From a media release:

Production has begun on  season two of Breakthrough Entertainment’s hit kids’ live-action comedy series Max & Shred announced Joan Lambur, Executive Vice-President, Family Entertainment for Breakthrough Entertainment, and an Executive Producer on this series.

Breakthrough will produce 13 all-new episodes of the buddy comedy which airs on YTV (Canada) and Nickelodeon channels globally.  In addition to YTV and Nick, Max & Shred has scored with kid audiences in countries worldwide, including Africa, Australia, Columbia, Italy, Portugal, Russia and the U.K., all of whom are primed for the series’ second season.

The internationally successful buddy comedy chronicles the hilarious and unlikely friendship between Max Asher played by Jonny Gray, (Annedroids, Paranormal Witness 3), a celebrity snowboarder, and Alvin “Shred” Ackerman played by Jake Goodman (Life with Boys, Saving Hope), a science whiz-kid, who become roommates and instant “bros” when Max moves to Colorado to train for the Winter Cup.  The show centres on the boys’ odd couple relationship as they help and hinder each other through the trials of teenage life.  Returning also for a second season are Emilia McCarthy (Zapped, Hemlock Grove) as Alvin’s driven older sister Abby, and Saara Chaudry (DeGrassi, Isabelle Dances into the Spotlight) as Howie, Alvin’s super smart eight-year-old protégé.

Max & Shred is executive produced by George Doty IV, whose extensive writing credits include the hit Nickelodeon live-action series iCarly, Victorious, and the beloved buddy-comedy Drake & Josh.  Doty also served as story editor on the iconic animated series Scooby Doo.  Additional executive producers for Max & Shred include Breakthrough Entertainment’s Joan Lambur, Ira Levy, Peter Williamson, Nat Abraham and Michael McGuigan. YTV executives are Jocelyn Hamilton, Vice President, Programming and Jaime Piekarz, Director, Content, Corus Kids.  Nickelodeon Executives are Bronwen O’Keefe, Senior Vice President, Content Strategy and Zuri Rice, Vice President, Development and Production, East Coast.

From a media release:

Awarding-winning content creator marblemedia is pleased to announce that its hit live-action preschool series, Hi Opie! returns to production for a second season (39×7’). Developed in partnership with TVOKids and produced in association with The Jim Henson Company, the series has been renewed by TVO (Ontario), City Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan) and Knowledge Network (British Columbia). Start of principal photography has commenced in Toronto for Season 2.

The series centres around the social, emotional and intellectual escapades of Opie, a puppet custom-built by the experts at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™. As a kindergartner, Opie helps to show kids how to make the transition from home to school, teaching them skills needed to have a successful start in their educational careers. With each new day, Opie learns more about himself, his real kid friends and his teachers. Each story marks a new chapter in his personal growth as he learns through the process of play – having fun, asking questions, learning the consequences of one’s actions and of course, being curious.

Season 2 is set to have new interactive elements that will expand on the popularity of the current website (www.hiopie.com) and feature new activities including games and a mobile app.

The series will be produced by marblemedia in association with The Jim Henson Company under Executive Producers Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg. Other Executive Producers include Marie McCann, TVO’s Executive In Charge, Children’s & Parents Media, creator Barbara Slade (Angelina Ballerina, Rugrats) and The Jim Henson Company’s Halle Stanford, Executive Vice President of Children’s Entertainment. Returning for Season 2 is Co-Producer Lowell Dean of Lolofilms Productions Inc., series Producer Lawrence S. Mirkin(Fraggle Rock) and Executive Story Editor Kate Barris (Max & Ruby, Captain Flamingo). marblemedia’s Mik Perlus will also serve as Co-Executive Producer on the series.

Season 1 of the series was recently licensed to Netflix in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Worldwide distribution is handled by The Jim Henson Company, other than in Canada, Australia and France, which is administered by Distribution360, a marblemedia company.

From a media release:

DHX Media Ltd. (“DHX” or the “Company”) (TSX: DHX.A, DHX.B), a key player internationally in the creation of content for families and children, has been commissioned by Nickelodeon to produce a second season of its hit live-action, tween series, Make It Pop. The 20-episode order will be filmed at DHX’s Epitome Studio, in Toronto, Canada. Make It Pop season one will debut on Nickelodeon’s international channels beginning this summer.

Make It Pop is Nickelodeon’s #1 show with K6-11 and G6-11. The series ranks as the most-watched long-form content on Nick.com and on the Nick App.

Make It Pop is co-created by Thomas W. Lynch and Nick Cannon and produced by DHX Media. Lynch and Cannon also serve as executive producers with DHX Media’s Steven DeNure and Anne Loi. DHX Media also handles global distribution and brand management for Make It Pop, as well as merchandising and licensing through appointed agency, Copyright Promotions Licensing Group Ltd. (CPLG). Music supervision is by Peter Coquillard and Pilar McCurry of Silva Music Publishing, and the show’s band XO-IQ, is managed by Bill Silva Entertainment.

The show is a half-hour comedic, music-infused daily scripted series that follows three unique girls – social-media maven Sun Hi (Megan Lee), bookish Corki (Erika Tham), and fashion-forward Jodi (Louriza Tronco) – who come together with DJ hopeful Caleb (Dale Whibley) over their love of music to form their own K-pop inspired band. Each episode features original songs and performances with a K-pop twist and an EDM beat from the show’s band, XO-IQ.

Filled with new songs, lots of laughs and heart, season two sees Sun Hi, Corki, Jodi and Caleb continue their coming-of-age journey.  After their triumph with the school musical, the band XO-IQ is called upon to represent Mackendrick Prep at a high stakes battle of bands and a new musical rival emerges.

From Jim Slotek of Postmedia Network:

Jonathan Torrens scores with new YTV series with Daily Show’s Samantha Bee
“Are you a fan of the Norwegian original?” Jonathan Torrens says, straight-faced, before breaking into a smirk.

I’m guessing virtually no one who’s not Norwegian has seen Kampen, the show that inspired YTV’s live-action series Game On with Torrens and Samantha Bee. In it, a 14-year-old boy (Grayson Gurnsey) has play-by-play delivered on his life by an unseen male-female anchor team. Continue reading.