Tag Archives: Aaron Abrams

Chaos is the new normal: Season 4 of CTV original comedy Children Ruin Everything premieres October 17

From a media release:

Parenting: it just gets weirder (and funnier) as kids grow up! CTV announced today that its original comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING returns for its fourth season, airing Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, beginning Oct. 17. A comedic love letter to childrearing, CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING stars Meaghan Rath (BEING HUMAN) and Aaron Abrams (BLINDSPOT) and is created and executive produced by Emmy® Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK). Set and filmed in Toronto and Hamilton, Ont., Season 4 consists of 16 half-hour episodes, with the first eight episodes airing this fall.

In Season 4 of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, Astrid (Rath) faces the pressure of being the sole breadwinner while James (Abrams) struggles with being a stay-at-home dad. Parenting is more challenging and funnier than ever as the kids grow up and their exposure to the world expands. With more influences and experiences outside of Astrid and James’ watchful eyes, parenting becomes more complicated, involving more guesswork and investigations. This season also finds Felix (Logan Nicholson) asserting more independence and attitude, Viv (Mikayla SwamiNathan) dealing with friend drama at school, and Morris, well, being a toddler. While these new complications may pull Astrid and James in different directions, they always end up on the same page – even if that page is dog-eared and stained with jam.

Also returning for Season 4 are: two-time Canadian Screen Award-winner Ennis Esmer (BLINDSPOT, SCHITT’S CREEK) as James’ best friend Ennis; Nazneen Contractor (RANSOM, HEROES REBORN) as Astrid’s sister Dawn; Dmitry Chepovetsky (KILLJOYS, DEPARTURE) as Bo, Dawn’s eccentric husband; Darius Rota as Dawn and Bo’s 13-year-old son Corey; Veena Sood (CORNER GAS ANIMATED, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE) as Astrid and Dawn’s over-sharing mother Nisha; and Lisa Codrington (LETTERKENNY, THE LAKE) as James’ ambitious former boss Marla. Bruce McCulloch (THE KIDS IN THE HALL) and Anna Hopkins (THE EXPANSE, SHADOWHUNTERS) reprise their roles as Councillor Leonard Flynn and Rachel a.k.a. “Disaster Mom”, respectively. Plus, Scott Thompson (KIDS IN THE HALL), Carolyn Taylor (BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW), Colin Mochrie (MURDOCH MYSTERIES), and David Cronenberg (STAR TREK: DISCOVERY) are confirmed as new guest stars this season.

On the Season 4 premiere of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, titled “Respect” (Thursday, Oct. 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app), Astrid and James realize they are at the dawning of a new era when Felix starts showing signs of pre-teen rebellion. As they struggle to manage his shifting moods, they learn this next phase of parenting might be the hardest one yet. Meanwhile, James tries to ease tensions after he rejects Bo’s job offer.

Earlier this year, CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING earned three Canadian Screen Awards, including a first-ever win for Meaghan Rath for Best Lead Performer, Comedy, a second consecutive win for Ennis Esmer for Best Supporting Performer, Comedy, and a win for Best Writing, Comedy for series creator Kurt Smeaton. Season 3 of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING ranks as last fall’s most-watched Canadian comedy.

New episodes of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING also stream Fridays on Crave, beginning Oct. 18. Past seasons of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING are also currently available for streaming on CTV.ca and the CTV app with no subscription or sign-in required, and Crave. In the U.S., CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING airs on The CW. The first three seasons are also available on Netflix in Canada, the U.K., and German-speaking territories, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg.

CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is from award-winning comedy entertainment studio New Metric Media, and is created and executive produced by Emmy®, Golden Globe®, and Canadian Screen Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK, KIM’S CONVENIENCE), and executive produced by Chuck Tatham (MODERN FAMILY, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT), multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mark Montefiore (LETTERKENNY, SHORESY, BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE, WHAT WOULD SAL DO?), Anita Kapila (STRAYS, SON OF A CRITCH), and Meaghan Rath. Kathleen Phillips (WORKIN’ MOMS, CRAWFORD) serves as executive producer, Andrew De Angelis (THE LAKE, KILLJOYS) as co-executive producer, with Alyson Richards (The Retreat) serving as producer and New Metric’s Max Wolfond (BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE) acting as supervising producer.

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CTV announces 16 episode order of original comedy Children Ruin Everything

From a media release:

CTV announced today a 16-episode order of Canadian Screen Award-nominated comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING from New Metric Media. With production beginning today in Toronto and Hamilton, Ont., Meaghan Rath (BEING HUMAN) and Aaron Abrams (BLINDSPOT) return for 16 half-hour episodes, alongside Logan Nicholson, Mikayla SwamiNathan, Canadian Screen Award-winner Ennis Esmer, Nazneen Contractor, Dmitry Chepovetsky, Veena Sood and Lisa Codrington. Part 1 of Season 4 set to air during CTVs 2024/2025 schedule. CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is created by Emmy® Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK).

