Everything about Children’s Programming, eh?

Family Jr. sets a Playdate for Oct. 3

From a media release:

Make-believe comes to life on Family Jr. when the network’s newest show Playdate debuts on Saturday, October 3. A mix of live-action and skilled puppeteering, the new Canadian Original series features the unexpected adventures four stuffed animals encounter when their owners leave them unattended. With exciting escapades waiting at every turn, Family Jr. will premiere six new episodes over the course of the weekend – four on Saturday, October 3 and two on Sunday, October 4. Beginning at 9:55 a.m. ET on Saturday, Playdate will air before and after the brand-new special Thomas & Friends: Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure, as well as surrounding new episodes ofThe Save-Ums!, Topsy & Tim, Julius Jr. and leading into the network premiere of the animated film Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey. 

Playdate beautifully captures the magical idea that children believe their toys come to life when they’re not around. Meet Mac, Sammy, Priscilla and Buckie – the beloved stuffed animals of Jacob and his friends who venture out on their own playtime adventures when the children are away. They do their best to complete the kids’ playtime adventures but usually end up causing some kind of mess or chaos along the way. Since the kids can never know their toys come to life, Mac, Sammy, Priscilla and Buckie have to finish their escapades before the kids come back and make sure they’re exactly where they started off. Luckily, Norman, the family dog, makes the perfect fall guy for any of their hijinks.

Playdate stars newcomer Aidan Wojtak-Hissong as Jacob; Millie Davis (Odd Squad, Orphan Black) as Molly; Scarlett Dovey (This is Scarlett and Isaiah) as Gwen; and Nirvaan Kwan as Enzo. Naomi Snieckus (Mr. D) plays Jacob’s Mom; Second City alum Jayne Eastwood plays Grandma and Colin Mochrie (Whose Line Is It Anyways?) plays the role of Grandpa.

Commissioned by DHX Television, Playdate was created by Dina and Frank Meschkuleit. Frank is one of Canada’s premier puppeteers with a wealth of knowledge having worked on popular kids programs including Fraggle Rock, Toopy and Binoo and The Mighty Jungle. The series was developed by J.J. Johnson and Christin Simms and is produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment.

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APTN’s Guardians Evolution returns for Season 2

From a media release:

Season two of Guardians Evolution, a stop-motion animated half-hour action adventure series for kids, will premiere on Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) on Saturday, September 12th as the first of seven exciting new action-packed episodes take you further inside the lush Guardians Evolution worldscape. Guardians airs on APTN at 10am EST/MST/CST and on APTN HD at 10AM EST.

A cautionary tale, Guardians Evolution depicts the adventures of a group of idealistic teens, as they strive to rebuild civilization 41 million years in the future. The show features sharp, witty characters and a fresh take on the post-apocalyptic genre, with themes of humanism and environmentalism. Join Arimus, Erin, Kaultor, Chema, Valta and their new friend Rajiak as they find their way through a new Earth filled with exotic and often dangerous creatures on a quest to save humanity and the planet itself from their nemesis Ambrona’s greedy plans. The second season offers even more high-octane action and never before seen creatures and environments.

Guardians Evolution is the latest stop-motion animated TV series from the award winning creators of the ground-breaking Gemini Award winning TV series Wapos Bay which ran for five celebrated seasons and a made for TV movie, winning numerous national and international awards. The series is produced by five-time Gemini Award winner Anand Ramayya (Wapos Bay, Who Killed Gandhi?) principal of Karma Film Inc., and Doug Cuthand (Bionic Bannock Boys, Oskayak Down Under, Big Bear, Mywayawin) of Blue Hill Productions.

Guardians Evolution was produced with financial participation from the Canadian Media Fund, APTN, Shaw Rocket Fund, COGECO Program Development Fund, Creative Saskatchewan Screen-Based Media Production Grant Program, Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, Ontario Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit. Guardians Evolution is distributed by Picture Box Distribution Inc.

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Comments and queries for the week of September 11

Which returning fall Canadian TV show are you most excited about?

