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TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television

Production underway on North American version of Skins

From a media release:

NORTH AMERICAN ADAPTATION OF U.K. DRAMA SERIES SKINS CURRENTLY IN PRODUCTION IN TORONTO, CANADA

  • New original series from The Movie Network, Movie Central and MTV

Entertainment One, Company Pictures and MTV, in association with Astral’s The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) and Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central (Western Canada), announced today that production is currently underway in Toronto on the North American adaptation of the U.K. drama series sensation Skins. The 10-part, one-hour drama series will debut in January 2011 on MTV in the U.S. and on The Movie Network and Movie Central in Canada.

In association with MTV U.S., Skins is produced as a Canada/UK co-venture and was created by Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain, the father-and-son team at Stormdog Films. The series is based on the award-winning and edgy UK hit series and follows the lives of a group of charismatic, but troubled teens as they careen towards adulthood.

After open casting calls in both New York and Toronto – 1,000 teens turned up in each city – nine unknowns, aged 14 to 18 (three Americans and six Canadians) were cast in the lead roles. Now in its 5th season, Skins, which aired on E4 in the UK, quickly became a commercial and critical success, winning the 2009 BAFTA Audience Award and Best Drama Series at the 2008 Broadcast Awards.

Skins is co-produced by Entertainment One and Company Pictures, a division of ALL3MEDIA, the company that produces the U.K.’s Channel 4 series. Elsley is executive producing, along with Laszlo Barna and Michael Rosenberg of eOne and Charlie Pattinson and George Faber of Company Pictures.

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CBC’s winter schedule announced

From a media release:

STARS, HOMEGROWN HITS AND NEW SERIES BROADCAST PREMIERES SHINE IN CBC TELEVISION’S WINTER 2011 SEASON

  • Spy-jinks debut on InSecurity, Republic of Doyle returns, Village on a Diet debuts, The Nature of Things hits 50

William DeVry is Peter McNeilKirstine Stewart, Interim Executive Vice-President, English Services, CBC Television, today previewed the network’s Winter 2011 schedule, including the launch of new spy comedy INSECURITY, the return of the hit Down East detective series REPUBLIC OF DOYLE, the premiere of the groundbreaking new series VILLAGE ON A DIET and the 50th anniversary of THE NATURE OF THINGS.

New programming includes INSECURITY, an action-comedy following the exploits of agents at a fictional spy agency who have unorthodox and sometimes hilarious methods, but somehow manage to keep Canada safe—often unwittingly [pictured: William DeVry as Peter McNeil]; VILLAGE ON A DIET, which follows the residents of Taylor, B.C., as they try to lose a ton of collective weight in three months, and PILLARS OF THE EARTH, a sweeping epic of good and evil set in the 12th century and starring Gordon Pinsent and Donald Sutherland.

Returning favourites include REPUBLIC OF DOYLE, a one-hour comedic drama starring Allan Hawco that follows the lives of a not-so-everyday family of detectives in Newfoundland, the internationally acclaimed comedy LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE, and the second season of the provocative family comedy 18 TO LIFE.

Meanwhile, award-winning CBC journalist Tom Harrington joins Erica Johnson as co-host of Canada’s most trusted consumer affairs program, MARKETPLACE. And this winter, the 50th season of THE NATURE OF THINGS with David Suzuki continues. Highlights include a two-hour special looking at the Alberta oil sands conflict, and a celebration of 50 years of programming, exploring and highlighting key elements in the history of a Canadian institution.

CBC Television’s Winter 2011 Schedule
(all times local; thirty minutes later in Newfoundland)

SUNDAYS (beginning January 2)
7 p.m. HEARTLAND

MONDAYS (beginning January 3)
8 p.m. 18 TO LIFE
8:30 p.m. LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE
9 p.m. VILLAGE ON A DIET

TUESDAYS (beginning January 4)
8 p.m. RICK MERCER REPORT
8:30 p.m. INSECURITY
9 p.m. THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH

WEDNESDAYS (beginning January 5)
8 p.m. DRAGONS’ DEN
9 p.m. REPUBLIC OF DOYLE

THURSDAYS (beginning January 6)
8 p.m. THE NATURE OF THINGS
9 p.m. DOC ZONE

FRIDAYS (beginning January 7)
8 p.m. RICK MERCER REPORT – Encore
8:30 p.m. MARKETPLACE
9 p.m. the fifth estate

