Tag Archives: Bell Media

Bell Media confirms 70 original productions for 2019/2020 season

From a media release:

In advance of tomorrow’s #CTVUpfront, Bell Media confirmed today its first wave of new and returning original entertainment programming for the 2019/20 season. With 31 new original programs announced to date, and more to be confirmed in the coming days and weeks, a total of 70 original English-language programs will be produced in the coming season in partnership with independent production companies and in-house at Bell Media Studios.

With Canada’s top programs, including original programs and homegrown hits, more Canadians make Bell Media their choice for viewing than any other media company. As Canada’s most-watched network in primetime for 18 years in a row, CTV is home to:

  • THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, the #1 summer series among A25-54 for a sixth season in a row
  • The most-watched Canadian comedy of the year, JANN
  • The top Canadian daily lifestyle programs, Bell Media Studios’ THE SOCIAL and THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW
  • The most-watched entertainment newsmagazine for nine years running, ETALK
  • Canada’s most-watched national morning show, YOUR MORNING

In addition to the productions announced by Bell Media Studios last week, Bell Media’s 2019/20 Original Productions slate includes the following:

NEW Bell Media Original Series and Specials for 2019/20 (by channel):

CTV

TRANSPLANT
CTV announced today that Hamza Haq, Laurence Leboeuf, and John Hannah will star in the one-hour, primetime medical procedural, with production beginning this month. TRANSPLANT tells the story of a brilliantly skilled emergency medicine doctor who fled Syria to Canada, as he’s challenged to make a place for himself in a new hospital and country. The drama blends the story of a new immigrant with an ensemble medical procedural, offering audiences a fresh take on a beloved genre. The first season consists of 13 episodes, with production set to begin in Summer 2019. (NBCUniversal International Studios with Sphère Média Plus)

ALBEDO
One-hundred-and-fifty years in the future, detective Vivien Coleman is dispatched to the edge of our solar system to investigate a scientist’s mysterious death on board an isolated space station. She soon finds herself trapped and cut off from Earth, along with the station’s small crew of brilliant scientists – all murder suspects, and all harbouring their own secrets… What begins as a classic murder mystery evolves into a fight for survival that may threaten the future of our species. (eOne)

POP EVOLUTION
This eight-episode series has one goal: to tell the richest, most fascinating tales from the ongoing history of pop music. Each stand-alone episode is a documentary portrait with its own unique voice, style, and vision. Through exclusive interviews and unprecedented access, archival depth, and critical takes, POP EVOLUTION dives deeper into the genre than ever before. (Banger Films)
CTV Life Channel

LET’S BRUNCH
This delightful cooking series is dedicated to everyone’s favorite leisurely and decadent mid-morning meal. Hosted by the bubbly Vanessa Gianfrancesco (ONE WORLD KITCHEN), LET’S BRUNCH offers a brunch menu for every occasion, showcasing sweet and savory recipes, along with the occasional refreshing beverage or cozy latte. (Gusto Worldwide Media)

CHRISTMAS WITH BONACINI
In this charming one-hour holiday special set in Michael Bonacini’s festive kitchen, the celebrity chef and his son Oscar cook up an elegant and flavourful feast of their favourite Christmas recipes. (Gusto Worldwide Media)

WATTS ON THE GRILL FOR THANKSGIVING
In his upcoming special, host Spencer Watts shows viewers how to barbecue like a pro throughout the holiday season. (Gusto Worldwide Media)

Crave
Canada’s prestige entertainment offering recently announced a complete slate of upcoming conversation-worthy Crave Originals, headlined by:

Crave heads to Montréal for the JUST FOR LAUGHS FESTIVAL this summer, shooting a series of four new specials featuring acclaimed Canadian comedians. These four new specials bring the Crave Original standup series total to 10 specials. (Just For Laughs Television)

WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE
A smart, distinctive, and caustic documentary about the end of the world, the newest original series from Crave goes into production this summer. Drawing together science, psychology, pop culture, and philosophy, WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE meets viewers’ fascination with the apocalypse head-on. Each episode explores one of the ways that humanity could meet its end – from nuclear war and asteroids to aliens – with the ultimate hope that humankind can come together to make the world a better place. (90th Parallel Productions)

