From Bill Harris of the Toronto Sun:
Big Brother Canada, Trailer Park Boys and more must-see TV this week
Includes 19-2, Vietnam: Canada’s Shadow War, and Spirit Bear Family among others. Continue reading.
From a media release:
Academy Announces First-ever Golden Screen Awards, Recognizing Canada’s Most-Watched TV Series
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announces the creation of two new television awards: the Golden Screen Award for the most-watched Canadian Drama/Comedy Series and one for the country’s highest-rated Reality Series.
The Golden Screen Award for TV Drama / Comedy and the Golden Screen Award for TV Reality Show are Academy Special Awards which will be presented alongside the Golden Screen Award for Feature Film during the LIVE broadcast of the Canadian Screen Awards on CBC, March 1, 8pm nationwide (8:30 NT).
Based on data provided by Numeris (BBM Canada), these are the Top-Rated 5 programs in each genre for the 2013-2014 broadcast year. *
Golden Screen Award for TV Drama / Comedy Finalists
(in alpha order):
THE LISTENER | CTV (Bell Media) (Shaftesbury)
Using his intuitive powers and enhanced policing skills, telepath Toby Logan (Craig Olejnik) faces new professional and personal challenges as he helps solve crimes with the Integrated Investigative Bureau (IIB).
MOTIVE | CTV (Bell Media) (Foundation Features and Lark Productions)
Each episode of MOTIVE begins by revealing not only the victim, but the killer as well. It’s not a “whodunit,†it’s a “whydunit,â€a question faced by spirited female Vancouver homicide detective Angie Flynn as she begins to piece together the clues from the crime.
MURDOCH MYSTERIES | CBC (CBC) (Shaftesbury)
Set in Toronto at the dawn of the 20th century during the age of invention, Murdoch Mysteries is a one-hour drama centred on Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), the methodical and dashing detective who pioneers innovative forensic techniques to solve gruesome murders.
ROOKIE BLUE | Global (Shaw Media) (Entertainment One Television International)
After the bullet wounds and trauma of last season, life at 15 Division goes on for young cops, Andy, Sam. Chloe and Nick. Andy and Sam reunite and she’s tasked with training a challenging new rookie, under the watchful eye of a tough inspector.
SAVING HOPE | CTV (Bell Media) (ICF Films and Entertainment One)
Pulse-pounding surgeries, adrenaline-fueled breakthroughs and sultry romances force the doctors of Hope Zion to navigate unchartered waters. Alex faces doubts over her abilities as a surgeon and the men in her life. Charlie discovers mind-challenging medical miracles and Joel battles his inner demons as he treats patients on the streets.
Golden Screen Award for TV Reality Show Finalists
(in alpha order):
THE AMAZING RACE CANADA | CTV (Bell Media) (Insight Production Company Ltd.)
THE AMAZING RACE CANADA is a skills-based competition show in which two-person teams, who have a pre-existing personal relationship, race against other teams. Competitors strive to arrive first at “pit stops†at the end of each leg. The first team to the final pit stop wins the grand prize.
BATTLE OF THE BLADES | CBC (CBC) (Insight Production Company Ltd.)
Battle of the Blades is an original Canadian series that pairs NHL hockey greats with elite female figure skaters for an elimination style weekly competition. The pairs compete in figure skating performances judged by an expert panel that offer comments and marks for each performance. These marks are combined with the television audience votes to determine the winner.
BIG BROTHER CANADA | Slice (Shaw Media) (Insight Production Company Ltd.)
BIG BROTHER CANADA follows a group of strangers who live together in a house that records their every move, 24 hours a day. Each week they compete in challenges and one by one, vote each other out. Last house guest that remains wins the grand prize as voted by a jury.
DRAGON’S DEN | CBC (CBC) (CBC)
Launching a business is no small task. No matter how big an idea you think you have, it still takes a lot of work and a ton of cash. Enter the Dragons’ Den, where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business concepts and products to a panel of Canadian business moguls who have the cash and the know-how to make it happen.
MASTERCHEF CANADA | CTV (Bell Media) (Proper Television)
Canada’s Top 50 home cooks begin their quest to become the first ever MASTERCHEF CANADA and win a $100,000.00 prize. The home cooks will have to show off their cooking skills in intense culinary challenges in order to impress the judges Michael Bonacini, Claudio Aprile, and Alvin Leung.
