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Awards, Featured

Canadian Screen Awards: Who should/Will win the TV categories?

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It’s the glitziest week in Canadian television. The third annual Canadian Screen Awards consume the entire week in Toronto with a nominee cocktail party on Monday, two nights of industry awards on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Women Who Act with Patricia Rozema screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox and a Fan Zone on Saturday at the Eaton Centre.

On Sunday, March 1, the two-hour live broadcast concludes the festivities by awarding the top TV and film categories.

With all of that in mind, the editors and contributors here at TV, Eh? have broken down the major television categories, ruminated the talent involved and given our picks for who should—and will—win a Canadian Screen Award.

Who weighed in: Diane Wild, Greg David, Emily Gagne and Chris Jancelewicz.

Best Dramatic Series
19-2
Continuum
Motive
Orphan Black
Remedy

Emily
Should win: 19-2. This show is a true standout in the overcrowded cop drama landscape, as it tackles issues often avoided, whether out of lack of interest, or fear of disturbing viewers. What’s more, it’s beautifully shot and features some truly stellar performances from its leads.

Will win: Orphan Black. The CSAs will want to do everything they can to get Tatiana Maslany on the show while she’s still one of the hottest things out there, right?

Diane
Should win: Orphan Black. It’s not a perfectly plotted show, but it’s entertaining as all get out and touches on social issues in the way only sci-fi can pull off without turning into a mini morality play. The much-lauded performances by Tatiana Maslany are rooted in the excellent characters built by the writers.
Will win: Orphan Black.

Chris
Should win: 19-2. Canadians are always thirsting for new, innovative TV dramas, and here it is right under our noses. While it deserves all the awards and accolades for its amazing cast, inventive cinematography and solid, tight writing, it unfortunately falls off the radar.
Will win: Orphan Black, of course. The most hyped show to come out of Canada (as a co-production) since the beginning of time, there is no doubt OB will take top honours — even though a certain episode from Season 2 signalled a potential meltdown to come in Season 3.

Greg
Should win: 19-2. I do love Orphan Black (which will likely walk away with the award), but Season 1 of 19-2 was far stronger than Season 2 of OB. From the unflinching storylines to the incredible ensemble performances (the show’s cast is nominated in the lead and supporting categories), 19-2 has been simply amazing.
Will win: Orphan Black. The Academy may pull a fast one and choose something else, but I doubt it.

callmefitz

Best Comedy Series
Call Me Fitz
Mr. D
Seed
Spun Out
Tiny Plastic Men

Emily
Should win: Call Me Fitz. This show, run by the awesome Sheri Elwood, was horribly underrated when it was on, which is a total shame because it was one of the funniest—and crudest!—Canadian comedies ever to hit TV. Since this was its last season, it deserves all the attention it can get.

Will win: Anything other than Spun Out, amiright? I mean, after that whole scandal….

Diane
Should win: Call Me Fitz has been one of my favourite Canadian shows since before it began airing. It’s insane in all the right ways.
Will win: Oh please let it be Call Me Fitz in the Academy’s last chance to honour the show again.

Chris
Should win: Call Me Fitz. Creative, funny, smart. Can’t really deny it, especially since the rest of the shows in this category have never made me laugh once.
Will win: Again, Call Me Fitz. If Seed takes this, oh man, I’ll be very concerned for the state of Canadian comedy.

Greg
Should win/Will win: Call Me Fitz. In a classic case of cancelled show wins in the category (sorry Seed, it won’t be you), Fitz is walking away with the award. It’s well-deserved. The writing was sharp, the performances hilarious and Jason Priestley was at the top of his game.

Best Reality/Competition Program or Series
The Amazing Race Canada
Big Brother Canada
MasterChef Canada
The Ultimate Fighter Nations – Canada vs. Australia
Unusually Thicke

Emily
Should win: The Amazing Race Canada. Even people who aren’t into reality TV anymore can get hooked on this show, which captures the same informative, yet engaging spirit of the American series that inspired it.
Will win: The Amazing Race Canada or Big Brother Canada. One of the big names.

Diane
Should win: I hate reality TV and I’m embarrassed our industry keeps pumping out [X] Canada type reality shows. Is the Firelog nominated? No? Then I don’t care.
Will win: Amazing Race Canada, because I guess something has to win.

Chris
Should win: The Amazing Race Canada. A Canadian reality show went international (albeit briefly)?! They deserve to win just for that. Big Brother Canada is a close second, just because of the major drama that went down in that house. It even drew the attention of American Big Brother fanatics, and that says something.
Will win: The Amazing Race Canada. High production values, international travel, good reality-show drama.

