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He Said/She Said: How many award shows are too many award shows?

Join Greg and Diane every Monday as we debate what’s on our minds. This week: We’ve got the Canadian Screen Awards, Canadian Comedy Awards, the various guild awards (writers, directors, actors, etc.), regional awards like the Rosies, Leos and Screen Nova Scotia Awards, and should we include the TV Ehwards? Probably not. But where is the saturation point for Canadian TV awards?

She Said:

I don’t question that awards are meaningful for those who receive them, or that the guilds would want to reward their members, or that we need one showcase awards ceremony to be televised for the public, but for such a small industry how can we possibly justify the number of awards handed out in a given year?

When we have a handful of TV comedies on the air in a year — not even my hand, but my favourite seven-year-old’s — how is it possible they need categories in more than a handful of award shows?

For me, the final straw was the Golden Maple Awards. These are a little different in that they aren’t for Canadian TV, they’re mostly for people who have fled Canadian TV. But I don’t have to take them seriously because they don’t take themselves seriously. Not only do they only have acting categories — and Tatiana Maslany wasn’t nominated, though cast members from other co-ventures were — their eligibility year runs until July 1 and the awards are handed out July 1. Someone failed logistics class.

The second final straw was the Canadian Screen Awards adding a fan favourite category called the Golden Screen Award. That’s called ratings. No really, they had “nominees” that were the top five rated shows in two categories and we had to wait with bated breath — or look at the Numeris weekly top 30 — to find out the winners.

Enough already. Don’t make us bring back the TV Ehwards and add a category of “Most ludicrous awards that aren’t the TV Ehwards.”

He Said:

OK, firstly, I think we should totally add that category to the TV Ehwards, along with a “Cheesiest headline written by a PR team for a ratings release.” We spare you readers the most egregious of the dreck we get … and you really should thank us.

Unlike past weeks where Diane and I have disagreed, I’m totally on board with her thoughts this time around in that there are trending towards too many. The Golden Maple Awards are truly laughable—if they had made the announcement on April 1, I would have been convinced it was an April Fool’s gag—focusing on a small group of Canadians in a city full of them.

I simmered in the media room at the Canadian Screen Awards because the Golden Screen Award was no more than a lame attempt to reach fans. In creating a category awarding a show for ratings, the CSAs took a big step back on the road to its legitimacy. The CSAs are supposed to be critical kudos, not a fan zone; that took place the day before at the Eaton Centre for thousands of Canadian TV fans.

Perhaps we should devote a night where the fans can vote on their favourite programs and actors and actresses from them. We could call them the Canadian People’s Choice Awards and have the winners come up on stage and … oh, wait … another awards show.

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Remedy showrunner urges support of Canadian TV

It was the news Remedy fans had been dreading. After two seasons, Global announced it was pulling the plug on its medical drama.

And while the show’s fans, cast and crew took to Twitter to vent frustrations and/or say goodbye, showrunner Greg Spottiswood had a different message on Monday morning. He took to social media to champion Canadian TV shows and urge people to tune in and talk them up with friends.

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Will you watch more Canadian TV because of Greg’s message? Comment below or via our Twitter account @tv_eh.

 

 

 

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Poll: Favourite Canadian TV series – SCTV vs. Durham County

This is it Canadian television fans—the final week of battle in the Great Canadian TV Playoff. After weeks of voting, the final two series face off in a drag-em-out five days of voting that will crown one champion.

On one end of the rink is comedy series SCTV. On the other, dark cable drama Durham County. Who will take the title?

Unlike the Stanley Cup playoffs, TV, Eh’s Great Canadian TV Playoff boasts solely homegrown head-to-head matchups of television shows. Through the rest of the month, we’ll pit eight television shows (just like the NHL) from the 1970s, 80s, 90s and 2000s against one another until the final showdown to name the top Canadian TV series of all time on May 29.

What is your favourite Canadian TV series of all time?

  • Durham County (82%, 819 Votes)
  • SCTV (18%, 175 Votes)

Total Voters: 994

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Review: And the MasterChef Canada winner is …

After weeks of competition, countless dishes, tough challenges and buckets of tears, MasterChef Canada crowned a Season 2 winner: concrete worker David Jorge edged out Line Pelletier to take the title, trophy and $100,000 grand prize.

“I am the best home cook in Canada and no one can take that away from me,” David said moments after he was named winner, sharing the good news (and more than a few tears) with his wife, mother and two sons. He plans to use his windfall to start his own restaurant.

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“I’m not going to give up because there is always another road to the finish line,” Line said after her close defeat. The finale was incredibly tight and I have to admit it did look like Line was going to snag the crown. Not only do cooking competitions tend to reward competitors who evolve week to week like she did, but her underdog story certainly made her one of the show’s sweethearts.

But nothing could stop David, whose culinary skills led him to numerous weekly wins and a spot at the top of the show almost every week.

In an interesting twist to what the pair did week to week, David opted for more rustic adaptations for his appetizer, main and dessert while Line went more high-class, proving she could compete with her counterpart. David’s early gaffe, leaving membrane on his sweetbreads, was erased by a stellar pork and seafood entree and layered lemon dessert. Line started off strong with a surf and turf app followed by an elk and potato main that landed a little left of the mark with judges Claudio Aprile, Alvin Leung and Michael Bonacini. I thought her dessert of a cheese plate was a little simplistic, though its multiple ingredients wowed the judging trio.

