TV, eh? | What's up in Canadian television | Page 1146
TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television

CBC to air award-winning Blackstone

From a media release:

Prairie Dog Film + Television announces that the powerful and gritty primetime drama Blackstone will bow on CBC Television starting June 15. Launching as part of CBC’s National Aboriginal History Month programming, the series explores the real-life issues facing Canada’s Aboriginal community as explored through the characters of the fictional Blackstone First Nation reserve. Blackstone seasons one and two air on CBC starting June 15 at 11:30 p.m./midnight NT. The series will run Monday through Friday in the same timeslot until July 7. The series is also available for download – for the first time ever – on iTunes starting June 16.

Compelling and uncompromising, Blackstone is an authentic drama that explores the raw and real dynamics of family, power and politics. Blackstone is both a portrayal of a community plagued by corruption, violence and injustice, and an inspiring story of the undying hope and resilience of a people fighting for a better life in the midst of adversity.

Currently, viewers can download seven behind-the-scenes videos through CBC’s portal on iTunes. Following that, nine behind-the-scenes videos from season two will be available from June 16. Each episode of “Blackstone” will be available for purchase on iTunes following its CBC broadcast.

Blackstone season one features Carmen Moore, Eric Schweig, Michelle Thrush, Nathaniel Arcand, Roseanne Supernault, Steven Cree Molison, Andrea Menard, Justin Rain and Gordon Tootoosis. Season two sees the addition of Tantoo Cardinal, Georgina Lighting, Garry Chalk, Frank Cassini and Cameron Bancroft.

Blackstone has been nominated for 89 awards, winning 29, including two Geminis, six Leo Awards and multiple Alberta Film & Television Awards.

Blackstone is produced by Prairie Dog Film + Television, with Ron E. Scott as showrunner & director, Jesse Szymanski as co-executive producer, and Damon Vignale as writer/producer.  The series broadcasts in Canada on APTN and is currently in production of season 5. As well, it is in the United States on Hulu, in New Zealand on Maori Television, in Australia on SBS/NITV, and is internationally distributed by PPI Releasing.

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Review: Orphan Black — The Six

SPOILER ALERT: Please do not read on unless you’ve seen the Season 3, Episode 8 of Orphan Black, titled “Ruthless in Purpose, and Insidious in Method.”

Orphan Black episodes like this week’s bring to light just how remarkable Tatiana Maslany is. We almost take it for granted now, that the manic laughter of Helena, the tepid murmuring of Cosima, the dastardly side-stare of Rachel, the uptight cleanliness of Alison and the dark edge of Sarah all come from the same person. When you think about it, it seems insane that a show can be as engaging, as interesting, with one actor as the crucial centrepiece.

And of course, was playing a new clone (who we saw before, briefly, at her encounter with the Castors): Krystal Goderich. In her push-up bra and blonde hair, Krystal is instantly memorable and pretty much exactly how Felix describes her—as Sarah would be if she went to college. Maslany plays this character so easily, like Krystal’s been on the show since the beginning.

Jordan Gavaris also got a turn to shine, and it’s been a while since we’ve gotten a chance to see his chops, which I recall from Season 1. (That’s CHOPS, not CHAPS.) He was woefully underused in Season 2. Finally we’re freed from boring housebound Felix, and we’re treated to hardcore street punk Felix. When he slapped on the headset and spoke in his straight Canadian man accent to Krystal, it was one of my favourite Orphan Black moments to date. This is the fun stuff, this is the kind of thing fans are after.

Same goes for the Cosima/Shay/Delphine plotline, as many fans have a lot invested. I’m actually strangely invested myself, probably a testament to the realistic relationship being portrayed. OK, so it involves a clone, a progressing mystery disease and a multinational conglomerate, but I mean the emotions and the dialogue, guys. When Delphine and Cosima kiss, in my head I could hear “No! No! Don’t cheat on Shay!” and silently cheered when Cosima backed off. But at this point, we obviously can’t trust Shay. She’ll end up being a spy and then Cosima will get back together with Delphine. With all this talk about death and near-death experiences, seeing Delphine in a light … makes me concerned that Cosima will die in the end with Delphine by her side. Food for thought.

Even the Alison/Donnie plot is getting darker. Now Jason is very much a threat to their marriage, and it’s apparent that Alison is barely hanging on to her convictions. I gotta hand it to Donnie, he tries to get in there. He’s beaten to a bloody pulp, but at least he attempts something. I personally can’t wait until the drug-dealing scheme is over. Take the money and run, Hendrixes.

