Featured, Kim's Convenience, Run the Burbs

Andrew Phung returns to CBC with his own creation, Run the Burbs

December 31, 2021 Greg David

Like other fans, I was gutted when Kim’s Convenience came to an end. I missed the laughs, the family dynamic, and the diversity I was seeing on my television screen. Thankfully, that hole has been filled by Andrew Phung—Kim’s Convenience‘s Kimchee—in Run the Burbs.

Co-created by Phung and his best bud and collaborator, filmmaker Scott Townend, Run the Burbs—debuting Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. on CBC—follows the Phams, a young Vietnamese-South Asian-Canadian family living on a cul-de-sac in the suburbs.

“Relatable” was the first word that came to mind as I watched the debut episode of Run the Burbs. In those opening moments, I witnessed something I’ve done myself: trying to deliver a trunkful of groceries from the car into my house in one trip. To see the Phams—father Andrew (Phung), mother Camille (Rakhee Morzaria), daughter Khia (Zoriah Wong) and son Leo (Roman Pesino)—draped like pack mules struggling in the heat, made me laugh out loud at them, and myself.

“For this family, in particular, they make these mundane moments big,” Townend says. “And there are the families around them as well. People are going to say, ‘I have a neighbour like that.’ I’ve got neighbours like this, Andrew’s got neighbours like that. It was important to find the comedy in those everyday moments.”

In the works since the summer of 2019, Phung says Run the Burbs came organically and easily, thanks in large part to their longtime friendship and the way they constantly supported each other. By December of that year, Phung was confident what they had created would end up on a network.

“We had something here that was so fun and full of life and energetic,” Phung says. “What’s wild to me is that, through the process, a lot of it has remained the same.”

At the centre of Run the Burbs is Andrew Pham, a whirling dervish of a man who is full of positivity, good-natured humour and truly believes in the good in everyone. Even when there are down moments, like in Episode 1, when a planned block party seems to be going off the rails, it doesn’t last long. And with high-powered and diverse comedic talent in Phung’s co-stars and supporting roles played by Aurora Browne, Ali Hassan, Julie Nolke, Jonathan Langdon, Chris Locke, Samantha Wan, Simone Miller and the late Candy Palmater, the laughs are loud and last long.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have the cast that we do,” Townend says. “It is a powerhouse of comedy and every episode, every actor brought something new to the part. They took what was on the page, directors included, elevated it and made it better.”

Run the Burbs airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem.

Images courtesy of CBC.

Featured, Son of a Critch, This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Mark Critch’s childhood comes to life in the heartfelt and hilarious Son of a Critch

December 30, 2021 Greg David 2 Comments

CBC was delivered a one-two punch to its primetime comedy lineup when Schitt’s Creek and Kim’s Convenience both ended. Thankfully, the huge holes left by those two wonderful series are being filled by equally special projects this winter, Son of a Critch and Run the Burbs.

Debuting Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem, Son of a Critch—co-created by Mark Critch and Tim McAuliffe—brings Critch’s childhood to life in a hilarious and truly relatable way. Based on the award-winning, best-selling memoir by Critch, the comedy tracks 11-year-old Mark (played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as he heads off to a new school in 1980s St. John’s, Newfoundland.

As a child of the 80s, I was immediately drawn in and related to Young Mark and what he was going through. What kid hasn’t felt out of place in his own skin, and tried mightily to fit in? Throw in a rocking soundtrack of 80s tunes complemented by music from Keith Power and Alan Doyle, a cast that includes Critch as his own father, Mike, Claire Rankin as his mother, Mary, Malcolm McDowell as his grandfather, Pop, and Colton Gobbo as his brother, Mike Jr., and Son of a Critch is instantly enjoyable.

“It was very strange,” Critch says of being on the set of the television show for the first time. His family home, torn down in the 1990s, was recreated from his sketches and memories. And parts of his wardrobe, as Mike Sr., were his father’s.

“I remember looking down at one point and seeing my grandmother’s wicker chair in my peripheral vision, the radio that I listened to every day during the winter to see if it was going to be a snow day and wearing my Dad’s jacket and thinking, ‘I’m inside a memory.’ And then looking over and seeing Malcolm McDowell and saying to myself, ‘You sick fool, you should be talking to a therapist about this!'”

