TV, eh? | What's up in Canadian television | Page 1290
TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
Featured, Saving Hope

Three thumbs up for Canadian broadcasters

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There are times — many, many times — when I prod our Canadian TV industry to do better. Make more original shows. Schedule and promote them more wisely. Believe the Internet isn’t just a fad.

But sometimes, kudos are in order. This last week a few small actions made me cheer loudly:

  1. A few years ago, the previous CBC regime decided against picking up a weirdly hilarious pilot called Gavin Crawford’s Wild West. Like many a failed pilot in Canadian TV, it aired almost surreptitiously at some point, because a requirement of funding is often that a produced episode must see the light of day. Well, it’s back, less surreptitiously, in a smart use of existing content for their Punchline website. It’s been chopped up into sketches and given a second life, sitting alongside made-for-the-web series such as Bill & Sons Towing and online extras for CBC comedy series such as 22 Minutes and Schitt’s Creek. Check out Punchline here.
  2. In the battle of the online streaming services, Netflix wins for me hands down given it’s the only one accessible to me. It also has shows I can’t see anywhere else. For years I’ve pointed out that original content is the currency of the changing TV business and that Canadian networks were being left behind. But Bell-owned CraveTV has been doing something savvy with the content they do own. They may never want to produce originals just for the streaming service — Canadian broadcasters like to maximize their spending by spreading shows across all their properties — but they can entice Saving Hope fans to sign up for the opportunity to see episodes a day before they air on conventional television. Smart programming for a new platform.
  3. Sure, Bell gets a lot of credit for its Bell Let’s Talk campaign that raised over $6 million this year for mental health causes. But shomi, the streaming service owned by competitors Rogers and Shaw, gets the good sportsmanship award for joining the conversation:

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Income Property hits the road for Season 10

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HGTV

From a media release:

Income Property returns with a bang this winter, celebrating ten seasons of house hunting, messy demolitions and mind-blowing transformations. Handyman and real estate expert Scott McGillivray is back and ready to help eager home hunters find their ideal investment property. The new season of Income Property premieres Thursday, February 26th at 9pm ET/PT on HGTV Canada with four, special vacation rental episodes rolling out in April.

For the first time in the series’ history, Scott takes Income Property on the road as he helps four sets of homeowners renovate the vacation rentals of their dreams.  In these episodes, Scott and his homeowners trade in their tool belts for surf boards, fishing rods, and canoes to take in some of the local activities.  Featured in one of these episodes is Entertainment Tonight Canada’s own Roz Weston as he enlists Scott’s help in transforming his dated country cottage into an upscale rental retreat.

 

To honour the 10th season milestone, HGTV will air a marathon of one Income Property episode per season leading up to the new season premiere. As a unique added bonus, fans will get to see Scott and the Income Property team hijack the network’s master control during the marathon.  Interspersed between episodes will be a series of 25-second promos that give fans an inside look at the series as well as Scott’s personal life.  Viewers will see clips from some of Scott’s wildest stunts on the Income Property set, his first national television commercial, his wedding video, his boy band, behind-the-scenes bloopers with the crew, ‘where are they now’ check-ins with homeowners, and much more.

 

Scott was just 21 when he bought and renovated his first rental home and has since built a real estate empire across North America. He has not only proven himself as an outstanding contractor and investor, but as a relatable and loveable host. He was recently named PEOPLE Magazine’s Sexiest Man of the Week and is now tucking a tenth season of Income Property under his tool belt.

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Featured, Podcast

TV, eh? podcast episode 175 – Ground Up Groundhog

After digging themselves out from a snowstorm in Ontario, Greg and Anthony chatted with Diane about the ongoing Vikings contest on TV, Eh? and Kelly Lynn Ashton’s column about the latest CRTC decisions, including the impact banning simsub could have on Bell Media’s broadcast of the Super Bowl.

Also on tap: will Spun Out ever see the light of day, Schitt’s Creek‘s ratings drop and Rogers blames Numeris for faltering hockey ratings. And finally, Reel West Magazine‘s poll got the trio talking about the most impactful Canadian series of all time.