I voted for The Next Step as a proxy for my daughter, who will probably have a viewing party for the season premiere :). —Suzanne

Murdoch Mysteries of course!!!!!! —Vivian

Murdoch Mysteries, Heartland and I wish Jonny Harris’ Still Standing was in the running. It is a great look at the light side of Canada and Canadians. Murdoch Mysteries is my No. 1 though!!! —Jeanette

Murdoch Mysteries, The Nature of Things and Marketplace. —Helene

 

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

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Nick Cannon’s Make It Pop dances onto YTV

K-pop is invading Canada. The South Korean musical genre that celebrates a riot of visuals set to an addictive beat grabs the spotlight in YTV’s Make It Pop.

Debuting Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET/PT with two back-to-back episodes, DHX Media’s fast-paced tween series follows four freshman at Mackendrick Preparatory who are determined to win spots in the art school’s musical. There’s Sun Hi (Megan Lee), a sometimes overconfident gal who records every move she makes for her fans; Jodi (Louriza Tronco), a gifted choreographer; Corki (Erika Tham) a home-schooled bookworm who values her privacy; and Caleb (Dale Whibley), a clumsy but lovable dude and brilliant musician. Co-created by Nick Cannon and Thomas Lynch, Make It Pop already launched in the U.S. in Nickelodeon last summer; the sophomore go-round of the Canadian-American co-production is filming now.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with some K-pop artists in the past in Korea and that’s how I was introduced to the world,” Cannon tells us from the Degrassi set where Make It Pop is filmed. “I’ve been working in youth television for awhile and said, ‘This would make interesting television.’ I got with my mentor, my guide, Tommy Lynch who has been doing this for many moons and we started to discuss this.”

Make_It_Pop1

Wednesday’s debut is jammed with dance and musical performances—during the opening assembly for the new school year and when Sun Hi goes back to the dorm room to retrieve her cell phone—and laughs, from Caleb’s blissfully bombastic creation of beats to Mr. Stark, Mackendrick’s over-the-top theatre teacher played by Matt Baram, from Sun’s unbreakable positivity to Jodi’s biting sarcasm.

“Everyone is wild around me and then I have the one sarcastic line that brings everything to a halt,” Vancouver’s Tronco says with a laugh.

But make no mistake, Make It Pop has a message for its young viewers: follow your dreams. A veteran of kid’s programming via such projects as The Nick Cannon Show, All That, Star Camp and Incredible Crew, Cannon may have a laid-back air about him while slouching in a chair and sporting sunglasses, but he’s dead serious about his responsibilities to young TV viewers.

“We grow up on shows like Degrassi or my stuff from my Nickelodeon days, that’s when content and entertainment mean the most,” he says. “That’s when you’re the most inspired and informed by things. It more important to you because that’s all you have. Adults use entertainment to escape, but when you’re a teen or tween it’s helping shape you.”

Make It Pop airs Wednesdays at 7 p.m. ET/PT on YTV.

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Family Channel marks The Next Step Season 3 return

From a media release:

Fans will be falling for Family’s September schedule as the network has revealed its 2015 Fall Programming Lineup. The non-stop schedule is stocked with series, specials and movies that amount to a month full of not-to-be-missed moments. September brings the return of the #1 tween show The Next Step; the sophomore season of innovative magazine series Gaming Show (In My Parents’ Garage); and the Canadian TV debut of the comedy sketch sensation AwesomenessTV and Bethany Mota’s reality series Make Me Over. Also on deck this month, the premiere of the inspirational feature film Full Out, depicting the true story of UCLA gymnast Ariana Berlin.

Below is a chronological listing of detailed programming information for Family Channel’s new Fall schedule. All programming is subject to change.

 All times ET/PT

Nowhere Boys – Sneak Peek – Tuesday, September 1 at 6 p.m.
A mix of fantasy and science fiction, Nowhere Boys follows the action-packed adventures of four teenage boys who return from a school excursion to discover they’re stuck in a parallel world into which they were never born. In this first look, viewers are introduced to alpha jock Jack, golden child Sam, rebel Felix and bookworm Andy – four opposing personalities that must learn to get along when supernatural forces thrust them together. Fans can look forward to series’ official debut this October.