McDowell is just the tip of the iceberg in a stunning cast assembled for Son of a Critch. It all starts with Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, who puts everyone else on his back to carry the series as Young Mark. The British actor, who most recently appeared in The Haunting of Bly Manor, pulls in viewers with his large, soulful eyes and sensitive performance.

“I’ve never seen anybody better than Benjamin,” Critch says. “I’ve never had that Hollywood experience, where he was doing his audition and I said, ‘Stop, we need to get that guy. Here are my keys and my house, just get that guy!'”

Son of a Critch airs Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem.

Images courtesy of CBC.

Obituary

Link: Indigenous comedian and host of ‘The Candy Show,’ Candy Palmater dead at 53

December 28, 2021 Greg David

From Melissa Couto Zuber of The Canadian Press:

Link: Indigenous comedian and host of ‘The Candy Show,’ Candy Palmater dead at 53
Candy Palmater, an Indigenous comedian, actor, broadcast personality and host of “The Candy Show,” has died. Palmater was 53 when she died peacefully at her Toronto home on Christmas morning, her partner and manager Denise Tompkins said Monday. Continue reading.

Industry News

The Banff World Media Festival appoints Bron’s Brenda Gilbert as Vice Chair of the board

December 16, 2021 Greg David

From a media release:

The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) announced today Brenda Gilbert (above left), President of BRON Media Corp has assumed the role of Vice Chair of the Board. Lionsgate’s Kevin Beggs was recently announced as Board Chair. In addition, Justin Stockman (above, right), Vice President of Content Development and Programming, Bell Media has joined the Foundation’s Board of Directors, while long-standing members of the Board of Directors John Brunton, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Executive Producer Insight Productions Ltd; Ira Levy, Executive Producer, Breakthrough Entertainment; and Blair Miller Managing Partner, TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good are stepping down.

“We’re delighted to welcome BRON’s Brenda Gilbert as Vice Chair of the Board and Bell Media’s Justin Stockman to our BANFF family,” said BANFF Board Chair and Lionsgate Television Group Chair Kevin Beggs. “Brenda leads one of today’s premier production companies and shares our passion for impactful storytelling. Her business expertise and creative vision make her the perfect addition to the Board, and Justin’s strong programming background and relationships will contribute greatly in continuing to make BANFF an amazing event.”

“BANFF continually raises the bar in fostering creativity and business development throughout the industry,” said Gilbert. “I am incredibly honored to have been appointed Vice Chair of the Board and look forward to working with Kevin and the team to further enrich and diversify the global marketplace.”

“It is my distinct honour to join the esteemed Banff World Media Festival Board of Directors,” said Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Content Development and Programming, Bell Media. “I look forward to collaborating with Kevin, and my fellow board members as we expand the conversation around content creation and diversification and look toward to shaping the future of our industry in Canada and around the world.”

Additional members of the Banff Television Festival Foundation’s Board of Director’s include:

Kevin Beggs
Chair, Lionsgate Television Group, Lionsgate

Colin Bohm
EVP, Content and Corporate Strategy, Corus Entertainment Inc

Sally Catto
General Manager, Entertainment, Factual and Sports, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Sean Cohan
Chief Growth Officer and President, International, Nielsen Company

Tom Cox
Executive Producer, SEVEN24 Films

Valerie Creighton
President & CEO, Canada Media Fund

Sandra Dewey
Most Recently President, Business Operations and Productions HBO Max, TNT, TBS & truTV

Scott Henderson
Communications Executive

Jeniffer Kim
Senior Vice President, International Originals, HBO Max

Stephen MacDonald
President, Global Content Licensing & International, A+E Networks

Lisa Meeches
Founder and Executive Producer, Eagle Vision

Robin Mirsky
Executive Director, Rogers Group of Funds, Rogers Communications Inc.

About Brenda Gilbert
Brenda Gilbert is the President of BRON Media Corp, a company she co-founded and leads with her husband, Aaron L. Gilbert. The Vancouver based parent company has offices in Los Angeles, New York, London and Toronto. BRON Media Corp. is the parent company to operating units BRON Studios, BRON Releasing, BRON Digital, and BRON Ventures (holds an interest in a portfolio of 10 content companies). The BRON group of companies are industry leaders in production, finance and the sales and marketing of film, series television and animation.

Brenda has a special focus on BRON’s non-scripted arm BRON Life, and is currently an Executive Producer on several projects, including the Untitled Nicki Minaj series with HBO Max. Over her 20+ years in the media space, Brenda has produced, or executive produced more than two-dozen projects, including the recent animated film The Willoughbys, which premiered on Netflix in 2020.

