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

Daily Planet spreads sci-tech cheer for all to hear during “High-Tech Toys Week”, beginning December 5 on Discovery

From a media release:

It’s beginning to look a lot like…“High-Tech Toys Week”! Santa’s helpers, better known as the team behind Discovery’s daily sci-tech series DAILY PLANET, are hard at work preparing for every tech toy-lover’s favourite week of the year, “High-Tech Toys Week”. Airing exclusively on Discovery beginning Monday, Dec. 5 through Friday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, DAILY PLANET explores a week full of boundless innovation and imagination.

From a life-size Transformer car to vertical air hockey, viewers are invited to join co-hosts Ziya Tong and Dan Riskin as they fill Santa’s sleigh with the season’s most exciting, outlandish, and coveted high-tech toys from around the world.

“High-Tech Toys Week” was the second most-watched theme week on DAILY PLANET during the 2015/16 broadcast year, trailing only “Future-Tech Week”. DAILY PLANET, the world’s only nightly science broadcast reaches more than 1.3 million viewers each week and continues to win the 7 p.m. ET timeslot among Canadian entertainment specialty channels during the 2016/17 broadcast year among all key adult demographics.

Highlights from DAILY PLANET’s “High-Tech Toys Week” include:

“Transformer Car”
The BMW can now shapeshift from a car into huge robot, thanks to a prototype designed by Turkish company, Letrons. The Antiomon is a real-life, nearly five-metre tall Transformer with driving capabilities. A total of five working models were developed by a team of 12 engineers, with each featuring a 35,000 hydraulic cylinder system that allows for quick and effective transformations. DAILY PLANET meets with the development team to discuss the Antiomon’s price tag in advance of its consumer debut.

“Teal Highspeed Drone”
George Matus was 11 years old when he flew his first drone and was immediately blown away. By 16, Matus was competing as a professional drone racer and acting as a test pilot for new aircraft. Today, Matus is the CEO of his own drone and software company, Teal. After years of flying, crashing, rebuilding, and modifying dozens of versions of drones, Matus has completed his dream drone, the Teal. The highly impressive unmanned aircraft flies at more than 120 kilometres per hour, can operate in wind speeds of 64 kilometres per hour, and has a built-in camera, GPS, and autonomous capabilities. From gaming and augmented reality to security applications and agriculture, Matus wants to make this drone do anything the imagination can conjure. Testing diffferent flight propellers and evaluating for speed, noise, and handling, Matus and the Teal team join DAILY PLANET as they race to get to market “the world’s fastest production drone in its class.”

“Climball”
What is the result when pinball, air hockey, wall climbing, and a splash of augmented reality mix together? Climball – a high-tech, fast-paced game combining augmented reality technology with rock climbing. The physically engaging game tracks the players’ movements while they compete to volley a virtual ball. DAILY PLANET climbs on board to get a closer look at the tech behind the newest way to get into shape.

“The PancakeBot”
Marking the very first food printer of its kind, the $300 PancakeBot is the brainchild of Miguel Valenzuela, a civil engineer, inventor, and father living in Norway. A container of batter is attached to PancakeBot’s mechanical printing arm where underneath sits a flat, heated griddle that acts as its canvas. Users can turn almost anything into a yummy breakfast treat – a child’s drawing, a product image, a team’s logo, or even a favorite piece of artwork. DAILY PLANET meets with Valenzuela, who spills the batter on PancakeBot’s food printing technology.

“Amphibious Helicopter”
Novelty car builder Jeff Bloch, also known as SpeedyCop, is the master of developing crazy, homemade cars. He’s built a fighter jet car, an upside down Camaro, and even a car that stretches out like an accordion – all capable of racing at 24 Hours of LeMons, a series of endurance races held on paved courses across the U.S. This year, Bloch recycled a damaged helicopter from the Vietnam War and transformed it into a mighty machine that can race on land and in water, making the gadget an entirely amphibious helicopter. Although it can’t take flight just yet, it has some truly astounding capabilities! DAILY PLANET meets Bloch to discuss how he intends to take these off-the-wall vehicles from the junkyard to the racetrack.

“Carr-E”
Many city drivers have experienced the congestion of downtown roadways during rush hour – the impatience, the frustration, and the worry. Well, Ford Motor Company is hoping to prevent commuter frustration with the “Last Mile Mobility Challenge”. One of this year’s finalists is Kilian Vas, a Ford engineer who has designed and built the Carr-E. An easily transported, segway-like vehicle, the Carr-E can propel motorist through all types of traffic. Carr-E’s ultrasonic sensors and built-in GPS allow it to navigate through busy streets, avoiding any obstacle thrown in its path. DAILY PLANET meets with Vas to test out the four-wheel, electric pedestrian assistant that could potentially be the next big breakthrough in urban commuting.

