Everything about Cardinal, eh?

TV, eh? podcast episode 194 – Fighting My Cats for the Friskies

Diane, Anthony and Greg look at the results of our year-end Favourite Canadian TV Shows of 2015 poll so far (cast your votes here), followed by a look at some of the shows ending their seasons and series in December.

After a side-conversation about our favourite holiday TV shows and films, we get back on track and cover the casting news surrounding Cardinal, some cool guest casting in Season 2 of Schitt’s Creek and co-production Houdini & Doyle filming their final two Season 1 episodes in Southern Ontario.

Want to contribute to the discussion? Post links and discussion topics on our Reddit page.

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Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse cast in CTV’s Cardinal

From a media release:

CTV, alongside producers Sienna Films and Entertainment One (eOne), announced today that Golden Globe® nominee Billy Campbell and the multiple Genie Award-winning actress Karine Vanasse have been cast as series leads in CARDINAL (working title), the network’s recently announced serialized, six-part, one-hour drama. The cinematic murder mystery series stars Campbell (THE KILLING) as the intelligent, reflective, and dogged detective named John Cardinal, from the northern city of Algonquin Bay, who is burdened by a wrong he committed years ago. Quebec native Vanasse (REVENGE) is confirmed to play Cardinal’s partner Lise Delorme, a shrewd, tough, imaginative, and gifted investigator from the town’s French Canadian community. CARDINAL is a gripping, character driven drama set to premiere as part of CTV’s 2016/17 schedule, with production set to begin in February 2016.

Most recently,well-known actor Billy Campbell starred in AMC’s hit series THE KILLING as Seattle City Councilman, and eventually mayor, Darren Richmond. Campbell is also known for his role as Rick Sammler on the beloved ABC drama ONCE AND AGAIN, which he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series and won a People’s Choice Award for Favourite Male Performer in a New Television Series for his performance. He is also known for his roles in THE 4400, and National Geographic Channel’s docudrama KILLING LINCOLN. Campbell’s most notable films include:  the cult classic The Rocketeer, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Enough.

Karine Vanasse is an award-winning Canadian actress. Her recent television credits include ABC’s PAN AM and REVENGE, and the upcoming French series BLUE MOON. Over the course of her career she has had lead roles in over a dozen films, including the 2009 Canadian film Polytechnique, for which she earned a Genie Award for Best Female Performance. Vanasse also served as co-producer on the film and was the driving force behind the film, which was awarded eight other Genie Awards in 2010, including Best Picture. Vanasse was also nominated for an ACTRA Award for Outstanding Female Performance in 2006 for the mini-series October 1970 and in 2010 for her performance in Polytechnique.

CARDINAL is adapted from the award-winning novel Forty Words for Sorrow, the first of the John Cardinal Mysteries series, a series of six bestselling crime novels written by Ontario native and award-winning author Giles Blunt. The series begins with the discovery of Katie Pine, a missing 13-year-old whose body is discovered in the shaft-head of an abandoned mine. CARDINAL follows detective John Cardinal (Campbell) as he attempts to uncover the mystery of what happened to the young girl. At the same time, unbeknownst to Cardinal, he comes under investigation by his new partner, Lise Delorme (Vanasse), a tough investigator in her own right.

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Comments and queries for the week of November 20

CTV orders serialized drama with Giles Blunt’s Cardinal

Never read the book and crime procedurals aren’t really my thing normally, but it sounds mildly interesting since they want to avoid clichés. And they are clearly pulling the crew from established strong shows. Six episodes isn’t too much of a commitment either. Might give it a shot if I remember it later on, but I’m sure you’ll cover it here! —DanAmazing

You bet we’ll be covering Cardinal here; look for upcoming news, reviews and—fingers crossed—maybe a visit to the set.


Is House of Bryan the Last Straw for Bryan and Sarah?

Now that their new house is all done, I would love to see pictures of all the rooms. —Wendy

Us too! Keep an eye out on HGTV.ca and let us know if they post a gallery there.


Murdoch Mysteries‘ new kid on the block

Enjoyed meeting Mouna! Please edit typo in first sentence. —Lin

Thanks for the eagle eye!

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

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TV, eh? podcast episode 193 – Hardwood and Wicked Beaver

After two weeks away, the gang is back together again and chatting about Canadian TV. Among the topics discussed: attending the third annual Canadian International Television Festival, the newest addition to the Murdoch Mysteries cast, Discovery Canada’s first-ever scripted series Frontier, Bell Media’s limited-run Cardinal (based on the book by Giles Blunt), the Canadian Screen Awards’ special awards and Steve Nash’s upcoming CBC basketball drama, Hardwood.

Want to contribute to the discussion? Post links and discussion topics on our Reddit page.

Listen or download below, or subscribe via iTunes or any other podcast catcher with the TV, eh? podcast feed.

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CTV orders serialized drama with Giles Blunt’s Cardinal

CTV is getting into the serialized drama game, beginning with Giles Blunt’s award-winning John Cardinal mysteries.

Bell Media announced the ordering of the six-part Cardinal (working title) from Toronto-based Sienna Films and Entertainment One. Adapted from Forty Words for Sorrow, the upcoming project—set to bow as part of CTV’s 2016-17 broadcast schedule—follows detective John Cardinal and his new partner, Lise Delorme, as they investigate the death of Katie Pine, a 13-year-old discovered in an abandoned mine. Production on Cardinal is scheduled to begin in February 2016 in Northern Ontario; casting has not been announced.

Forty_Words

“This was one of those projects that we really thought would appeal to our audience,” Corrie Coe, senior vice-president of independent production tells TV, Eh exclusively. “There is something really great about this world that Giles Blunt has created. Cardinal has made mistakes, but he’s an honourable man and isn’t a cliché detective who’s drinking too much and his family life is in the skids.” Coe notes the character of Delorme will stay true to the printed word as a French Canadian and filming will be in the north because that region plays a big part in the novels.

Cardinal is being developed for CTV by showrunner and executive producer Aubrey Nealon (Orphan Black); Daniel Grou (19-2) will direct.

A six-part limited-run series makes total sense. The success of serialized dramas like Fargo and Broadchurch signals a North American audience pumped for compressed projects like Cardinal.

Will you tune in to Cardinal when it hits the small screen? Comment below.

 

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