TV, eh? | What's up in Canadian television | Page 3090
TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television

In the news: New Showcase pilots

From Channel Canada (but it’s got to be straight from a media release):

The Foundation is a darkly comedic look at the inner workings of a dysfunctional but well-funded charity and its corrupt “Executive Director for Life” Michael Valmont-Selkirk, played by Mike Wilmot (Corner Gas, It’s All Gone Pete Tong). Produced in Montreal, the pilot – in which Valmont-Selkirk unwisely accepts the “Homeless Challenge” to spend a night on the streets – is created and produced by Jennifer Wilson and Michael Dowse (FUBAR, It’s All Gone Pete Tong). Executive producer is Daniel Iron, Foundry Films (Away From Her, Manufactured Landscapes).

In Pure Evil, a suburban father named Frank Smith (played by Rick Roberts, An American in Canada) would love nothing more than to live a normal, peaceful life – except he happens to be the son of Satan. Frank tries to hide his demonic ancestry from his family, despite his evil father’s constant attempts to lure him back to the dark side and bring about the end of days. Things get complicated when Satan possesses the family’s next-door neighbour. This dark comedy pilot, written, produced and directed by Mark Sawers (Alienated, Kids in the Hall), was filmed in British Columbia. Executive producer is Jayme Pfahl of Crescent Entertainment (Terminal City, Moving Malcolm).

Retail follows the exploits of a group of friends and foes who work in a Winnipeg mall. The lead character and provocateur is Shawn (Alex Woods, Citizen Duane), an aspiring drag queen, who works at the makeup counter with his best friend and roommate Jill (Grace Lynn Kung, Slings & Arrows). When their old friend Miss Bitters – a down-on-her luck tranny – moves back to the ‘Peg from Los Angeles and moves into their apartment, their lives are turned upside down. Created by Noam Gonick (Kink, Hey Happy!), the pilot is directed by Shawn Alex Thompson (Billable Hours, Puppets Who Kill). Executive producer is Jamie Brown of Frantic Films (‘Til Debt Do Us Part, Lucid).

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In the news: Canadian satire

Rebecca Addelman of Walrus Magazine writes about the difference in US and Canadian satire shows, shaped by the difference in libel laws in the two countries (the article is from May but I don’t think it’s been available free online before):

  • The Last Laugh
    “Our law presumes that the defendant’s words are false and that the plaintiff has been damaged by the accusations. Unfortunately, “I was just joking” is not a defence. As a result, the Canadian system leaves joke writers wide open to litigation.”
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In the news: Community papers support local Canadian Idol contenders

From the Abbotsford News:

  • Jepsen, Neufeld our Idol qualifiers
    “Mission’s Carly Jepsen will join 10 other female finalists and Abbotsford’s Greg Neufeld will battle it out with 10 male finalists to see who will be the 2007 Idol winner.”
  • Idols need our support to survive
    “Once again, the Fraser Valley is responsible for producing not one, but two top-22 finalists about to compete on the popular television show. That makes five finalists in five years. Pretty impressive when you consider the size of the Fraser Valley in comparison to the rest of the country. “

From the Mission City Record:

  • Jepsen makes Canadian Idol Top 22
    “‘Surreal’ was how Carly Jepsen described standing in front of the Canadian Idol judges, admits the Mission woman who earned a coveted spot as one of the show’s Top 22 finalists.”

From the London Free Press:

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Interview with TV producer Al Magee

Will Dixon at Uninflected Images Juxtaposed interviews the prolific and respected producer/creative consultant involved with The Smart Woman Survival Guide, Trailer Park Boys, Slings and Arrows, Rent a Goalie and many more:

  • Me and Al(ly) Magee Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI
    “Can we get a one hour series that takes off the way our half hours like Corner Gas and Little Mosque can? Maybe, and maybe if the one-hours follow a similar route as the half hour hits – authentically Canadian, not pretending or aspiring to a US primetime aesthetic, and giving the audience something accessible that is not available on a network simulcast.”
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