Greg
Should win: The Amazing Race Canada. This unscripted love letter to our country was even better in Season 2, spotlighting key locations in Canada and venturing overseas for key moments, like having the competitors run across Juno Beach in France on the anniversary of the D-Day landings and come face-to-face with a Second World War veteran.
Will win: The Amazing Race Canada … but Big Brother Canada could sneak in as a dark horse. I’ll weep for the future of Canadian TV if Unusually Thicke gets it.

Best International Drama
Vikings
The Great Martian War

Emily
Should win/Will win: Vikings. This is a powerhouse show with a hold on both the industry and viewers.

Diane
Should win/Will win: I haven’t seen either one of these shows so … um … Vikings?

Chris
No brainer. Should win: Vikings. The gritty action drama keeps upping the ante with every new season, and it’s not just because (like everyone else) I’m hypnotized by Travis Fimmel’s ice-blue laser-beam eyes. A great ensemble with interesting storylines, not to mention beautiful, well-shot scenery, make this a cinch to win.
Will win: Vikings, for all the reasons above.

Greg
Should win/Will win: It’s not even close. Though The Great Martian War was a very well-done special that combined real-life First World War footage with CGI that made it look like that conflict was really a fight with invading Martians, Vikings will not be beaten. Stunning visuals, memorable characters and wonderful scripts written by creator Michael Hirst means the vikings will claim their golden plunder.

Rick_Mercer

Best Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series
Rick Mercer Report
Funny as Hell
Seth Rogen: Hilarity for Charity
This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Emily
Should win/Will win: Rick Mercer Report. Every year, Rick comes up with fresh material to not only keep us laughing, but also to keep us thinking.

Diane
Should win: Rick Mercer Report. It’s been on the air for a million years and is still hilarious, with rants that still make people laugh, think and talk. Mercer for PM, never mind for a Screenie.
Will win: Seth Rogen: Hilarity for Charity because he’s one of the “fresh” names in a category of oldsters, and it was for charity so come on, how could voters be anti-Hilarity for Charity?

Chris
Should win: Rick Mercer Report. Rick has his finger on the pulse of this country, and it shows. Never stale, never lame, the man rants like no one else — and it’s always smart.
Will win: Rick Mercer Report, with 22 Minutes as a possible dark horse. Both are CBC, but I think Mercer resonates with both young and old, while the 22 Minutes audience is … um … not both.

Greg
Should win: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Funny as Hell. The HBO Canada stand-up series hosted by Jon Dore is indeed funny as hell, spotlighting comedians like JB Smoove, Jim Jeffries and Marc Maron. Come on Academy, let’s mix things up a bit!
Will win: Rick Mercer Report

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Gerry Dee, Mr. D
Adam Korson, Seed
Don McKellar, Sensitive Skin
Dave Foley, Spun Out
Mark Meer, Tiny Plastic Men

Emily
Should win: Adam Korson, Seed. I was always a huge supporter of Seed when it was on, and a big part of that had to do with Korson being an expert lead with effortless charm and spot-on timing. His chemistry with Carrie-Lynn Neales was enough to make me want to captain their on-screen ship, Rosarry.
Will win: Gerry Dee. He’s a crowd pleaser and Mr. D really is a great show.

Diane
Should win: Jason Priestley. What? Not nominated? Good grief. OK then, Don McKellar. His off-beat neurotic humour always makes me laugh.
Will win: Adam Korson, because he’s so darn charming, and was on a show more than five people saw.

Chris
Should win: Don McKellar, Sensitive Skin. I know, I know, he was a bit annoying at first, but he grew on me with his neuroses. I actually chuckled aloud at McKellar’s character’s ridiculous urban behaviour.
Will win: Gerry Dee. Everyone loves this guy.

Greg
Should win: I’m going to side with Chris on this one. Normally I’m not a huge fan of Don McKellar, but I really enjoyed him in Senstive Skin. Can I also use this space to complain that Kim Cattrall was robbed by not being nominated in the Actress category? Thank you.
Will win: Gerry Dee.

seed-1.jpg

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Joanna Cassidy, Call Me Fitz
Julia Voth, Package Deal
Carrie-Lynn Neales, Seed
Kacey Rohl, Working the Engels
Andrea Martin, Working the Engels

Emily
Should win: Either Carrie Lynn-Neales or Kacey Rohl. I’d honestly be happy with a tie for these two, as they showed us that Canada can do the adorkable leading lady thing too, and perhaps with even more heart than our neighbours to the South.
Will win: Andrea Martin. Uh, it’s Andrea Martin. And this is the only time they can give her an award for Engels.