ONCE WERE BROTHERS: ROBBIE ROBERTSON AND THE BAND
Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Brian Grazer, and Ron Howard, this documentary feature is a confessional, cautionary, and occasionally humorous tale of Robertson’s young life and the creation of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music. Inspired by Robertson’s bestselling memoir, Testimony (Penguin/Random House, 2017), the film blends rare archival footage and interviews with many of Robertson’s friends and collaborators, including Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Scorsese, Taj Mahal, Peter Gabriel, David Geffen, and Ronnie Hawkins, among others. (Imagine Documentaries/White Pine Pictures/Bell Media Studios/Universal Music Canada)

NEW EDEN
Production kicks off June 17 in North Bay, Ont. on the darkly funny “true crime” comedy from two of Canada’s hottest comedic voices, Evany Rosen (PICNICFACE, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW) and Kayla Lorette (THE BEAVERTON, SPACE RIDERS). (Peacock Alley Entertainment)

Discovery

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, MAKE IT TO THE MOON (narrated by Canadian actor Stephan James) features four trailblazing teams – contracted by NASA – who take up President Kennedy’s challenge to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. These ‘unsung heroes of the unsung heroes’ must invent from scratch the innovative technology necessary to create the lunar module spacecraft, the onboard computer, the moon suit, and track it all through space. (eOne)

VW WOODSTOCK BUS
On the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, VW WOODSTOCK BUS is a one-hour special that explores the inspiring story of Dr. Bob, the man who painted the original Woodstock hippie bus with symbols he believed would usher in the dawn of a new age. (Arcadia Productions)

CLEARED FOR CHAOS: 9/11
This documentary special tells the gripping story of how air traffic controllers in Gander, Newfoundland pulled off the impossible on September 11, 2001. (Bristow Global Media)

UNABOMBER: THE MAD TRUTH
This four-part series tells the story of the nationwide manhunt for the terrorist known only as the “Unabomber,” which lasted from 1978 – 1995, until a tip led the FBI to a remote cabin in the Montana mountains. The tip that ultimately took down Ted Kaczynski, a.k.a. the Unabomber, came from his younger brother, David, and David’s wife, Linda. (Yap Films)

Investigation Discovery

IF I SHOULD DIE
As investigators piece together a murder mystery, sometimes the victim speaks from beyond the grave, communicating via their revelatory words written in a diary, journal, or private online blog. IF I SHOULD DIE explores how these emotional words can provide incredible insight into the victim’s life – and sometimes into their darkest secrets. (Cream Productions)

UNEXPLAINED 911
This immersive new series reveals the true-life stories of police and other members of law enforcement who found themselves face-to-face with strange and bizarre events. Each episode investigates cases involving ghostly haunting, demonic possession, alien abduction, and other supernatural emergency calls featuring the men and women who have devoted their lives to serve and protect. (Cream Productions)
Much Studios

POSITIVE
A Much Studios’ Original Documentary, POSITIVE profiles the lives of five diverse HIV+ millennials through a roundtable discussion and stigma-busting personal narratives. Moderated by Much Studios’ Michael Rizzi, the documentary creates an intimate and safe space for the group to discuss the themes of identity, community, sex, and the ongoing misconceptions surrounding HIV.

Returning Bell Media Original Productions Confirmed to Date for 2019/20 (by channel):

CTV

Internationally successful and critically acclaimed series CARDINAL has wrapped production on its final season with stars Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse. (Sienna Films/eOne)

The half-hour satirical news sensation THE BEAVERTON returns to CTV for Season 3, premiering July 23. (Pier 21 Films)

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, the most-watched series of the summer, is set to deliver its seventh season Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT beginning July 2 on CTV. Hosted by Olympic gold medallist Jon Montgomery, the multiple Canadian Screen Award-winning series returns as nine all-new teams join fan favourites from Season 1, Jet & Dave, who were selected as Canada’s Choice to race again. The 10 teams head to the starting line to push themselves out of their comfort zones in a non-stop, action-packed race. (Insight Productions)

New episodes of original culinary series MARY’S KITCHEN CRUSH continue Sundays at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV as host Mary Berg shares her delicious twists on classic dishes inspired by her family and close friends. (Proper Television)

THE 2019 CANADA’S WALK OF FAME AWARDS, delivering the awards’ 21st anniversary this November. (Insight Productions)

Crave

Named a “must watch” series by the New York Times and an award-winning Canadian comedy program, an all-new six-pack of LETTERKENNY premieres on Oct. 11 and production on another season begins this summer in Sudbury, Ont. (New Metric Media)
CTV Comedy Channel

