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.
Featured, Killjoys

Killjoys: The Mess with Mossipedes

Star Trek had its legendary episode, “The Trouble with Tribbles.” Killjoys most notable Season 2 instalment so far may very well be Friday’s newest, “Shaft,” which I’ve dubbed “The Mess with Mossipedes.” Dutch, Johnny and D’Avin’s latest mission—to retrieve three fellow killjoys who’d gone missing in the Badlands—approached an explanation about Level 6, a shot across Liam Jelco’s bow and things Johnny described as looking “like an angry vagina.”

Dark and oh-so claustrophobic, “Shaft” found our trio—along with Alvis—in an abandoned mine shaft seeking three hunters who’d made an evacuation request that never made it to the RAC because Khlyen nixed the transmission. I’ve become a major fan of Turin (played by Patrick Garrow), so I’m loving the fact he’s teamed with our team. Can he be trusted? Maybe not in the long run, but he clearly isn’t a fan of Khlyen, so for the short-term everyone is on the same page.

Killjoys3

The theme of mistrust was front and centre thanks to the mossipedes, whose gooey guts caused hallucinations first for the missing killjoys and then for Dutch, who imagined Khlyen was there, goading her and convincing her she was Level 6. The fact the hallucinogens were strong enough to cause Dutch to stab herself in the stomach was evidence of its true power. Is that really the stuff Fancy has coursing through his veins? It certainly appears so, especially since D’Avin rejected the goo and was able to turn the advancing hordes away just by gesturing at them.

Aside from the main story, Pawter and Alvis got some major screen time as well: the former outwitting Liam Jelco and escaping (only to be knocked unconscious as she approached Old Town), and the latter discovering part of the Scarback lore and rekindling his faith. I’m looking forward to Alvis’ journey this season; I was instantly intrigued by him last year and wanted to know more. Clearly we’re going to get more info moving forward; he found the monk and decrypted the runes, revealing one monk did return from battling the devil.

Is Alvis the next monk to wage war? And is Khlyen the devil?

Killjoys airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Space.

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Dark Matter

Link: The Good, The Bad And The (Not So) Ugly – Interview with Dark Matter’s Anthony Lemke

From Steve Eramo of Sci Fi and TV Talk:

Link: The Good, The Bad And The (Not So) Ugly – Interview with Dark Matter’s Anthony Lemke
“We chatted about this year and I expressed certain wishes surrounding my character to Joe. He and Paul are both masterminds and the ones who decide where Three goes. Honestly, it’s been very rewarding this year, because they’ve managed to walk that fine line with keeping Three a scoundrel and selfish jerk – which can’t go away – while also revealing his grounded, sensitive and caring side.” Continue reading.

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Degrassi, Featured

What Degrassi means to me? Um, I’m Effin’ Snake. Duh.

5 Comments

By Stefan Brogren

So last year we were cancelled by our American broadcaster. Without much more explanation than, “We think Degrassi has run its course.” It was over. Truth is, we’ve always had a problem fitting in. We’re not a sitcom, we’re not 90210—and most of our subject matter deals with the most God-awful aspects of growing up.

Still, I was dumbfounded. Why give up a series that’s the teen equivalent to the Star Trek franchise (don’t shoot me)? It could go on forever!

OK, yes. There are a bunch of reasons to say Degrassi should call it a day and just go away (I’m rhyming, yo).

We’ve been making the show for a jillion years and for some folks that’s just annoying.

We have a serious lack of students that are vampires, werewolves, mutants or serial killers—not for a lack of trying, mind you.

And the big one. We’re unabashedly Canadian. We’re reminded of this every time the States makes a list of what makes Canada … Canada. “Poutine! Canucks! Degrassi! Trees!” I know, it’s annoying.

You could say we “recycle” the same subject matter every couple of years (drugs, sex, boners, mental health, boners, peer pressure, boners). But if you think being a teenager now is the same as the good ol’ days of Joey streaking the caf, well then you haven’t checked your effin’ Snapchat feed lately. Manny freaking out because her boobs were put on the Internet (Season 5, The Next Generation) has zero relevance to a generation that send and receive “junk pics” on their smartphones as part of the dating process. Sorry parents. They all do it. Seriously. All of them. Even the sweet ones. Boners. No one’s safe.

For lots of people (who probably haven’t watched the show in years), Degrassi is painfully earnest in its depiction of teens—and earnest equals not cool.

Skins is cool. Degrassi is … earnest.

Degrassi

I’m biased obviously, but Degrassi isn’t earnest in its depictions of teen life. It’s thoughtful. Our fans grow up watching and adoring shows like The Vampire Diaries, The 100 and Pretty Little Liars. They’re awesome and fantastical. Then they turn around and watch Degrassi with all the crappy, gross, embarrassing, manic, euphoric, lovely and ridiculously funny moments that come with being 17. And it feels like a friend.

So we were cancelled. And then, in what seemed like the next day, we were given new life on Netflix. The second season of Degrassi: Next Class premieres in Canada on Family Channel on July 19th and streams on Netflix July 22nd. If you haven’t watched Degrassi in a whole bunch of years, give it a shot. I promise you, we have 70 per cent more boner stories than any other show out there. Period. (And probably the most period stories too.)

Degrassi: Next Class airs Tuesdays at 9:45 p.m. ET on Family Channel.

