Everything about Featured, eh?

Featured, Podcast

TV Eh B Cs podcast 35: Matt MacLennan’s Smell of Hope

M2Matt MacLennan is a writer and producer who, over the past few years, has worked on some of Canada’s most popular homegrown shows including Rookie Blue, Played, Call Me Fitz, The Listener, Republic of Doyle, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Life with Derek, and Overruled.

He’s currently got two seasons under his belt of writing and being a supervising producer for CTV’s Motive which flips the whodunit on its head by starting each episode telling you whodunit.

We talk about his jobs producing, writing, a childhood of Dungeons & Dragons and his plans to milk artisanal goats in my conversation with Matt MacLennan.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Murdoch Mysteries introduces new character in Rebecca James

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Just a week after a tearful goodbye to Dr. Emily Grace, Murdoch Mysteries is introducing a new character.

Rebecca James, played by Mouna Traoré (Rookie Blue, The Book of Negroes), appears for the first time in tonight’s new episode, “Barenaked Ladies,” as the morgue’s cleaner. Julia is back as the coroner in Station House No. 4 and working on a corpse when Rebecca shows up for her overnight shift.

“Over time I become suspect that she knows a lot more than she’s letting on,” Hélène Joy told me during a set visit earlier this year. “She knows anatomy, she seems to be pulling in the environment, so Julia starts giving her books to read, and over time it becomes really obvious that she’s much more than she admits.” Not much is known about Rebecca at this point, but that changes in the weeks ahead when a bit of detective work reveals much more about Rebecca’s life and what brought her to Canada.

Mirroring real events in history as Murdoch Mysteries does, not everyone is happy with the attention Julia is giving to an African American woman.

As for the rest of Monday’s episode, it’s much lighter in tone than last week’s swan song. There’s still a body count, but Carol Hay’s script calls for several light moments too, including the usual stuff from Crabtree and a couple of zingers from Julia.

And the case of the week? A brilliantly twisted story based on an iconic piece of art you’ll have to see to believe.

Murdoch Mysteries airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

 

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Blackstone, Featured

APTN’s Blackstone ending after five seasons

It’s the end of the road for Blackstone: APTN’s gritty, award-winning drama will conclude with a final eight episodes next month.

“It’s been quite a run and when I say ‘No. 5,’ I’m a little shocked,” says Ron E. Scott, Blackstone‘s writer, executive producer and director. “The show still has a lot of momentum, people aren’t saying, ‘Oh, they’re doing that again?’ After five seasons I think it’s time.”

Critically-acclaimed by critics, beloved by fans and winner of numerous Leo, Gemini and Alberta Media Production Industries Association Awards, Scott’s series hasn’t shied away from hard-hitting First Nations stories. Instead, he’s shone a bright light on such topics as alcoholism, sexual abuse, corruption and violence, societal issues faced on reservations and across the country.

Season 4 was particularly harrowing: former Blackstone chief Andy Fraser (Eric Schweig) was in prison and missed his wife Debbie’s (Andrea Menard) funeral; his son, Alan (Justin Rain), was injured during a blockade against Shale Industries’ plans to drill for oil on Blackstone; and Leona (Carmen Moore) and Gail Stoney (Michelle Thrush) suffered anguish when Wendy (Miika Bryce Whiskeyjack) was kidnapped by Darrien (Julian Black Antelope). Child welfare will be a big focus in the final eight episodes, as will violence against native women, a topic top of mind in Canada because of real-life events surrounding the death of Tina Fontaine and assault on Rinelle Harper.

Season 5 picks up right after the events of last season’s cliffhanger, with Andy still reeling from Debbie’s demise, who he described as the only one who truly knew him. Scott teases Andy comes to the realization he can never go back to being the guy used to having luck and good fortune fall his way. Alan’s injuries affect Andy, as does his relationship with brother Daryl (Steven Cree Molison), who appear to be on the verge of a cash windfall after allowing Shale to conduct test drilling on their private land. Scott describes Gail’s journey this year as “wonderful”; after years of being knocked down, she is going to enjoy a lot of wins thanks to improved health and a renewed focus on life.

Scott, meanwhile, has got several projects in development with networks but has left the door open to more Blackstone stories, including a TV movie if the opportunity came along.

“In this TV market, I don’t know if anyone knows it it’s truly over,” Scott says with a chuckle. “It’s exciting, as a content creator, because there are so many platforms. I would love to do a Blackstone movie, I think that would be really interesting.”

Blackstone airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on APTN beginning Nov. 3.

