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

DHX Television announces casting details for Season 2 of Backstage

From a media release:

DHX Television’s Family Channel and Fresh TV Inc. announced today that production has begun on season two of the tween drama series Backstage. Following a group of elite teen performers at Keaton School of the Arts, the second season is filming in Toronto and will bring 30 new half-hour episodes of the drama, which airs internationally. The sophomore season will introduce a variety of new characters to each of the arts streams, with seven talented young actors joining the cast.

Making their mark in the new season of Backstage are:

  • Thomas L. Colford (Center Stage: On Pointe); plays Beckett, a strong and technically superior dancer who possesses a natural rebel-without-a-cause persona
  • Joshua Kilimnik (Odd Squad, Bruno & Boots: Go Jump in the Pool); plays George, a grade nine graphic design student with a wickedly smart intellect that shines through in his art
  • Stephanie La Rochelle (Heartland); plays Frances, a charismatic senior music student who becomes a mentor to the younger musicians
  • Sydney Kuhne (Dino Dan); plays Azadeh, a new student in the fashion design program who is determined to make her mark at Keaton
  • Robert Bazzocchi; plays Aidan, the epitome of heartthrob, chasing the spotlight on his quest to become a famous actor via Keaton’s drama program
  • Corteon Moore; plays Matteo, a senior art student who believes creativity comes directly from the soul and proves to rival Keaton’s resident art star student
  • Hailey Fauchere; plays Mindy, a freshman dancer who is eager to please and succeed, while leaving it all on the dance floor.

Faced with new challenges, friendships, and seven new students, the second season of Backstage opens on a new year at Keaton School of the Arts where the talented performers and artists will find themselves in fierce competition with other schools… and each other. With a huge multi-arts school competition on the horizon, will the pressure tear the students apart? Or bring them closer?

In addition to the new faces joining Backstage, returning cast members include: Josh Bogert (Miles), Aviva Mongillo (Alya), Mckenzie Small (Scarlett), Devyn Nekoda (Vanessa), Alyssa Trask (Carly), Colin Petierre (Sasha), Matthew Isen (Jax), Julia Tomasone (Bianca Blackwell), Romy Weltman (Kit), Kyal Legend (Julie) and Adrianna Di Liello (Jenna).

Backstage was commissioned by DHX Television, and is created by Fresh TV. The series’ Executive Producers are Brian Irving, who also serves as producer; Lara Azzopardi, the series’ co-creator, show runner, writer and director; Jennifer Pertsch, also co-creator; Tom McGillis and George Elliott. Directors for the series include top music video directors RT! (Snoop Dogg, Sean Paul, Shane Harte), Director X (Iggy Azalea, T.I., Drake), Wendy Morgan (Dragonette, Janelle Monáe) and Warren Sonoda (Johnny Reid, George Canyon), as well as Mario Azzopardi (Stargate SG-1, The Outer Limits, Degrassi) and Lara Azzopardi (I Am an Apartment Building, Rewind). Backstage is internationally distributed by DHX Media.

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Featured, Motive

Sons of Anarchy star lands on Motive

“Foreign Relations,” written by Sarah Dodd, may just be Motive’s most international episode ever. Not only does the main crime involve a British student found dead on university grounds, but Scottish actor Tommy Flanagan in a guest role. Yes, Chibs from Sons of Anarchy appears in Tuesday’s new story, as an Interpol agent teamed with Angie to investigate the crime.

Here’s what fans can expect on Tuesday night.

Sons of Anarchy star plays good guy?
It’s deliciously ironic that Tommy Flanagan is playing Interpol Agent Jack Stoker in this episode. He was unforgettable as motorcycle gang member Chibs for 92 episodes of Sons of Anarchy, so it’s pretty neat to see him showered, shaved and dressed to the nines, investigating Julian’s death … while catching Betty and Angie’s approving eyes. (Viewers with a sharp ear will catch a familiar, British bit of music when Jack leaves his meeting with Vega.) We learn a lot about Jack and his personal life; one wonders if he’ll return before—or during—Motive‘s series finale. And we love his off-key warbling of our national anthem.

Motive_2

Vega is in troubleeeee…..
Motive revisits last week’s case involving Sgt. Bailin, with Vegas being questioned by the press about why her mental unbalance wasn’t caught via screening. Vega gets called on the carpet by his superiors for telling the media he thinks the justice system failed her son.

Vancouver’s stunning cityscape
I always forget what a beautiful backdrop Vancouver is for Motive; make sure you look at the scenery as Angie and Betty are examining the body.

Motive airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on CTV.

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Killjoys

Link: Killjoys’ Aaron Ashmore talks Old Town wall mystery, ‘Shirtless’ drinking game

From Matt Webb Mitovich of TVLine:

Link: Killjoys’ Aaron Ashmore talks Old Town wall mystery, ‘Shirtless’ drinking game
“Well, there’s a ton of amazing stuff throughout, but a ways down the line, in the finale, there’s a big spaceship sequence that John is involved with that, just as a fan of the show myself, I’m very interested to see how it all comes together.” Continue reading.

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Killjoys

Link: Killjoys: Michelle Lovretta talks “Wild, Wild Westerley”

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Link: Killjoys: Michelle Lovretta talks “Wild, Wild Westerley”
“ A lot of what we promised to the network, and which I think we deliver on–particularly with Pree and a few new characters you’ll meet behind the wall–is maintaining the fact that yes, Old Town has spirit and Old Town has fight. Yes, there’s a new level of institutional, systemic shit being laid on her, but the people underneath it are still as colourful and beloved by us as ever.” Continue reading.

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Children's Programming, Featured

Gisèle Corinthios exits TVO’s Big Backyard

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Sad news for fans of Gisèle Corinthios: the host of Gisèle’s Big Backyard is no longer with TVO. As reported back in April, the publicly funded provincial channel had cancelled production of program block, impacting six employees.

TVO confirmed on Friday that Corinthios was one of those impacted.

“TVO receives a fixed transfer from the province. Every year, our $40 million transfer gets relatively smaller as inflation allows it to buy less and less. With limited resources that effectively decline each year, TVO has to reduce costs regularly,” the channel said in a statement.

“With 14 years of production and 800 segments of Gisèle’s Big Backyard in our archive, the two-to-four year old pre-school audience will continue to enjoy GBB’s interstitial content for years to come. Since the pre-school audience turns over every two years, there is a large enough catalogue to maintain high quality service without producing new episodes. Older children require a more interactive experience to engage them, which is why TVO offers a live call-in experience with The Space weekday afternoons.”

The network is touting new original content, including mPower, a new math online in-class resource for kindergarten to Grade 6 and Climate Watch, a look at how climate change is becoming an increasing local issue.

Corinthios had been with TVO since 1998, when she became host of The Nook, which evolved into Gisèle’s Big Backyard.

 

 

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