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Amazing Race Canada, Featured

The Amazing Race Canada: Squishing in Saskatoon

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First, my apologies to those of you expected an Amazing Race Canada review last week. I took a week-long holiday and was, literally, off the grid. And second, after finally watching it, what’s with so many teams opting to take time penalties? To me, taking the penalty is a last-ditch decision, not gameplay.

Irina and Dave, Trish and Amy and Meaghan and Marie all skipped “Clamageddon,” which was a real shame. The fun of The Amazing Race Canada is watching teams compete … not sit on the sidelines. (Meanwhile, Aarthy and Thinesh and Anthony and James are showing what teamwork can do.) With Sarah and Sam landing in first place last week—and Meaghan and Marie eliminated—the remaining teams headed to Saskatoon.

It was nice to see a different team in the lead heading into this Leg and the athletes were hoping their “brave” mantra wound serve them well; Lauren and Joanne hoped their hometown would give them an advantage. Meanwhile, Dave and Irina continue to have targets on their backs and called a quick meeting at the Nanaimo airport for everyone to talk. It did not go well, however, and teams left even more fractured than before.

A woman and a man walk.Teams headed to the Canadian Light Source with Anthony and James in the top spot. Once there, they were instructed to journey to the Nutrien Cory Potash Mine. At the mine, teams went a kilometre below the surface to hang and seal ventilation curtains. Anthony and James have had recent experience hanging plastic thanks to some home renovations, so they worked fairly quickly and completed the task first, followed by hometown girls Lauren and Joanne and Sarah and Sam. Aarthy and Thinesh, who had an Express Pass to use, were struggling.

Next up: a trip to the local Shell station to fill up and get those ever-important tear-inducing messages and clues from home. Then, teams travelled to Champêtre County Vacation Ranch for the Detour. Here, squads could either Dance in a Square (calling square dance moves and dancing) or Walk in Circles (find ornamental corn hidden in a massive barn board maze). Anthony and James entered maze (I would have chosen that too), as did Lauren and Joanne, Sarah and Sam and everyone else. Dave and Irina chose Dance in a Square … and then, rightly, switched to do the maze instead. Trish and Amy chose to dance/call too and stuck with it.

Anthony and James whipped through the maze fairly quickly—I wonder if Anthony’s height was an advantage?—and they moved on in first place.

Two women read words on a card.At Victoria Park, teams participated in lacrosse with the Saskatchewan Rush, first passing the ball to each other and then hitting two of four targets. Again, Anthony and James completed the task quickly and departed while everyone else was still back at the ranch. Sam and Sarah exited in second place to look for Jon, with Dave and Irina in hot pursuit.

The Leg’s Pit Stop was located at the Remai Modern Art Museum, and with over 15 minutes of broadcast left, that meant teams were going to really struggle. That was proven correct by Lauren and Joanne, who kept heading back towards the entrance rather than finding the exit. Aarthy and Thinesh did the same thing, which kept them towards the back of the pack.

Anthony and James completed the Leg in pole position, scoring a trip to Costa Rica and free gas for a year. They were followed by Sarah and Sam and Irina and Dave. It came down to a footrace between Aarthy and Thinesh and Trish and Amy, with the former arriving just ahead of the latter, giving the moms … yet another chance because it a non-elimination Leg. The pair will have to complete an additional challenge next week.

Here’s how the teams finished this Leg of the Race:

  1. Anthony and James
  2. Sarah and Sam
  3. Irina and Dave
  4. Lauren and Joanne
  5. Aarthy and Thinesh
  6. Trish and Amy (non-elimination Leg)

The Amazing Race Canada airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Season 2 of Hitler’s Last Stand returns to Smithsonian Channel Canada

Parallax Film Productions Inc. is putting out some pretty amazing programming.

The Vancouver-based production company first jumped onto my radar with Battle Castle, an excellent series that recreated castles and showed how they were used for war. I’ve written about Hell Below, which documents the claustrophobic life for those working in U-boats during the Second World War. Now Parallax is back with Season 2 of Hitler’s Last Stand.