The past four seasons of Blackstone can be watched on APTN’s website.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Comments and queries for the week of October 30

Georgina Reilly: Why I left Murdoch Mysteries

I was so sad to see you go, Georgina. You were like a ray of sunshine. Bright, perky and very spunky. You will be missed. Good luck in the future, and I hope someday to see you back on Murdoch. —Marie

All I have to say is that was one hell of an episode. There was excellent acting, real tension and even some new camera work. I think everyone upped their game so Dr. Grace would have a proper sendoff. I only wish every episode of the show was that good. Georgina Reilly showed what a great actress she is. Congratulations on an excellent job. —Rob

I will miss the character of Emily. She added a lot to the show. Best of luck in your future and I hope many great parts will come your way. —Mary

Good luck, will be looking for you on TV or movies as the years go on. Good luck to Mark as well. My advice? Use this slow time to make a baby. You will be missed. —Gloria

England has far more to offer. Their programs are superior to anything shown in Canada or the U. S. and Canada’s programs are far more intelligent than anything shown in the U.S. Since she is searching for quality, she will be disappointed with what she finds in the U.S., except for HBO; they carry a few decent shows. —Lee

I am sad to see you leave the show, but I wish you much success in the near future. You are an amazing actress and great things are lining up your way. Thank you for the time you spend with all of us here in this beautiful Canada. I hope to see you pop up into a episode here and there. Best of luck. Hasta pronto. —Barbara

I personally truly enjoyed Emily and Lillian’s relationship—it holds a special place in my heart. I’m gay and it was so nice and refreshing to see a same-sex relationship that was portrayed like every other relationship on this show. It wasn’t in your face or for the shock value, unlike so many other shows. It was mundane, boring, adventurous and so loving—like seeing what the other wanted to have for dinner that evening or what they were going to do once they got to London.

I was also very pleased to see those important in Emily’s life, supported her regardless of whom she loved. It put a smile on my face to see Brackenreid be this “fatherly” protective figure—that one episode where he warned her to be careful about her relationship with Lillian. I think he did it more out of fear for her rather then hatred.

I know there are a ton of George/Emily shippers out there—they were cute. But this is life. Sometimes things don’t happen the way it should and things change. It’s a part of life. Emily and George found love with other people but they will always love each other as well—just not like that.

I’m sad, yes, but I hope that she can do a few episodes in the future. I hope that Emily finds love again no matter what shape or form it comes in. —Kate

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

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Banger Films returns to TV with excellent Rock Icons

Are you ready to rock? Four years after Banger Films brought the history of metal music to television with Metal Evolution, the boys are back with Rock Icons.

Debuting Sunday on HBO Canada (after a first window broadcast on VH1), Rock Icons celebrates the men and ladies who have built incredible careers in the music industry. Beginning this week with a focus on Rush frontman Geddy Lee, upcoming instalments boast Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford, Ted Nugent, Heart’s Ann Wilson, Megadeth founder Dave Mustaine, Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx, Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, Daryl Hall, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan.

“Picking these icons was really a collaboration between ourselves and VH1,” says Sam Dunn, who co-directed the series with Scot McFadyen. “We had our favourites and they had theirs and we created a list where we felt there were stories to tell and they felt there was an audience for.” Dunn and McFadyen’s Banger Films have produced a must-watch list of feature documentaries on the subject of rock and metal music, from Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey to Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, Iron Maiden: Flight 666 and Super Duper Alice Cooper, building trust within the music community. That trust gave them access to folks like Wilson, who is notoriously shy when it comes to granting interviews.

Even well-versed fans of bands like Rush and Mötley Crüe will be surprised by what the Banger crew uncover; Lee’s interest in music was inspired by Roy Orbison and Sixx is the reason the glam rockers existed in the first place.

“The story of Nikki Sixx has always been the same, the sex, the drugs and the rock and roll,” Dunn says. “We didn’t want to do that. We wanted to look at who this person was. We came up with the title The Architect, because he really is the architect behind Mötley Crüe. He guided and shaped that band and is a really smart guy, and we felt that was a more interesting story than talking about the Sunset Strip again.”

Dunn acknowledges the 10-part first season barely scratches the surface on all of the icons they’d love to celebrate, but at this point there’s no Season 2 planned. Not that he and the Banger Films team are sitting around. Their latest feature documentary, Satan Lives, is available on iTunes and On Demand across Canada now, and a two-part doc on the history of hip-hop called The Message: Hip-Hop Evolution is on the way. The company also launched a kids’ programming division called B Minors; Gaming Show (In My Parents Garage) currently airs on CHRGD.

When I mention the possibility of a documentary celebrating the Scorpions, Dunn doesn’t miss a beat.

“Someone needs to make that film,” he says. “They’re the biggest musical act to come out of Germany. They’re the biggest metal band to come out of North America, the U.K. and the English-speaking world. Someone’s gotta do it and we’d love to do it. I better call some German broadcasters.”

Rock Icons airs Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET/MT on HBO Canada.

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