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Featured, Orphan Black, Still Standing

Comments and queries for the week of July 3

Murdoch Mysteries star celebrates small-town Canada

I watched the first episode. Really enjoyed it. The clips I have seen of the second episode make me think it is going to be just as good. Looking forward to it. —William

I really enjoyed the first episode of this show. I love that it showcased small town Canada in a humourous light. I’m excited to see Jonny Harris traverse across the country visiting these places and finding comedy in them. I wish it was titled differently though. It’s a very plain jane title and not descriptive at all about what the show is really about. Also, there was an American series with the same name. I’m afraid Still Standing will get overlooked on the channel guide and its a shame. With the right title and timeslot I think it could have done a lot better. —Alicia

Has the CRTC lost touch with Canadians?

I think part of the issue is some of the speakers at the Let’s Talk debate—such as we need to kick all American content out now—were connected to Canadian companies.

There were some that did not make it clear they were speaking on behalf of a company but you could tell they were by saying such things as Cancon should be far higher and the CRTC needs to do everything to protect Canadian channels, etc.

How can the CRTC get a sense of what Canadians want, be it surveys or groups etc., pushing hard to give Canadians less choice? —Jayme

Orphan Black: All Together Now

I was really sad to see Delphine shot. I thought Evelyne Brochu was fantastic in the role and a primary reason I continued to watch a show I felt was really losing its way. I also hate when writers shove another love interest at a character right away, so Shay is a no-go for me.

I’m also tired of Alison adding nothing to the plot and the whole conspiracy is getting too convoluted for its own good.

Taking Orphan Black off my watch list, sadly. —Ariana

 

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

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Featured, Rookie Blue

Review: Explosive reveals on Rookie Blue

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Still basking in the happiness that was Andy and Swarek’s engagement, I tuned in to this week’s episode of Rookie Blue knowing that things wouldn’t be all fun and games. Juliet throwing Oliver under the bus to IA meant bad times were coming at the precinct. Did they ever.

“Best Man,” written by Adriana Maggs and series co-star Enuka Okuma (check out her chat with The TV Junkies), was very much about Oliver. Not long after Swarek asked him to be his best man, he was under the microscope and more folks were learning of his impending fate. I like Matt Gordon a lot. His Oliver is able to successfully walk that line between goofy and serious, and he commands respect from his fellow cops. But despite the fact Oliver is just outside the core group of RB characters, Gordon is able to make the most of the lines and scenes he’s given.

His speech to Swarek, Andy and Izzy near the end of the episode, when the list of reasons he could be named the bomber was read off, was stunning and emotionally draining. Twenty years on the job, cleaning the streets of criminals and saving lives—including Evan, the autistic boy who’d disappeared and was found by he and Diaz—and he’d missed seeing his little girl grow up. So Oliver put his badge on his desk and left to play drums with Izzy.

To make that move was shocking in and of itself, though there is no way Swarek is handing over Oliver’s badge. He’s going to hold onto it until the firestorm is over.

Rookie

And what a firestorm is promises to be. Steve Peck is the man behind the bombing? That little tidbit left me reeling. Bomb dealer Chris Klem (Flashpoint‘s Sergio Di Zio) was finally tracked down by Swarek and Andy and delivered he and his daughter to Traci, who was putting them in protective custody. I never believed Oliver was the cop who’d gotten the bomb pieces from Chris—but I never suspected Steve either. I never saw outward signs that he was unhappy or held a grudge with anyone on the force. Is there something that happened in earlier seasons that I missed because I’m a relative newbie to RB? Was he upset he was passed over for Sergeant and wanted to frame Oliver? Was he forced to do it by someone else?

Either way, the fact Traci has discovered her man is the bomber sends their relationship in a whole new direction (how could she kiss him and go out to dinner after Chris identified him?) and throws the precinct into upheaval. Holy crap.

Notes and quotes

  • Does every couple go through the gauntlet of a marriage quiz when they become engaged? I’m asking for a friend.
  • “There’s nothing in this world that isn’t somewhere.” — Traci
  • “How many times have I been right? Is anyone even keeping track anymore??” — Andy

Rookie Blue airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Global.

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Featured, Orphan Black

The Best Moments from Season 3 of Orphan Black

Sarah Manning and her sister clones have proved to us once again that they are a force to be reckoned with in the third season of Orphan Black. While the last two seasons gave us some unexpected plot twists and reveals, the third was just as riveting.

Here’s a closer look at some of the most outlandish, perplexing, and downright shocking moments of a season that veered off into some unexpected (yet delightfully entertaining) directions:

Sarah Attacks Ferdinand
In the premiere episode, “The Weight of This Combination,” Sarah kicks us off with an attempt at murder. She poses as Rachel (who’s still recovering from being shot by Sarah with a pencil fired from a makeshift gun), to get to Ferdinand, a Top-Side employee looking to get rid of all the Leda clones. We almost see her succeed by strangling him with a belt until Delphine intervenes and tells her to stand down. Considering his conspiracy with Rachel, it goes without saying that we all wanted Sarah to fully carry out the murder.