Coming to the CTV Comedy lineup in the 2019-20 broadcast year are THE STAND-UP SHOW WITH JON DORE and four unique @JFL gala presentations from Montréal’s Place des Arts. (Just For Laughs Television)

The most-watched original series ever on CTV Comedy, CORNER GAS ANIMATED (CTV Comedy) premieres Season 2 on July 1 with 11 all-new episodes. The new season includes a star-studded lineup of cameos, featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Chris Hadfield, and EPIC MEALTIME’s Harley Morenstein, with a special guest star appearance by Michael J. Fox. (Prairie Pantoons/Moving Mountoons)

CTV Drama Channel

The light hearted mystery-crime drama CARTER, starring Jerry O’Connell (BILLIONS) is currently in production for Season 2. Shot in North Bay, Ont., the sophomore season is set to debut later this year, exclusively on CTV Drama. (Sony Pictures Television)

CTV Life Channel

Season 3 of SPENCER’S BIG 30 showcases healthy, hearty meals that can be prepared in 30 minutes. (Gusto Worldwide Media)
Italian cooking series BONACINI’S ITALY, starring MASTERCHEF CANADA’S Michael Bonacini, returns for a second season. (Gusto Worldwide Media)

Season 2 of WATTS ON THE GRILL continues to celebrate all things grilled with chef extraordinaire Spencer Watts. Each half-hour episode shows viewers how to barbecue like a pro, from sizzling steak, smoked chicken and steamy seafood, to fruit, cheese, and delicious desserts. Tips, tricks, and tasty recipes are all on Watts’ menu as he inspires viewers to think of ingredients differently and try new things on the grill. (Gusto Worldwide Media)

CTV Sci-Fi Channel

The fifth and final season of CTV Sci-Fi’s most-watched original series KILLJOYS returns July 19. In the Quad, a planetary system on the brink of a bloody interplanetary class war, a fun-loving trio of bounty hunters attempts to remain impartial as they chase deadly warrants. Reprising their roles for the last time, Hannah John-Kamen (ANT MAN AND THE WASP) returns as Yelena “Dutch” Yarden / Aneela, along with Canadian Screen Award nominee for best lead actor Aaron Ashmore (CARDINAL) as John Jaqobis, and Luke MacFarlane (THE NIGHT SHIFT) as D’avin Jaqobis. (Temple Street Productions)

Discovery

The captivating series MAYDAY, currently in the first half of its 19th season, Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET, continues to reveal the often harrowing truth behind plane crashes, providing viewers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the world’s most catastrophic aviation accidents in search of clues that might prevent similar tragedies from happening again. (Cineflix/National Geographic Channels International/Canal D)

HELLFIRE HEROES returns this fall for Season 2. Featuring stories of strength, fearlessness, and dedication, a uniquely versatile group of firefighters risk their lives to serve and protect the residents of isolated areas of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. (Pixcom Productions)

HIGHWAY THRU HELL is back for Season 8 in 2019, chronicling the lives of heroic rescue teams who often put their own lives at risk to help keep vital transport highways open and communities safe. (Thunderbird Entertainment Group)

HEAVY RESCUE: 401, a Top 5 series on Discovery, returns for Season 4 in early 2020, documenting dramatic recoveries along Ontario’s 400-series highways – extending from Windsor in the west to the Québec border in the east. (Thunderbird Entertainment Group)

Animal Planet

Biologist Niall McCann travels the world to understand the relationship between humans and some of the world’s most charismatic and formidable animals in the upcoming third season of the award-winning BIGGEST AND BADDEST. (Gryphon/Wild Planet Productions)

KERI: PRAIRIE VET returns for a third season, continuing to follow the action-packed life of travelling vet Dr. Keri Hudson Reykdal, on the road 24/7 to care for “all creatures big and small.” (Merit Morion Pictures)

WILD BEAR RESCUE, the most adorable original Canadian series, returns for Season 3 on June 14 with heartwarming stories of injured and orphaned bear cubs at Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers, B.C. (Omnifilm Entertainment)
Investigation Discovery

FEAR THY NEIGHBOUR returns for Season 6 this fall. This true-crime thriller follows the disturbing tales of those with the misfortune to unwittingly take up residence within a stone’s throw of a psychopath or killer. (Cream Productions)

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MasterChef Canada: Tessa Virtue helps crown the Top 2

With the MasterChef Canada season finale airing next week, Monday’s episode featured the Top 3—Jennifer, Andre and Josh—battling it out for a chef’s jacket and the chance to pocket $100,000. To help out, Olympic Ice Dancer Tessa Virtue was on hand as a special guest (catch she and Scott Moir as guest judges on Battle of the Blades this fall).