Diane
Should win: Joanna Cassidy. Everyone in Call Me Fitz is terrific, and if Jason Priestley had to be robbed then his costar should take home the prize.
Will win: Andrea Martin, because even though the show was less than great, she’s Andrea Martin.

Chris
Should win: I’ll ignore the insane snub of Kim Cattrall (c’mon, that’s just plain nutty) for Sensitive Skin, and say Andrea Martin for Working the Engels. Martin is blessed with impeccable comedic timing and one of those faces that just triggers laughter.
Will win: Andrea Martin for Working the Engels. She’s hosting this thing. You do the math.

Greg
Should win: Julia Voth. This is partly my heart talking because I visited the set and met the very nice folks who are involved in it. Plus, Voth had no prior experience as a comic actress and proved to have a natural gift for physical comedy, a big feat considering she was sharing the screen with Harland Williams.
Will win: I can’t decide between Joanna Cassidy or Andrea Martin.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Adam Beach, Arctic Air
David Sutcliffe, Cracked
Jared Keeso, 19-2
Michael McLeod, Forgive Me
Dillon Casey, Remedy

Emily
Should win: Jared Keeso. 19-2 might be well-written and shot, but it wouldn’t have the same star power without Keeso and his screen partner Adrian Holmes repeatedly killing it.
Will win: Keeso.

Diane
Should win: Jared Keeso is head and shoulders above the rest, and I say that as someone still catching up with season one of 19-2.
Will win: Jared Keeso or there is no justice.

Chris
Should win: Jared Keeso, 19-2. Keeso is the blood, sweat and tears of this show (along with co-star Holmes), and he’s displayed some serious acting chops in the past year.
Will win: Keeso for 19-2, for the reasons above.

Greg
Should win/Will win: Jared Keeso. Keeso and Adrian Holmes are the faces of 19-2 for good reason. They head up an incredible ensemble cast. Keeso, who was so good playing Don Cherry for CBC’s TV-movies, has come into his own in Bravo’s cop drama, playing a sensitive Montreal cop who means well in everything he does, even if it verges into some grey territory. Want to see Keeso’s comic side? Check out Letterkenny Problems.

orphanblack2.jpg

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Meaghan Rath, Being Human
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Megan Follows, Reign
Jennie Raymond, Sex & Violence

Jackie Torrens, Sex & Violence

Emily
Should win/Will win: Maslany/one of her clones.

Diane
Should win/Will win: Tatiana Maslany, eight times over.

Chris
Should win: Tatiana Maslany for Orphan Black. Do we really need to go over this? Maslany plays so many characters, without her the show would have like four other credits. Even if you’re not a fan of OB, you can’t deny her ability to throw herself into every single clone role.
Will win: Maslany, Orphan Black. If she doesn’t, the universe will fold into itself.

Greg
Should win/Will win: Tatiana Maslany. Yes, she’s as good as everyone says she is. My only question is: which clone will accept the award?

 

The Canadian Screen Awards gala airs Sunday, March 1, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

What do you think of our picks? Who do you think should and will win? Comment below or via @tv_eh.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Interview: Murdoch Mysteries author Maureen Jennings sounds off on origins episode

It just makes sense to have Maureen Jennings write the origins episode of Murdoch Mysteries. After all, the author created him. Back in 1997, long before Yannick Bisson straddled a bike and drove into viewers’ lives eight seasons ago, Jennings published her first Murdoch mystery novel, Except the Dying.

In 2000, Shaftesbury Films optioned the novels for television, which led to three TV-movies with Peter Outerbridge in the titular role. On Monday night, the franchise came full circle as Jennings’ script for “Shipwrecked” brought Outerbridge and Bisson together on the small screen. We spoke to Jennings about the episode and her thoughts on the state of the franchise.

I know we’re eight seasons into Murdoch Mysteries with Yannick Bisson in the starring role, but is it still weird to see your creation on television?
Maureen Jennings: Oh, no. He does a fabulous job. It’s his Murdoch now, that’s for sure.

Obviously the show has evolved over the years and has changed from what has been in your seven novels. What are your thoughts on the evolution of the franchise?
I feel very lucky because it hasn’t strayed that far over the last eight years. Early on, someone had a brilliant idea—it wasn’t mine—to move us up in time. You can put out the books in for or five years and move the fictional timeline by a few months. But in terms of television, we’re advancing a year which gives a lot more scope to what was happening at the time. I think it was a really good idea.

Do you watch the show every week?
Oh yes!