Bedroom Dance Performance by Alison and Donnie
Alison and Donnie Hendrix celebrate their new found wealth in one of the more irreverent but incredibly entertaining and lighthearted moments in the sixth episode “Certain Agony of the Battlefield.” We find the two busting out some hilariously bizarre moves in their undies as money flies everywhere not unlike a typical rap music video. Considering how serious things were getting with the unfolding new information about Project Castor, this scene cut the tension tremendously.

Mrs. S and Helena Fight… Then Make Up
The seventh episode, “Community of Dreadful Fear and Hate,” finds Helena hungry for Siobhan’s (a.k.a. Mrs. S) blood after she found out about Mrs. S’ betrayal. But when she attempts to get a rise out of her, Mrs. S refuses to fight since Helena is pregnant. After a few thrown punches, the scene de-escalates with a tight embrace and Mrs. S’ acceptance of Helena into the family.

Felix Pretends to Be Straight
In order for Rachel to decode Duncan’s book, Sarah must get her out of Dyad to somewhere far, far away. This requires the identity of another clone who is not self-aware: Krystal Goderitch. Sarah and Felix come up with a plan to steal her ID and passport with Felix pretending to be a straight man with an American accent getting a manicure. Their flirtation is more than awkward, knowing that Felix is actually gay. Either way, it makes for an amusing scene.

Helena Murders the Drug Dealers
After failing to get the refund from the drug dealers in the second to last episode of the season, “Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow,” Helena (in a not-so-convincing disguise as Alison) and Donnie are on their way out when Pouchy’s niece threatens Donnie and Alison’s kids—a big mistake. Moments later, there’s a high body count as the Portuguese drug dealers take the full brunt of Helena’s rage. It just goes to show that you don’t mess with a mother and her babies, even if they aren’t biologically hers.

The third season of Orphan Black presents several new dynamics to the series. The drama in this season is countered by some refreshing comedic moments, proving that there’s much more to this show than meets the eye. Check out what makes Orphan Black so amusing and groundbreaking by re-watching past seasons in Canada on CraveTV and CTV, where Season 3 will be rebroadcast starting on July 4 (and on Netflix, DirecTV and Comcast Xfinity in the U.S.). Although science, drama, and action are at the forefront, it’s the smaller details that many of us look forward to. It’s these very elements that add to the anticipation of what’s to come in season four next year.

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Featured, Podcast, Rick Mercer Report

TV Eh B Cs podcast 24: Paul Mather – Tripping the 49th Parallel

Paul_MatherPaul Mather was showrunner on the iconic series CORNER GAS, the most successful sitcom in Canadian history. He also ran the internationally acclaimed commercial hit LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE. Paul co-created and co-ran the Gemini-nominated series DAN FOR MAYOR for CTV and created and ran MEN WITH BROOMS for CBC. Outside of the sitcom format, Paul was head writer and a Supervising Producer on one of the Canada’s highest-rated and most enduring shows, the news satire RICK MERCER REPORT. Since moving to the U.S., Paul has developed with CBS, and was a Supervising Producer on NBC’s THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW and on FRIEND ME for CBS.

Listen or download below, or subscribe via iTunes or any other podcast catcher with the TV, eh? podcast feed.

Want to become a Patron of the Podcast? We’ve got a Patreon page where you can donate a small amount per podcast and get a sneak peek of each release.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Dark Matter, Featured

Review: Wait … what?! on Dark Matter

Dark Matter just messed with my brain. After making a bunch of notes during Friday’s third episode, I basically had to throw everything I thought I knew out the window thanks to that final scene aboard the space station.

Yes, apparently, that was Jace Corso looking for the Raza and its crew members, causing me to sit forward and exclaim, ‘What the hell?!” This was, of course, moments after Five discovered the gun that killed the young man she found in the storage room earlier.

Written by Martin Gero, Episode 3 had the hallmarks of an Agatha Christie murder mystery, with a dead body found and the murderer among the folks trapped on the ship with no connection to the outside world. There were plenty of lingering camera shots at various team members, causing viewers to wonder which one was the culprit. It was easy to assume Three was the man responsible for killing the kid and even wiping their minds because he avoided the Android’s lie detector test until One literally put a gun to his head.

I’m still holding out hope the Android is somehow controlling everything on the Raza; every time Five came close to outing who had done the mind wipe something went wrong with the ship. I can’t help but feel the Android is controlling the situation no matter how innocent her face appears to be. (Remember Ash from Alien??) My assumption the faulty sensor was fake wasn’t true, but the gamma radiation scare certainly could have been.

Did Five program the Android? Is Three really single-minded, or is he an evil genius? Does One really have feelings for Two, or did he kiss her to gain her trust?

That’s the thing with Dark Matter. Just when I think I know what’s going to happen, a curve ball is thrown to make me reassess my assumptions.

In my opinion, that’s the mark of a great TV show.

Notes and quotes

  • Four’s martial arts skills are kick ass.
  • “Have a good time playing with your stick.” — Three
  • “It’s chocolate protein pudding day!” — Five
  • I wish I could initiate magnetic boots.
  • The Dark Matter set has really become an effective part of the cast, thanks to dark corners, fluorescent lighting, steam and that grimy and scuffed look.

Dark Matter airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on Space.

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