Tag Archives: CBC

Featured, X Company

X Company 307: Aurora is pushed to the brink in “The Hunt”

I pretty much lost my cool over this week’s episode of X Company, as this tweet demonstrates:

My reaction was in response to the horrifying moral quandaries the instalment presents to viewers and to a stunning—but completely earned—ending that is sure to blow up Twitter on Wednesday night.

It’s an incredibly well-done hour of television, but it is difficult to watch. It was also difficult to create, according to co-executive producer Sandra Chwialkowska.

“Honestly, I can say it was the hardest script I’ve ever had to write,” she says.

Here is our sneak peek of “The Hunt,” written by Chwialkowska and directed by Amanda Tapping.

A village in danger
Last week’s X Company ended with Aurora telling Alfred about the Nazi’s plan to “cleanse” the village of Nadzieja, Poland. This week, Neil, Alfred and the Polish Resistance try to fight off the German attack.

Aurora is pushed to the brink
Aurora has been delving deeper and deeper into the persona of Helene Bauer, and things are about to take a sickening turn as she must prove her loyalty during a party at Schmidt’s home.

Évelyne Brochu is always top-notch, but she is truly compelling in this episode. How she is continually passed over for a Canadian Screen Awards nomination I’ll never understand.

Schmidt and Heidi reveal what it means to be true believers
You think you know what’s coming—you don’t.

Major cliffhanger alert
Don’t even think about missing the final moments of this episode.

X Company airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on CBC.

Image courtesy of CBC. 

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

CBC brings popular British bake off format to Canada with The Great Canadian Baking Show

From a media release:

On your marks. Get set. Bake! CBC today announced that it is bringing hit format The Great British Bake Off to Canada with new 8 x one-hour series THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW. Produced by Proper Television, the Canadian version of the culinary competition will start production this month and launch on CBC in fall 2017. The original British series will also air on CBC this summer as THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW. The search for Canada’s best bakers is now underway, with further details available at www.cbc.ca/life/greatcanadianbakingshow for those interested in applying.

Based on the British format, THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW will bring together 10 amateur bakers from across Canada to compete in a series of themed culinary challenges. In every episode, they’ll face three nail-biting rounds: the Signature Bake, the Technical Bake and the Show Stopper. Each week, the competitor who shows the most skill, creativity and finesse will be named Star Baker, while the weakest will be sent home until only three finalists are left vying for the Great Canadian Baking Show title.

THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW is produced by Proper Television in association with CBC and Love Productions. The format is owned by Love Productions and distributed by Sky Vision. In addition to the original British series the format has been produced in 23 territories, including American, Australian, French and Irish versions.

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Workin' Moms

Link: 5×5 With The Hook: Dennis Andres

From You’ve Been Hooked:

Link: 5×5 With The Hook: Dennis Andres
“I can’t give much away, but it’s a scene later in the season that Catherine (Reitman) directed, and did an incredible job guiding the scene into the emotional direction it should go.  She managed to create a moment so surreal that I had forgotten I was on camera, and when they yelled, “cut!” I looked up, and the first thing I saw was Lainie Knox (our wonder woman camera A operator) wipe a tear from her eye.” Continue reading.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Murdoch Mysteries: Blasts and bodies

Wasn’t last week’s episode of Murdoch Mysteries a blast? Brackenreid was back at Station No. 4, Terrence Meyers made a hilarious reappearance and Pendrick cheated death once again.

Speaking of blasts, it looks like there is at least one in Monday’s new episode, “Hades Hath No Fury.” CBC’s teaser boasts a big boom and it appears a body is found in the rubble. Here’s what the network has said officially:

An explosion involving the mysterious woman Watts has been investigating leads Murdoch to a surreptitious community.

And here a few more story points from us after watching a screener of the episode, written by Michelle Ricci and directed by Leslie Hope.

Ka-boom!
Murdoch and Julia are on the case right out of the gate after an explosion rips through a Toronto building. And it turns out she’s someone very important to Watts’ ongoing investigation. And while Murdoch is set in the early 1900s, clues in the case reach back to the ancient Greeks.

Watts is down in the dumps
The investigation has a profound effect on Watts and actor Daniel Maslany turns in one heck of a performance. Yes, Watts’ wacky skills as a detective are fun to watch, but the serious stuff is fantastic too.

Real history is part of the storyline
We love it when real historical facts and people make it into Murdoch Mysteries scripts and there is one heck of a juicy one on Monday night.

A longtime friend of Murdoch’s visits
The teaser released by the CBC ahead of this instalment has already revealed this: Freddie Pink is back in Toronto. By the way, have you seen Alex Paxton-Beesley in Season 1 of Pure? She’s fantastic as Anna Funk, the wife of a Mennonite pastor who does some very, very bad things in order to keep him family safe from violent criminals. You can watch all six episodes at CBC.ca.

Murdoch Mysteries airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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Featured, Heartland

Heartland: Adam, awkwardness and announcements

1 Comment

Well, I certainly didn’t see the breakup between Georgie and Adam coming at the end of last week’s episode, did you? I mean, I knew he was the jealous type, but I never suspected she’d decide to walk away from the relationship. It will be interesting to see, as this season winds down, if that will stick or they’ll reunite. Adam will have a lot of growing up to do if that’s going to happen.

Meanwhile, heading into Sunday’s episode, “Written in the Stars,” we’re scratching our heads over why Mallory really came back to Canada. Jake riding up in the final moments added a twist we weren’t expecting. Here’s what CBC says about Sunday’s storylines written by Mark Haroun:

Jake’s unexpected arrival at Heartland forces Mallory to admit to Amy and Jack the real reason she came back to Heartland.

And here’s what we can tease after watching a screener:

Mallory explains
The episode begins with Mallory and Jake discussing the circumstances surrounding their experiences overseas. It’s intense and touching, and made even more so by some stellar camera work. The duo make a surprising decision about next steps.

Scott needs a haircut
That’s not part of the story, just an observation. No, Scott’s got a cutting horse named Tab that needs tending to and naturally calls on Amy for help … but it’s Georgie who solves a problem.

A special dinner
There have been plenty of folks given a spot at Heartland’s dinner table, and new faces are added on Sunday. Some of my favourite scenes are filmed around that table and this is particularly noteworthy.

Heartland airs Sundays at 7 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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