A comedic love letter to childrearing, CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING follows parents Astrid (Rath) and James (Abrams), as they raise their three young children and struggle to hold on to their pre-kid life, while discovering all of the little ways that raising kids has reshaped their world. Each episode explores how the demands, needs and whims of the little weirdos they love so dearly shape and change their lives.

The fun and fumbles of raising kids continues for Astrid (Rath), who now faces the pressure of being the sole bread winner, and James (Abrams), who struggles with his new role of stay-at-home dad. Parenting is more challenging and funnier than ever with tween Felix (Nicholson) asserting more independence and attitude, seven-year-old Viv (SwamiNathan) dealing with friend drama at school, and Morris, a toddler who steals. Meanwhile, Astrid’s sister Dawn (Contractor) and her husband Bo (Chepovetsky) fuss over their surrogate’s pregnancy, Bo’s business find new success under Marla’s (Codrington) watchful eye, and James’s best pal Ennis (Esmer) finally commits to a relationship. The complications of work and child-rearing may pull Astrid and James in different directions but they always end up on the same page – even if that page is dog-eared and stained with jam.

The sophomore season of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING garnered seven nominations for the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards, including back-to-back Lead Performer, Comedy for Meaghan Rath and Best Supporting Performer, Comedy for Ennis Esmer – who won the award in 2023. The series also leads the nominees for the 28th Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) Screenwriting Awards this month.

The first three seasons of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING are currently available for streaming on CTV.ca and the CTV app with no subscription or sign-in required, and Crave. In the U.S., CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING airs on The CW. The first two seasons are also available on Netflix in Canada, the U.K., and German-speaking territories, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg.

CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is from award-winning comedy entertainment studio New Metric Media and is created and executive produced by Smeaton and executive produced by Chuck Tatham (MODERN FAMILY, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT), multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mark Montefiore (LETTERKENNY, SHORESY, BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE, WHAT WOULD SAL DO?), and Meaghan Rath, with Alyson Richards (The Retreat) serving as Producer.

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CTV announces third season of original comedy Children Ruin Everything

From a media release:

CTV announced today that Canadian Screen Award-nominated comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is set to return for a third season. Production on 10, half-hour episodes of the CTV Original series from New Metric Media is underway in Toronto and Hamilton, Ont. Meaghan Rath and Aaron Abrams return, alongside Logan Nicholson, Mikayla SwamiNathan, Ennis Esmer, Nazneen Contractor, Dmitry Chepovetsky, Veena Sood, Lisa Codrington, and Darius Rota. CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is created by Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK, KIM’s CONVENIENCE).

CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING follows parents Astrid (Rath) and James (Abrams), as they raise their three young children and struggle to hold on to their pre-kid life, while discovering all of the little ways that raising kids has reshaped their world. Season 2 of the CTV Original series is the Top Canadian Comedy broadcast year-to-date among key demos A25-54 and A18-49.

The first two seasons of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING are currently available for streaming on CTV.ca and the CTV app, as well as Crave, and are available on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Season two of the series was split into two seasons in the U.S., with season three launching on The Roku Channel on Friday, May 12.

CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is from award-winning comedy entertainment studio New Metric Media and is created and executive produced by Smeaton and executive produced by one of television’s premier comedy writers Chuck Tatham (MODERN FAMILY, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT), multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mark Montefiore (LETTERKENNY, SHORESY, BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE, WHAT WOULD SAL DO?), and Meaghan Rath, with Alyson Richards (The Retreat) serving as Producer.

Bell Media Distribution is the international rights holder for CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, and New Metric Media is the series’ exclusive International Sales Agent. The series is produced by New Metric Media in association with CTV, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and Bell Fund.

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Children Ruin Everything’s Aaron Abrams: “Their love is very present and they love their kids”

Life with young children can be chaotic. There are school lunches to make, school to get to, after-school clubs to attend, play dates to coordinate, teeth to be brushed and bedtime stories to be read. It can be exhausting, frustrating, and maybe a little infuriating at times, but it’s ultimately rewarding.

That’s the main theme of Children Ruin Everything.

Now in its second season on CTV, the Monday night comedy stars Meaghan Rath and Aaron Abrams as Astrid and James, who are juggling work, going back to work, in-laws and friends when you have kids in your life. In the second season, siblings Felix (Logan Nicholson) and Viv (Mikayla SwamiNathan) are joined by an infant brother, meaning they’re now sharing a room. That, of course, results in conversations about sharing and privacy.

“This season, we really get into more chaos, obviously, because there is another baby,” Abrams says. Because of COVID-19, the first season of Children Ruin Everything was rushed and stressful. The sophomore go-round was much more relaxing, allowing for what he calls a “blooper energy,” between him and co-star Rath. That is evident on-screen too; there is an ease in their performances that is natural and easy to like and their physical comedy is unmatched.