Currently broadcast Tuesday nights on Smithsonian Channel Canada, Hitler’s Last Stand tells the stories of Second World War battles post-D-Day, when German forces were being pushed back by the Allies but were still fighting.

“These aren’t the stories about the generals,” says Maija Leivo, executive producer. “These are the stories of these guys who had these unimaginable missions. They were the ones who had to take that hill, cross that river or build the bridge under fire.”

A male soldier looks into the distance. A fire burns behind him.In the first hour-long episode of Season 2, “Lost Battalion,” (available to stream on Smithsonian’s website) an American regiment on D-Day plus 62 drives for the coast to liberate the French port city of Saint-Malo, and encounter Nazi resistance and every road blocked. Even when the 3rd Battalion does break through, within hours, they find the roadblock retaken by Nazi forces and the group surrounded. It’s a harrowing story brought to life not only by the fact it’s all true—and explained by historians, experts and stock footage—but because of the stellar wardrobe, makeup, filming and, yes, tanks.

“We try, as much as we can, to as much filming in-camera as possible,” says Ian Herring, Parallax’s founder. “We do a little CGI for some explosions, but for the most part those are real explosions.” Herring is constantly on the lookout for items from the Second World War that he can purchase and use for filming, scooping up clothing, vehicles and the aforementioned tank when he can. Having a bonafide tank roll through your shot gives immediate realism to the shoot, but it’s not without a glitch or two. Herring remembers a first-season tank its owner had trouble keeping running.

“We shot for 35 days in Season 1 and got his tank running on the last one,” he recalls with a laugh. When Herring needed a German tank, he found one in Plymouth, England. It was brought to Vancouver via the Panama Canal and landed in Seattle, where it was loaded onto a flatbed truck and driven up to Vancouver.

“We got to the Canadian border and the customs people there said, ‘Tank? What the heck? Carry on.’ And we shot the last week of production using a German tank.”

Hitler’s Last Stand airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel Canada. You can watch past episodes via Smithsonian Channel Canada’s website.

Images courtesy of Parallax Film Productions Inc.

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Burden of Truth, Featured

Comments and queries for the week of July 26

I have been a fan of Kristin Kreuk since Smallville. You are a captivating actress, you make the fans feel your emotions, happiness, disappointments and you steal a scene with your appearance. I watched the final episode [of Burden of Truth] sitting in my chair waiting for your legal experience to free your sister. I was more than happy to see that there is a Season 3. Hopefully, there will be many, many, more seasons. The only issue I have I wish there were more episodes per season. Keep up the great work, you’re a professional and we can’t get enough of you. —Inez

A man behind the wheel of a car.Oh, [the cancellation of Canada’s Worst Driver is] sad, but it was a long run for this great show. I’ve learned things while laughing and cringing, wondering how some people could drive so badly. Thanks for 14 excellent seasons. I’ll keep watching the reruns. —Michelle

Oh no! It was a staple. A must! How can it be over? So many people have learned so much—like which cities not to drive in! It’s the only show I PVR. Discovery without Younghusband. Doesn’t seem realistic. Time to review my channel line-up. —Linda

Two people ice fish.Cab drama, money drama, EPs, penalty, and a good task mix (physical diving, detailed diamonds and mental maps). A little of everything. Trish and Amy twice ditched by a cab (poor planning on production’s part to leave people stranded outside after the dive) and two cabs stolen by Dave and Irina. That, plus the Express Pass Princess and Penalty make them the villains for sure, sorta rare for the Canadian Race. Leg design was a bit wonky, why have them leave Slave Lake only to go back? Multiple Express Passes gone in the same episode. This is the second or third season in a row this has happened. Teams just seem too eager to use them. At least one is still in play. Still no season of The Amazing Race Canada without at least one penalty. Lucky for Sarah and Sam about the geoscience building and the money thing, the latter of which reminded me of older The Amazing Race U.S. Strong episode even with the non-elimination. —DanAmazing