Here’s what happened.

In the final Mystery Box challenge of the season, the cube was lifted on a MasterChef logo shrouded by fog. The theme of the challenge was Fire and Ice, meaning the concept had to be applied to Josh, Andre and Jennifer’s recipes. Chefs Alvin, Michael and Claudio and Tessa were looking for a wow factor in look and taste. Tessa was also interested in the story behind each dish.

Jennifer’s first thought was of her father and his favourite birthday food, bacon-wrapped scallops, which became the base of a recipe that included a rum and cola glaze and dulce ice cream pearls. Josh went for a duck plate augmented with a smoking puck and frozen vinaigrette for his salad. Andre aimed for something we’ve never seen from him on the show: a Japanese grill platter utilizing a fire pit, and exploding leaves.

A woman stands, with a shocked look on her face.Andre’s steak by the fire was simply spectacular to look at, with glowing embers the highlight of the plate. Michael and Alvin, and Tessa were all impressed by the look at taste. At first glance, Jennifer’s plate looked cluttered and messy, a hodgepodge of things and ideas. But the flavours were there; Claudio was particularly impressed by the dulce pearls. And Josh’s smoked duck and salad wowed Michael, Tessa and Claudio. I felt like Andre had a slight edge on Jennifer and Josh; the judges agreed and he was crowned the winner.,

Andre didn’t score a fast track to the finale—that would have been too easy—but he did land a major advantage in the Elimination Challenge, choosing who would create a tasting menu with which Canadian cheese. The problem? Andre is lactose intolerant. Oops. The choices were ash-ripened goat cheese from Quebec, cloth-bound cheddar from Prince Edward Island and blue cheese from British Columbia. Andre picked the goat cheese for himself and assigned the cheddar to Jennifer and blue to Josh. His plot was sound: give Jennifer an easy cheese she might overthink and hand Josh a cheese too strong to handle.

A man stands at an oven, cooking.Jennifer aimed for French cheese puffs, updated broccoli and cheese, and a tarte Tatin. Josh opted for a blue cheese dip that he turned into a soup, butternut squash and blue cheese ravioli, and blue cheese cheesecake. Andre decided on a mushroom macaroni and cheese, Brussel sprout and goat cheese salad, and pear and goat cheese mousseline. The judges were worried Josh would run out of time but it was Andre who missed putting puff pastry on his dessert.

Alvin enjoyed Jennifer’s broccoli and cheese recipe, Michael loved her apple tart, but Claudio thought she missed the mark with her puffs. Alvin liked Andre’s mac and cheese, Michael thought the Brussels sprouts could have been charred more, but Claudio thought the goat cheese was missing from the pears. Michael thought Josh’s soup was a little thin but flavourful, Claudio liked the pasta but it was a tad short on cheese flavour, and Alvin thought the cheesecake was very, very good.

The result? Jennifer was the first home cook earmarked for the season finale. Going head-to-head with her is Andre. Josh put up one heck of a fight and showed consistent growth as the weeks went by during Season 6. He should be proud of what he accomplished.

Who do you pick to be this season’s MasterChef Canada winner? Let me know in the comments below.

The MasterChef Canada season finale goes next Monday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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MasterChef Canada: History is made during Restaurant Takeover

It may have been a holiday in the rest of the country, but MasterChef Canada didn’t take the day off.

In the biggest test of the season—of every season, really, aside from the finale—the home cooks participated in the daunting Restaurant Takeover, as they served guests at Chef Michael Bonacini’s Leña Restaurante. Rozin, who earned his way back into the competition, joined the Top 5 as they prepared two appetizers and two main dishes for a select group of lunch diners, media and Bell Media guests. (Make no mistake, these folks weren’t paying customers and Chef Michael’s cred was not on the line. That doesn’t take away from the rigours of the test, I just want you to know.)

Cryssi and Josh, who hadn’t been team captains yet, were handed the blue and red aprons and picked their teammates. Josh chose Jennifer and Chanelle to be on Team Red, while Cryssi opted for Rozin and Andre. Andre (and I) was shocked he was picked last, especially because of his experiences with spice, something I assumed would come into play in a restaurant featuring South American flavours. The cool thing that struck me about this Restaurant Takeover—and it may have happened before—was the home cooks were making actual items from Leña’s menu. The broken avocado salad, clams and chorizo, Atlantic salmon and roasted lamb sirloin are available to order or have been, which made the challenge have real stakes. Cryssi, who grew up in a Portuguese household, was excited at the chance to make the plates. Josh was struggling to keep up.

