RM Vaughan of the Globe and Mail interviews Carlo Rota of Little Mosque on the Prairie:

• The most handsome man on the CBC
  “Since the early nineties, Rota has starred in every Canadian television show you love, many small Canadian films you would love if you ever saw, plus all those syndicated, B-budget American dramas we make in Toronto to keep our actors fed and watered. From sombre Street Legal to the cheesy delights of Relic Hunter, Rota has proved his versatility – he can do comedy, he can do mystery, he can kill aliens. What a difference a couple of casting calls make. This fall, Rota finds himself in the enviable position of returning to central roles in two zeitgeist-defining shows – 24 and Little Mosque on the Prairie. If only he could forgive himself for Forever Knight.”

From the Toronto Star, TV suggestions for tonight:

• Best Bets
  “It seemed to come from nowhere: Little Mosque on the Prairie, CBC’s first bona fide ratings hit in series form in years. Now you can revisit the comedy via summer repeats. It clicked because viewers recognized their neighbours among the gifted comic actors, including Debra McGrath and Carlo Rota. Situations had the cast poking amiable fun at each other. It turned out to be as non-controversial as Corner Gas. Think of it: two top sitcoms both located in Saskatchewan (CBC at 8:30).”

Guy Dixon of the Globe and Mail reports on Ben Silverman’s Banff World Television Festival session:

• NBC honcho shows interest in Little Mosque
  “The recently appointed co-chairman of NBC, Ben Silverman, who is known for repackaging foreign shows such as The Office and Ugly Betty for the U.S. market, has given a strong indication that he’s considering snapping up CBC’s Little Mosque on the Prairie.”

Kevin Baker of the National Post writes about the flap over the Altar Boy Gang and what that means to the future of comedy:

• Irreverence control
  “At a presentation of CBC TV’s fall lineup, Little Mosque on the Prairie was hailed as ‘the saviour of the CBC.’ In fact, the CBC has made a deal with the Devil, in particular, with the demons Sensitipheles and Feelzebub, whose minions are grievancebearers and offence-finders. The CBC made a bid for publicity and won its prize: a hit sitcom. But the price it paid could mean future comedy series must be vetted by irreverence-control inspectors, whose checklists have no box for funny.”