This episode was good TV. With Jet and Dave gone so early (still sad!!) the entertainment factor was sorely lacking in the next couple of episodes that followed. Love them or hate them, Dave and Irina provide another reason to watch TARC besides just the race, which can be boring some episodes by itself. The underwater dive looked like fun? OK not really (I can’t swim) but it was a refreshing idea. The staff at the geoscience building rocked!! Rooting for the moms and the twins and the athletes and the Edmonton married couple. Stay real and Go Teams Go!! —Tunie

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

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Featured, Killjoys

Preview: Killjoys “Blame it on the Rain” … and The Lady

If you missed last Friday’s Season 5 premiere of Killjoys, go back and watch it. I’ll wait. OK, all caught up? Wow, right? My thoughts exactly. Opening with our faves all caught in The Lady’s memory matrix was an amazing twist to kick off this final run of episodes and served as a reminder of why I’ve loved Killjoys since Day 1, and why shows like it are successful: create characters that you care about and throw them into (sometimes) batshit situations.

Episode 2, debuting Friday, is called “Blame It on the Rain,” and if you don’t have the Milli Vanilli song stuck in your head right now I’m disappointed. Mainly because it means you’re young, and I’m old. Anyway, here’s the official synopsis for the instalment, written by Nikolijne Troubetzkoy and directed by Peter Stebbings.

Awake from the memory matrix, Dutch is determined to wake her friends and stop the Lady, before it’s too late.

And here are more treats I caught watching the episode.

A girl looks off into the distance.

Is Zeph dead?
I sure hope not, but the wound she sustained last week sure looked serious. Dutch is going to rely on an old friend—who has a sweet new hairdo—for help in saving her. Zeph can’t die, because she’s the only one who can stop the pesky rain from keeping everyone stuck in the matrix.

Pree is on the hunt
First of all, how much are you enjoying Pree’s new look? (Follow Thom Allison to learn some insight into it.) Secondly, he’s not letting up in his search for Dutch, especially with a Warrant 5 on her head.

Khlyen vs. The Lady
I love seeing Khlyen go head-to-head with anybody and he has a wonderful history of doing it. And his tête-à-têtes with The Lady have been truly compelling; their verbal volleys have been wonderful. But The Lady delivers an overhand smash that leaves Khlyen speechless. Also? We learn there is a finite number of days until the terraforming is complete, rendering all breathable air, well, not.

Welcome back, Fancy
I was wondering when Fancy would waltz back into our lives. He does it on Friday, and his opening lines are hilarious.

Killjoys airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Space.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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Amazing Race Canada, Featured

Amazing Race Canada: Express Passes and stolen cabs in Yellowknife

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I was really hoping that the grandfather/grandson team of Gilles and Sean would fare better. I’m sure they did too. Alas, one of the biggest challenges on The Amazing Race Canada is how difficult it is to come from behind. You not only need luck and skill on your side but you have to rely on other teams to screw up massively.

The Top 7 teams—how are we almost halfway through the season already?—jetted to Yellowknife, NWT, with Dave and Irina in the lead. (Yellowknife is one of the countless places I visited while writing about Canadian television for TV Guide Canada, and it holds a special place in my heart thanks to the show Ice Pilots.) Dave and Irina were planning on using their Express Pass wisely … and perhaps seeing some penguins too. (Um, wrong part of the world. I’m beginning to think Dave and Irina are putting on an act.) Aarthy and Thinesh were in second place with an Express Pass to use too, as were Anthony and James. With a trio of passes in play, this Leg promised to be entertaining. And who could forget Trish and Amy’s One Way courtesy of Lauren and Joanne? There could be drama too!

The Somba K’E Civic Plaza was the teams’ first clue location and directed them to Rotary Park. (Thanks to the show producers for letting viewers know it was -21 Celsius when the Leg was filmed.) With taxis at a premium, landing one was a huge get; Sarah and Sam did just that. While some teams stayed close to the airport waiting for a cab, Trish and Amy walked along the road and scooped one, and a spot in sixth place. At the Plaza, Dave and Irina made a mistake, allowing their driver to leave. That dropped them back into fifth place. They promptly negotiated a double fare and scooped Trish and Amy’s cab, cementing their villain status.

