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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Meet The Sloths (and other deadly sins)

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sloths

Have you met the sloths?

If your immediate response was anything other than “OMG, I love the sloths, they are so cute, squeeeeeeeee!” you clearly haven’t met these unbelievably mellow creatures, with their Mona Lisa smiles and zen-like demeanour. They are the animal equivalent of Buddha, or possibly Cheech and Chong.

Where can you hang with the sloths? At the Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica, of course. This one-of-a-kind facility rescues, rehabilitates and houses countless sloths. But if Costa Rica is a bit too far, you can always tune into tonight’s season premiere of Meet The Sloths on Animal Planet.

There is a great deal to learn about these enigmatic creatures, but this quick primer should get you caught up on your sloth studies.

What you need to know:

  1. The most interesting thing about sloths is their poop
  2. You can gauge a sloth’s health by its poop
  3. Sloths only poop once a week
  4. Pooping is virtually the only time they descend to the ground
  5. Sloths don’t just descend and poop, they do a “poop dance”
  6. Seriously, the sanctuary’s staff is so obsessed with sloth poop that you’d think it was laced with 24k gold

Don’t believe me? Watch this clip:

Defecation aside, the new season also delves into the romances and clandestine affairs of the sanctuary’s furry inhabitants. In episode 2 we meet “Brad Pitt,” an unusually handsome wild sloth who is helpless to resist the siren call of the females. By siren call I mean a high pitched shriek that could possibly shatter glass. Poor Brad scales concrete walls in dogged pursuit of the ladies, and unfortunately adds lust to his other obvious deadly sin.

You know … sloth … deadly sin … just watch the movie Seven and you’ll get it.

Animal Planet’s Meet The Sloths premieres today, Saturday, November 23 at 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT

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Bitten

Bitten premieres January 11

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bitten

Saturday Nights Shapeshift as Space’s New Original Series BITTEN Joins The Pack on Jan. 11

  • Based on the novels by acclaimed bestselling Canadian author Kelley Armstrong, the provocative new thriller airs Saturday nights at 9 p.m. ET, beginning Jan. 11
  • Produced by No Equal Entertainment, Hoodwink Entertainment, and Entertainment One in association with Bell Media
  • BITTEN premieres in the U.S. on Syfy in January 2014

As announced last night on INNERSPACE, Saturdays are about to get dead sexy with the premiere of the highly anticipated, action-packed Space original thriller BITTEN, Jan. 11 at 9 p.m. ET. Toronto’s Laura Vandervoort (SMALLVILLE, Ted) sinks her claws into the role as the world’s only female werewolf, Elena Michaels, in this 13-episode, one-hour original dramatic series. Based on the New York Times best-selling novels by Canadian author Kelley Armstrong, BITTEN is set in a world where werewolves live undetected amongst humans. Shot on location in Toronto, Hamilton, and Hespeler, ON, the series follows Elena’s dangerous struggle between the new life she’s created and her loyalty to The Pack. BITTEN also stars Winnipeg’s Greg Bryk (A History Of Violence, ROOKIE BLUE) as The Alpha pack leader Jeremy Danvers, B.C. native Greyston Holt (ALCATRAZ, DURHAM COUNTY) as passionate Clayton Danvers, and Alberta’s Paul Greene (THE CLIENT LIST, WICKED WICKED GAMES) as Elena’s human boyfriend, Philip McAdams. The series was acquired for U.S. broadcast by Syfy and is set to premiere stateside in January 2014.

In BITTEN, werewolves are monitored by The Pack, a powerful, organized family based in the grand manor of Stonehaven, their ancestral home. In the premiere episode entitled “Summons” (Saturday, Jan. 11 at 9 p.m. ET on Space), viewers are introduced to the town of Bear Valley in upstate New York and The Pack family, to which Elena used to belong after being bitten by her boyfriend Clayton (Holt). With that one small bite, Elena was forced to live as a werewolf. Still craving the normal life she lost, Elena flees to Toronto and hides her secret from her boyfriend, Phillip (Greene). However, she is pulled back into her former world when the discovery of a mauled girl catapults an all-out war against a group of rogue Mutts (non-Pack werewolves) whose aim is to destroy The Pack.

Meet The BITTEN Pack:

Elena Michaels – The Tracker

Laura Vandervoort plays the smart, extraordinarily strong, and sexy-as-hell, Elena, a foster child who had always craved a “normal” life and thought she finally found it with her boyfriend Clayton Danvers. But the secret life he kept from her ended up changing her forever. With one small bite, all her hopes for a normal “human” future were shattered. In the ensuing three years, Elena became the tracker for The Pack – trained to hunt and find rogue Mutts who broke the highly structured rules of werewolf society.

One year ago, Elena was forced to kill a human to protect her secret, and that deed so sickened her she left The Pack and headed to Toronto to try to reclaim what was left of her human self. She quickly built a future in the city, working as freelance photographer and diving into a steamy relationship with sexy ad exec Philip McAdams. She tries hard to suppress her werewolf side, but some things can’t be denied that easily, as Elena soon finds out.

Dr. Clayton Danvers – The Enforcer

Clayton was a feral werewolf child in the New Orleans swamps until he was found by Jeremy who raised him as a son. Now a Professor of Anthropology, Clay divides his time between his scholastic research and enforcing the Pack code, while keeping errant Mutts in line. He is the most loyal member of the Pack, sworn by life oath to Jeremy. His deep burning love for Elena may be tested through the years, but it never wavers: she is the only woman he has ever loved, and will ever love.