How did the whole idea for Monday’s episode, William Murdoch’s origin story, come to be?
I love answering this question. We were actually in Halifax a few years ago and they have a fabulous museum there. What I didn’t know was that a lot of people from the Titanic washed up there. It’s gruesome, but they did. They have a lot of the artefacts that they found on the bodies in that museum. I was looking at that and thought, ‘Wow, isn’t that interesting what you can tell from what somebody was carrying in their pockets?’ One of the men had gold coins in his pockets, which is a morality tale because they didn’t do him any good.

I had long before established that Murdoch grew up in Nova Scotia, so this really got me going. It was actually a short story called ‘Wreckwood.’ That is the term they used in Nova Scotia to refer to a piece of the boat that they had found. It was very respectful. It was their way of honouring those ships that had foundered on their shores. I then changed the title to ‘Shipwreck’ and wrote a novella, which was intended for adults. It was a Murdoch story intended for a slightly different audience. I had framed it as Murdoch telling the story to his grandchild and that was really fun to to.

I always enjoy it when people talk about their past, so that’s really how it started.

Was it always the plan to have Peter Outerbridge cast as Father Keegan?
We absolutely wanted Peter in with Yannick. Everybody wanted Peter in, we just had to figure out the scheduling. He was happy to be there too and it was a lovely moment on many levels. Peter, the first Murdoch was there with the current Murdoch and they worked together. It was really nicely done. It was a fabulous experience.

Did you get a chance to watch any scenes filmed?
Yannick wasn’t there the day I was. We were there the day they filmed in Sutton, Ont., filming the shipwreck scenes. We went to a gravel pit to film the shipwreck. It was cold and wet and they were using rain towers to simulate the storm. It was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever experienced. There was Peter as Father Keegan, getting soaked to the skin and doing brilliantly.

I know scripts go through many edits. Were there any important plot points featured in this episode?
We had to work hard in terms of bringing together the two storylines. That was much more difficult that what I’d thought originally. One of the writers, Carol Hay, came up with the idea of rather than trying to link the two stories in terms of the plot, why don’t we just link them together in terms of theme and have this story of William’s relationship with Father Keegan be paramount. I thought that was very clever and it worked.

I enjoyed seeing young William and seeing his curiosity and Catholic faith established.
I was not raised in any way Catholic, but I went to a Catholic university—which was then called Assumption—and I was so impressed by the fathers there. That has definitely morphed into Father Keegan. And I think that, really, the young Murdoch is the young me.

Murdoch Mysteries returns with new episodes on Monday, March 16, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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19-2, Featured

Review: 19-2 heads into a new direction

Quite often it’s the physical action on 19-2 that keeps me riveted to the screen. But there are times when conversations between the characters have me on the edge of my seat. That was certainly the case with Monday’s latest, “Tables,” when Ben finally came clean to Nick that he had been spying on him.

To say this was a relief for me is an understatement. Nick and Ben have developed into a fantastic partnership and having this hanging over them has made me feel very uneasy. To be honest, I was expecting major fireworks between the two once Nick found out—maybe a wrestling match like we saw in the cabin last season—but Nick was surprisingly cool even though Ben pulled his gun at the height of his fright. I’m guessing the fact Ben’s apartment was torn apart and his files stolen caused Nick to realize his partner wasn’t spying on him because he enjoyed it. Still, Ben betrayed Nick’s trust and they won’t simply bounce back from it in a week.

Nick’s own investigation into who the mole in 19 will certainly make strides in the right direction. Arresting the guy Nick saw in the pizza place—the same fellow who had the underage girl in the hotel room—and booking him on drug and weapons charges caused the fellow to request help from their “friend in 19” has gotten the ball rolling. From the way he’s been acting, it looks like Commander Gendron is the mole. He’s been pretty shifty lately and been caught looking out the window a lot, which means he’s reflecting on decisions he’s made in his life.

Past decisions revisited Bear this week. A call to a strip club reunited she and former girlfriend Mary Louise, who planted a big kiss on Bear—much to J.M.’s glee—and demanded a dinner date. Dinner went well, but some after-dinner oral sex seemed to go even better. I’m guessing the reunion, paired with Mary Louise’s desire to turn over a new leaf, means Bear will be questioning that life plan she’s got all figured out.

Notes and quotes

  • Kudos to composer Nicolas Maranda for creating haunting moments with 19-2‘s theme and background music.
  • I never realized the police were given a specific time during their shift to eat. I assumed they just did it whenever they were peckish.
  • I don’t know what “squished chicken” is, but I want some. With rice.
  • “I don’t mind a bit of grime.” Line of the night from J.M.