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Industry News

Nearly 400,000 tune in to debut of The Beaverton on The Comedy Network

From a media release:

This just in! Final Numeris data confirms that a combined audience of 379,000 viewers has tuned into the premiere episode of THE BEAVERTON since its November 9 debut on The Comedy Network. With an average audience of 189,000 viewers during its broadcast premiere timeslot, Comedy was the most-watched specialty channel in Canada for A25-54 (102,000 viewers), and the most-watched entertainment specialty channel for A18-49 (101,000 viewers). To date, the premiere episode has reached a total of 724,000 unique viewers across all airings.

During its Nov. 9 broadcast debut, #TheBeaverton was among the Top 10 trending topics on Twitter in Canada, alongside hashtags related to the American election. Worldwide #TheBeaverton has garnered an estimated 18.7 million impressions to date.

Across Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, the teaser clip for the debut episode “Obituary for America” has garnered nearly 900,000 views with nearly half a million views in just its first 12 hours of being published. To date, 19 various in-show and web exclusive clips of THE BEAVERTON have racked up more than 4 million views across Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Since its premiere, the Top 3 BEAVERTON clips on social media are:

3) Rachel Notley Caught in Yet Another Scandal with nearly 344,000 views
2) With 683,000 views, “The Donald Trump Apocalypse Begins” became the #11 trending video on YouTube, and also landed on the front pages of reddit.com and uproxx.com
1) The series’ most-watched clip to date, 5 War Atrocities Only 90s Kids Remember, has garnered nearly 708,000 views.

On tonight’s episode of THE BEAVERTON, (Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT), shocking new insights into the world of ISIS are revealed, Aisha Alfa looks at the Liberal sex-ed curriculum, and Canada ponders a new currency.

A so-called televised adaptation of the immensely popular online satirical site TheBeaverton.com, THE BEAVERTON files fake news stories of the utmost importance, informed by real events, the cultural zeitgeist, and national news media. With nearly 7.5 million views in 2016 and averaging more than half a million unique visitors a month, TheBeaverton.com has become a go-to source for Canadian satire. Viewers who need a daily-dose of biting Canadian satire can check in with TheBeaverton.com or follow @TheBeaverton for hourly updates.

THE BEAVERTON airs Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT exclusively on The Comedy Network.

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Dark Matter

Space and Syfy’s Dark Matter begins production on Season 3

From a media release:

Prodigy Pictures is pleased to announce principal photography has begun on the third season of the sci-fi series Dark Matter. Based on the graphic novel Dark Matter, created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie, of the Stargate franchise, the 13 one-hour episodes are slated to premiere in 2017 on Syfy in the U.S. and Space in Canada.

Following the season 2 finale that saw the crew of The Raza scattered and presumed dead, Dark Matter’s third season opens a compelling new chapter of the spellbinding series. Joining the cast this season are Ayisha Issa (12 Monkeys) as Solara Shockley, Mishka Thébaud (Bitten) as Adrian and Andrew Moodie (Trust No One) as Teku.

Dark Matter stars Melissa O’Neil, Anthony Lemke, Alex Mallari Jr. and Jodelle Ferland with Roger Cross and Zoie Palmer. Produced by Prodigy Pictures and executive produced by Jay Firestone (Lost Girl, XIII), Joseph Mallozzi (Stargate) and Paul Mullie (Stargate), the series is distributed internationally by Endemol Worldwide Distribution.

Prodigy Pictures founded in 2006 by Jay Firestone, leads the way in the production of quality film, television and cross-platform media.  Prodigy is currently in production on the third season of its latest series, Dark Matter, which airs on Syfy in the US, and is also responsible for the critically-acclaimed television series Lost Girl, which electrified viewers around the world for five seasons and has achieved a cult-like following. Prodigy previously produced the original television mini-series XIII and followed that up with two seasons of XIII:  The Series, produced in partnership with Europa. Prodigy recently produced the horror movie Dark Stranger, and executive produced a small slate of independent films, including The Other Half, a romantic drama starring Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany; Room For Rent, featuring Suits’ Patrick J. Adams; and Never Saw It Coming.

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Amazing Race Canada, Featured

Steph and Kristen’s tips to ace your Amazing Race Canada audition

Just because Steph LeClair and Kristen McKenzie waited until the last minute to audition for The Amazing Race Canada doesn’t mean you should. With the deadline for submissions happening on Thursday, Dec. 1, the pair dispensed valuable hints to improve your odds of being selected for Season 5.

