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.
Heartland

Link: Heather Conkie, executive producer of Heartland

From Star Crossed Horses:

Link: Heather Conkie, executive producer of Heartland
“I love writing, but the real thrill for me is to see all the Writers’ scripts take life through the incredibly collaborative process from start to finish. The talented directors, our fantastic cast, the crew, the editors, our composer and all the people involved in the production contribute so much to what that finished product is. When it all comes together and it’s beyond our expectations – thatʼs the thrill.” Continue reading.

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Amazing Race Canada, Featured

The Amazing Race Canada blows a gasket in Havana

It took eight legs of The Amazing Race Canada for Jillian and Emmett to figure it out, but better is late than never. The former Big Brother Canada duo realized on Tuesday in Havana, Cuba, that encouraging their teammate is crucially important, and it netted the pair their third leg win of the season.

What’s become a common sight almost every week is a head-to-head battle between Steph and Kristen and Jillian and Emmett. The teams have gone back and forth, commanding all but two legs, and Tuesday’s new episode was no different. But frustration between Steph and Kristen during the Face-Off beach volleyball test led to Jill and Emmett winning—while cheering each other on—and steaming through the rest of the challenges with nary a waver. Steph, still hurting physically after cutting her finger with a machete while crushing sugar cane, lashed out at Kristen on the beach, revealing cracks in their game plan. They pulled it together during their second match between Rita and Yvette, and never really looked back.

Tarc2

The trip to Cuba offered a nice mix of challenge, from the physicality of sugar cane crushing and salsa dancing to noting the location of Ernest Hemingway’s hotel room, from beach volleyball to making engine gaskets. The result was a truly entertaining episode showcasing the strength of individuals.

The Amazing Race Canada is a fickle beast, able to lift and crush spirits in a moment. Want proof? Look no further than Frankie and Amy, who were dispirited after the beach volleyball loss and downright frustrated making gaskets. Frankie seemed to be a second away from throwing down her tools and walking away. Then, suddenly, she realized what she’d done wrong and—according to the edit—completed all three gaskets in quick succession and they tore off to the Pit Stop.

Fortunately for Rita and Yvette, the leg was a non-elimination (something I should have realized since the season finale is still a few weeks away), and the sisters will encounter an extra challenge in Cape Breton next week.

Here’s how the teams finished this leg of the Race:

  1. Jillian and Emmett (win trip for two to Cancun)
  2. Joel and Ashley
  3. Steph and Kristen
  4. Frankie and Amy
  5. Rita and Yvette (non-elimination)

The Amazing Race Canada airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CTV.

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Private Eyes

Global renews Private Eyes for second season

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From a media release:

Following a blockbuster first season that averaged over 1 million viewers (Ind. 2+) per episode, Global’s breakout hit and #1 new series of the summer, Private Eyes is renewed for a second season. The series, from leading independent studio Entertainment One (eOne), has received an impressive 18 episode order, with production set to begin in Toronto this fall.

The Canadian original detective drama follows the P.I. powerhouse duo, Matt Shade (Jason Priestley) and Angie Everett (Cindy Sampson) as they lead Everett Investigations together and test each other both professionally and personally. At the end of Season 1, Angie offers Shade a full and equal partnership in the agency.  However, with Shade intent on putting his stamp on Everett Investigations, will Angie live to regret this new arrangement?  And will they be able to navigate their complicated – but undeniable – romantic attraction?  Only time will tell.

Viewers who missed Season 1, can catch up on Private Eyes on GlobalTV.com and Global Go.

Private Eyes season two is executive produced by John Morayniss and Tecca Crosby for eOne, Shawn Piller and Lloyd Segan for Piller Segan and Jason Priestley.

Private Eyes is produced by eOne in association with Corus Entertainment, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit.

eOne controls international rights for the series.

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Orphan Black

Link: Tatiana Maslany on ‘Orphan Black’ Diversity: “It’s Something I’m Most Proud Of On Our Show”

From Ross A. Lincoln of Deadline:

Link: Tatiana Maslany On ‘Orphan Black’ Diversity: “It’s Something I’m Most Proud Of On Our Show”
“I’ve always felt, also, that our show kind of transcends the genre. The conceit is sci-fi, but it focuses more on the human aspect, what it is to be human, what is it to be an individual; how do you exist as an individual in a system that seeks to commodify you? We’re lucky that we’ve hit onto something in that balance.” Continue reading.