Listen or download below, or subscribe via iTunes or any other podcast catcher with the TV, eh? podcast feed.

Want to become a Patron of the Podcast? We’ve got a Patreon page where you can donate a small amount per podcast and get a sneak peek of each release.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Mr. D, Rick Mercer Report, Schitt's Creek, This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Tonight: Rick Mercer Report, 22 Minutes, Schitt’s Creek, Mr. D

Rick Mercer Report, CBC
Rick goes to Field, BC for the annual Yoho Blow Days celebration all about having fun in the winter with human bowling, relay races, and a unique variation on cross-country skiing and then he heads to Port Elgin, Ontario and jumps in the pool for a competition with the Saugeen Shore Life Saving Club.

22 Minutes, CBC
This week on 22 Minutes fresh perspective on falling oil prices and the government gives CSIS new, disruptive powers.

Schitt’s Creek, CBC – “The Cabin”
Looking for privacy, Johnny and Moira take the Mayor up on his offer of using his cabin for a night, while Alexis and David use the opportunity to throw a party.

Mr. D, CBC – “President Jimmy”
Gerry becomes unexpectedly embroiled in the school’s student council election and is forced to seek the help of an old foe. Robert goes mad trying to quash the mock campaign of a pro baseball superstar. Lisa and the school’s new librarian don’t see eye to eye.

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19-2, Featured

Review: 19-2’s Daddy issues and PTSD

Monday’s latest episode of 19-2, “Borders,” had a couple common themes running through them, namely the relationship between fathers and their children and the ongoing stresses suffered by Ben and Audrey.

Audrey clearly isn’t over the effects of her beating, something that came to a head during an electric scene involving she, Beatrice and several citizens. What began as a yelling match and snide remarks degenerated into Audrey tackling a well-known folk singer on his doorstep. Things only got worse when his friends came to his defence. Being surrounded by all those men clearly brought Audrey back to the beating, and I’m actually surprised she didn’t pull her gun on anyone. (This is, by the way, the second week 19-2 has stacked a large man against one of Montreal’s finest. Audrey riding on the singer’s back earned a chuckle from me.)

Bear has got to be wondering what she’s done wrong to get such flawed partners. First it was Tyler and now Audrey. She must be pining for someone like Vince to be with her. Speaking of Vince, it appears as though the girl he shagged last week has got the hots for him, though I’m not sure how she managed to get J.M. and Vince sent to her place for the 911 call.

Daddy issues popped up for Ben, Nick and Commander Gendron. Ben and Nick arrested a homeless man named Leon (Serge Houde) who was scaring folks with his row of dead squirrels and form of Tourette’s, and Ben had visions of his alcoholic father in the man. Despite trying to get Leon the help he wanted for him, there was none to be had and Leon was last seen flipping Ben off and wandering away. Ben had a lot on his plate Monday, alternately faking showers to keep up on his notes regarding his fellow officers, discovering Nick’s iPhone unlock code for the SQ and attempting to find out what sort of business his partner and Kaz had cooked up.

Charged with finding Gendron’s drug-addicted daughter—who has some Daddy issues of her own—Nick and Ben used the downtime to discuss the former’s father, who was a criminal of some stripe and whom Nick assumes is dead though no body was found. I’m glad that, now that we know these characters, the writers are exploring their back stories. It’s fascinating to me that Nick’s father was a crook, and goes a long way to explaining why he became a cop. Is Nick a bad cop, or a good one? It’s too soon to know for sure.

As for who the mole in 19-2 is? I think it’s Audrey. Just a gut feeling. What does everyone else think?

Notes and quotes

  • “Idiot.”—J.M. to Vince
  • I can’t tell you how happy I am that Tyler is clean. I like a basketball bouncing, orange shoe wearing Tyler way better than a slurry, drunk one
  • “It’s such bullshit. A folk singer with clout?”—Beatrice

19-2 airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.

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