Founded in 2010, BRON has been behind more than 100 productions and is proud to have been part of 27 Academy Award nominations and 6 Academy Award wins for the films: Fences, Joker, Pieces of a Woman, Greyhound, Bombshell, Roman J. Israel Esq., and Judas and The Black Messiah.

In addition to her role on BRON’s Board of Directors, Brenda sits on the board of Film Independent, she was the track chair for mentoring initiatives with Woman in Animation, is an Advisor to the Vancouver Film School and La Salle College, plus has volunteered her time with Vancouver Community College.

About Justin Stockman
As VP, Content Development & Programming, Justin Stockman is responsible for English TV programming including CTV, Crave, and Bell Media’s English-language specialty channels Discovery, MTV, E!, Much, CTV Drama, CTV Life, CTV Comedy, CTV Sci-Fi with a focus on developing groundbreaking new content.

Stockman’s role includes the ongoing negotiation and development of Bell Media’s Original Production programming content for all platforms with local producers and international studios.

Stockman also leads Bell Media’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, both internally as a member of the organization’s Diversity Leadership Council and with external partners like HireBIPOC, the definitive and ubiquitous industry-wide roster of Canadian BIPOC creatives and crew working in screen-based industries.

Formerly Vice-President, Brand Partnerships and Client Strategy on the Bell Media Sales team, Stockman role included oversight of the Sales team in leveraging Bell Media’s competitive advantage in content, production, data and platforms with clients, agencies, and internal stakeholders while driving new revenue opportunities through strategic brand integrations and data-driven client strategies.

Previously Vice-President, Premium SVOD and OTT, Bell Media, Stockman was responsible for strategy, management, programming, content licensing, merchandising, and marketing partnerships for Bell Media’s premium subscription video on demand (SVOD) services, Crave, Crave + Movies + HBO, and STARZ as well as driving direct-to-consumer revenue including customer acquisition and retention. Additionally, Stockman’s portfolio included oversight of English and French customer care centres for Crave, and Bell Media’s over-the-top (OTT) services including TSN Direct, RDS Direct, and STARZ, as well as Much Studios

Prior to this, Stockman worked as Vice-President, Specialty Channels, where he oversaw all brands and day-to-day activities affecting Entertainment Specialty Channels Much, MTV, Gusto, E!, Bravo, Space, The Comedy Network, and their complimentary digital networks, as well as Pay channels TMN and HBO Canada.

Stockman was previously Executive Director, Marketing, Specialty Channels, where he oversaw all brand-positioning, consumer and trade marketing, social media marketing, and social media communities for Bell Media’s Specialty properties.

Stockman has worked at Bell Media for more than a decade in various capacities including creative services and production as creative director, supervising producer, producer, writer, editor, and web designer.

In 2015, Stockman was recognized with the 2015 Digital Play of the Year by Playback.

Stockman graduated in 1996 from York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with Specialized Honours in Visual Arts Studio. In 2009 he earned his MBA through a joint program at Cornell University in New York and Queen’s University in Kingston.

Located in Banff, Alberta, Canada, BANFF is a premium marketplace and conference, an intimate space where unparalleled access, creative inspiration and expert insight combine to launch fresh content and new business strategies. Celebrating its upcoming 43rd year in 2022, the festival has grown into a must-attend annual event where media moguls, producers, creatives and industry stakeholders along with broadcasters and digital media companies tackle issues and trends, forge relationships and nurture partnerships in one of the world’s most stunning landscapes.

Transplant

Award-winning CTV original drama Transplant returns for Season 2 January 3

December 10, 2021 Greg David

From a media release:

Following a successful first season that garnered worldwide acclaim, and four Canadian Screen Award wins including Best Drama Series, CTV Original drama TRANSPLANT returns for its second season Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT beginning Jan. 3 on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app. Season 2 of TRANSPLANT is produced by Sphere Media in association with CTV and Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group, and the translated French version, TRANSPLANTÉ, joins Noovo’s lineup in 2022.

