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TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
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Yannick Bisson cast in Murdoch Mysteries

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From Shaftesbury Films:

The case of the uncast lead is solved – Yannick Bisson to play Detective Murdoch in Shaftesbury Films’ The Murdoch Mysteries series

Shaftesbury Films Chairman Christina Jennings is pleased to announce that Yannick Bisson (Sue Thomas, F. B. Eye) will play the lead role of Detective William Murdoch in The Murdoch Mysteries, a one-hour dramatic series based on Maureen Jennings’ critically-acclaimed mystery novels and a wheel of TV movies produced by Shaftesbury. The series will air in 2008 on CHUM stations across the country.

The Murdoch Mysteries is a one-hour dramatic series set in 1895 Toronto that explores the fascinating world of William Murdoch, a young detective who uses progressive forensic techniques, such as fingerprinting, to successfully solve cases and apprehend murderers. The harshness of life in the Victorian streets is contrasted with the civilized world hiding behind the drawing room curtains of the wealthy and elite, but does the wide class divide truly separate good from evil?

The Murdoch Mysteries is produced and developed by Shaftesbury Films in association with CHUM Television, Granada International and UKTV, and with the assistance of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit, the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit and the Canadian Television Fund.

Born in Montreal, Yannick moved to Toronto as a teenager where he began acting lessons. After appearing in numerous television commercials, his professional career took off when he was cast in the lead in CBC’s critically-acclaimed movie-of-the-week Hockey Night with Rick Moranis. Yannick went on to appear in numerous television series, including Alfred Hitchcock Presents; TNT’s The Pretender; CBS’s Ray Bradbury Theatre; Lifetime’s The Hidden Room; Catwalk; and PAX TV’s Twice in a Lifetime. He was a series lead in High Tide for four seasons; and Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye for three seasons; and had a recurring role in Showtime’s Soul Food. Yannick also has extensive film credits, including Rookies, which earned him a 1992 Gemini Award nomination; Young at Heart with Olympia Dukakis and Frank Sinatra; and The Moving of Sophia Myles starring Della Reese.

(Photo: CNW Group)

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Little Mosque on the Prairie

Little Mosque on the Prairie’s first international sale

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From WestWind Pictures:

Little Mosque on the Prairie Producers Ink First International Distribution Deal With French Broadcasting Giant Canal+

  • Show to begin airing July 2007 in France, French-speaking regions in Switzerland and French-speaking African countries

WestWind Pictures, the Toronto-based television production company responsible for the break-out hit Canadian television situation comedy Little Mosque On The Prairie has signed its first international distribution deal for the show with French broadcasting giant Canal+, announced Mary Darling, the show’s executive producer and president of WestWind Pictures.

Canal+ will begin airing Little Mosque On The Prairie’s first season (8 episodes) in July 2007. Canal+ also has an option within the deal for acquiring future seasons of the show. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The show, which will air in France as well as in French-speaking regions in Switzerland and French-speaking countries in Africa, will air in voice-over format. Additionally, Canal+ will make Little Mosque On The Prairie available to viewers (who do not have the pay channel) via un-encrypting the show when it airs.

“Little Mosque On The Prairie’s international success is a testament to the quality of Canadian talent and how it is embraced around the world,” said Kirstine Layfield, executive director, network programming, CBC Television.

Little Mosque On The Prairie averaged one million viewers per episode in its first season and is currently in production on season two.

Canal+ is responsible for bringing such hit American television shows as 24, Desperate Housewives, Will & Grace, Weeds and The Simpsons into the international French-speaking markets.

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Uncategorized

US network picks up full 22 episodes of Blood Ties

From Lifetime (this media release refers to the US airing – it premieres in Canada in the fall):

Lifetime Television’s Popular Series “Blood Ties” To Return for Second Season in Fall

Lifetime Television’s popular series “Blood Ties,” which is averaging 1.3 million viewers during its freshman season, will return for a second season of ten new episodes in the fall.

Airing Sundays at 10PM (ET/PT), “Blood Ties” will complete its first season of 12 episodes on May 20. The series premiered on Lifetime on March 11 and averages a 1.1 household rating.

Lifetime entered the mystical world with “Blood Ties,” a drama series starring Christina Cox (“The Chronicles of Riddick”) as a private investigator specializing in solving supernatural crimes, who joins in an unexpected partnership with a mysterious and sexy vampire. Based on Tanya Huff’s best- selling novels The Blood Books, the series also stars Dylan Neal (“JAG”), Kyle Schmid (“Beautiful People”) and Gina Holden (“Reunion”).

Continue reading US network picks up full 22 episodes of Blood Ties →

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Degrassi

In the news: Degrassi star talks about finale

From CTV:

  • Degrassi star weights in on shocking finale
    “In typical “Degrassi” fashion, the two-part season finale is going somewhere the series has never been before – onto the stage of a sleazy downtown strip club. The controversial episode, called “Don’t You Want Me,” follows Alex (Deanna Casaluce) who takes a job as a waitress at a “gentleman’s club” in order to make ends meet and help her mother pay the rent.”
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