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Highway Thru Hell returns September 8

From a media release:

Discovery’s #1 Original Hit Series HIGHWAY THRU HELL Returns September 8

Discovery’s most-watched program for the 2014/15 broadcast year HIGHWAY THRU HELL returns Sept. 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, it was confirmed today. With the third highest-rated season of any series ever on Discovery last year with an average audience of 723,000 viewers, the original Canadian hit series follows Jamie Davis and his crew as they travel the highways and byways of B.C. to the mountains of Alberta. The stakes are high as Season 4 picks up where the story left off – with Davis looking to expand his Heavy Recovery Operation while facing new challenges and bigger wrecks. The Jamie Davis Heavy Rescue crew faces significant change, as Davis’ brothers pitch in to help with both operations between the two provinces. The 2012 debut of HIGHWAY THRU HELL remains the #1 series premiere in Discovery Channel history.

In the Season 4 premiere, John, Jamie’s newest recruit, must save a snowplow stuck in the grip of an icy river. While Jamie pushes further into new territory, changes rock the company, forcing Colin to take on a new role. His first wreck of the season tests his skill on the rotator plus his skills as a leader. And the entire community says farewell to a Heavy Rescue crew legend.

Earlier in the evening, the Shotgun Exploration crew is back at Straw Lake for Season 2 of fellow homegrown series, FOOL’S GOLD, with two 30-minute episodes airing back-to-back, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Returning with 12 new episodes, Todd Ryznar and his crew are on a quest to extract 100 ounces of gold in the bounty-rich hills of Northern Ontario. Last season, viewers came down with a serious case of gold fever as FOOL’S GOLD performed as the top entertainment specialty program in its timeslot among total viewers, A25-54, and A18-49.

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Industry News

History sets Curse of the Frozen Gold debut date

From a media release:

Something ominous lurks on the Pitt Lake horizon in British Columbia as a group of fortune-seeking explorers battle harsh landscape, the unknown and each other to uncover one of the best known unsolved mysteries – the legend of Slumach and his lost gold mine. But will their greed for the famed fortune take their expedition to a dark place? Find out in the brand new Canadian original series Curse of the Frozen Gold premiering Wednesday, August 26th at 10pm ET/PT on HISTORY.

Legend has it that a First Nations man named Slumach found a fortune in gold and put a curse on it just before he was hanged. Allegedly worth billions, ‘Slumach’s Gold’ has tantalized prospectors for over a century, and now a team of experienced gold hunters takes up its pursuit – and the mysterious curse that goes with it – to stake their claim in history. The gold’s lure has claimed numerous gold hunters’ lives for over a century – perhaps victims of the curse or something more sinister.

A team of six daring gold hunters – including young and fit mountain climbers, a gold-obsessed prospector, a local lodge owner and some savvy, but skeptical old-timers – have eight short weeks to find gold before winter freezes them out. They’re forced to contend with the primordial forest, jagged mountain peaks, predatory wildlife and dangerous cracks in the ice that plummet hundreds of feet. It’s a region steeped in danger but the group is fuelled by a severe case of gold fever. While they claim to be working as a team, the clashes and scheming between them could ultimately be their downfall.

The six brave explorers are: Adam Palmer (the “Trail Blazer”), Evan Howard (the “Adventurer”), Don Waites (the “Legend”), Fred Braches (the “Skeptic”), Daryl Friesen (the “True Believer”), and Danny Gerak (the “Local”). Visit history.ca for full cast biographies.

Curse of the Frozen Gold is produced by JV Productions in association with Shaw Media.

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Lost Girl

Link: Anna Silk talks women, son Sam and ‘Lost Girl’s big finale: ‘We finished so strong’

From Hello! Canada:

Anna Silk talks women, son Sam and ‘Lost Girl’s big finale: ‘We finished so strong’
“We knew the show had to come to an end so it kind of made us go, ‘Let’s make sure we embrace every second of this season.’ And we did that and it’s one of the things we’re so proud of. We finished so strong. I really feel like we walked out on the last day of filming feeling so satisfied and we told the story so beautifully and I hope the fans think the same thing and feel what we felt.” Continue reading.

 

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Amazing Race Canada, Featured

Review: Face Offs and frigid temperatures on Amazing Race Canada

1 Comment

“We can’t expect miracles.” Sabrina’s throwaway comment midway through Wednesday’s newest episode of The Amazing Race ended up being prophetic for she and Nic, Simi and Ope and Neil and Kristin, as the trio of teams were not only saved from elimination but from serious injury too.

Who knew one of the smallest parts of Canada, Les ÃŽles-De-La-Madeleine, Que., would be the most difficult and dangerous? All of the teams suffered from bone-chilling temperatures (I spotted snow on the ground, so yeah, it was cold) but it was Kristin who was affected the most; she was taken to the hospital suffering from leg cramps after spending what looked like hours buried in cold sand. The result? They had to pass on the Kayak Hockey Face Off challenge because Kristin’s legs wouldn’t allow her to compete, incurring a four-hour penalty.

Simi and Ope suffered the same issues with cold because of the Face Off test; they spent so much time unsuccessfully fending off attackers on the water they took the four-hour penalty as well, hoping other teams would meet the same fate.

I liked the Face Off. The prospect of pitting teams head-to-head is an interesting idea and puts a certain amount of intimacy into the Race, but I think using it during the same Leg as a Double U-Turn nullified its power. I’m hoping the next Face Off is done as a stand-alone extra challenge so it matters more.

As for the Double U-Turn, I understood Gino and Jesse’s plan to flush out the Express Pass by putting Sean and Brent’s picture up there. Props to the East Coast brothers for refusing to use it and gutting out both Detours; not only did they save the Pass but they proved themselves to be fierce competitors. But Sean and Brent U-Turning the already last-place Nic and Sabrina? While I get they were making sure they’d give themselves plenty of time to complete the Ride It challenge, U-Turning the down-on-their-luck couple seemed like kicking someone when they’re down, especially since they incurred a time penalty because it was too dark to ride the horses.

Here’s how the teams finished in Season 3’s first non-elimination Leg:

  1. Gino and Jesse
  2. Brian and Cynthia
  3. Nick and Matt
  4. Dujean and Leilani
  5. Brent and Sean
  6. Nic and Sabrina
  7. Neil and Kristin (time penalty)
  8. Simi and Ope (time penalty, non-elimination)

Notes and quotes

  • I’d love to know how the producers decide when teams will depart on a Leg of the Race. Why 1:30 a.m. for this Leg?
  • “Married, no kids … but I still like the boys.” Brian’s comment to Cynthia made me laugh out loud.
  • “Punch it, Chewie!” Brian is quickly becoming my go-to for favourite quotes.
  • Can we sign a petition to have Kayak Hockey added to the Summer Olympics?
  • “Come on, Gino, work those nipples.” I’m leaving that one alone.

The Amazing Race Canada airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

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