From Bill Harris of Postmedia Network:
Katheryn Winnick shares secrets from Season 4 of ‘Vikings’
It gives new meaning to the director yelling, “Cut!”
Do not plot against Lagertha. It will end painfully for you, especially if you’re a male.
Lagertha, played by Katheryn Winnick, already has had, shall we say, an “active†season on Vikings, which airs Thursdays on History. Continue reading.Â
I can’t believe it’s been over five years since I spoke to David Suzuki. Back in 2010, we chatted about Force of Nature, Sturla Gunnarson’s documentary about the things that shaped Suzuki’s career. Force of Nature marked the longtime Nature of Things host’s 75th birthday; now here we are ringing in Suzuki’s 80th on March 24 with another peek behind the curtain at his life.
Co-written and directed by Daniel and Donna Zuckerbrot of Reel Times Images, “Suzuki @ 80″—airing Thursday during The Nature of Things—not only spotlights the man and his exploits but talks to those who know him intimately.
Rather than re-trace old ground covered in Force of Nature—Suzuki’s childhood, education and lab work—”Suzuki @ 80″ spends the bulk of its time aiming the lens at his family, including daughters Sarika, Severn, Tamiko, Laura, son Troy and wife Tara, who discuss how he inspired them and also poke fun at the man also known as “Suzuk.” There’s a sweet story about how Suzuki spotted Tara in a packed university hall, were married soon after and are celebrating 42 years together. You can’t help but smile watching Suzuki gamely following his pint-sized grandkids along the B.C. shoreline, picking up shells and inspecting small, scuttling crabs. He’s like the cool uncle (or grandfather) you can’t wait to visit because he’s smart, funny and cool.
But the man who has morphed from scientist to geneticist, TV host, author and environmentalist isn’t perfect. One old colleague discusses Suzuki’s strong personality, and his daughter bemoans the fact a 2/3-full coffee cup set down for a moment will be scooped up and cleaned.
It’s ironic that, at one point during the broadcast, Suzuki states memories are his most treasured possession. As viewers, we have decades of them thanks to Suzuki and The Nature of Things.
The Nature of Things airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on CBC.
Help celebrate Suzuki’s birthday by tweeting well-wishes with the tag #SuzukiAt80 on Twitter.
From Bill Brioux of The Canadian Press:
What was the motive behind cancelling ‘Motive’ after fourth season?
We know the identity of the victim: “Motive,” which returns Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on CTV.
We know who pulled the trigger: CTV. The network has announced that this will be the fourth and final 13-episode season for the Vancouver-based police drama. What we don’t have is the motive for killing “Motive.” Continue reading.
From Heather M. of TheTelevixen.com:
Kristin Lehman Talks Motive’s Final Season
“Part of the beauty [here] was that I had an intimacy with the material. I think that my way forward will be that. I do think directing will be something I always want to have in my arsenal. But usually for shows I have had the pleasure to help create or come onto as a producer or actress.†Continue reading.Â
Harry James has been through a lot in Season 2 of X Company. He fell in love with a woman who revealed he and his team’s location to the Germans, putting them in mortal danger. Then the Germans attacked the camp they were using to train members of the Resistance while team leader Aurora was away on a train ride with Sabine. The result? A bitter, emotionally hardened young man who doesn’t trust Aurora and wants to slit the throats of all Nazis.
We spoke to Connor Price, the soft-voiced actor who has portrayed Harry so masterfully this season.
Before we get into this season in particular, can we go back? How did you end up playing Harry?
Connor Price: I remember getting an email from my Canadian agent for a new CBC series called Camp X. I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know what Camp X was and did some research into it. I learned that it was spy training facility in Whitby, Ont., that was really close to me, growing up in Markham, Ont. I thought it was fake; this really cool spy story. To find out that it was real and that real people in history had trained there … Roald Dahl, directors of the CIA, Ian Fleming … there is so much history and it’s cool. From there I read the first script and was introduced to this amazing world that Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern had created. Of course, this was before the show’s name was changed to X Company.
You didn’t audition for any other roles, correct? It was always Harry?
Right. Harry appeared, right off the bat, very real to me. In the breakdown, Mark and Stephanie had described him, I think, as “a nerd or geek.” From their retelling, a lot of kids had come in to audition acting more like a geek, pushing up on their glasses. But what I got from him was a quiet intelligence. He wasn’t the typical geek or nerd. He was very smart, very mature, he knew what he wanted and how to get it, but in a very smart way. From their words, I brought in something they hadn’t seen yet and was refreshing. Luckily, I had the same idea they did when it came to how to play Harry.
Let’s talk about Harry’s journey. In the first episode on Season 1, I viewed him as somewhat innocent. He has definitely hardened over the two seasons, thanks to being betrayed by Siobhan. He’s put up some pretty firm emotional walls. It’s been tough to watch as a viewer; what’s it been like to see this evolution through the scripts?
Seeing that transition and reading the scripts between Season 1 and 2 has been something … the arc the writers have created is something they’ve done so well. In between the first and second seasons, Mark and Stephanie told me there would be a huge change. Harry would reach a breaking point and be in fits of range and commit murder. I thought to myself, “How are they going to make that work?” Of course, within five episodes they’re able to plant those ideas. Even in Episode 1 with Siobhan, this nurse he had affection for, is ripped apart by a car in front of him … that was such a great way to set the tone for Harry. This person that was somewhat naive became hardened and disturbed and angry, but in a very chilling, calm way. To see him go from not wanting to blow up a bridge of Germans because they’re fathers, brothers and sons to now saying, “We’re going to slit every Nazi’s throat and watch them bleed,” that transition is so huge.
We forget how much these people are affected by the horrible things they see almost every day in war.
It’s something that I don’t have any experience in and I hope I never do. There is pressure as an actor to portray something that millions of young people experienced the things Harry did.
Seeing Harry going against Aurora’s orders and challenging her leadership has been tough to watch too.
Tension and a contrast of emotions is always important in developing character and developing story. There is no way to advance without a problem to solve. The big problem this year has been Aurora. He’s questioning leadership on all fronts, something he never would have done in Season 1.
X Company has a large ensemble cast, yet the writers have given an interesting storyline to everyone. That doesn’t always happen on a series with many cast members.
It is great and has become a lot more evident this season. In Season 1 the way the episodes were kind of set up so that every character had their own episode. This season, there are all these timelines existing all at once so every character has an opportunity in every episode to shine or develop or show something new.
What can you tell us about X Company‘s season finale?
It’s going to be the strongest test the five spies have ever had. There will have to be a conversation or an event within the next couple of episodes that causes them to band together or not. Will they or won’t they? You’ll have to wait to find out.
The first part of X Company‘s season finale airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on CBC. The second part airs Wednesday, April 6, at 9 p.m. on CBC.
