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Children's Programming, Industry News

DHX Media Announces New Commissions for Three Series

From a media release:

DHX Media a global leader in kids and family entertainment content, is heading to this year’s MIPTV, the world’s biggest TV and digital content market, with new commissions for three series: Chuck’s Choice has been commissioned by YTV in Canada, and has already been licensed to Turner Broadcasting France; Space Ranger Roger is commissioned by Family Jr.; and season two of Inspector Gadget has been commissioned by TELETOON, in Canada. All three series are being produced at DHX Studios.

Taking place April 4-7, 2016, in Cannes, France, MIPTV gathers the world’s most successful distributors, buyers and producers to strike distribution and co-production deals. Please visit the DHX Media team at stand R7.A11, in the Riviera hall of the Palais des Festivals, to learn more about Chuck’s Choice, Space Ranger Roger, Inspector Gadget and other great DHX shows.

About Chuck’s Choice

Brand new original 2D animated comedy Chuck’s Choice (40 x 11′) is aimed at kids aged 6-11. Currently in production at DHX’s Vancouver studio, Chuck’s Choice is directed by Rob Boutilier, creator of the hit kids’ show Kid vs. Kat.

For Chuck McFarlane, life is all about making choices. But lucky for him, these aren’t just regular everyday choices! Through an intergalactic gift from the stars, Chuck is bestowed with what may be the greatest device in the universe…the U-Decide 3000, giving him the power to literally choose his next adventure!  Some choices turn out great, others, not so much. After all, being given the power of flight sounds amazing. But what if it came with a larva sac attached to your abdomen? Suddenly everyone’s looking at you like you’re a bit strange. Of course Chuck’s life choices are a bit more mind-blowingly awesome, since he is…the DECIDER! While most kids have very limited choices, this 10-year-old gets to control his destiny and go on one thrilling adventure after another without any boring ol’ adults telling him what to do, and with his best friends coming along for the ride!

About Space Ranger Roger

3D preschool series Space Ranger Roger (13 x 30′), from DHX Media’s Halifax Studio, is created by Jeff Rosen (Animal Mechanicals, Bo On the GO, The Mighty Jungle, Monster Math Squad).

Space Ranger Roger is a plucky little alien hero sent to help a strange, faraway world…Earth! No assignment is too big or too small. Roger’s motto is, “A friend in need is a mission for me!” Along with his trusty squad of Ranger bots, and his bot dog, Rover, Roger can always get the job done.

Each day, Roger scans the surface of our small blue planet from orbit aboard the Friend Ship. When he picks up a distress signal from an Earth creature, it’s his job as a Space Ranger to gear up with his team of rambunctious fix-it bots, find out what the problem is and save the day in a fun and creative way.

About Inspector Gadget

3D animation series, Inspector Gadget from the DHX studio in Halifax, returns for Season 2 (26 x 30′).

The new Inspector Gadget is back – again! The stakes are higher than ever in season two for Inspector Gadget, his niece Penny and their trusty dog, Brain. Will they be able to defeat Dr. Claw and his nephew Talon? Or will the MAD villains finally be victorious? Both sides are more determined than ever to come out on top…even if Inspector Gadget still hasn’t got a clue.

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Featured, The Nature of Things

The Nature of Things delves into the cost of keeping our pets healthy

How far would you go—and how much would you spend—to ensure the health and welfare of your pet? Speaking from experience, a lot. Our previous cat, Scout, was a mixture of Maine coon and other breeds and needed costly surgery to repair a wonky left hip. Six months later, we paid to have the right side fixed. Later in life, Scout needed daily injections to combat diabetes and when he passed away we paid to have him cremated and his ashes put into an urn. I don’t know how much we spent on his health from birth to death, but it wasn’t cheap. The thing is, mine is a common story.

Thursday’s instalment of The Nature of Things, “Pets, Vets & Debts,” explores the billion-dollar industry behind keeping our furry companions healthy. First, a few stunning stats: more than half of Canadian households own a pet. That means six million dogs and eight million cats. In the United States, more homes have cats and dogs than children. And, like their human owners, pets suffer from the same ailments as we do, including top killers cancer and kidney failure for felines and congenital issues, cancer and trauma in canines.

Cameras follow veterinarians and their staff into the high-tech Toronto Veterinary Hospital, speak to owners about how far they’ll go for their animal friends and those who view our beast besties as simply animals we shouldn’t become emotionally attached to. Seeing doctors quickly assess the health of Dexter the 12-year-old golden retriever is impressive, but it’s hard to watch the owners’ process the information and make a hard decision about the dog’s future. As his owners, Jonathan and Melissa state, Dexter is like their first child, a constant companion through the years.

On a more positive note, it’s simply amazing to see what’s being manufactured to help pets lead better lives. Take the case of Oliver, a dog born without front legs. Though he’s doing just fine, Oliver’s owner wanted to improve his life, so she had prosthetic front legs made for him by Derrick Campana of Animal Ortho Care. Oliver was a little reluctant—and shaky—at first, but was soon bounding around on the ingenious apparatus.

Canadians spend over $2 billion on vet bills. Is it worth it? Are we caring too much about our pets? Tune in to “Pets, Vets & Debts” and let me know what you think in the comments below or via @tv_eh on Twitter.

The Nature of Things airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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Wynonna Earp

Link: ‘Wynonna Earp’ Offers Supernatural Action With A Heart Of Gold

From Rob Salkowitz of Forbes.com:

‘Wynonna Earp’ Offers Supernatural Action With A Heart Of Gold
Small town beset by supernatural menaces? Check. Kick-ass young woman with a demon-fighting legacy (and a few demons of her own) driven by destiny to become the reluctant savior? Check. Colorful supporting cast of likable outcasts that have her back? Check. Strong writing and witty dialogue that keeps the action coming but never loses its sense of humor? Check and double check.

If this sounds like the kind of TV entertainment you’ve been missing since a certain Vampire Slayer hung up her stake in the mid-‘00s, you may want to check out Wynonna Earp, a new series debuting this Friday on SyFy. Continue reading. 

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Uncategorized

Link: Gordon Korman on the TV-movie adaptation of his Macdonald Hall series

From Quill & Quire:

Q&A: Gordon Korman on the TV-movie adaptation of his Macdonald Hall series
It’s been 40 years since the publication of Gordon Korman’s first novel for young readers (written when he was just 12 years old), This Can’t be Happening at Macdonald Hall. Who would have thought it would take that long for Korman’s stories about a couple of lovable troublemakers at a prestigious boy’s school to make it to the screen? Continue reading.

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Featured, Podcast

TV, eh? podcast episode 203 – Renewed, Screwed & Unglued

Greg and Anthony discuss the next couple of weeks of new and returning Canadian TV programming via the March and April calendars before exploring the series that have been renewed, cancelled or are on the bubble for the 2016-17 broadcast season.

(Correction: Greg mentions Schitt’s Creek will be back on CBC in the fall, but he is wrong. Season 3 of SC returns in winter 2017; Mr. D is the comedy airing in the fall.)

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