From Jim Bawden:
Link: Much Too Young: Must-See Canadian TV
Don’t get distracted by the glut of new and returning TV series popping up all over your TV screens this fall.
Save some time for the brilliant new Canadian made TV documentary Much Too Young which has its world premiere Thursday September 21 at 9 p.m., which is World Alzheimer’s Day. Continue reading.
From a media release:
Whether it’s searching for the ultimate sweet treat, or adding an international flair to an everyday meal, Gusto has something for every budding chef with two original series headlining the schedule this September.
First up, Gusto gives viewers the sugar with brand-new baking series FLOUR POWER from Gusto Worldwide Media, airing Fridays at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT beginning Sept. 22. Newcomer Jessica McGovern, who owns her own baking school in Montréal, explores the wonders of flour, sugar, and butter in her retro-inspired kitchen, sharing three recipes in each 30-minute episode. Celebrating an uncomplicated love of baking, McGovern offers impressive recipes for every occasion, whether it’s a delicious treat for a children’s bake sale or an extravagant masterpiece for an elegant dinner party. FLOUR POWER is the newest addition to Gusto’s roster of Canadian-made original productions, with the series representing the network’s first original series all about baking.
Then, Gusto explores a whole new roster of global cuisines when ONE WORLD KITCHEN returns with a new cast of cooks for Season 3, airing Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT beginning Sept. 26. Mary Tang (Cantonese), Joanna Chery (Greek), Jasmin Rose Ibrahim (Lebanese), and Lisa Nguyen (Vietnamese) share recipes connected with their respective cultures. The culinary style of each locale is explored over each 30-minute episode, sharing everything from age-old traditions and secrets, to fresh recipes and tips. Through modern and traditional recipes, ONE WORLD KITCHEN shows that, no matter where you come from, food is a language that everyone speaks.
FLOUR POWER – Fridays at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT, beginning Sept. 22
Host Jessica McGovern shares her love of baking in this 13-episode, 30-minute series. Set in a retro-inspired kitchen, each episode offers three impressive recipes for every occasion. Some of the mouth-watering recipes explored throughout the season include: Pina Colada Cupcakes, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Pops, Cherry Pistachio Biscotti, Red Velvet Layer Cake, and more.
ONE WORLD KITCHEN – Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT beginning Sept. 26
A brand new cast means a whole new world of global cuisines for Season 3. The 30-minute, eight-episode, season explores Cantonese, Greek, Lebanese, and Vietnamese cuisines through the eyes of four passionate and captivating cooks with family ties to each region. The new season explores exotic recipes like chicken and sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves (Cantonese), spicy hue beef noodle soup (Vietnamese), fried cod with turmeric rice (Lebanese), beef and orzo casserole (Greek), and more.
FLOUR POWER and ONE WORLD KITCHEN are created by Chris Knight, President and CEO, Gusto Worldwide Media.
From a media release:
On the heels of last night’s big buzz World Premiere at the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival, and a cross-Canada theatrical launch beginning today from Elevation Pictures, CTV today announced the television broadcast premiere of LONG TIME RUNNING, the powerful feature documentary about iconic Canadian band The Tragically Hip and their momentous final tour. The special CTV Feature Presentation premieres across Canada on Sunday, November 12 at 8 p.m. ET. On Monday, November 13, the commercial-free theatrical version of LONG TIME RUNNING begins streaming on Canada’s premium TV streaming service CraveTV.
From acclaimed directors Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas De Pencier, LONG TIME RUNNING is presented by Bell Media and Elevation Pictures and is produced by Banger Films in association with Shed Creative, a division of Universal Music Canada.
LONG TIME RUNNING chronicles The Tragically Hip’s iconic 2016 Man Machine Poem tour and emotional final concert in their hometown of Kingston, ON after the band’s announcement that lead singer Gord Downie was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer. From Heriot Bay, BC to Gros Morne, NL to Moosonee, ON, viewers are given a unique and exclusive perspective into The Tragically Hip’s world through interviews, verité, intimate behind-the-scenes moments, fan testimonials, audience experience, and performance footage.
Fans can buy their tickets now to see LONG TIME RUNNING in Cineplex and Landmark theatres across Canada, beginning today.
Commissioned by Bell Media, the film is directed by renowned Canadian documentary filmmakers Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier (Manufactured Landscapes, Act of God, Watermark), and produced by Banger Films’ Scot McFadyen (HIP-HOP EVOLUTION, RUSH: BEYOND THE LIGHTED STAGE), and Rachel McLean, in association with Shed Creative (a division of Universal Music Canada). Executive Producers are Bernie Breen, Patrick Sambrook, Scot McFadyen, Sam Dunn, Randy Lennox, Jeffrey Remedios, Dave Harris, Naveen Prasad, and Jeremy Smith.
