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.
Children's Programming, Degrassi

DHX Television brings the heat to fall with hottest programming lineup to date

From a media release:

This fall, DHX Television has the perfect cure for the end of summer blues: a sizzling hot lineup the entire family will enjoy. The forecast for Family’s suite of channels is bright as musical celebs, daring adventure-hunters and animated heroes bring the best in fall entertainment to viewers. Beginning as early as August 29, exciting new series, returning favourites and monumental finales join the programming schedule.

With new episodes debuting weeknights at 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Family Channel throughout the fall, singing and dancing take centre stage ushering in the return of fan-favourite series Backstage, The Next Step and The X Factor UK. Family’s teen block F2N continues with new episodes of Degrassi: Next Class, culminating in the gripping season finale. Family CHRGD keeps Tuesdays turbo-charged with the return of The Deep, Slugterra and Fangbone! Meanwhile, Family Jr. sparks creativity and imagination with brand new episodes of Nature Cat, YaYa & Zouk and Rainbow Ruby airing alongside returning fan-favourites Playdate and Teletubbies.

Family Channel – All Times ET/PT
Backstage – New Episodes Return – Friday, September 9 at 7:30 p.m.
After a whirlwind mid-season finale which saw Carly take her best friend Vanessa’s place in the show and Alya leave school to chase stardom, nothing is like what it was before the break. With missing faces in the halls, new musical partnerships forming and dancers changing positions, all of Keaton’s students are searching for answers while trying to adjust.

The Next Step – New Episodes Return – Friday, October 14 at 7 p.m.
With Regionals just around the corner, the pressure is on for A-Troupe who are determined to defend their title as Regional Champions. But tensions run high in The Next Step studio as Piper struggles with the fact that she saw Alfie and Riley kiss, and the dancers wonder how they’ll even qualify after Noah’s departure from the team. The new episodes will also feature a guest starring role by the winner of the UK’s reality competition series Taking The Next Step, which currently airs Fridays at 7 p.m.

We Are Savvy – New Timeslot – New Episodes air Thursdays at 7 p.m. beginning September 8
Hosts Tehya, Spencer and Sarah continue to keep fans in-the-know and up-to-date on the latest trends with awesome interviews, crafty DIYs and tours of cool locations. Upcoming special guests include: singer JoJo, rapper Little T, popstar Betty Who, illustrator Juliana Neufeld, astronaut-in-training Alyssa Carson, viral sports fan Mini Bautista, DIY superstar LaurDIY and more!

F2N – All Times ET/PT
Degrassi: Next Class – Season 2 Finale – Tuesday, September 20 at 9:45 p.m.
As the Degrassi girls volleyball team prepares for the championship game against Northern Tech, things reach a boiling point. Shay finds out if her relationship with Tiny is “Lola approved,” while Winston continues to second-guess his relationship with Zoe – forcing her to make an important personal decision. Meanwhile, Hunter worries that he is an angry monster who will never deserve Yael, or any relationship for that matter.

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Featured, Motive

Motive readies for its final goodbye

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This is it, Motive fans. The penultimate episode is upon us. It’s been one hell of a ride, hasn’t it? We’ve loved this four-season peek into the lives of Angie Flynn, Oscar Vega, Betty Rogers and Brian Lucas. They’ve solved crimes, faced adversity and enjoyed copious adult beverages together. But before the final farewell—will Angie move to Paris?—we’ve still got this week’s story to cover.

Here’s what CTV has to say about “Chronology of Pain”:

When Detective Angie Flynn (Kristin Lehman) and the team investigate an explosion at Judge Natalie Rodman’s (Joanna Cassidy, CALL ME FITZ) home, Angie is grateful her mentor survived. But when the Judge dies a short while later, Angie races to catch a sophisticated killer who’s an expert at covering their tracks—and may strike again.

And here’s what we can tell you after previewing the episode, written by Julie Puckrin:

Motive2

Angie as … staff sergeant?
She may be a fill-in for now and says she’s not interested in the gig, but is Angie telling the truth? Her thoughts on her years as a detective, and possible next steps, are challenged when Judge Rodman is found dead.

Kennecki returns!
We’ve certainly missed the wise-cracked, over-confident cop, haven’t you? Thankfully, we get a dose of Det. Mitch when Angie investigates the incident at the judge’s house. The two have a nice little tête-à-tête that hints Angie could be one heck of a mentor.

A.J. Buckley returns to TV!
Oh, how we’ve missed Buckley on Canadian TV. The former CSI: NY forensics expert checks in to Motive as a car mechanic who is key to the case.