*Audience estimates provided by Numeris based on a list of all Canadian television programming provided by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television. Analysis based on Total Canada, P2+, Average Minute Audience during the period of August 26, 2013-August 31, 2014, original airings (“live plus 7 daysâ€) with 50% or more of the airings occurring during the 2013-14 broadcast season.
From Chris Jancelewicz of Huffington Post Canada:
Best Canadian TV Of 2014: Shows And Moments That Ruled The Small Screen
Every Canadian knows it’s true: our homegrown TV has a horrible reputation, both here and abroad. The first things that pop into people’s minds are snow, period pieces, and low production values — hardly the stuff of legendary entertainment. But something has been happening over the past few years. Slowly, steadily, Canadian TV shows are getting better. Continue reading.
From a media release:
With its third season set to air on Global in Spring 2015, Big Brother Canada kicks off its coast-to-coast houseguest search this Sunday, October 19 in Vancouver and Calgary followed by stops in Regina, Halifax, St. John’s, Montréal and Toronto. Fans of the raucous reality series can also rejoice over news that the Big Brother Canada Side Show is returning to Slice™ in 2015, with series host Arisa Cox and co-hosts Peter Brown and Gary Levy in a new one-hour format. The schedule for Big Brother Canada and the Side Show will be revealed in the New Year.
The Big Brother Canada Side Show reached over 4.5 million viewers (V2+)* in its inaugural season, which ranked in the Top 10 of all specialty entertainment programs (excluding sports) for the full broadcast year among W25-54 and W18-49*. With its candid water cooler conversations, exclusive interviews, and expert hosts, the Big Brother Canada Side Show will feature more must-see content and behind-the-scenes footage than ever before.
Big Brother Canada is looking for the biggest and boldest personalities in Canada to star in its third season. Those interested in applying for the show can either apply online by November 24, 2014 at BigBrotherCanada.ca with a short video about why they would make the perfect houseguest, or in person at open casting calls in select cities. Applicants must be Canadian and at least 19 years of age by March 1, 2015.
Open casting calls will be held in the following cities from 8am – 2pm.
More information is available online at BigBrotherCanadaCasting.ca.
Vancouver, British Columbia: Sunday, October 19 at the Westin Bayshore Hotel
Calgary, Alberta: Sunday, October 19 at Ranchman’s
Regina, Saskatchewan: Friday, October 24 at Queensbury Convention Centre at Evraz Place
Halifax, Nova Scotia: Friday, October 24 at The Lower Deck
St. John’s, Newfoundland: Wednesday, October 29 at the Avalon Mall
Montréal, Québec: Thursday, October 30 at the Montréal Forum
Toronto, Ontario: Sunday, November 23 at the John Bassett Theatre
From a media release:
Insight Productions produced two of the biggest ratings hits of the year with CTV’s The Amazing Race Canada and Shaw Media’s Big Brother Canada.
With confirmed numbers now in, blockbuster hit The Amazing Race Canada is the most-watched Canadian program of the year with an average audience of 2.8 million viewers on CTV; the #1 Summer series overall; and the #2 television series in Canada behind only CTV’s The Big Bang Theory.* More than three million Canadians tuned in to see Mickey & Pete’s pantless victory lap in the season finale.
Shaw Media’s Big Brother Canada’s second season, which debuted last March, is the most-watched reality program across all specialty channels.** The show’s rabid fan base ensured that the Big Brother Canada finale outshone even hockey playoffs across specialty channels.*** Coming off the heels of a stellar second season, Big Brother Canada makes the move to Global for Season 3, debuting next year.
“Broadcasters and sponsors alike know that Insight shows deliver viewers week after week,†said John Brunton, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Producer of both series. “That so many Canadians connected so passionately to these shows is a testament in part to Mark Lysakowski and Erin Brock’s phenomenal storytelling ability and exacting standards.â€
As previously announced, casting for both Big Brother Canada and The Amazing Race Canada is now underway. For Big Brother Canada, visit www.bigbrothercanadacasting.ca. In person open casting calls begin on October 19 in Vancouver and Calgary, followed by stops in Regina, Halifax, St. John’s, Montréal, and Toronto.