SATURDAYS
6:30 p.m. CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA

WEEKNIGHTS
10 p.m. THE NATIONAL, with Peter Mansbridge
10:55 p.m. CBC NEWS LATE NIGHT
11:05 p.m. GEORGE STROUMBOULOPOULOS TONIGHT

DAYTIME
7 a.m. KIDS’CBC
2 p.m. STEVEN AND CHRIS
3 p.m. BEST RECIPES EVER

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Interview: Stefan Brogren of Degrassi

snake(1)From Melissa Girimonte at the TV Addict:

  • Gemini Gems: Stefan Brogren on the Legacy of DEGRASSI
    “I think we feel lucky that we’ve had an opportunity to be around this long and I know that we also feel there are a lot more stories to tell. It’s funny, everytime we think that we’ve done it all something new comes along that is going on in a teen’s life that makes us think that we’ve got to stick around longer. There’s more stories to tell and as long as they want the stories, we’ll keep telling them.” Read more.
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Battle of the Blades finale weekend details

From a media release:

BATTLE OF THE BLADES UNVEILS ITS FINALE WEEKEND PROGRAM

  • Winning Pair Awarded $100,000 Charity Donation
  • Guest Judge: Christopher Dean
  • All Eight Pairs Reunite For Group Ensemble Number
  • Special Performances By Kurt Browning and Ron MacLean
  • “Extreme” Performance By Violetta Afanasieva and Pete Dack

Final Four pairsAs BATTLE OF THE BLADES enters its final week, the remaining three skating pairs are preparing for their most important performance yet; the one that will determine their fate in this exhilarating competition series. Last week, a whopping 1.769 million* Canadians tuned in to see the final four fight for a spot in the top three. Contenders for the winning title are: “The Actors” Shae-Lynn Bourne and Patrice Brisebois; “The Sleepers” Isabelle Brasseur and Todd Warriner; and “The Russians” Ekaterina Gordeeva and Valeri Bure. Both Sunday’s performance show and Monday’s finale air 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) to 9 p.m. (9:30 NT), local time on CBC Television.

Joining the judging panel this week is British Olympic Gold Medalist and four-time World Champion, Christopher Dean. He and his partner Jayne Torvill are arguably the greatest ice dancers in the history of figure skating. He is looking forward to lending his expertise while sitting alongside head judge Sandra Bezic and permanent judge Jeremy Roenick as they comment on each of the performances but do not assign a score. Only Canada can declare the winning pair, as determined by the highest number of votes.

The final battle begins on Sunday, November 21 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), when the top three pairs are given two last opportunities to impress Canadians and the judging panel. The first performance is “Skaters’ Choice” where the music and direction of the routine is selected by the pair. The second skate is the pair’s favourite performance of the season – the one they feel best highlights their skill and personality.

The BATTLE OF THE BLADES finale airs Monday, November 22 from 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) to 9 p.m. (9:30 NT)local time with an action-packed show featuring familiar faces, incredible performances and, of course, the announcement of this season’s winning pair. Kicking things off is an ensemble piece by all eight pairs of the competition, followed by the “Men of Blades” with co-hosts Ron MacLean and Kurt Browning performing alongside the eight ex-NHLers. Next, Kurt joins the “Women of Blades” for a figure skating spectacle and the action continues as Violetta Afanasieva and her husband Pete Dack treat audiences to their “extreme” skating style – hula-hoop’s and all!

After the winning pair has been awarded the Crystal Trophy and performed one last time together, they will ceremoniously hand over the $100,000 donation to their chosen charity, or $50,000 each if the pair is splitting their support. The charities are: Shae-Lynn Bourne for Make-A-Wish Canada and Patrice Brisebois for Sainte-Justine UHC Foundation; Isabelle Brasseur and Todd Warriner for Heart And Stroke Foundation; Ekaterina Gordeeva for Cardiac Kids and Valeri Bure for Compassion Canada.

Viewers can learn more about the competitors at www.cbc.ca/battle, the official online portal or the BATTLE OF THE BLADES. In addition to videos, blogs and behind-the-scene photos, the site offers viewers the opportunity to become fans of their favourite pair and track each participant’s activity as they strive to be the final pair remaining at the end of the series.

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