It’s been two months since Canada watched the couple best Jillian and Emmett and Joel and Ashley during the final leg in Montreal and a lot has changed. They quit their jobs, have hiked part of the Appalachian Trail, were grand marshals at the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day parade (where they met Prime Minister Trudeau) and are embarking on a two-week trip to Costa Rica. Upcoming jaunts include New York City in December followed by Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Thailand early in 2017. (The Big Apple and the Down Under are both trips the pair captured by winning Legs.)

But where the girls have their next year or so plotted, they were anything but coordinated when it came to auditioning for Season 4.

“We hemmed and hawed and waited until the last minute,” Kristen admits. “We thought, ‘What’s the point? We’re never going to get picked.'” With just one night available to film their audition, the couple—after returning home from dinner out and imbibing in some wine—plopped down on their apartment floor and talked to the camera.

“It literally took us just a couple of hours,” Steph says. “The clip is only three minutes, so leave some bloopers in and show your personality. It doesn’t have to be perfect or include graphics or anything. Don’t overthink it.” That latter note, overthinking it, plagued the duo at first. A list of recorded bullet point items came off as too scripted and robotic, so they had a conversation, chirping good-naturedly.

“Once we said, ‘To hell with it,’ we had fun and were ourselves,” Kristen says. That included disclosing they were in a relationship, a unique angle producers look for in casting.

If you are lucky enough to be chosen, the real work begins. But even then, it’s almost impossible to know exactly what to prepare for when challenges and countries visited is such a wild card. Still, there are some general things to work on before the five-week adventure begins. Steph and Kristen worked out, ran up and down their condo building’s stairs wearing weighted knapsacks, boosting the stamina needed not only to outlast other teams physically but strengthen their mental game too.

“People ask why we didn’t learn specific things, but things happen so quickly once you’re selected for the Race,” Kristen says. “You have five weeks to prepare while juggling work and life and everything gets crammed in.”

“I suck at maps and I knew I was going to be the navigator, so I was asking my sister at the last minute how to read a road map,” Steph says with a laugh. “And despite being able to do it and winning The Amazing Race Canada I still get us lost.”

The deadline for submission is Thursday, Dec. 1, at 11:59 PM ET. For all casting details and updates, including instructions on how to submit an audition video, fans can visit CTV.ca/TheAmazingRaceCanada, the CTV Facebook page, and follow @AmazingRaceCDA.

Image courtesy of Bell Media.

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Bachelorette Canada, Featured

Jasmine chooses her leading man on The Bachelorette Canada

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After 10 dramatic episodes, Bachelorette Canada star Jasmine Lorimer made her decision on Tuesday night. With the beaches of Cuba as the backdrop, Jasmine chose Kevin over Mikhel in the season finale.

Mikhel took the bad news surprisingly well in front of Jasmine, telling her he had her back regardless of what she decided.

“You are one of the best people that I’ve ever met in my entire life,” she began. “I don’t know the last time anyone has made me feel as cared about and as supported as you have made me feel. I have meant every single word that I’ve said to you, but I feel I’ve developed a stronger relationship with someone else. And I feel sort of crazy for having to say goodbye to someone as amazing as you. It feels wrong, but I know that you deserve the best, and you’re going to find that person.”

I know Mikhel was crushed, but I felt pretty badly too. After all, Mikhel spent the first half of the episode on an emotional high, positive Jasmine would choose him and he’d be slipping a simple engagement ring on her finger. Instead, he got a hug, a broken heart and a lonely ride to the airport.

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“I’m sad that I don’t get to have Jasmine,” he said while on the road before delivering a truly sad line: “I just don’t know what people want from me. I’m literally the best man I know how to be right now. I don’t know how else to be a better person. I don’t know what else I can do.”

Meanwhile, the man who made such a great first impression on Jasmine was the one she picked. Despite misgivings about his commitment to the process and a seriously scary mother, Jasmine picked Kevin to be her man. The fact she kept him despite his jealous tendencies and protective mom was a true indication of how much she cared for Kevin.

“I really felt, early on, that you and I had something that I didn’t have with anyone else,” she said. “I think that you are one of the most incredible people that I’ve ever met and there been a crazy electricity from the start. I care about you so much and I love you.”

She also said yes to Kevin’s proposal, and he slipped the glittery bauble on her finger and he accepted the final rose of the season.

Then it was time for the After the Final Rose special, with host Noah Cappe welcoming Jasmine, Kevin and Mikhel to the stage to talk about their experiences. Here’s what we learned:

  • The ladies love Mikhel.
  • Mikhel still loves Jasmine.
  • Mikhel is a classy dude.
  • Jasmine and Kevin have had conflict after the show was over.
  • Kevin got a haircut.
  • Jill likes Jasmine.

Were you happy with Jasmine’s decision? Let me know in the comments below or via Twitter @tv_eh.

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