Filmed in Montréal, Season 2 of TRANSPLANT consists of 13 one-hour episodes and is anchored by Hamza Haq (My Salinger Year) as Dr. Bashir Hamed – known to most as Bash – a talented doctor and Syrian refugee who fled to Canada and was granted a second chance to practice Emergency Medicine at York Memorial Hospital in Toronto. In advance of the Season 2 premiere, viewers can catch-up on Season 1 on CTV.ca and the CTV app.

Season 2 of TRANSPLANT picks up almost immediately where Season 1 left off, with Bash (Haq) and his fellow residents reeling after their Chief of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Jed Bishop (John Hannah, MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.), suffered a stroke. With everything at the hospital destabilized, the place Bash was starting to consider home suddenly feels precarious. As the team adjusts to new colleagues while dealing with the challenges of life, unexpected faces from the past leave Bash questioning what his ‘transplant’ into this new world really means. Bash’s hard work, compassion, and hopefulness tell a universal story about the human ability to not only survive, but ultimately thrive, when our lives suddenly change course.

Joining Season 2 in recurring roles are Gord Rand (CHAPELWAITE, ORPHAN BLACK) as Dr. Mark Novak, and Nora Guerch (TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN, Zoe) as a woman from Bash’s past who was reunited with him at the end of Season 1. Also appearing in Season 2 is TRANSPLANT cultural consultant and internationally produced playwright and actor Ahmad Meree, who plays a character with a gripping, defining role in Bash’s past.

Returning cast starring alongside Haq are Laurence Leboeuf (19-2) as Dr. Magalie “Mags” Leblanc; Hannah as Dr. Jed Bishop; Ayisha Issa (Polar) as Dr. June Curtis; and Jim Watson (DESIGNATED SURVIVOR) as Dr. Theo Hunter. Also back for Season 2 are Sirena Gulamgaus (ORPHAN BLACK) as Amira Hamed; Torri Higginson (DARK MATTER, THIS LIFE) as Claire Malone; Linda Smith (19-2) as Dr. Wendy Atwater; Kenny Wong (PRETTY HARD CASES) as Arnold De Luca; and Sugith Varughese (KIM’S CONVENIENCE) as Dr. Aajay Singh.

Resonating with audiences across the country, TRANSPLANT was the biggest new Canadian drama since 2015, becoming the most-watched Canadian series among total viewers, with an average audience of 1.4 million during the 2019-20 broadcast season. Following the success of the first season in Canada, the series has been embraced by U.S. viewers on NBC and across multiple territories including the UK, Australia, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands. The critically acclaimed series also garnered six Canadian Screen Award nominations and four wins, including the coveted Best Drama Series, and Best Lead Actor, Drama Series for Hamza Haq.

On the Season 2 premiere of TRANSPLANT, titled “Guardrail” (Monday, Jan. 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app), a bus full of kids crashes and sends the team racing. Bash’s (Haq) life is upended when he is reunited with a woman from his past. With Dr. Bishop (Hannah) still unconscious after his stroke, Mags (Leboeuf) struggles to find support in her mentor’s absence. Theo (Watson) faces repercussions from his family after taking a full-time job away from home, and June (Issa) has an important career decision to make. An encore of the Season 2 premiere airs Thursday, Jan. 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Writers on Season 2 of TRANSPLANT include Joseph Kay, who is also Executive Producer and Showrunner, Adam Barken (EP), Stephanie Morgenstern (EP), Mark Ellis (EP), Rachel Langer (Co-EP), Julie Puckrin (Co-EP), Tamara Moulin, Anusree Roy, Sami Khan, and Carmine Pierre Dufour. Directors are Stefan Pleszczynski, who also serves as Executive Producer, Daniel Grou (PODZ), Chloé Robichaud, Bosedé Williams, and Kim Nguyen.

Cultural consultants on Season 2 of TRANSPLANT, providing valuable insight and feedback on scripts and character development, include Dr. Khaled Almilaji, Ahmad Meree, Manar Chabouk, Dr. Yusra Ahmad, Muzna Dureid, and Eli Shankji.

All distribution rights for TRANSPLANT are handled by NBCUniversal Global Distribution, with the series airing on NBC in the U.S. The series is produced with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, provincial and federal tax credits, SODEC, the Bell Fund, and the IPF’s Cogeco Television Production Fund.

TRANSPLANT is created by Joseph Kay who also serves as Executive Producer and Showrunner. For Sphere Media, Executive Producers are Bruno Dubé, Jocelyn Deschênes, Virginia Rankin, Josée Vallée, and Tara Woodbury.