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Hudson & Rex

#1 Citytv original scripted series Hudson & Rex renewed for Season 2

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From a media release:

Shaftesbury and Pope Productions are thrilled to announce freshman hit series HUDSON & REX has been renewed for season two by Citytv (16 x 60), just six episodes into its 16-episode first season. HUDSON & REX is Citytv’s highest-rated original scripted series since 2015, reaching more than 2.5M viewers during its first six debut episodes*. Season 1 of the series returns from a mid-season hiatus on June 13, with episodes moving to Thursdays at 8 ET/PT on Citytv.

Inspired by Inspector Rex, one of the most successful international television franchises airing for a total of 18 seasons in 125 countries, HUDSON & REX has been acquired by Italy’s TV powerhouse RAI for primetime. Additional territory deals to be announced in the coming weeks.

HUDSON & REX is an action-packed police-procedural drama set in St. John’s, Nfld. The series follows the partnership between cunning Major Crimes detective, Charlie Hudson (John Reardon; Van Helsing, Continuum), and his partner, Rex (canine Diesel vom Burgimwald), a German Shepherd with heightened senses and formerly with the K-9 police unit. Based on the Austrian drama Inspector Rex, HUDSON & REX also stars Mayko Nguyen (Killjoys) as Doctor Sarah Truong, Kevin Hanchard (Orphan Black) as Superintendent Joe Donovan and Justin Kelly (Wynonna Earp) as Tech Analyst Jesse Mills.

HUDSON & REX is produced by Shaftesbury and Pope Productions Ltd., in association with Citytv, a division of Rogers Media, and Beta Film GmbH. HUDSON & REX is executive produced by Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, and Ken Cuperus; co-executive producers are Derek Schreyer, John Callaghan, and Jessie Gabe. Paul Pope and Julie Lacey are producers. Friedemann Goez and Oliver Bachert are executive producers for Beta Film GmbH. Produced with the participation of the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation, the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. Beta Film GmbH holds worldwide distribution rights.

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Featured, Industry News

CBC unveils 2019-2020 primetime schedule

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In addition to the CBC revealing the new shows joining the lineup this fall and winter, the network pulled back the curtain on its primetime schedule.

We have yet to confirm actual debut and premiere dates, but here’s what each night will look like.

MONDAYS
8 PM – MURDOCH MYSTERIES *Season 13* (FALL/WINTER)
9 PM – FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES *Season 3* (FALL)
10 PM – THE NATIONAL

TUESDAYS
7:30 PM – FAMILY FEUD CANADA *NEW SERIES* (LATE FALL)
8 PM – STILL STANDING *Season 5*(FALL)
8:30 PM – THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES *Season 27* (FALL/WINTER)
9 PM – TALLBOYZ *NEW SERIES* (FALL)
9:30 PM – BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW *Season 4*
10 PM – THE NATIONAL

WEDNESDAYS
7:30 PM – FAMILY FEUD CANADA *NEW SERIES* (LATE FALL)
8 PM – THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW *Season 3*(FALL)
9 PM – NORTHERN RESCUE *Season 1*(FALL)
10 PM – THE NATIONAL

THURSDAYS
7:30 PM – FAMILY FEUD CANADA *NEW SERIES* (LATE FALL)
8 PM – BATTLE OF THE BLADES RETURNS (FALL)
9 PM – DRAGONS’ DEN *Season 14* (FALL)
10 PM – THE NATIONAL

FRIDAYS
7:30 PM – FAMILY FEUD CANADA *NEW SERIES* (LATE FALL)
8 PM – MARKETPLACE *Season 47*(FALL/WINTER)
8:30 PM – IN THE MAKING *Season 2* (FALL)
9 PM – THE NATURE OF THINGS *Season 59* (FALL/WINTER) – New Night
10 PM – THE NATIONAL
11:30 PM – CBC ARTS: EXHIBITIONISTS (FALL/WINTER)

SATURDAYS
Afternoon – ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES *Season 5* (FALL/WINTER)
6:30 PM – HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA (FALL/WINTER)

SUNDAYS
Afternoon – ROAD TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES *Season 5* (FALL/WINTER)
7 PM – HEARTLAND *Season 13* (FALL)
8 PM – ANNE WITH AN E *Season 3*(FALL)
9 PM – THE FIFTH ESTATE *Season 45*
10 PM – THE NATIONAL

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Family Feud Canada, Featured, Fortunate Son, Industry News, The Trickster

Family Feud Canada and Fortunate Son among CBC’s new series; Workin’ Moms, Diggstown and 22 Minutes renewed

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A Canadian version of Family Feud with Gerry Dee at the helm, a drama based on Eden Robinson’s award-winning Trickster novels and a spy drama based on Heartland, Wynonna Earp and Jann executive producer Tom Cox were among the new series announced by CBC at the network’s Upfront presentation on Wednesday.

The network confirmed that Halifax-based legal drama Diggstown, sketch comedy 22 Minutes and comedy Workin’ Moms have all been renewed for new seasons.

Some sad news: CBC confirmed that Little Dog, Cavendish and Crawford have not been renewed.

Adapted from Eden Robinson’s novels and co-created by Michelle Latimer and Tony Elliot, The Trickster—from Sienna Films (Cardinal)—is described as a darkly humorous coming-of-age story that combines dysfunctional family drama with supernatural thriller. Jared, an Indigenous teen, meets Wade, a mysterious stranger who turns Jared’s life upside down.

