From the Globe and Mail:
Is it worth it?
March 1 marked the arrival of a smaller “skinny basic†bundle of channels all television providers must offer for $25 per month or less, thanks to new rules from the CRTC. Users can add theme packs, build-your-own packs, or in some cases, à la carte channels. But is it really a better deal than a large cable or satellite bundle? James Bradshaw and Shane Dingman crunched the numbers for some fictional viewers to find out. Continue reading.
From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:
Women Behind Canadian TV: Michelle Lovretta
“I really crave well drawn female characters, so I most often respond to a writer who can bring that recipe. Many of those writers are women, so the gender balance thing kind of takes care of itself. I don’t hire the women I hire for politics or for the industry–I hire them selfishly, for the good of my show. Same for the menfolk. But I will say that over the years I’ve come to realize that it’s not just the number of women on staff that matters, it’s also the number of women whose ideas and voices end up on the screen under their own name. That’s how you build a career and escape tokenism.” Continue reading.
From Kelly Townsend of The TV Junkies:
Big Brother Canada: Arisa Cox talks strategy and the season’s first twist
“I’m thrilled because they’re big personalities, they have a lot of energy, and I’m looking forward to them livening the place up. It feels fresh every year. We’re always trying something new and I never want us to change that.” Continue reading.Â
In 2002, filmmaker Dylan Reibling’s friend, Michael De Bourcier, died under mysterious circumstances. Reibling has a copy of the death certificate from the province of Ontario and has been to his unmarked grave in Vaughan. Trouble is, De Bourcier wasn’t who he said he was, something Reibling uncovered over a decade ago and is the topic of this week’s Firsthand documentary.
“Looking for Mike,” airing Thursday at 9 p.m., begins at the beginning, with Reibling describing when and where he first met De Bourcier. They worked at a tech startup and bonded over their small-town upbringing. They had drinks, hung out and stayed in touch even after they’d been laid off. When De Bourcier asked Reibling to witness a new passport application so the former could jet to Berlin, the latter didn’t hesitate. De Bourcier never made the flight; instead he was discovered dead in his apartment.
The circumstances surrounding the death were strange and information found in his wallet were suspect. Shocked by what the authorities had uncovered, Reibling began his own investigation and discovered the man he thought was Michael De Bourcier wasn’t at all. “Looking for Mike” is engaging as heck. Reibling’s narration, coupled by barely-lit reconstructions and spare music score, is like a visual season of Serial, complete with play-by-play delivered by the filmmaker and highlighted by interviews with their old co-workers, private investigators and  police. And, like Serial, you can’t help but be sucked in. Why did De Bourcier create a persona and manufacture forged documents? Why did he lie about where he grew up, yet know intimate details about that area of the province?
Who was Michael De Bourcier? Tune in to “Looking for Mike” to discover what Reibling uncovered. You won’t be disappointed.
Firsthand airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on CBC.
This show gets stronger every week. This episode was brilliant. I could not stop giggling.
Moira thinks Jocelyn has found the “tasteful nude photos” of her youth and is horrified that she uncovered them in the “middle of a political campaign.” She asks Stevie to search the Internet and find them. And when she doesn’t find them, she goes to David, explaining, “Darling, I’m afraid that you and I have arrived at an awkward moment in our relationship.” Poor David. He needs to search the Internet for nude pictures of his mother.
Later that day, Johnny asks David if he can borrow money. He apologizes for the awkwardness of the situation. David says, “Believe it or not, this is not the most awkward parent-son request I’ve gotten today.” Dan Levy is fantastic in this episode. He is a very physical actor. His body movements and facial expressions convey so much. It reminds me of the actors from silent movies. Charlie Chaplin would have been impressed.
Unfortunately David can’t find the nude photos either, but Stevie has found some “incriminating” photos of Moira with would-be murders. No nudes though. Well, unless you count the one where Moira’s face has been put on the body of what Moira assumes is “an Indonesian lady boy.”
Moira is actually upset that the photos are gone — and with them her youth and her “firm” body. She tells Stevie to take a thousand pictures of herself, telling her not to think that she is too spooky or that people won’t want to see those small breasts. No one but Moira could or would say say these things. She is so outrageous and so self-centred that she has lost her humanness and her sensitivity. Is that what too much money does to a person?
There are other great scenes in this episode — Johnny and Alexis have some great lines. Episode 9 gets two thumbs up from me.