Unlike some cooking shows where one or more undeserving competitors squeak into the finale, I was pleased David and Line made it. Both definitely earned the right to be there and came off as giving, caring people who were respected by their fellow competitors.

Notes and quotes

  • Guys, is the making a heart with your fingers still a thing?
  • I really wish the editing for this episode had allowed us to see Line make those cool curled crackers for her appetizer.
  • When Claudio is freaking out over time, like he was with David during the dessert round, you know you’re in trouble.

What did you think of this season of MasterChef Canada? Comment below or on Twitter via @tv_eh.

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Review: True love’s kiss on Orphan Black

SPOILER ALERT: Please do not read on unless you’ve seen the Season 3, Episode 6 of Orphan Black, titled “Certain Agony of the Battlefield.”

Poor Paul. Such a noble death for the shady character. We never really knew whose side he was on until tonight, when he fully admitted to Sarah that it was her he loved all along. Looking back, it was fairly obvious that they were going to kill him off: A) he was disrupting the Castor camp completely by jailing Mommy and the rest, B) he had feelings for Sarah, their captive, and C) with Cal in the picture, Paul’s character had kind of hit a dead end.

Still, he went out fighting, and fighting hard. For the first time in my Orphan Black viewing time, I actually came to like Paul. We knew who he was working for, and it made all the difference. When he revealed that he was secretly packing a grenade in the end scene there, I actually let out a cheer. For once it was “Go, Paul!” instead of “Ugh, it’s Paul again.”

Interesting, too, how Beth was brought back to the forefront. Sure, Art mentioned he was in love with her a couple episodes ago, but we got to live and breathe Beth again. She’s downright creepy in Sarah’s hallucinatory dream, but drops a pearl of wisdom on Sarah prior to her waking up: “Stop asking why, and start asking who.” Before the end of the episode, we have both Paul and Sarah asking “Who?” They get answers, but not full ones.

Seems Mommy and her crew are illegally testing the Castor virus/disease/infection on unsuspecting women—enough to fill a couple black books—and they’re testing it so it can be used as a weapon. Mommy doesn’t seem to have any problems with it, and her complete lack of conscience indicates to me that she’ll be dead before the end of the season. She is irredeemable now, having killed Paul, almost killed Sarah and infected multiple strangers. Can’t wait for her to get her comeuppance (hopefully from Helena).

Helena in the desert was one of the greatest Orphan Black scenes to date. When she ate Pupok for sustenance, I smiled wide. (Does that make me a sick person?) I swear I could watch a Helena-only spinoff, no problem.

Another scene for the history books is, of course, the Donnie and Alison “making it rain” scene. The music, the flying money, the sexual gestures, the underwear … it’s something you or I would do if we won the lottery. Orphan Black hasn’t really been doing that very much this season: crazy stuff that makes us laugh. We want the zany, non-sensical interactions. Remember when Felix wore those assless chaps? Or when Scott and his nerd friends were playing that fantasy board game? Like that. This was a nice reminder of what the show can offer outside of sci-fi and drama. Despite that scene, I still contend the Alison/Donnie plot is by far the weakest one. So the couple wants to “take it to the next level” in the drug-dealing game? SO. WHAT. The whole thing is so pointless and derivative, I can’t even believe it’s still going on. Thank goodness Maslany and Bruun are so fantastic, otherwise this would have been disastrous.

In other news, Cosima got some! (Her storyline also steps outside the main plot, but she’s still fully involved in the goings-on. This is how it should be done with Alison.) We even got to see naked Tat back. Usually it’s just man bum on this show, so I approve of the change. The love triangle I prophesied last week has come to pass. Delphine is back in town and lurking on the sidelines, and yes, even taking pictures of Shay and Cosima’s date. I guess Shay is trustworthy, then? We can never forget what Beth said: “Start asking who.” So I still don’t trust her.

We see Rachel at the end, crying. She’s either broken or ready to kill; those are the only two options. She seemed kind of broken to me this time, what do all of you think?

Clone of the Week: Sarah. Girl went to hell and back, plus she lost a man who loved her and was reunited with her daughter and sister(s)—Helena in reality, and Beth and Kira in dreamland. Oh, and she almost died. Three times.

Random Thoughts:

  • The only reason I can come up with as to why the Alison/Donnie plot is still going on: eventually the clones will need money for something. Alison will be there to provide it.
  • Rachel vs. Felix. More please. And FINALLY Felix gets in there, really angry and relentless. It’s more believable that his character would do something rather than just sit around with Mrs. S.
  • Prettttttttty sure Kristian Bruun’s balls were visible in the money scene.
  • How does Alison not care at all about her sisters or their welfare? It seems very far-fetched that she hasn’t even called them, not to mention know anything about the situation with Castor.
  • Helena: “I regret nothing.”
  • Shay’s hair was totally a wig, right? What is it with this show and bad wigs?
  • Felix: “Now nut up and take me to the cyclops.”

Orphan Black airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Space.

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