Based on the real-life of Tom Cox’s family experience, Fortunate Son—created by Andrew Wreggit—is an eight-episode drama from Seven24 Films and Lark Entertainment about the matriarch of an American activist family who helps smuggle Vietnam war deserters and draft dodgers across the border. He is pursued by the FBI.

Gerry Dee is back on the CBC as the host of Family Feud Canada. Airing weekdays at 7 p.m., the 60-episode program showcases homegrown families from across the country competing to guess the most popular answers to fun, family-friendly survey questions from a sample of Canadians.

The Sounds, a co-production between Canada and New Zealand created by author Sarah-Kate Lynch, is being billed as a relationship drama about the goings-on in Pelorus Sounds, where nothing is quite as it seems. Peter Stebbings will direct all eight episodes.

New and returning unscripted series include Back in Time for Winter, Fridge Wars, High Arctic Haulers and Tallboyz.

CBC also made some casting announcements, noting Great Canadian Baking Show is swapping out Daniel Levy and Julia Chan for Baroness Von Sketch Show‘s Aurora Brown and Carolyn Taylor. As much as I’ll miss Levy and Chan, Brown and Taylor are going to be amazing.

And finally, Kurt Browning has been named head judge for Battle of the Blades with Ron MacLean back as the host. Olympians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will participate as guest judges. Those confirmed to take to the ice for the competition include figure skaters in Violetta Afanasieva and Vanessa James, and hockey players Sheldon Kennedy and Natalie Spooner.

The new series announcement comes just over a month after CBC revealed the projects returning for new seasons this fall and winter, including Murdoch Mysteries, Frankie Drake Mysteries, Heartland, Still Standing, Baroness Von Sketch Show, Anne with an E, Coroner, The Detectives, Kim’s Convenience and Schitt’s Creek.

Which new shows are you planning to check out this fall and winter? Let me know in the comments below.

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Industry News

Canadian screenwriters and independent producers reach terms on new Independent Production Agreement

From a media release:

Today, the Canadian Media Producers Association and the Writers Guild of Canada jointly announced the successful conclusion of negotiations, resulting in an agreement in principle on the terms for a new Independent Production Agreement. The CMPA-WGC Independent Production Agreement establishes the terms, conditions and rates for writers, story editors, and story consultants.

“We are proud to have come to terms on an agreement that truly values the important alliance that exists between Canadian screenwriters and independent producers,” said Warren Ross, the CMPA’s Vice-President of National Industrial Relations and Senior Counsel. “I want to thank the individuals on both sides of the bargaining table for their commitment to finding solutions that serve to benefit the future of our sector and Canadian storytelling on screen.”

“As the industry continues to evolve in Canada, we are pleased to have reached this agreement with the CMPA,” said Maureen Parker, WGC Executive Director. “We feel it will continue to both protect the interests of Canadian screenwriters and maintain a good relationship with our producer partners for several years to come.”

The terms for the new three-year Independent Production Agreement will be sent to the CMPA’s Board of Directors, and distributed by the WGC, for ratification. The current agreement expires on June 30, 2019.

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Featured, Industry News

Filmmakers Erin Carter and Sam Coyle talk Hazy Little Thing

Yes, TV, Eh? is devoted to covering Canadian television, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to talk to filmmakers Erin Carter and Sam Coyle. I was introduced to pair after I spoke to Supinder Wraich about The 410, her own excellent digital series about drug trafficking, truckers and the Indo-Canadian community.

I’d also seen a lot of Carter and Coyle on my TV recently. Suck It Up, directed by Jordan Canning, stars Carter, while Coyle stars in and produced The Definites, two superb Canadian feature films you can see on Crave. So when Wraich mentioned she stars in Hazy Little Thing, a new film written and produced by Carter and Coyle and directed by Coyle—it’s currently seeking Kickstarter funding to help with post-production—I jumped at the chance to speak to them.

A woman sits in a bathtub.Starring Carter, Emily Coutts, Jade Hassouné, Wraich and Dayle McLeod, Hazy Little Thing is about Billie (Carter) a writer who is struggling with the fear of failure. A successful novelist living off the proceeds of her first book, she’s been commissioned to write another and is gripped by debilitating fear. Spiralling into depression, Billie’s sister and her friends celebrate her birthday with a weekend get together.

“They come into this with a ‘buck up’ mentality,” Coyle says. “But what’s unearthed during the weekend is this is a whole lot deeper, and Billie’s depression is more complex than anybody ever knew. Everyone is just trying to have a good time and it results in everyone taking mushrooms.” The drugs, Coyle says, are used as a mechanism to explore the psychology of the characters and what they’re going through rather than as a fun, crazy trip.

A woman talks on her cell phone. The sun sets behind her.Hazy Little Thing is the first film Carter and Coyle have written together—they have collaborated in the past—and love the immediacy filmmaking presents, and the opportunity to work on this project. Coyle refers to the “special connection” she has with Carter when they’re writing. They, she says, share similar strengths and insecurities.

“Honesty is such an important part of our relationship,” Carter says. “It’s so easy to say, ‘Listen, I don’t know if this is going to work,’ or ‘I love where this is going.’ There is a trust that exists that can only come with full honesty.”

Back Erin Carter and Sam Coyle’s Hazy Little Thing via Kickstarter.

Images courtesy of Sam Coyle.

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