AwesomenessTV – Series Premiere – Friday, September 4 at 4:30 p.m.
Comedy, pranks and pop music parodies collide in this exciting new sketch show that offers a fresh, hilarious take on teen life. Weekly guest hosts include: 5 Seconds of Summer, Austin Mahone, Cimorelli, Daniella Monet, Emblem3, Fifth Harmony, Grace Helbig, Jack Griffo, Kira Kosarin, Rixton, Smosh, Sydney Park and The Vamps.

Make Me Over – Series Premiere – Friday, September 4 at 6 p.m.
Fashion influencer Bethany Mota gives everyday teens the surprise of a lifetime in the brand new reality series Make Me Over. With her Glam Squad in tow, Bethany is on a mission to make everyone feel like the most beautiful version of themselves, and to stand up in support of teens who have encountered everything from bullying to body insecurities.

Gaming Show (In My Parents’ Garage) – Season 2 Premiere – Monday, September 7 at 6 p.m.
Set in Jesse’s parents’ tricked out garage, Gaming Show (In My Parents’ Garage) stars real-life video game addicts Jesse Sukunda, Julia Schwartz and Ian Duchene, a trio of quirky young teens who have created their own YouTube channel devoted to gaming. Season two explores the exciting world of gaming through insightful reviews, head-to-head competitions and cool and informative field segments. Plus, viewers can expect some surprise visits from high profile YouTube, sports, music and gaming celebs.

The Next Step – Season 3, Fall Premiere – Friday, September 11 at 6:30 p.m. 
The kicks, tricks and back flips continue as Family Channel’s hit series The Next Step returns with new episodes this fall. The one-hour premiere picks up where the mid-season finale concluded with the arrival of a mischievous new dancer visiting from the UK, and the departure of a valued team member. Despite never-ending obstacles and challenges, the A-Troupe must find the strength to support each other as a team as they travel to Miami to compete at Internationals. Following the premiere, new episodes will air regularly Fridays at 7 p.m.

Full Out – Movie Premiere – Friday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Based on real-life events, Full Out is the motivational story of Ariana Berlin (Ana Golja, Degrassi), an elite gymnast and Olympic hopeful whose life took a sharp turn after a near-fatal car accident. Following a year in rehabilitation, Ariana redirected her focus and joined a professional dance crew, incorporating many of her former gymnastics skills into the group’s hip-hop and breakdancing routines. But, she never gave up on her dream to compete again. The movie also stars Jennifer Beals (Flashdance) and The Next Step’s Trevor Tordjman and Lamar Johnson.

Big Ticket Summer Concert – Special Television Event – Friday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m.
The hottest talent from across the globe take centre stage in this special televised presentation of the summer’s biggest party. Fans can relive the explosive live performances that took place at Family Channel’s Big Ticket Summer Concert from Toronto’s Molson Canadian Amphitheatre on Sunday, August 23, 2015 and catch exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses and interviews with this year’s incredible lineup including Becky G, The Vamps, Shane Harte, The Tide and the cast of The Next Step.

The Next Step Live: The Movie – Movie Premiere – Friday, October 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Fans of the wildly popular tween drama, The Next Step, won’t want to miss this feature-length documentary that follows the series’ stars as they travel cross-country to perform in front of sold-out crowds during their two-month live stage tour. The film, which was shot earlier this year, features exclusive footage of the dancers as they prepared for their inaugural tour, including footage from the tour bus, backstage, live performances and meeting fans, as well as exclusive interviews with cast members.

Barbie in Rock’n Royals – Movie Premiere – Saturday, October 17 at 12 p.m.
In this upbeat musical, Barbieâ„¢ stars as Princess Courtney, a modern princess whose world is turned upside down when a mix-up sends her to Camp Pop and Erika, a famous rock star, to Camp Royalty. While the leaders of the rival camps try to correct the mix-up, both Courtney and Erika learn to adjust to the different worlds and have fun while making new, unexpected friends. When the girls learn both camps are at risk of shutting down, they must embrace their differences, find their true voices and come together for an epic sing-off that shows anything is possible when you dare to dream big.

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