Tag Archives: Baroness Von Sketch Show

Family Feud Canada, Featured, Fortunate Son, Industry News, The Trickster

Family Feud Canada and Fortunate Son among CBC’s new series; Workin’ Moms, Diggstown and 22 Minutes renewed

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A Canadian version of Family Feud with Gerry Dee at the helm, a drama based on Eden Robinson’s award-winning Trickster novels and a spy drama based on Heartland, Wynonna Earp and Jann executive producer Tom Cox were among the new series announced by CBC at the network’s Upfront presentation on Wednesday.

The network confirmed that Halifax-based legal drama Diggstown, sketch comedy 22 Minutes and comedy Workin’ Moms have all been renewed for new seasons.

Some sad news: CBC confirmed that Little Dog, Cavendish and Crawford have not been renewed.

Adapted from Eden Robinson’s novels and co-created by Michelle Latimer and Tony Elliot, The Trickster—from Sienna Films (Cardinal)—is described as a darkly humorous coming-of-age story that combines dysfunctional family drama with supernatural thriller. Jared, an Indigenous teen, meets Wade, a mysterious stranger who turns Jared’s life upside down.

Based on the real-life of Tom Cox’s family experience, Fortunate Son—created by Andrew Wreggit—is an eight-episode drama from Seven24 Films and Lark Entertainment about the matriarch of an American activist family who helps smuggle Vietnam war deserters and draft dodgers across the border. He is pursued by the FBI.

Gerry Dee is back on the CBC as the host of Family Feud Canada. Airing weekdays at 7 p.m., the 60-episode program showcases homegrown families from across the country competing to guess the most popular answers to fun, family-friendly survey questions from a sample of Canadians.

The Sounds, a co-production between Canada and New Zealand created by author Sarah-Kate Lynch, is being billed as a relationship drama about the goings-on in Pelorus Sounds, where nothing is quite as it seems. Peter Stebbings will direct all eight episodes.

New and returning unscripted series include Back in Time for Winter, Fridge Wars, High Arctic Haulers and Tallboyz.

CBC also made some casting announcements, noting Great Canadian Baking Show is swapping out Daniel Levy and Julia Chan for Baroness Von Sketch Show‘s Aurora Brown and Carolyn Taylor. As much as I’ll miss Levy and Chan, Brown and Taylor are going to be amazing.

And finally, Kurt Browning has been named head judge for Battle of the Blades with Ron MacLean back as the host. Olympians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will participate as guest judges. Those confirmed to take to the ice for the competition include figure skaters in Violetta Afanasieva and Vanessa James, and hockey players Sheldon Kennedy and Natalie Spooner.

The new series announcement comes just over a month after CBC revealed the projects returning for new seasons this fall and winter, including Murdoch Mysteries, Frankie Drake Mysteries, Heartland, Still Standing, Baroness Von Sketch Show, Anne with an E, Coroner, The Detectives, Kim’s Convenience and Schitt’s Creek.

Which new shows are you planning to check out this fall and winter? Let me know in the comments below.

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Featured, Podcast

TV Eh B Cs Podcast 87 — In the director’s chair with Jordan Canning

Jordan Canning was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She has been exposed to the world of filmmaking from a very young age through her mother who worked as a production designer.

Her television credits include directing all 23 episodes of the CTV digital series Space Riders: Division Earth. The show won the 2014 Canadian Screen Award for Best Digital Series and four Canadian Comedy Awards, including Best Director. She has also directed on multiple TV series, including hour-long dramas—Saving Hope (CTV/NBC), The Detail (CTV), Burden of Truth (CBC/CW)—and half-hour comedies Baroness Von Sketch Show (CBC/IFC), Schitt’s Creek (CBC/PopTV/Netflix), This Hour Has 22 Minutes (CBC) and Little Dog (CBC).

Her first feature, We Were Wolves, premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. Her second feature, Suck It Up, premiered at Slamdance 2017 and won Best Feature Film at the 2017 B3 Frankfurt Biennale. Her third feature, an omnibus film called Ordinary Days, won Best Director at the 2018 Canadian Film Festival.

Coming up next, Jordan’s work can be seen in Season 4 of Baroness Von Sketch Show (CBC/IFC), the brand-new show Nurses (Global) and the upcoming season of the hit comedy television series Schitt’s Creek (CBC/PopTV/Netflix).

Image courtesy of Shlomi Amiga.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Alias Grace, Baroness von Sketch Show, Heartland

2018 Directors Guild of Canada Awards winners announced

From a media release:

The DGC is delighted to announce the winners of the 2018 DGC Awards. There were over 350 submissions this year in both film and television from across the country.

The Awards were presented at the annual event on Saturday, October 20, 2018, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. Headlined by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim’s Convenience) and directed by Charles Officer (Unarmed Verses, 21 Thunder), the evening demonstrated the excellent film & television productions that DGC members have brought to life. The event also highlighted special awards recipients, Norma Bailey, Alanis Obomsawin and Vic Sarin, veterans of the film industry.