A man and a woman stand in a kitchen.On the Red Team, Josh tackled the clams and Chanelle took on the salad with Jennifer helping where needed. Cryssi, meanwhile, handled the seafood for the Red Team, with Andre doing the salad and Rozin aiding when called upon. The small kitchen and constant orders coming in soon caused the expected trouble for both squads. In particular, the clams were being stubborn, causing Cryssi to sweat; I could feel the frustration and dismay in her voice. And Chef Michael made it known he wasn’t pleased either. The judges gave the plates a try and deemed it pretty much a draw.

Next up were the mains. Josh chose to prepare the lamb, Jennifer the salmon and Chanelle roving. Cryssi picked the salmon, Rozin on the lamb and Andre plating. The Red Team stumbled at first, with rare lamb and salmon slowing them down and Josh neglecting his duties as team captain. It was chaos. Things weren’t any better on the blue side, as lamb orders piled up and Rozin floundered in the weeds. Chef Michael had this to say when he was told it would be eight minutes until the lamb was ready.

“Eight minutes?! You’re killing me!” And perhaps blue’s chances at a win, especially when Michael called chef de cuisine Julie Marteleira in to help them. With one Red Team table waiting 90 minutes for their food, they weren’t vying for the win either, so Chef Michael got his hands dirty with them. All three judges agreed, upon tasting, that the entrees weren’t up to par.

Three men stand at a table, tasting food.The result? Neither team was safe and all six home cooks were headed to the Pressure Test, prepping breakfast for Alvin, Michael and Claudio. But before that, Cryssi and Josh were given the opportunity to save an MVP from their squad. Andre and Jennifer were picked and headed up to the gallery.

Three different breakfasts—full English for Michael, congee for Alvin and bizcocho for Claudio—just 65 minutes and a replication challenge seemed impossible for Rozin, Cryssi, Chanelle and Josh. I would have sat down on the floor and cried. The home cooks soldiered on and were in pretty good spirits. Rozin could only smile as he uncovered his blood sausage and discovered it had burst into a grey paté, and Josh’s congee turned into a soupy mess.

Chef Michael tasted the bizcocho first, enjoying Cryssi’s, marking Josh’s as dry, Rozin’s dry and overcooked, and Chanelle’s just wrong. Chef Alvin was up next tasting the congee, deeming Cryssi’s spot-on, Josh’s thin and bland, Rozin’s good but unbalanced, and Chanelle’s a good effort. Finally, it was time for Chef Michael’s English breakfast. Cryssi’s was tasty but her eggs were undone, Josh’s well executed, Rozin’s well done, and Chanelle’s eggs a little overdone.

With many little mistakes made, it was going to be a tough call but the judges made it: Cryssi was tops and Rozin was cut from the competition for a second time.

MasterChef Canada airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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Asian influences highlight MasterChef Canada

Last week, the remaining MasterChef Canada home cooks were schooled when they made lunches for over 100 hungry kids and Rozin was eliminated from the competition.

This week, Chef Alvin took centre stage during the Elimination Challenge when he uncovered Asian treats for the participants to tackle.

But before all of that, there was the latest Mystery Box to get through. The seven home cooks lifted the lids to reveal two smaller boxes. One was clear, showing all of the ingredients. The other was black, hiding its contents. Which box each chose would go a long way to presenting their personalities. Were these home cooks risk takers or not? Josh and Andre—the last two guys in the competition, it should be noted—opted for the clear boxes and 45 minutes of cooking time while the gals went for it. The secret boxes held exotic ingredients like black cod, escarole and passion fruit. Six seasons in, I continue to be impressed with the challenges the producers are coming up with and Monday’s Mystery Box was just the latest.

While Chef Michael admitted he would have chosen the “safe” box, Alvin and Claudio said they’d have gone for the secret box to test their skills. Chanelle decided on a Thai inspired cod dish for her recipe, Alyssa with fish tacos, Jennifer with fish cakes, Jenny a po’ boy sandwich and Cryssi a pan-fried cod with vinaigrette and fingerling potatoes. Andre and Josh had 15 minutes to plot and plan their recipes, the former with dry-rubbed glazed pork and the latter a pan-seared pork chop with potatoes and butternut squash puree.