Of all the main characters (Maslany played six of them tonight), Scott got the s**t end of the stick. I have grown quite fond of the gentle nerd over this season, with his real estate fantasy board games and extensive sci-fi book collection. Not only does he get held up by Rudy, he loses the Island of Dr. Moreau, has his co-plan foiled and then loses his job. Oh no, wait. Krystal gets the s**t end of the stick if they’re doing what I think they’re doing, which is taking her eye for Rachel and then keeping her for tests/as a Rachel replacement. Yeah, that’s far worse. I hope she doesn’t die, she would make for an interesting character going forward. Things are looking sour for everyone, and judging by clips of the next episode, they’re going to get worse before they get better.

Off to London next week. Cheerio!

Clone of the Week: This is a toughie. I’m going to have to say Krystal. She was engaging (more than likely because she’s new), and it always fascinates me how Maslany wraps herself around these roles.

Random Thoughts:

  • Emmy submission! Globe submission! Seriously, I know sci-fi is an underrated genre, but c’mon six very different characters—often more—in one episode? Is that a world record?
  • Did I hear mention of a Polish clone? Sigh. That is just wonderful.
  • Felix: “Did I just get seconded into this s**t?”
  • Shout-out to the Firkin on King! Drank there many a time.
  • LOVED that shot of Rachel looking through the magnifying glass with her good eye. There were actually a ton of good shots tonight, but this one particularly stood out.
  • Krystal: “Bitch Mistress Cums-a-Lot.”
  • Helena + Gracie, co-workers, friends for life.
  • Delphine: “I’m French. We enjoy lovers.”
  • Rachel’s “top speed” in her wheelchair. I totally appreciate these quick quips you throw in there, writers!

Orphan Black airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Space.

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Link: TV industry’s turmoil leaves big show production on the sidelines

From Simon Houpt of The Globe and Mail:

TV industry’s turmoil leaves big show production on the sidelines
It’s been an unusual upfront this year, with two of the three commercial Canadian broadcasters opting not to produce a big show, but rather host a series of meetings, fireside chats and dinners with separate constituencies in order to deliver tailored messages about the effectiveness of their offerings. Continue reading.

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The Canadian networks’ 2015-16 season announcement scorecard

The Canadian network upfront dust has settled and 2015-16 schedules have been revealed. How does their Cancon stack up in terms of quantity, before we’re able to judge much on quality? Let’s take a closer look based on their recently announced lineups for fall and winter:

CBC

  • Canadian scripted shows:  9 1/2
  • New: The Romeo Section, This Life, Young Drunk Punk
  • Returning: Heartland, Murdoch Mysteries, Rick Mercer Report, 22 Minutes, Schitt’s Creek, Mr. D, X Company
  • Grade: B+

The public broadcaster’s lifeblood is original programming, making it unique among the major networks. Budget woes mean more creativity, if you can call reduced seasons an example of creativity, but also new arts and factual programming as well as international acquisitions. CBC gets a half point for airing City’s original production Young Drunk Punk; I admire the cooperative spirit that allows both networks to spread out their Cancon spending without the benefit of appropriate specialty channels of their own, like the biggest private networks who can air one show across multiple channels. With additional factual and news programming, including new shows this summer, CBC is the home of hope for a homegrown television lover.

City

  • Canadian scripted shows:  1 1/2
  • New: Mr. D
  • Returning: Sunnyside
  • Grade: D+

I’m grading on a curve for this smallest of the networks, and hoping they have more originals up their sleeve despite their minimalist fall announcement. Seed, Package Deal and Meet the Family are dead, but they recently ordered more episodes of sketch comedy show Sunnyside for fall. While Young Drunk Punk will benefit from CBC’s bigger reach, Mr. D may get some new eyeballs but a larger audience than its CBC run is highly unlikely.  A second season of Young Drunk Punk hasn’t been announced yet, and City didn’t take the upfronts as an opportunity to do so.

Global

  • Canadian scripted shows:  Zero
  • New: Nothing
  • Returning: Zilch
  • Grade: Is there such thing as an F-?

They recently cancelled homegrown medical drama Remedy while picking up the requisite American medical drama, and Rookie Blue may or may not be ending this summer.  Unless Global rushes their greenlit The Code and Houdini and Doyle into production and finds a cancellation in its simsub schedule during the regular television season, they’re unlikely to have any scripted original shows until at least spring 2016 — on par with their 2014/15 schedule.

CTV

  • Canadian scripted shows:  2
  • New: Nothing
  • Returning: Saving Hope, Motive
  • Grade: C+

Original productions on CTV are positively abundant compared to their rival Global — though some credit goes to their increased Cancon spending requirements after Bell’s purchase of Astral. Even then, they have one scripted show each starting in fall and winter, with Saving Hope out of the gate first in a plum timeslot. They still have a produced season of the sadly tainted Spun Out waiting in the wings. Will they schedule it when gaps appear in their simulcast schedule due to U.S. cancellations, or burn it off quietly some Saturday evening, or kill it entirely? Would they be able to kill it entirely without  issues with the funding agencies? Will we hear soon about more new original series for CTV? So many questions, and we can only wait for answers.

 

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