19-2 airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo.

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Featured, Orphan Black

Orphan Black return blocked from AMC in Canada

Turns out the only place Canadians will be able to catch the Season 3 debut of Orphan Black will be on Space. Bell Media, which owns the specialty channel, announced Monday afternoon that fans would not be able to tune in to AMC for their clone fix on April 18.

“Space is the exclusive Canadian broadcaster for its original series Orphan Black,” confirmed Scott Henderson, vice-president of communications for Bell Media. “As a result, Orphan Black will not air on AMC in Canada.”

It makes sense for Bell Media to make the move; it means their broadcast and ratings aren’t watered down by viewers tuning to another channel.

The news comes days after AMC Networks announced BBC America’s flagship show would be broadcast across four other networks in the U.S.—AMC, Sundance TV, IFC and We TV—in a bid to capture as many viewers as possible. AMC broadcasts in Canada, allowing viewers north of the border access to series like The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and Halt and Catch Fire.

AMC will air a repeat episode of Mad Men in that timeslot.

“Orphan Black is a truly outstanding original series that has attracted consistent and widespread critical acclaim as well as a considerable, growing following from viewers,” AMC Networks CEO Ed Carroll told Variety at the time. “AMC Networks is a channel group known for high-quality storytelling and creating a premiere television event for Orphan Black is a perfect opportunity to use our programming assets to help extend the reach of this quality series.”

As previously revealed by Space, the third instalment of Orphan Black begins with Sarah (Tatiana Maslany) fighting to locate Helena while a threat from Castor (Ari Millen) looms. Orphan Black is nominated for a total of 13 Canadian Screen Awards, including nods for co-stars Maslany and Jordan Gavaris.

Orphan Black returns Saturday, April 18, at 9 p.m. ET on Space.

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Awards, Featured

He Said/She Said: Do the Canadian Screen Awards matter?

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Join Greg and Diane on Mondays as we debate a TV-related issue that’s on our minds. This week: with the Canadian Screen Awards broadcast coming up on March 1, we ponder whether they matter.

Diane said:

“Matter” is such a big word. Every profession has awards, and they tend to matter a lot to the people receiving them. I remember the pride I felt as a young teen for winning Harvey’s Employee of the Month award (less so when I realized it was because I’d done such a good job of the terrible assignment to scrub the insides of the giant garbage cans). The difference with TV and film awards is they’re televised, and the audience cares more about them than hamburger customers do.

I rarely see a show or actor trumpeted for the rest of their career as a Gemini or Canadian Screen Award winner, as you see with Oscars and Emmys, but the size of our country — and therefore the size of our industry and audiences — help explain why the cachet isn’t the same.

It’s nice for people to be recognized for the quality of their work rather than the audience reaction, which can be two very different things. Though the CSAs – come on, can’t they come up with their own official nickname — have a fan award and ratings award too. Not content with being Canada’s answer to the Oscars and Emmys rolled into one, they have to be the People’s Choice and Nielsens, too.

Above all, the awards provide the opportunity for promotion, and the Canadian TV industry needs more of that. Debating winners, snubs, whether the awards matter — it’s a vehicle to get us talking. Do the most worthy shows and people always get nominated and win? Of course not, and it’s too subjective to say anyway, as with all awards. I’m sure there was a Harvey’s employee seething that they lost to someone who scrubbed garbage cans.

Greg said:

First of all, belated congratulations to Diane on her Harvey’s Employee of the Month award. I’ve never gotten any awards outside of those Canadian Fitness Awards they gave out in elementary school and mine read “Participant.”

Like Diane said, “matter” is a subjective word but I think the Canadian Screen Awards matter. A lot. The Brits have their BAFTA Awards and the U.S. have copious awards to pat themselves on the back about, so why not us? Except the CSAs represent something that I think is very important: an acknowledgment that we know how to make great television and feature films. It’s true that we don’t have a funky, cool pet name for the trophy given out, but that’s not a big deal to me. What isa big deal is broadcasting to the country that there are passionate people working in the Canadian television industry that fight incredible odds just to get shows on the air in the first place.

Are the CSAs perfect? No. Sometimes the nomination list comes off like a popularity contest (something any award show is accused of) and the three-night event is often scoffed at for being too bloated. But I’d much rather there be too many than not enough trophies. It’s time for Canadians to stop complaining about the dearth of good television (those baby steps are being taken), and check out the CSAs on March 1. See who wins, make a note of the show they’re nominated on behalf of and then watch an episode of that show. That’s how I found out about Blackstone and it’s a gateway for others to do the same.

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