DGC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Vic Sarin

DON HALDANE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Norma Bailey

DGC HONOURARY LIFE MEMBER AWARD
Alanis Obomsawin

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM
Presented by Technicolor
Miranda de Pencier – The Grizzlies

ALLAN KING AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN DOCUMENTARY
Jennifer Baichwal – Long Time Running

BEST PICTURE EDITING – DOCUMENTARY
Roderick Deogrades – Silas

BEST SHORT FILM
Robin Hays – Post No Bills

DISCOVERY AWARD
Presented by Vanguarde Artists Management
Andrea Bussmann – Fausto

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE FILM
Paul Austerberry – The Shape of Water

BEST PICTURE EDITING – FEATURE FILM
Sidney Wolinsky – The Shape of Water

BEST SOUND EDITING – FEATURE FILM
The Shape of Water – Nathan Robitaille, Nelson Ferreira, Jill Purdy, Robert Hegedus, Kevin Howard, Alex Bullick, Dashen Naidoo, Tyler Whitham, Dustin Harris

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMATIC SERIES
Presented by Panavision
Kari Skogland – The Handmaid’s Tale, Episode 110, Night

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES
Presented by deluxe
Mary Harron – Alias Grace

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY SERIES
Presented by Sim
Yael Staav – Baroness Von Sketch Show, Episode 201, It Satisfies on a Very Basic Level

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FAMILY SERIES
Presented by William F. White
Bruce McDonald – Heartland, Episode 1110, A Fine Balance

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES
Arvinder Greywal – Alias Grace

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – TELEVISION SERIES
Elisabeth Williams – Fargo, Episode 309, Aporia

BEST PICTURE EDITING – MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES
David Wharnsby – Alias Grace 

BEST PICTURE EDITING – TELEVISION SERIES
Christopher Donaldson – The Handmaid’s Tale, Episode 102, Birth Day

BEST SOUND EDITING – MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES
Cardinal: Blackfly Season – Paul Germann, Jane Tattersall, David McCallum, Krystin Hunter, Kelly McGahey

BEST SOUND EDITING – TELEVISION SERIES
The Expanse, Episode 205, Home – Nelson Ferreira, David Rose, Tyler Whitham, Dustin Harris, Dashen Naidoo

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Baroness von Sketch Show, Featured

Preview: Baroness von Sketch Show deals more hilarity in Season 3

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Hot on the heels of Baroness von Sketch Show‘s well-deserved Canadian Screen Award wins and continued kudos from American attention thanks to IFC picking the program up, the funny Canadian ladies are back for Season 3 on Tuesday at 9 p.m. on CBC.

Once again, writers, stars and executive producers Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne and Jennifer Whalen simply nail it with hilarious characters and dead-funny views in sketches both timely and evergreen. While some Canadian periodicals write lazy columns decrying a lack of funny at the CBC, I say the network has never been stronger because of Baroness, Still Standing, Schitt’s Creek, Mr. D and Kim’s Convenience. (The jury is still out on 22 Minutes, thanks to behind the scenes shakeups.)

The return episode, “Is that you Karen?” bursts out of the gate with immediate laughs, as two ladies who haven’t seen each other in 20 years reconnect in the oddest and most ludicrous of ways. And that’s before the revamped opening credits roll. Then, in the rat-a-tat roll out of sketches, viewers get reflections on the rites of spring (with three of the four ladies dressed as dudes), the dangers of accepting a ride home from a co-worker, rogue cops and what could happen when the barista gets the name wrong on your coffee cup.

Whenever I speak to folks about the television shows Baroness von Sketch almost always comes up. There’s a reason for that. With tight writing, stellar performances (MacNeill’s over-the-top physical comedy is a standout) and truly relatable topics, the baronesses are hitting a comedy home run every week.

Baroness von Sketch Show airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

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Baroness von Sketch Show

CBC renews Baroness Von Sketch Show for Season 4

From a media release:

CBC has renewed its award-winning, all-female original sketch comedy series BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW from Frantic Films for a fourth season (10 x 30). Created by and starring Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne and Jennifer Whalen, the new season will begin production in Toronto this September for launch on CBC in 2019.

The renewal announcement comes just ahead of the premiere of Season 3 on CBC, the CBC TV streaming app and cbc.ca/watch on Tuesday, September 18 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT).

Since its debut in 2016, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW has been recognized with 15 nominations and 10 wins to date, including Canadian Screen Awards for Best Sketch Comedy Program or Series (2017, 2018), Best Writing, Variety or Sketch Comedy (2018) and Best Performance, Sketch Comedy (2018) for the ensemble. Additional award wins include a 2018 ACTRA Toronto Award for Outstanding Performance – Ensemble and a 2018 Canadian Comedy Award for Best TV Show.

Fast paced and irreverent, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW celebrates the absurd, mines the embarrassing and satirizes our daily lives. Shot entirely on location, this single-camera comedy series takes a fresh look at our navel-gazing, contemporary culture. From marriage equality to screen addiction, Airbnbs to ultrasounds, this satirical sketch show captures the banalities and absurdities of modern life.

A CBC original series, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW is produced by Frantic Films.  Drawing on 16 years of comedy experience and multiple collaborations, the award-winning, talented team of Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne and Jennifer Whalen are the writers, stars and executive producers. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Programming; Michelle Daly is Senior Director, Comedy, Scripted Content; Greig Dymond and Karen Tsang are the Executives in Charge of Production.

The series is also broadcast on IFC in the U.S. Season 3 will premiere on IFC on Thursday, November 8 at 9 p.m., with IFC also picking up Season 4 for U.S. audiences in 2019.

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