes David to draw a line in the sand with regard to her behavior.

Carly
With no mission to complete, Carly’s life as a single mom—and no MacLaren—is a depressing place.

Trevor
He seems to be the happiest about having a new life during this time period. But hanging out with Rene isn’t the bliss he was hoping for.

Philip
Now that the adrenaline rush is over, Philip needs one from the drugs. That, obviously, leads him down a dangerous path. Cue a visit by Ray, who steps in to help out his gambling genius.

Travelers airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Showcase.

Images courtesy of Corus.

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Industry News

Link: Netflix tells Canadian Heritage it makes ‘substantial’ investments in Canada

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From Victoria Ahearn of The Canadian Press:

Link: Netflix tells Canadian Heritage it makes ‘substantial’ investments in Canada
Netflix makes “substantial” investments in film and TV productions in Canada and should not face regulation, argues the streaming company in a submission to Canadian Heritage’s public consultation on homegrown content in a digital world.

The submission, filed Thursday, comes two years after Netflix suggested to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that its service did not fall under the Broadcasting Act since it is not a conventional broadcaster. Continue reading.

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Blood and Water

Link: Fresh Blood

From Michael Pickard of Drama Quarterly:

Link: Fresh Blood
“We do have a very large Asian population in Canada. There’s quite a large Asian audience in British Columbia and Ontario where we have two major footholds and we wanted to cater to this audience. We have a lot of acquired international features and dramas for the Asian community but we have so much talent here in the country, we wanted to break new ground with a new multilingual drama.” Continue reading.

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Featured, Polls

Poll results: Your three favourite new Canadian TV series of the fall

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The results are in and Canada’s newest satire series, The Beaverton, is your No. 1 favourite television series of the fall. With just over 6,500 votes cast, The Comedy Network series captured 37 per cent of the vote.

In second place is HGTV’s Bryan Inc., starring Bryan and Sarah Baeumler, followed by Holmes + Holmes and Moving the McGillivrays. Rounding out the Top 5 was CBC’s Kim’s Convenience.

The Bachelorette Canada, Frontier, Airport: Below Zero, Shoot the Messenger and Travelers fill out the Top 10.

You can find out how your favourites placed in the poll here; thanks to everyone who participated.

poll

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