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Industry News, Ratings

Rio 2016 on CBC/Radio Canada most-watched Summer Olympic Games in Canadian history

From a media release:

CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage  of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games offered Canadians more hours of live coverage than any other Olympic Games before, and audiences responded by watching in record numbers. From the Opening Ceremony on August 5 to the Closing Ceremony on August 21, CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games reached 32.1 million Canadians – more viewers than have watched any previous Summer Games in Canada.

Team Canada matched the national record for the most medals won at a single non-boycotted summer Olympic Games with 22 total medals. This successful performance by Canada’s athletes and extensive live coverage helped keep CBC audiences engaged from the first week of coverage through to the end of the Olympic Games. CBC’s main network Rio 2016 coverage was the top-ranked programming in morning, daytime, primetime and Pacific primetime among 2+ and key A18-49 and A25-54 demographics.

The 2+ average full day audience for CBC’s Rio 2016 English-language television broadcasts (1.271M, main network only) increased by 11 percent over  London 2012 (1.146M, main network only). In primetime, the 2+ average audience (2.315M, main network only) increased by 23 percent over London (1.879M, main network only). In addition, CBC’s average audience for Pacific primetime coverage (1.055M, main network only, 11 p.m.–1 a.m. ET) saw an average audience (2+) increase of 189 percent over late night coverage during London 2012 (365,000, main network only, 12–2 a.m. ET). Mutual viewing accounted for 60 percent of all viewing (2+), indicating that Canadians enjoyed watching the Summer Games together. This number increases to 65 percent for primetime viewing.

In terms of digital audiences, CBC/Radio-Canada’s English- and French-language websites and apps generated more than 229 million total page views and nearly 37 million video views over the course of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. These video views alone account for more than 626 million minutes of video watched by Canadians over the course of the Games.

The following are the most-watched moments from each day of Rio 2016 on CBC:

  • Day 0 (Aug. 5): 3.1 million viewers – Team Canada enters the stadium during the Opening Ceremony
  • Day 1 (Aug. 6): 2.7 million viewers – Canada wins bronze in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay
  • Day 2 (Aug. 7): 3.4 million viewers – Penny Oleksiak wins the silver medal in the women’s 100m butterfly
  • Day 3 (Aug. 8): 3.4 million viewers – Women’s 100m breaststroke final
  • Day 4 (Aug. 9): 3.7 million viewers – Michael Phelps wins gold in the men’s 200m butterfly
  • Day 5 (Aug. 10): 3.6 million viewers – Santo Condorelli swims in the 100m freestyle final
  • Day 6 (Aug. 11): 4.3 million viewers – Penny Oleksiak wins gold in the women’s 200m freestyle
  • Day 7 (Aug. 12): 3.8 million viewers – Women’s 800m freestyle final
  • Day 8 (Aug. 13): 4.8 million viewers – Canada competes in the women’s 4x100m medley relay
  • Day 9 (Aug. 14): 6.9 million viewers – Usain Bolt wins gold and Andre De Grasse wins bronze in the men’s 100m
  • Day 10 (Aug. 15): 3.5 million viewers – Men’s pole vault final
  • Day 11 (Aug. 16): 3.6 million viewers – Derek Drouin wins gold in men’s high jump
  • Day 12 (Aug. 17): 4.5 million viewers – De Grasse challenges Bolt in the men’s 200m semifinals
  • Day 13 (Aug. 18): 7.2 million viewers – Bolt wins gold and De Grasse wins silver in the men’s 200m
  • Day 14 (Aug. 19): 5.3 million viewers – Bolt completes the “triple-triple” by winning gold with Jamaica’s men’s 4 x 100m relay team
  • Day 15 (Aug. 20): 3.3 million viewers – Melissa Bishop finishes just off the podium in the women’s 800m
  • Day 16 (Aug. 21): 4.0 million viewers – Tokyo 2020 offers a preview during the Rio 2016 Closing Ceremony

Over the course of Rio 2016, CBC/Radio-Canada and primary broadcast partners TSN and RDS, as well as Sportsnet, provided Canadians with 1275 hours of television coverage and more than 4000 hours of live streaming sport coverage.

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