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Children's Programming, Featured

Exclusive first look at the new trailer for CBC Gem’s Overlord and the Underwoods

Premiering on October 29th on CBC Gem, Overlord and the Underwoods is going to be the next big hit in family television. It has a stellar comedic tone, features a diverse and wickedly talented cast, and is truly unlike anything else on the TV right now.

We’re thrilled to be the very first to exclusively share the new trailer – take a look!

The show follows the Underwoods, a North American family, whose life is turned upside down when their distant cousin, Overlord, the second most-wanted villain in the universe, seeks refuge in their home after being forced into intergalactic witness protection. After snitching out his boss, the evil Colossatrotus, Overlord is sent to live with his incredibly nice, only known family on Planet Earth.

Over the course of the series, the evil Overlord and the very sweet Underwoods discover a thing or two about each other as they learn to treasure the value of family and the importance of true friendship, diversity, and compassion.

The show stars Patrice Goodman, Darryl Hinds, Ari Resnick, Kamaia Fairburn, Jayne Eastwood, introducing Troy Feldman, and award-winning Canadian icon Jann Arden as the voice of “RO-FL”.

The first 10 episodes drop on CBC Gem next Friday, October 29. The remaining episodes will premiere in early 2022.

Produced by marblemedia and CloudCo Entertainment, this original live-action comedy comes from award-winning Canadian writer/director/showrunner and co-creator Anthony Q. Farrell (NBC’s The Office) and co-creator Ryan Wiesbrock (Buddy Thunderstruck, Holly Hobbie).

Academy Award™ winner FX specialist Roger Christian, who brought you some of your favourite FX masterpieces from “Alien” and “Star Wars”, created the character design for this series.

Can’t wait for this one!

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Children's Programming, Web series

New family comedy Overlord and the Underwoods to premiere Halloween weekend on CBC Gem

From a media release:

OVERLORD AND THE UNDERWOODS (20×30), an original live action, single-camera family comedy from award-winning Canadian writer Anthony Q. Farrell (NBC’s The Office, CBBC’s Secret Life of Boys) and co-creator Ryan Wiesbrock (Buddy Thunderstruck, Holly Hobbie), will land on CBC Gem on Halloween weekend. The series will premiere in two parts on CBC Gem, with the first 10 episodes all available to stream beginning Friday, October 29, and the remaining episodes in Winter 2022.

Produced by marblemedia and Cloudco Entertainment and filmed in Southern Ontario, the series features an ensemble cast including Patrice Goodman (Slasher, Sunnyside), Darryl Hinds (Second City, Little Mosque on the Prairie), Ari Resnick (Odd Squad, Clearwater Kids), Kamaia Fairburn (Endlings, Starfalls), Jayne Eastwood (Hey Lady!), Troy Feldman (Lord of the Rings musical) as “Overlord” and award-winning Canadian icon Jann Arden as the voice of “R0-FL” — a droid that has spent most of her life by Overlord’s side.

OVERLORD AND THE UNDERWOODS follows the Underwoods, a North American family, whose life is turned upside down when their distant cousin, Overlord, the second most-wanted villain in the universe, seeks refuge in their home after being forced into intergalactic witness protection. After snitching out his boss, the evil Colossatrotus, Overlord is sent to live with his incredibly nice, only known family on Planet Earth. Over the course of the series, the evil Overlord and the very sweet Underwoods discover a thing or two about each other as they learn to treasure the value of family and the importance of true friendship, diversity, and compassion.

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Children's Programming, Web series

Production begins on the third season of CBC Gem’s Detention Adventure

From a media release:

Award-winning producer LoCo Motion Pictures is proud to announce that production on the third season of its CBC Gem original scripted tween series Detention Adventure commenced on July 5th in Toronto. In addition, Blue Ant International has secured the worldwide distribution rights to the third season of the series (outside of Canada).

In the new season, Carolyn Taylor (Baroness Von Sketch Show) will guest star in five episodes and up-and-coming singer, dancer and actor Danté Prince has been tapped to co-star as “Dash” alongside returning series regulars Simone Miller Castoro-Qualizza as “Raign Westrook,” Tomaso Sanelli as “Brett Austin,” Alina Prijono as “Joy Jayadi,” Jack Fulton as “Norman ‘Hulk’ Bean,” Lilly Bartlam as “Kelly Darnell,” Andrew Moodie as “Principal Lounsberry,” Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll as “Coach Rod,” and Stacey McGunnigle as “Miss Marner.” Benjamin Ayres will also return as a guest star as “Bruno Black.”

In season 3, the Detention Adventure Team is at it again working to uncover the secret hidden in Lawren Harris’ painting given to them by none other than Principal Lounsberry. Their investigation is interrupted after learning they will be spending one of their final weeks of school at Island School! Unimpressed when Island School proves to be a dilapidated camp, the kids soon realize that the camp is more than it appears and might just hold the answers they’re looking for. With the help of the charismatic new art school student, Dash, the team explores what Lawren Harris’ painting could mean through different art forms while forging new bonds with their fellow Island School students. But with the crew heading off to high school, does growing up mean growing apart?

