TV, eh? | What's up in Canadian television | Page 199
TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
Jann

Season 2 of CTV Original comedy JANN premieres Monday, Sept. 21

From a media release:

Following a successful first season run, hit CTV Original Comedy series JANN returns for its second season Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and everywhere CTV content can be found beginning Sept. 21. Featuring co-creator and star Jann Arden, Season 2 consists of eight half-hour episodes – up from its six-episode first season –with special guest star Sarah McLachlan appearing in the premiere episode.

Set and filmed in Calgary, Season 1 of the critically acclaimed comedy is the most-watched new Canadian comedy series of the 2018-19 broadcast season, and garnered three Canadian Screen Awards nominations, including Best Comedy Series and Best Lead Actress, Comedy for Arden, and won Best Comedy Series at the 2020 WGC Screenwriting Awards.

This season, Jann sets out to win her family and ex-girlfriend Cynthia (Sharon Taylor) back, as tensions arise between Jann and her new manager Cale (Elena Juatco), who lines up music gigs that are outside of Jann’s comfort zone. Throughout the season, Jann also faces a number of musical rivals, both old and new.

Guest stars for Season 2 include singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan as herself; Canadian singer-songwriter, k.d. lang as herself; actress Elisha Cuthbert (THE RANCH, HAPPY ENDINGS) as school board parent Liz; singer, host, and actress Keshia Chanté (SOUL, PRIVATE EYES), as up-and-coming singer Nia Taylor; as well as Miguel Rivas (THE BEAVERTON, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW) as Jann mega-fan Nigel; Cynthia Loyst, co-host of CTV’s THE SOCIAL, as a local talk show host; and more.

Returning cast starring alongside Arden in JANN are Zoie Palmer (PURE, DARK MATTER) as Jann’s sister Max; Deborah Grover (ANNE WITH AN “E”) as Jann’s mom Nora; Patrick Gilmore (TRAVELERS; YOU, ME, HER) as Jann’s brother-in-law Dave; Elena Juatco (OPEN HEART, SCHITT’S CREEK) as Jann’s manager Cale; Jason Blicker (F/X: THE SERIES, STATE OF GRACE) as Jann’s former manager Todd; Sharon Taylor (BAD BLOOD) as Jann’s ex-girlfriend Cynthia; Alexa Rose Steele (DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION) as Jann’s eldest niece Charley; Ceilidh MacDonald as Jann’s niece Sammie; and Keaira Pliva (TIN STAR) as Jann’s niece Frankie.

On the Season 2 premiere of JANN, titled “What Did Jann Do?” (Monday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV), Jann cuts her Burning Woman Tour short to be there for the birth of her sister Max and brother-in-law Dave’s baby, and is surprised when nobody is happy to see her. She becomes determined to patch things up with her family and her on-again, off-again girlfriend, Cynthia. Meanwhile, a musical rival (guest star Sarah McLachlan) tracks Jann down, and she’s pissed. Episodes of JANN are directed by Ron Murphy (WYNONNA EARP, TRAILER PARK BOYS).

Season 1 of JANN is also available to stream on CTV.ca and the CTV app for fans who want to revisit the inaugural season or catch-up.

JANN was co-developed by Bell Media and Project 10 Productions and is produced by Project 10 Productions and SEVEN24 Films in association with CTV.

JANN is executive produced by Andrew Barnsley and Ben Murray for Project 10 Productions, Tom Cox and Jordy Randall for SEVEN24 Films, and Randy Lennox for Bell Media. Jann Arden, Leah Gauthier, and Jennica Harper created the series and also serve as Executive Producers with Jennica Harper showrunning.

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Children's Programming

Rotating Planet Productions’ Zamzoom’s Animal Adventures comes to TVOkids

From a media release:

TVOkids and Montreal-based Rotating Planet Productions proudly present Zamzoom’s Animal Adventures—an imaginative, educational and hilarious new television program for ages five and up.

A 2D animation/live-action hybrid series (21 episodes X 4 minutes), Zamzoom’s Animal Adventures takes kids on an unforgettable wildlife adventure across planet Earth. In each episode, we join Zamzoom, an enthusiastically impulsive space-alien explorer, and Orbie, his sharp-as-a-whistle robot partner, as they spin the globe, point and go! Light years from home, they land in some of Earth’s most stunning landscapes, such as the expansive grasslands of East Africa and the humid rainforests of South America. Coming face-to-face with an eclectic cast of real-life animals, Zamzoom and Orbie learn about what makes each species unique—from the secret language of marmots to the diving skills of northern gannets. They also answer questions such as “Why do hyenas laugh?” and “How do bees make tasty honey?”

Though they’re very different from one another, Zamzoom and Orbie make one intrepid duo! While Zamzoom jumps into any and all experiences without reservation, Orbie accesses Earth’s database to provide amazing facts and vital information that keeps Zamzoom out of trouble. (Although sometimes Orbie resorts to physically yanking Zamzoom out of trouble with the extendable robo-arm!) Together, Zamzoom and Orbie provide bite-sized brain snacks of science and loads of laughs as they embark on an intergalactic expedition of a lifetime!

Colourful, vibrant and entertaining, Zamzoom’s Animal Adventures captures the excitement of nature and wildlife and the sense of exploration and curiosity that comes hand-in-hand with growing up. Anything is possible, and the universe is open to be discovered!

Rotating Planet Productions, based out of Montreal, Quebec, produces and distributes a vast catalogue of wildlife and social documentaries, TV series, short films and children’s programs. Ari A. Cohen, producer and director, has created award-winning and internationally-acclaimed programs for more than twenty years, collaborating with the writers of Zerby Derby and The Adventures of Napkin Man! to bring this new Canadian series to life.

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Transplant

Links: Transplant on NBC

From Bill Brioux of Brioux.tv:

Link: Transplant showrunner Joseph Kay on taking his show south to NBC
“So often, you work years of your life on something and you wonder why it came and didn’t get seen by as many people. With a company like NBC giving it this big push I think we’ve got a great chance to be seen.” Continue reading.

From Victoria Ahearn of the Canadian Press:

Link: Canadian medical drama ‘Transplant’ set to cross border for U.S. debut on NBC
“I think that our show just takes what I would say is a very grounded and honest and relatable look at that story, tells it from the perspective of a refugee and an immigrant but also in a way that makes it universal.” Continue reading. 

From Adam Buckman of Media Post:

Link: NBC Heartfelt Doc Show Is ‘Transplant’ From Canada
He is a great character who rivets your eyes and ears in every scene he is in, which happens to be most of them. He steals the show and makes it worth watching. Continue reading. 

From John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal:

Link: Transplant’ Review: A Skilled Doctor’s Second Act
That the Canadian hit “Transplant” is joining the prime-time NBC lineup is presumably the result of pandemically limited production schedules. But that’s selling it short. Continue reading.

From Michael Starr of the New York Post:

Link: How ‘Transplant’ star Hamza Haq shaped Muslim refugee role
“Joseph trusted my process in building [Bashir’s] back story, so he included me as a character consultant. When ‘This Life’ got cancelled — almost three years before we aired our first episode of ‘Transplant’ — he said to me, ‘This isn’t an offer for [an acting role]. We’re trying to build the character. Would you like to contribute?’” Continue reading.

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