Stefan is well known to Canadians for his six years on the television series Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. He was a Gemini Award nominee for Best Actor at age 17. Stefan is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Los Angeles, where he won the prestigious Michael Thomas Award for acting excellence. Stefan has made numerous television appearances, including the series Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye, Wild Card, Jonathan Cross’s Canada, Twitch City, I Was A Sixth Grade Alien and The Associates. Stefan can also be seen in the movie Too Smooth with Neve Campbell and Rebecca Gayheart. Stefan has since become a key part of the Degrassi production team taking on the role of Series Producer. Adding Director to his responsibilities, Stefan has helmed numerous Degrassi episodes, as well as the MOWs Degrassi Goes Hollywood and D: NYC – Degrassi Takes Manhattan. In 2010, Stefan won a Gemini Award for Best Direction in a Children’s or Youth Program or Series. He followed this up with another win in 2014 at the Canadian Screen Awards. Stefan has also co-produced, directed and written a large portion of Degrassi’s original digital content. In addition, Stefan was also a Co-Executive Producer and Director on the two seasons of the MuchMusic/CW series The L.A. Complex and the first season of the YTV/TeenNick series Open Heart.

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Children's Programming, Featured

Comments and queries for the week of July 15

Gisèle in Ottawa?

I was just wondering if by any chance that TVOKids’ Gisèle will be visiting my town of Ottawa this summer? Please let me know; my two girls are big fans. —Pauze

Unfortunately, Gisèle Corinthios, host of Gisèle’s Big Backyard, was one of those affected by cuts at TVO back in April. TVO confirmed she is no longer with the company.

Hello! I just read the news about Gisèle. I have a nine-month old boy who is very much developed in every aspect. Each time he is in his chair having his meal and tea he is also enjoying the kids program. But there is one time when everything stops, and that is when Gisèle is on: he stops eating and a big, bright smile stays on his face until the next show begins. —Florentina

Any more Chef in My Ear on the way?

Are we going to see another season of Chef in My Ear? —HarmonyBell

Here’s the official word from Food Network Canada: “No solid plans as of yet, but keep an eye out here for updates!”

HGTV Canada greenlights two new original series

I used to watch HGTV quite a bit but something that annoyed me was that a few of their shows, such as Property Virgins and House Hunters, featured Canadian locales then switched over to principally American locales and the Canadian versions of those shows eventually disappeared. Also, the channel’s reno shows stayed Southern Ontario-centric. I would have liked to see more Western projects. My husband really enjoys Timber Kings, but that’s about all we watch on HGTV now. I like the show Love It or List It though, especially the Vancouver one but that’s on W Network. I will have to check out the Backyard Builds show, though, because I was a counsellor at a summer camp with Sarah Keenleyside many years ago. —Alicia

 

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

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Mary Kills People

Production begins on Global’s original drama Mary Kills People

From a media release:

Leading independent studio Entertainment One (eOne) and newly minted Cameron Pictures Inc., alongside Canadian broadcast and production partner Corus are pleased to announce that principal photography has begun on Mary Kills People, the provocative new Global original series starring Caroline Dhavernas (Hannibal, Off The Map, Wonderfalls). Created by Tara Armstrong, Mary Kills People is executive produced by Tassie Cameron (Rookie Blue, Flashpoint, The Robber Bride). Directing the series is award-winning Holly Dale, whose previous credits include The Americans, Dexter, Castle and the critically acclaimed series Durham County. 

The six-part one-hour drama shoots in and around Toronto through the summer and is set to premiere on Global in Canada in early 2017.

Set in the morally grey world of assisted suicide, Mary Kills People is an intense, controversial, and thought-provoking drama.  The series follows Dr. Mary Harris (Dhavernas), a single mother and emergency doctor by day, who also moonlights as an underground angel of death — helping terminally ill patients who want to die and slip away on their own terms. So far Mary has managed to stay under the radar; but business is booming, and her double life is getting complicated.  When her world starts to unravel, Mary realizes she’s going to have to fight dirty if she’s going to stay in the killing game.

Also announced today are additional cast members joining Dhavernas in the series. Jay Ryan (Top of the Lake,Beauty and the Beast) has been cast as Joel, one of Mary’s terminally ill clients, but a mutual attraction blurs the lines of their doctor-patient relationship, while Richard Short (Vinyl, 666 Park Avenue) has joined as Des, Mary’s trusted partner in crime. Rounding out the cast is Lyriq Bent (Book of Negroes, Rookie Blue) as Frank, Joel’s friend who worries he’s getting in too deep with Dr. Death, Greg Bryk (Bitten, A History of Violence) as Grady, Mary’s drug supplier, Abigail Winters (Between, Saving Hope, Rookie Blue) as Mary’s teen daughter who learns that the people closest to her are not what they seem and Charlotte Sullivan (Rookie Blue) as Nicole, Mary’s concerned sister.

Mary Kills People is produced by eOne and Cameron Pictures Inc., in association with Corus Entertainment, and with the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund, the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. eOne handles international distribution for the series. The series is executive produced by Tassie Cameron, Amy Cameron, Tecca Crosby and Holly Dale. Tara Armstrong is Co-Executive Producer. Tashi Bieler serves as the Executive in Charge of Production for eOne and Norman Denver is Producer.

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