Everything about Masterchef Canada, eh?

Tonight: Masterchef Canada, Motive, Big Brother Canada

Masterchef Canada, CTV – “Wedding on the Waves”
The home cooks face their biggest team challenge yet: catering a beautiful Harbour Cruise wedding. They are tasked with creating stunning French-inspired canapés, appetizers, and main dishes for the bride, groom, and their wedding guests. Back in the MASTERCHEF CANADA kitchen, the losing team faces a Pressure Test that stars another French specialty – a technique-driven dessert that separates at least one home cook from their culinary dream.

Motive, CTV – “The Suicide Tree”
When an armored car robber drops dead in the middle of a heist, Detectives Angie Flynn (Kristin Lehman), Oscar Vega (Louis Ferreira), and Brian Lucas (Brendan Penny) follow the clues to an unassuming florist. The team comes together to support Dr. Rogers (Lauren Holly) after a security breach shakes her confidence.

Big Brother Canada, Global
The houseguests face Nomination in tonight’s episode of Big Brother Canada.

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Comments and queries for the week of April 3

I have been trying to find out why Line didn’t have to be tested [during last Sunday’s episode of MasterChef Canada]. If you or anyone else knows please let me know.—Sharon

There are weeks when there is so much going on with other contestants that others don’t get any screen time. That was the case with Line and Sabrina this week.


I think TV critics are useful for the industry, so long as they are reviewing shows that are their type. By this I mean that someone who doesn’t like sci-fi, shouldn’t critique a sci-fi series, someone who has never liked the romantic comedy genre should not review a romantic comedy, and a 61-year-old man shouldn’t critique a series about 20-something women unless any of them can actually do it objectively and empathetically. Too often I’ve seen a terrific show being ripped to shreds in a review, only because the critic has no interest in the genre and can’t or won’t try to connect to it. Sci-fi shows seem to get the worst of it and when you go to fan sites and such, you hear about it, especially around awards season where it’s almost like critics look down on the genre.—Alicia


Cheers, Diane, for taking on a poll and the blow-back that apparently goes with it. ;) My “write-in vote” would be, (perhaps no surprise) for Strange Empire, at least for what it was reflecting in Canadian thought about our history during during its run (2014-2015). The Indigenous and multi-gender viewpoints, not to mention the quality of acting and writing, marked a step forward for the CBC network, in my opinion. Time may prove that this show was CBC at one of its most interesting (and important) points. The network is, unfortunately, a little less on both fronts now, with their abrupt and less-than-forthright cancellation of the show.—Chad

I’m a U.S. citizen but my mom grew up in a very small town in Saskatchewan. We’d visit every other summer growing up. Corner Gas reminds me so much if those visits. Aside from that it’s also one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen regardless of country of origin.—DC

They should rename Schitt’s Creek “Schitt’s Creek – USA.” Anytime they mention a place or location, it is in the U.S. Anytime a person is mentioned outside their small community, it is usually an American or someone foreign. There is nothing Canadian about it. Even Mr. D is getting into the U.S.A. game.—Georges


I first thought Crabtree was covering for Edna or Simon [on Murdoch Mysteries], but the fact that he left his boots to be so easily found is not in his character as a police officer. There is definitely more than meets the eye here. Simon said that his father was involved in a criminal element so maybe someone from his past will surface and be found guilty. I want Crabtree to get together with Edna. They make a better match than he and Emily.—Cloquette

George would not have killed Edna’s husband. It’s just not in his character. I believe he is protecting either Edna or Simon. But if he tried to help them cover it up, he’s done a very sloppy job and one that, at best, would make him an accessory after the fact, and something that would cost him his job as a police officer. Not at all the calibre we have come to expect from him in his association with William. Perhaps he discovered the crime scene, walking through the blood, and allowed the clues to be discovered pointing to him to give Edna and Simon time to disappear. Still somewhat culpable, but not as reprehensible. I would sorely miss the character of George were he to leave the program. Mind you, they’re all integral to the series and the absence of any one of them would be unfortunate.—Koboclio

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

 

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Review: Birthday cakes and backfired plots on MasterChef Canada

Kudos to Christopher and David for having their hearts in the right place when they tried to give some people easier Elimination Challenge ingredients in order to carry them further into the competition. But as we’ve seen countless times on MasterChef Canada, currying favour to anyone usually results in disaster.

That was certainly the case with “No Piece of Cake” on Sunday, when Jon and Tammy found themselves in the bottom three next Kristen, who was sent home. Meanwhile, moves like giving Andrew and Michael difficult ingredients to cook with backfired, with both scoring the top plates of the night. Those two will head up the team challenges next week.

The episode had started so promisingly. The Top 11 were tasked with making a birthday cake that showed a side of themselves in it. Pastry expert Christopher was beaming the entire time, creating a four-later opera cake that was head and shoulders above everyone else, who could only hope for second place. That went to David; he bounced back from a bad week to nail his peanut butter and chocolate birthday cake. In fact, all of the cakes looked so delicious that Michael, Alvin and Claudio chose to taste four slices instead of three. (I’m thinking they did that because they love cake.)

David and Christopher headed into the pantry with control and safety for the week and plotted to put tough oddball pairings with chefs they wanted out and easier choices with less-talented cooks. Though their thinking was sound, Jon ran out of time and missed putting licorice sauce on his salmon and Tammy’s bacon and chocolate tarts were undercooked. Only Kristen out-did them with chicken and chorizo tacos that failed to showcase any grape jelly in her fruit salsa.

The MasterChef Canada Top 10 are:

  1. Michael
  2. Jon
  3. David
  4. Line
  5. Jennifer
  6. Tammy
  7. Sabrina
  8. Andrew
  9. Cody
  10. Christopher

Notes and quotes

  • Michael was wearing blue suede shoes when he met his girlfriend. Just throwing that out there.
  • I might be wrong, but this group of home cooks seems to be sharing ingredients pretty willingly with each other.
  • “Nothing is bluer than my hair.” Chef Alvin is right, Michael’s cake just didn’t stand up to the Dragon Chef’s ‘do.
  • I keep forgetting that I need to put a base layer of icing on my cake before the final coating.
  • The fact that Line and Jennifer’s Elimination Challenge plates weren’t even shown proved they were safe for another week.

MasterChef Canada airs Sundays at 7 p.m. ET on CTV.

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Tonight: Heartland, Masterchef Canada, Motive, Big Brother Canada

Heartland, CBC – “Written in Stone” season finale
In order to give Amy and Ty the wedding they really want, Lou struggles to deal with a slew of last minute hurdles.

Masterchef Canada, CTV – “No Piece of Cake”
The Top 11 home cooks face a sweet but emotional Mystery Box Challenge that requires them to bake and decorate birthday cakes that express something about themselves. Then, a dramatic twist gives two home cooks a strategic advantage in the Elimination Challenge, where they assign their competitors challenging ‘odd couple’ ingredients.

Motive, CTV – “The Glass House”
The gruesome discovery of a dismembered body leaves the homicide team looking for a killer with access to power tools. The case becomes even more complicated when the victim’s 16 year-old daughter is abducted, and Detectives Angie Flynn (Kristin Lehman) and Oscar Vega (Louis Ferreira) must race to find the connection between the teen and the killer. Angie continues to secretly investigate the Neville Montgomery (Victor Garber) file. Dylan Walsh (UNFORGETTABLE) guest stars.

Big Brother Canada, Global
The houseguests face nomination in tonight’s episode of Big Brother Canada.

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