From Cassandra Szklarski of the Canadian Press:

• CBC lineup heavy on returning shows, more repeats planned in case of NHL lockout
  Saturday night TV will best be described as “rerun night in Canada” if the hockey lockout extends into the new year. The CBC says it will likely repeat part of its weekly lineup to fill the “Hockey Night in Canada” void caused by the protracted NHL labour dispute. Read more.

From Marc Weisblott of Canada.com:

• The worst enemies of Canadian comedy are the people who produce it
  Still, after watching the interview with the 22 Minutes star, Chris Selley of the National Post was compelled to ask, “Is Canada the least funny nation on Earth?“ Perhaps that’s true, in spite of our tendency to amuse Americans more than ourselves. But in analyzing the death of Canadian comedy, it might be helpful to consider the following conditions that were co-conspirators in its demise. Read more.

From Alex Strachan of Postmedia News:

• TV’s hits and misses: Arrow finds its mark, while CBC struggles
  Few CBC programs of any kind have managed to break into the Top 30 in recent weeks, not even hardy ratings perennial Dragons’ Den. Over the Rainbow’s numbers, while respectable, paled in comparison with last year’s Battle of the Blades, on the same day and time. (Battle of the Blades, on hiatus this season, is expected to return next year.) Read more.

From a media release:

INSPIRED BY THE TRUE STORY OF A SPORTS VICTORY IN THE WAKE OF TRAGEDY, THE PHANTOMS IS A HEART-WARMING TALE OF TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY

• THE PHANTOMS airs Sunday, November 18 at 8 PM on CBC Television

CBC Television presents an inspiring real-life story of triumph in a small town, as one high school basketball team bands together to rebound from tragedy in THE PHANTOMS, airing Sunday November 18 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT). Inspired by the events surrounding the 2009 New Brunswick provincial championship season of the Bathurst High School varsity basketball team, THE PHANTOMS recounts the team’s difficult road to success after a devastating road accident took the lives of seven players and the wife of the Coach.

In the following year, as tragedy hung over the community, the BHS Phantoms returned to the court to honour the members they had lost. Against the odds, the ragtag group of players gelled as a team, and lifted not only their school ranking, but the spirit of their community. THE PHANTOMS is an inspiring Canadian story about determination, courage and the power of community.

Penned by Gemini award-winning screenwriter Andrew Wreggitt (Mayerthorpe; The Don Cherry Story,) THE PHANTOMS is directed by acclaimed director Sudz Sutherland (Guns; Love Sex & Eating the Bones) and produced by Timothy M. Hogan and Rick LeGuerrier (Canada Russia ’72; Sticks & Stones).

The ensemble cast includes Tyler Johnston (The Killing, Keep Your Head up Kid: The Don Cherry Story, Less Than Kind), Kyle Mac (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Wesley McInnes (Heartland), Holly Deveaux (Less Than Kind), Joy Tanner (Degrassi: The Next Generation) Wally MacKinnon (Canada Russia ’72), Greg Bryk (History of Violence), Tammy Isbell (The L.A. Complex) and Wendel Meldrum (Less Than Kind).

The Phantoms is produced by Dream Street Pictures, in association with CBC, and with the participation of the Canadian Media Fund, the Shaw Rocket Fund, the COGECO Program Development Fund, and, the New Brunswick Film Tax Credit.