At Great Slake Lake, teams rode snowmobiles to the scene of ice fishing, where they had to drill holes in the ice and bait a morsel using traditional Dene First Nations equipment. Sarah and Sam completed the wet, slushy task first—sadly, teams were not required to hang around for a bite—and departed, with Meaghan and Marie, Anthony and James, Dave and Irina and Aarthy and Thinesh in pursuit. Lauren and Joanne were left alone on the frozen lake and then without a taxi.

Two people ice fish.In the Road Block, teams headed into downtown Yellowknife to the NWT Diamond Centre to identify the six out of seven diamonds marked with a maple leaf and marking number and then arrange them from heaviest to lightest weight. Sam, Marie, James, Dave, Trish and Thinesh all chose to do the challenge, giving Amy and Aarthy the chance to discuss cab theft. It’s really hard to cheer for Dave and Irina, but I guess it doesn’t matter if you like them or not because they are killing it in tests. Dave was the first to correctly identify and classify the diamonds, followed by Sam, Thinesh, Lauren and Marie. James neglected to find the maple leaf on the diamonds so had no idea what he was doing incorrectly. It was only after Trish finished identifying the diamonds that James and Anthony deployed their Express Pass.

Back on Great Slave Lake, the team member who didn’t identify the diamonds dove into the water swam under the ice to sang their next clue. Dave and Irina used their Express Pass to skip this one (I would have too), but Sarah had to face her dual fears of the cold and the water and had to do it. By the time she was suited up, Sarah was crying, and I felt badly for her. She blasted through the test and almost leapt out the other side with the Route Info in her icy hand. For some reason, Aarthy chose to dive rather than use the Express Pass. All power to her for facing her fear (“It’s so cold!” “Yeah, it’s meant to be.” “What if I open my mouth accidentally?” “Don’t do that.”), and dove in. Joanne didn’t even grab the rope—she is a competitive swimmer—and zipped from hole to hole. She was followed by Meaghan. Trish and Amy, once again, finished a task only to discover their cab had left, putting them in last place.

Two people ice fish.The Leg’s next location was the Air Tindi Float Base where teams worked to locate 10 different rescue sites accessible by plane. Dave and Irina struggled with the task and began to bicker. Ultimately, they took a two-hour penalty, hoping the remaining teams would have issues too. Sam and Sarah had done their homework—by stopping at a store to Google “longitude and latitude,” but still had problems. Thinesh and Aarty, meanwhile, blew through it using their “Grade 3 geography.” Sam and Sarah left in their cab in search of someone who could explain what they needed to accomplish. They found it at Aurora Geosciences. Aarty and Thinesh, meanwhile, located the 10 rescue spots and hopped into a plane to the Pit Stop. Meaghan and Marie, Sarah and Sam and Lauren and Joanne.

In what I think was an Amazing Race Canada first, Sam and Sarah didn’t have enough money to pay for their cab. With no other option, they headed back to Aurora Geosciences and asked for a $90 loan. In true Canadian North fashion, they were given the money.

The Leg’s Pit Stop was located at the Dene First Nation Community Dettah, a float plane ride away. Dave and Irina checked in first, but had to wait two hours. Because of that, Aarthy and Thinesh landed in first, scoring a trip to Dublin.

For keen-eyed Amazing Race Canada fans, it’s just a matter of time until a non-Elimination Leg will come up. Luckily for last-place finishers Trish and Amy, it came this week and they were saved to race again. They pair will have to suffer through an extra challenge.

Here’s how the teams finished this Leg of the Race:

  1. Aarthy and Thinesh
  2. Meaghan and Marie
  3. Dave and Irina
  4. Sarah and Sam
  5. Lauren and Joanne
  6. Anthony and James
  7. Trish and Amy (non-Elimination Leg)

The Amazing Race Canada airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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