Co-created by Joe Kicak and Carmen Albano, Detention Adventure is written by Kicak, Albano, Lisa Rose Snow, Jay Vaidya and Cassie Cao. The series is executive produced by Lauren Corber, Kicak and Albano. Ryan West is producer.

Detention Adventure launched in 2019 as CBC’s first original kids scripted series for CBC Gem. Since then, the series has received numerous awards and accolades including Kidscreen Award winner for Best Web/App Series: Kid and CSA winner for Best Writing, Children’s & Youth and Best Original Music. Blue Ant International has licensed the first two seasons of the series to platforms in more than 125 territories, including the US, the UK, Ireland, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Latin America, the Nordics and Hong Kong.

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Children's Programming, Industry News

Headspinner Productions has begun production on re-imagining of classic Canadian TV series Hilarious House of Frightenstein entitled Happy House of Frightenstein!

From a media release:

Headspinner Productions announces they have started production on the preschool animated series HAPPY HOUSE OF FRIGHTENSTEIN based on the beloved characters from the 1971 Canadian Classic series Hilarious House of Frightenstein. Timed with the 50th anniversary of the original series, 10 x 3 minute episodes will launch this fall for Halloween on the marbleKids YouTube channel, with the Canadian linear broadcast announcement to follow.

Headspinner principals Michelle Melanson (The Next Step, Fangbone!) and Ken Cuperus (Hudson and Rex, The Stanley Dynamic) will produce the series alongside creative partner Sandy Jobin-Bevans (Just Like Mom and Dad, The Parker-Andersons/Amelia Parker). Also on board as executive producer is original series producer and actor, Mitch Markowitz. Writers on the series include Diana Moore, Nisha Khan, Jan Caruana and Kara Harun. Original Art Design by Aaron Hong and Animation Services by Keyframe Digital Studios in St. Catharines, Ontario. Happy House of Frightenstein follows the misadventures of COUNT JR., WOLFIE, IGGY, AND GRIZ – the beloved characters from the original Hilarious House of Frightenstein, reimagined as wee children of the night – as they play, laugh, and grow together in the Happy House of Frightenstein, a giant castle-like play structure located in the charmingly spooky backyard of the iconic Castle Frightenstein.

The series was made possible with funding from the Canada Media Fund and the Shaw Rocket Fund through the CMF-SRF Kids Digital Animated Series program and support from marbleKids YouTube Channel and Distribution360, who will handle global distribution.

130 x 60 min episodes of Hilarious House of Frightenstein were produced in 1971 by brothers Riff and Mitch Markowitz in Hamilton, Ontario. It went on to be one of the longest running children’s shows in history, airing on CHCH, YTV, Showcase, Space and Drive In Classics in Canada alone. It currently airs on CRAVE in Canada. It also aired throughout the US and many European countries. Popular character actor, Billy Van, played most of the characters in the original, and legendary horror icon, Vincent Price, was also a major part of the original series.

Where to watch HAPPY HOUSE OF FRIGHTENSTEIN: marbleKids YouTube Channel.

marbleKids is an entertainment channel dedicated to delivering a variety of premium kids content.

Headspinner Productions is a full-service production company based in Toronto, Ontario helmed by award winning creator/writer/producers Ken Cuperus and Michelle Melanson.

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Children's Programming

BGM Sphere announces new pre-school series “Gabby’s Farm” to debut on TVOkids on May 17

From a media release:

Premiering May 17, 2021 on TVOkids, Gabby’s Farm is an engaging new preschool series from award-winning production company BGM, part of Sphere Media. TVOkids has also greenlit BGM’s Backyard Beats for a second season. This Canadian Screen Award-nominated music and arts series will be hosted again by Monica Brighton of That TVOkids Show.

TVOkids Original Gabby’s Farm (30×7) guides young viewers who are three-to-five years old through the world of farming and agriculture, encouraging their curiosity about nature, food, animal care and more. Hosted by Gabby, an adventurous six-year-old girl who’s passionate about farming, her family, and learning about all about the exciting things that happen on the farm, the series will give viewers a close look at all of the animals, equipment and activity that Gabby encounters on her family farm. Gabby’s Farm will introduce preschoolers to Gabby’s friends and neighbours, as well as farm activities like milking cows, riding tractors and exploring beehives.

Gabby’s Farm will be accompanied by the short-form series Count with Gabby! (20×2), which explores Gabby’s love of math and counting while exploring the farm.

BGM and TVOkids are also pleased to announced That TVOkids Show host Monica Brighton will return for season two of the Kidscreen Award-winning and Canadian Screen Award-nominated series Backyard Beats. Picking up on the fun and games from season one, Brighton will show school-age kids in Grades 1-3 how to create their own DIY “craft-struments” using common household items. She’ll also be joined by professional musicians who demonstrate their skills on various instruments.

Watch Gabby’s Farm on TVOkids and the TVOkids YouTube channel starting May 17, 2021. Season two of Backyard Beats will premiere Late Fall 2021.

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