Motive gets vice-presidential
OK, he played a vice president on The West Wing, but we were giddy to see Tim Matheson guesting as Brent, the judge’s husband. Sure, he seems worried about his wife’s well-being, but did he have reason to off her?

Let us know what you’ll miss most about Motive using the Comments section or via Twitter @tv_eh.

Motive‘s series finale airs next Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media

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Industry News

Link: CRTC orders U.S. ads during Super Bowl despite appeal by Bell and NFL, could start in 2017

From Emily Jackson of the Financial Post:

Link: CRTC orders U.S. ads during Super Bowl despite appeal by Bell and NFL, could start in 2017
Canada’s broadcast regulator has officially changed its rules to prevent broadcasters from swapping out U.S. commercials for local ads during the Super Bowl despite an ongoing legal dispute over its right to block Canadian advertising during the country’s most-watched television event. Continue reading. 

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

New competitors bring the heat to Chopped Canada this fall

From a media release:

Twenty-eight chefs from across Canada prepare to compete for the coveted title of Chopped Canada champion in seven new episodes of Food Network Canada’s #1 original series. * In each episode, beginning Saturday, September 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, four skilled chefs put their culinary expertise to the test in a battle against the clock and their fellow competitors as they create three gourmet dishes from daunting mystery basket ingredients.

The chefs featured will cook before a rotating panel of expert judges including Massimo Capra, Lynn Crawford, Eden Grinshpan, John Higgins, Susur Lee, Mark McEwan, Roger Mooking, Antonio Park, Michael Smith and Anne Yarymowich. Course by course, the judges critique each meal and chop the chefs from the competition until only one remains to win the $10,000 cash prize.

Episodes of Chopped Canada currently air Saturdays at 9pm ET/PT exclusively on Food Network Canada.

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Workin' Moms

Production begins on Catherine Reitman’s Workin’ Moms for CBC

From a media release:

Wolf & Rabbit Entertainment ULC and CBC today announced that production is underway on the highly anticipated original comedy series WORKIN’ MOMS (13 x 30). Created by Catherine Reitman (Black-ish, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Breakin’ it Down with Catherine Reitman), who serves as showrunner and also stars in the series, WORKIN’ MOMS dares to shatter the ‘cult of mom.’ Production will continue in Toronto until the end of October with the series premiere on CBC set for winter 2017.

Largely drawn from Reitman’s own personal experiences, WORKIN’ MOMS is an ensemble comedy that examines the modern ideal that working mothers can have it all. When long-time friends Kate (Reitman), a warm and grounded PR Exec, and Anne (Dani Kind; The Good Witch), a no-nonsense therapist, meet timid IT tech Jenny (Jessalyn Wanlim; Orphan Black) and lovable mess real estate agent Frankie (Juno Rinaldi, The Killing) in a judgmental mommies’ group, the four quickly form an unlikely friendship. The series follows the struggles of these urban moms, providing a raw and honest look at how they juggle their burgeoning identities as mothers.

Previously announced cast members Kind, Rinaldi and Wanlim are joined by Philip Sternberg—Reitman’s real life husband and producing partner—as Kate’s husband Nathan; Ryan Belleville (Wynonna Earp, Satisfaction) as Anne’s husband Lionel; Olunike Adeliyi (Republic of Doyle, Flashpoint) as Frankie’s wife Giselle; Dennis Andres (Bed of the Dead) as Jenny’s husband Ian; Kevin Vidal (Sunnyside, The Second City Project) as Kate’s work nemesis Mo; Mimi Kuzyk (UnREAL, Blue Murder) as Kate’s mother Eleanor; and Peter Keleghan (Murdoch Mysteries, Ginger Snaps) as Kate’s boss, Richard Greenwood.

WORKIN’ MOMS is executive produced by Catherine Reitman and Philip Sternberg (Divorce Corp., Six Little McGhees). Reitman is set to direct two of the episodes with Paul Fox (Schitt’s Creek, This Life) and Aleysa Young (Baroness Von Sketch Show) directing the remaining 11 episodes. The series is written by Reitman, Rebecca Kohler (Kim’s Convenience,This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Karen Moore (What Would Sal Do, Rookie Blue), Diane Flacks (Baroness Von Sketch Show, Young Drunk Punk) and Ingrid Haas (The UCB Show, Vice). Series cinematography by Maya Bankovic (Below Her Mouth), production design by Elisa Sauve (Milton’s Secret, Zoom) and costume design by Sheila Fitzpatrick (Degrassi: Next Class).

Commissioned by CBC, WORKIN’ MOMS is produced by Wolf & Rabbit Entertainment ULC with the participation of the Canadian Media Fund. The series is distributed internationally by Coldsprings Media LLC and represented by Vanguarde Artist Management and CAA.

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