From a media release:
Food Network Canada’s new dynamic duo, The Baker Sisters (13x30min), have a serious craving for sweet treats and are on a mouth-watering mission to find them. The new Canadian original series celebrates the most scrumptious baked treats North America has to offer. Hosted by self-taught bakers and real-life sisters, Rachel Smith and Jean Parker, The Baker Sisters takes viewers on a guilt-free road trip to see how tasty, tantalizing treats are made. The Corus Studio-created original series premieres Friday, October 20 with back-to-back episodes at 10 and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network Canada.
Food Network Canada’s new personalities Rachel Smith and Jean Parker are sisters, moms, entrepreneurs, and of course, bakers. Born in Windsor and raised in Trenton, ON, baking, and specifically making butter tarts with their mother, has always been an important part of their lives. Recently, their family inspired them to start their own butter tart business, Maple Key Tart Co. Now, these two sisters are taking their baking skills on the road for a pastry-filled adventure in search of gooey goodies, meeting the people who make them, and picking up tips and tricks along the way.
In each episode of The Baker Sisters, Rachel and Jean visit three locations to sample treats for which the bakery, restaurant or deli is known. The sisters take turns in the kitchen with the expert baker to see exactly how their tempting confections are made. From great Canadian classics such as Nanaimo bars and butter tarts to intriguing creations including Lemon Lavender Cake, Peach Cobbler Cupcakes and Wild Berry Fritters, these sisters discover it all. Throughout their journey, the sisters make stops in Calgary and Edmonton, Alta., Toronto, ON, Victoria and Vancouver, B.C., Halifax, N.S., and stops south of the border in Atlanta, Ga., Charleston, S.C., and Phoenix, Ariz. to name a few. Together, they find out who makes North America’s most blissful treats and discover how they are made.
In the back-to-back premiere episodes “I Dream of Doughnut” and “The Chosen Bun,” the sisters head west to Purebread in Vancouver, where they learn to create Peanut Butter Shorties and visit Crave Bakery in Calgary to try their hand at a Chocolate Caramel Bar. Next, they head south to Atlanta to sample an Orange Star Doughnut at Sublime Doughnuts and visit Proof Bakery to taste test their Peach Buckle. The sisters make a final stop in Toronto for a nostalgic éclair at Nugateau and some classic cinnamon buns at Rosen’s.
FoodNetwork.ca serves a double helping of dessert with exclusive segments featuring the sisters as they sample even more tempting treats. Additionally, viewers can access exclusive recipes from the series and watch new episodes each week after broadcast.
The Baker Sisters is produced by Alibi Entertainment Inc. in association with Corus Studios for Food Network Canada.
I’ve been covering Canadian renovation programming for a long time. How do I know this? Because the folks I’ve interviewed in the past are creating forever homes for themselves and their families.
HGTV Canada’s Sarah Richardson is the latest to follow the trend. Like the network did with Bryan Baeumler and Scott McGillivray, Sarah and her husband, Alex, do the same with Sarah Off the Grid—debuting Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada—as cameras capture the couple’s attempt to construct an abode off the grid for themselves and their children. I’m not much of a handyman and have a horrible eye for design, but you don’t have to be either to watch someone like Sarah. Yes, she oozes skill but she’s also funny as hell as well as relatable. Sarah Off the Grid really showcases her personality and what her family life is like, something fans of longtime hosts like Sarah are hungry for.
Husband Alex and daughters Robin and Fiona jump in with both feet alongside Sarah and collaborator Tommy Smythe in Sunday’s debut, laying the groundwork for a 5,000 square-foot home in Creemore, Ont., to be built from scratch and employing off the grid necessities like solar power, wood burning fireplaces and energy efficient materials. The catch? Sarah and Alex will be their own general contractors; a tall task, especially within the eight-month window Sarah has set. Things begin at a fast clip—the location is chosen, permits are procured and clearing the last commences—and before you know it the concrete foundation is being poured into styrofoam forms that help cut down costs and make hanging drywall easier.
Fellow HGTV Canada superstar Mike Holmes makes the trek out to the site in Episode 1, and he’s got opinions. Mike questions Alex and Sarah’s decision to do be the bosses, building a large home off the power grid, stresses the need for a backup sump pump and perhaps most important of all: advises more solar panels. This, of course, throws the couple for a loop and has them rethinking their plans.
Like her series before, Sarah Off the Grid is educational and entertaining. She’s charming and Tommy is hilarious. The secret weapon in Off the Grid is Alex, who is a natural in front of the camera. Sarah’s husband is charming, knows what he’s talking about and—above all—is positive the job will get done despite the challenges they come across. His upbeat personality is infectious; you just know they’ll be successful in their quest.
Sarah Off the Grid airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada.
Image courtesy of Corus.