The judges chose to taste Chanelle’s plate (“The flavours were fresh and clean,” opined Michael), Josh (“Very nicely done,” Alvin said) and Cryssi (“Great flavours, good technique,” said Michael). From the glowing reviews she got, it was no surprise that Cryssi won the Mystery Box challenge but it was still great to see. And though she wasn’t safe and would have to cook in the Elimination Challenge, Cryssi got her pick of Asian-themed ingredients like abalone, uni, ebisudai, Waygu beef, black garlic and XO sauce and then assigned her competitors the rest.

Cryssi chose the beef for herself and then aimed to cull the herd, giving Andre the uni, Alyssa the XO sauce, Chanelle the abalone, Jennifer the ebisudai fish, Josh the black garlic and Jenny the matsutake mushrooms.

Meanwhile, Cryssi planned to honour the beef as a steak and a tartare. Alyssa opted to put the XO sauce on pork belly, and Josh was stoked he got the garlic because he cooks with it all the time and planned to top his pasta with it. Jennifer aimed for a carpaccio, Jenny and mushroom egg drop soup and Andre a cauliflower steak with uni sauce. As time ran out, Alyssa discovered her pork wasn’t quite done and would have to complete it in a frying pan. Everyone was out of sorts, except for Cryssi and that was her plan.

Jenny’s mushroom egg drop soup wasn’t up to par, according to Claudio and didn’t honour the main ingredient; Alvin deemed Josh’s pasta beautiful thanks to the creamy black garlic sauce; Claudio called Jennifer’s carpaccio amazing and Alvin was honoured she served it in the fried carcass; Michael advised Alyssa her pork was just cooked through and the XO sauce didn’t come through; Alvin loved Chanelle’s fried abalone; and Alvin was disappointed Andre used so little sea urchin on his slab of cauliflower. Finally, Cryssi’s tartare and steak were a mixed bag according to Claudio.

Jennifer came out on top with the best dish of the night. On the bottom were Jenny and Alyssa, who had struggled so badly with the ingredients Cryssi gave them. And while they were asked to remove their aprons, they weren’t eliminated yet; both face off in a Redemption Challenge in next week’s episode.

MasterChef Canada airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

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Entertainment One and Brad Peyton announce Albedo starring Evangeline Lilly for Bell Media and Vudu

From a media release:

Entertainment One (eOne), together with Brad Peyton and Bell Media, today announced an eight-episode series order for a mystery drama titled ALBEDO for Bell Media in Canada, in partnership with Vudu in the US. The show marks a return to television for Golden Globe®-nominated actress Evangeline Lilly who will star and executive produce. Writing duo Max and Adam Reid serve as series creators and executive producers. Brad Peyton is also set to direct and executive produce the straight-to-series project that will be internationally distributed by eOne.

One-hundred-fifty years in the future, detective Vivien Coleman is dispatched to the edge of our solar system to investigate a scientist’s mysterious death on board an isolated space station. She soon finds herself trapped and cut-off from Earth, along with the station’s small crew of brilliant scientists – all murder suspects – all harboring their own secrets… What begins as a classic murder mystery evolves into a fight for survival that may threaten the future of our species.

Evangeline Lilly won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2006 and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 2007 for her role in LOST. She most recently reprised her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with box office record-shattering AVENGERS: ENDGAME. Lilly’s extensive roster of work also includes the upcoming film DREAMLAND and past films such as LITTLE EVIL, THE HOBBIT and THE HURT LOCKER.

Max and Adam Reid are best known for most recently producing and writing Amazon Prime Video series, SNEAKY PETE, and the eOne pilot for YouTube Premium, DARK CARGO, executive produced by Ben Stiller and Nicky Weinstock.

Brad Peyton’s work includes films such as RAMPAGE and  the Netflix and Discovery Canada series FRONTIER. 

In development at Bell Media since 2016 and expected to begin pre-production in May, ALBEDO is the latest international original drama from Canada’s leading content creation company. The series will be presented exclusively in Canada on Bell Media platforms.

Vudu is an ad-supported, Internet-based home entertainment service that provides access to a library of movies, images, television shows, artwork, and/or other episodic content. Its services can be accessed through computers, mobile devices, and Internet-capable televisions, as well as proprietary devices manufactured by the company and third-party devices. Vudu Inc. is a subsidiary of Walmart.

ALBEDO is produced by eOne in association with Bell Media, and the participation of the Canada Media Fund, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Province of British Columbia Production Services Tax Credit.

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