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.
Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Slice scores second season of original series First Dates

From a media release:

Shaw Media has greenlit a second season of Slice™’s scintillating series First Dates, with production and casting underway now. The First Dates matchmakers have begun an extensive search for a diverse mix of singles looking to be paired up on a blind date in hopes of finding that special someone. Produced by Force Four Entertainment and Remedy Canada Productions, in association with Shaw Media, First Dates is a docuseries that sets single men and women up on a first date with cameras capturing all their real and romantic moments. The second season of First Dates will air on Slice in 2016 and the entire first season can be watched online at slice.ca along with exclusive digital extras.

First Dates is looking for Canadians of all genders, orientations, ages, backgrounds, and professions who are single and actively looking, or at least open to the prospect of finding someone special. The series will be filmed in Vancouver this Spring, and all Canadians are welcome to apply. The casting site also allows people to nominate friends or family for the show through the same online application process. Online applications for First Dates can be filled out by visiting slice.ca/casting-call. Applicants must be 19 years of age or older, available for filming in the Vancouver area, and must provide a headshot of themselves.

Hailed as “wonderful” and “utterly beguiling” by The Globe and Mail, First Dates gives viewers a gripping look at the hope, charm, attractions, awkwardness, heartaches, connections, and the stakes of a first date. Each episode showcases a restaurant of singles who have been hand matched for a blind date with someone they’ve never met. The restaurant is fitted with 35 fixed-rig cameras capturing every moment, from potential sparks to awkward small talk, flirtatious glances, and sometimes forced smiles. In Season 1, the First Dates restaurant hosted over 300 first dates, which led to 50 smooches and 100 second dates.

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X Company

Link: X Company’s Dustin Milligan on growing tension in the team

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

X Company’s Dustin Milligan on growing tension in the team
“Tom is trying to rally the troops and what he experienced with getting shot and heading back to camp for awhile is that ‘yes, things are hard, things are real now and it’s not just about these ideals we have.’ Tom has never been one who has wanted to pull the trigger, but he sees the reality in that and now he sees how he can play an integral role in this final mission, reminding the team of what’s really important here, ‘yes, we have our differences but ultimately there’s something much greater than us that needs our absolute focus and attention.’ Otherwise all could be lost.” Continue reading. 

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Scott McGillivray goes On Vacation with Income Property

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You know what you’re going to get when you tune in to Income Property. Not only will Scott McGillivray entertain as he renovates a couple’s home, but he educates folks on how to make the most money out of their investments. It’s a formula that’s worked for 10 seasons on HGTV and I’m frankly surprised it’s taken this long for a spinoff.

Debuting Wednesday with two back-to-back episodes, Income Property: On Vacation is exactly what it sounds like as McGillivray leaves the big city in his rear-view mirror to aid people in adding value to their vacation properties. In the first, McGillivray helps musician Justin Rutledge turn the lakeside shack on his in Prince Edward County land into a money-maker. It isn’t easy, but then anything McGillivray tackles rarely is. Wall-to-wall wood paneling, outdated appliances, a burgeoning mouse and raccoon population, black mould, expired avians and moisture throughout has Justin stressed, but the flop-haired contractor sees lots of potential.

After checking with local building codes, McGillivray—as he does with Income Property—presents Rutledge with two renovation options. I always get a kick out of McGillivray’s reactions to things as the demotion portion of the project gets underway and Wednesday’s debut of On Vacation is no exception. Let’s just say some questionable wiring leads to a funny scene in the old shower. Then, after days painting, rerouting plumbing, replacing rotting floors and intense renos, Rutledge’s new cabin is ready to hit the market, and bring in a tidy little profit for the singer-songwriter too.

Watching the team work to the proposed plan is fun and informative, but I constantly wonder why this series isn’t made up of hour-long episodes. Until that happens, I’ll have to be content with Income Property and this great spinoff, On Vacation.

Income Property: On Vacation airs Wednesdays at 10 and 10:30 p.m. ET on HGTV Canada.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Murdoch Mysteries goes to hell

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“Bl**dy H*ell” indeed. With just two episodes left in this season, Murdoch Mysteries rid itself of another villain intent on taking down anyone associated with Det. William Murdoch. OK, so it wasn’t a serial killer or Gillies back from the dead, but Chief Constable Davis was a wily fellow.

Where Chief Constable Giles became a character fans could feel compassion for, Davis was a straight-up jerk to the end, framing Brackenreid for racketeering when it was Davis who’d been shaking down businesses in Station House No. 5’s territory since he was a lowly constable. Unlike most Murdoch Mysteries episodes, Monday’s newest—written by Paul Aitken—got right into the action, first by having Rebecca rush to the aid of a man who’d fallen off a ladder and had a piece of glass pierce his chest and following with the arrest of a pawn broker selling stolen goods. Before long, Murdoch and Brackenreid were up to their eyeballs in corrupt cops led by Davis. But the moustachioed Chief Constable successfully stayed ahead of the two and Brackenreid was framed. Brackenreid quite understandably took the job in City Records—that meant he could keep his police pension—and ran into one of the show’s most colourful people not based on a real-life character.

David Hewlett was simply fantastic as the uptight Mr. Dilton Dilbert, the head of City Records whose Swear Jar was 10 cents richer mere seconds after Brackenreid had joined the office. Yes, putting Brackenreid in that spot was humorous, but it also contributed to the main story, as he uncovered deep corruption within the city. With help from Murdoch, Crabtree and Higgins, Brackenreid proved Davis was the one in charge of the racketeering ring and sent the bad cop packing … right into City Records. Bloody hell, indeed. (Favourite moment of the night? Higgins eating a spoiled sandwich to throw Davis off the trail. A close second? George going through his repertoire of Italian, Swedish and Hungarian voices to help identify the “woman” involved in the money drop plot.)

Murdoch Mysteries airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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Motive

Link: Women Behind Canadian TV: Kristin Lehman

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

Women Behind Canadian TV: Kristin Lehman
“I haven’t looked at the DGC (Director’s Guild of Canada) to see how many women attempt to register. I haven’t actually sat in that many women director’s environments to talk about the challenges that are faced. I certainly think that that arena that we’re talking about isn’t any different than arenas that most women face in the workplace. It’s always a bit of an uphill battle because systemically women are marginalized and can be not afforded the same opportunities as most men. I hope that changes and I’d like that to change.” Continue reading.

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