Jeremy Danvers – The Alpha

Jeremy is a hereditary werewolf who came by “The Alpha” status after a violent clash with his father, Malcolm. The ensuing battle divided The Pack – the members who sided with Jeremy came to make up The Pack. The remaining werewolves were cast out as Mutts. Jeremy is not a typical “mob boss” – he earns his living as a painter, and though he has no desire to kill, he enforces the Pack code with an iron fist when the occasion demands.

Nick Sorrentino – The Negotiator

The cad of the bunch who is never taken too seriously, Nick’s “wolf in sheep’s clothing” approach helps him get information out of Mutts and/or humans. Nick is always quick, delivers bad news with a smile, and lives every moment to its fullest.

Dr. Logan Jonsen – The Analyst

Living with his girlfriend Rachel, a rising culinary star, Logan has been able to keep his hairier temperament a secret from her, while managing a private psychology practice in Toronto. Logan is the only Pack member Elena has kept in touch with during her year away, and is one of the few people she trusts with the details of her new life. Logan is on-call with The Pack, brought in whenever they need him to profile a Mutt or to aide Elena in tracking down people.

Philip McAdams – The Boyfriend

Elena’s human boyfriend, Philip, is lighting up the Toronto advertising scene with his new boutique agency, McAdams Creative Solutions. He won Elena over with his fierce drive and cerebral seduction. Philip is a steady, rock solid presence in Elena’s life, and the one thing she can trust.

BITTEN is based on the critically-acclaimed series of novels by Kelley Armstrong, and is executive produced by J.B. Sugar (THE COLLECTOR, JPOD) for No Equal Entertainment, John Barbisan, and Patrick Banister (WHISTLER) for Hoodwink Entertainment, and Tecca Crosby, John Morayniss, and Margaret O’Brien for Entertainment One (eOne). Daegan Fryklind and Grant Rosenberg are Executive Producers and Co-Showrunners. eOne is distributing the series internationally.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

New Friday: Marketplace, The Fifth Estate

marketplace1.jpg

CBC, Marketplace – “Price Wars”
A hidden camera investigation by MARKETPLACE has revealed that automakers are blocking Canadians from taking advantage of cheaper prices south of the border, to protect inflated prices in Canada. MARKETPLACE went undercover at over a dozen car dealerships in Bellingham, Washington and Buffalo, New York – where dealer after dealer said they couldn’t sell us a car, simply because we’re Canucks. Dealers confess that the car giants north and south of the border have quiet deals to keep prices high in Canada. We’re told if they ignore the deal, dealerships can lose their franchise. The biggest consumer frustration – even cars manufactured in Canada are sold cheaper across the line.

The Fifth Estate, CBC – “The Conspiracy Files: JFK and 9/11”
When national tragedies occur they naturally trigger painful soul-searching. Whether it is the murder of JFK or the dreadful events of 9/11, Americans have searched long and hard for answers. In both cases a national consensus emerged over time about the single gunman who shot JFK… and the reasons the towers collapsed on 9/11. But some still question the so-called ‘official version’ of history. They passionately believe in other – often radical – explanations. And they think there might be conspiracies to hide the real truth.

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Murdoch Mysteries, Republic of Doyle

Republic of Doyle and Murdoch Mysteries to air crossover episodes

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From a media release:

CBC DELIVERS A DOUBLE DOSE OF DRAMA WITH TWO CROSSOVER EPISODES OF HIT SERIES MURDOCH MYSTERIES AND REPUBLIC OF DOYLE

  • Allan Hawco guest stars as Jake Doyle’s early ancestor on MURDOCH MYSTERIES, November 25
  • Yannick Bisson becomes a modern day Murdoch on REPUBLIC OF DOYLE, January 29

CBC delivers more primetime drama as hit series MURDOCH MYSTERIES and REPUBLIC OF DOYLE deliver two crossover episodes featuring stars Yannick Bisson and Allan Hawco as they swap series in guest starring roles. Tune -in and learn more about the Doyle clans roots as Allan Hawco guest stars as Jake Doyle’s great-great-grandfather on period crime drama MURDOCH MYSTERIES, Monday, November 25 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT). Then, Murdoch takes a modern twist as Yannick Bisson plays a present day police officer on REPUBLIC OF DOYLE airing Wednesday, January 29 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT).

In Republic of Murdoch, when a traveller is found dead in his hotel room clutching an ancient map, it leads Murdoch and Crabtree (Jonny Harris) to the Colony of Newfoundland. There, a flinty character named Jacob Doyle (Allan Hawco) becomes Murdoch’s prime suspect. As he delves deeper into the case, Murdoch uncovers bitter feuds and promises of riches that reveal the true motive behind the murder. Set in Toronto during the early 1900s, MURDOCH MYSTERIES follows Detective Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) as he uses unusual forensic techniques for the time to solve some of the city’s most gruesome murders.

In If The Shoe Fits Des (Mark O’Brien) buys the contents of an unclaimed storage locker and finds a rather unexpected surprise inside. Then, a strange kidnapping case leads Jake and Des (Mark O’Brien) to cross paths with Toronto cop Bill Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), but Jake’s suspicious of the mainland officer when it appears he isn’t telling them the whole truth. REPUBLIC OF DOYLE stars Allan Hawco as the charming and bold detective Jake Doyle, who struggles daily to navigate the complications of running the family P.I. business while keeping his very volatile private life in check.

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