The aforementioned privacy angle is addressed in Monday’s new episode, “Privacy,” where Astrid and her sister, Dawn (Nazneen Contractor), are convinced their mother, Nisha (Veena Sood), is keeping something from them. Meanwhile, a request to launch a new product at work leads James to agree to meet with Ennis’ (Ennis Esmer) sketchy cousin to consider his new gummy product, and soon they’re roping in more of James’ family to help with the pitch. Kim Coates drops by for the instalment, adding to an impressive list of guest stars that have included Anna Hopkins, MasterChef Canada winner Mary Berg and Aaron Ashmore.

There are many, many family sitcoms battling for primetime eyeballs, but nothing, Abrams says, like Children Ruin Everything.

“The show is about parenting, and the parents are emotionally intelligent communicative people,” he says. “To me, that was not only a new way of doing things—where they weren’t at odds and the dude isn’t some big palooka trying to watch the game and she’s a shrew—this is a couple who is a team. Their love is very present and they love their kids. And that, to me, made it funnier.

“They are smart people who are constantly being turned into idiots.”

Children Ruin Everything airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Image courtesy of Bell Media.

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Season 2 of CTV original comedy Children Ruin Everything Premieres Sept. 19

From a media release:

Following a successful first season, CTV Original comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING returns for its second season, Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, beginning Sept. 19. Created and executive produced by Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK), and set and filmed in Toronto and Hamilton, Ont., CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING stars Meaghan Rath (BEING HUMAN) and Aaron Abrams (BLINDSPOT) as parents Astrid and James, who are still trying to do it all as they discover all of the little ways that raising kids has reshaped their world.

In Season 2, a new baby enters Astrid and James’ already hectic lives, leaving the family feeling even more strapped for time, sleep, and space. It feels like at every turn, from the new baby needing their own bedroom, to an aging home that needs fixing up, the Berney family may have outgrown city living. In a moment of exhaustion, James considers the once unthinkable: it might be time to move away from the city to find a home with a little more space. But for Astrid, the idea of moving away from her family, and the job she only just returned to, does not land well.

Returning cast starring alongside Rath and Abrams are Logan Nicholson (BLUES CLUES AND YOU) and Mikayla SwamiNathan as Felix and Viv, James and Astrid’s adorable eight-year-old son, and five-year-old daughter who continue to suck the life out of their parents, one tantrum at a time; Ennis Esmer (BLINDSPOT, SCHITT’S CREEK) as James’ best friend and colleague Ennis, who is always happy to remind James that having kids was a huge mistake; Nazneen Contractor (RANSOM, HEROES REBORN) as Astrid’s close-to-perfect sister Dawn; Dmitry Chepovetsky (KILLJOYS, DEPARTURE) as Bo, Dawn’s eccentric husband; Darius Rota as Dawn and Bo’s brazen 10-year-old son Corey; Veena Sood (CORNER GAS ANIMATED, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE) as Astrid and Dawn’s over-sharing mother Nisha, who has been enlisted to help with childcare as Astrid returns to work; and Lisa Codrington (LETTERKENNY, THE LAKE) as James’ ambitious boss who is plotting to take over the corporate office of the mid-sized grocery chain where they work.

Confirmed to guest star on the series’ second season are Kim Coates (BAD BLOOD, SONS OF ANARCHY) and Aaron Ashmore (GINNY & GEORGIA, KILLJOYS); with Anna Hopkins (THE EXPANSE, SHADOWHUNTERS) reprising her role as “Disaster Mom”.

On the Season 2 premiere of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, titled “Sleep” (Monday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app), after a bout of sleepless nights with their new baby, Astrid and James are at their wits’ end. With a transfer to a different department at work looming, Astrid is feeling the pressure to stay sharp, and keep up with her younger colleagues. To get more sleep, Astrid and James have to brave sleep training or the even more daunting challenge – finding the space to give the baby his own room in a house full of family and stuff, with not a square inch to spare. The episode is written by Kurt Smeaton and directed by Melanie Orr.

Season 1 of the CTV Original series was the biggest debut for a Canadian comedy among the A25-54 demo since 2019 (CTV’s JANN). The series also ranks as CTV’s #1 new comedy of the 2021-22 broadcast season. Season 1 is currently available for streaming with no subscription or sign-in required on CTV.ca and the CTV app, and is also available on Crave. Season 1 of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING also airs on The Roku Channel in the U.S.

CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is from award-winning New Metric Media and is created and executive produced by Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK, KIM’S CONVENIENCE), and executive produced by one of television’s premier comedy writers Chuck Tatham (MODERN FAMILY, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT), multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mark Montefiore (LETTERKENNY, WHAT WOULD SAL DO?), and Meaghan Rath, with Alyson Richards (The Retreat) serving as producer. Melanie Orr (THE PARKER ANDERSONS, THE HARDY BOYS), Peter Huang (WORKIN’ MOMS), and Peter Wellington (KIM’S CONVENIENCE, SAVING HOPE) direct this season.

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