Tag Archives: CBC

Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Preview: Murdoch Mysteries, “Murdoch Knows Best”

Murdoch Mysteries fans know there are certain things that will happen in a season. An appearance by Terrence Meyers is one of them.

Played by Peter Keleghan, any scenes with Meyers crackle with an energy that I love. So, I was excited to preview Monday’s new instalment, “Murdoch Knows Best,” written by Simon McNabb and directed by Don McCutcheon. And, I have to say, this may be one of the best Meyers-themed episodes ever.

Here’s the CBC’s official synopsis:

After a man’s murder, Murdoch and Brackenreid discover spy Terrence Meyers’ civilian life.

And here are some observations from me after watching the episode in advance.

Terrence Meyers… family man?
You absolutely never know when Meyers is telling the truth. Spies lie. So, is the CBC’s synopsis that we truly go into his civilian life fact or fiction? I had a lot of fun finding out, and think you will too.

Guest stars aplenty
Aside from Peter Keleghan, look for Leah Pinsent (Keleghan’s real-life wife) as Meyers’ spouse. Also, Cynthia Preston, Jim Annan and Nicholas Fry all drop by. Though the episode is titled “Father Knows Best,” a nod to the classic American sitcom and the surnames on that show, I caught a surname attached to another classic series, and the episode’s director; and there is a very clever nod to a certain board game many of us have enjoyed.

Meanwhile, back at the Station House…
Watts and Crabtree are approached by a youth basketball team who are concerned because their coach has gone missing. A bloody hat is their only clue. Speaking of Watts, David Andrew Reid, introduced last week as Mr. Strange briefly returns on Monday.

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

Images courtesy of Shaftesbury.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Preview: The Nature of Things goes “Inside the Great Vaccine Race” for Season 61 return

Happy Season 61, The Nature of Things! The series, hosted by David Suzuki has always been timely in its nature, covering top-of-mind topics in an interesting, down-to-earth way that even I can understand.

Returning Friday at 9 p.m. on CBC, The Nature of Things is never more relevant, tackling COVID-19 with “Inside the Great Vaccine Race.” As the title suggests, this is an exhaustive peek at the people who worked tirelessly to help develop a vaccine for COVID-19 and continue to do so.

The episode begins with Dr. Alyson Kelvin (above), a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization in Saskatoon, who left her family in Halifax for five months to work on a vaccine. While most people, in the early days of the vaccine, expressed curiosity at what was going on in Wuhan, China, Dr. Kelvin knew that—within months—the disease could be worldwide.

“Despite the sacrifices that I made to come here, I would have felt useless being at home,” she says.

Meanwhile, in China, it takes less than two days for the virus to be mapped and identified as related to SARS. And, able to spread without obvious symptoms by the carrier, it can move undetected around the world.

The Nature of Things also visits Cambridge University, Germany’s BioNTech lab and China’s CanSino Biologics as part of its storytelling, outlining what was being done in each location as the sprint to creating vaccines increased.

Made by Infield Fly Productions (who had their own challenges filming a documentary during a pandemic) in association with the CBC, “Inside the Great Vaccine Race” is tough to watch simply because it’s showing a worldwide event we’re still in the midst of. Those that have lost family members or friends to COVID-19 are going to have a particularly difficult experience. And it’s an excellent education into how science can provide a relatively quick solution to a worldwide catastrophe.

“Inside the Great Vaccine Race” kicks off Season 61 of The Nature of Things, Friday at 9 p.m. on CBC.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Preview: Murdoch Mysteries, “The Incorrigible Dr. Ogden”

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What has Julia gotten herself into? That was my first thought upon seeing images for Monday’s new instalment of Murdoch Mysteries. Had she been sent to an institution for bad behaviour?

As it turns out, she’s there for a very good and important, reason. Here’s the official synopsis for “The Incorrigible Dr. Ogden,” written by Christina Ray and directed by Craig David Wallace:

To solve an inmate’s murder, Murdoch sends Ogden undercover at a woman’s reformatory.

And here is more information from me after watching an episode preview.

Things start gorily
Murdoch Mysteries isn’t known for being over-the-top with its portrayal of dead bodies, and Monday’s death certainly isn’t that. Still, it’s a little disturbing to start off the episode with, well… you’ll see.

A Slasher star guest-stars
If you’re a fan of Slasher: Flesh & Blood or Kim’s Convenience, you’ll recognize Sabrina Grdevich in a key role on Monday. Keep your eyes peeled for August Winter (Mary Kills People), Sarah Dodd (Anne with an E), David Andrew Reid and Murry Peters.

Margaret is back!
And it’s good to see her.

A new case for Watts
A case of kidnapping brings a new person into Watts’ life, just when things seem to be at an impasse with Jack.

A history lesson
Yes, the Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women was a real place. Opened in 1872, it closed in 1969(!). Find out more about where it was located, and a building that still stands from the complex, here. And, learn more about Eva Tanguay, “The Queen of Vaudeville,” and Long Tack Sam.

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

Images courtesy of Stephen Scott for Shaftesbury.

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Coroner

Link: Coroner actor Nicholas Campbell off the show after using N-word on movie set

From Eli Glasner of CBC News:

Link: Coroner actor Nicholas Campbell off the show after using N-word on movie set
Canadian actor Nicholas Campbell, known for his role as Gordon Cooper on CBC’s Coroner, will not return to the show’s production until an investigation can be conducted after Campbell was heard using racist slurs on the set of a separate film project, CBC News has learned. Continue reading.

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Bones of Crows, Industry News

CBC/Radio Canada, APTN and Ayasew Ooskana Pictures announce casting and start of production on Marie Clements’ Bones of Crows

From a media release:

Ayasew Ooskana Pictures announced today production is underway on the new original five-part psychological drama (5X60) and feature film BONES OF CROWS, commissioned by CBC/Radio-Canada in association with APTN. Created by Marie Clements, the character-driven series features an ensemble cast of talent including Grace Dove (Monkey Beach), Philip Lewitski (Wildhood), Glen Gould (Cold Pursuit), Michelle Thrush (Pathfinder), Gail Maurice (Night Raiders), Cara Gee (The Expanse), Karine Vanasse (Cardinal), Angus Macfadyen (Robert The Bruce), Rémy Girard (District 31), Graham Greene (Molly’s Game) and Lorne Cardinal (Corner Gas).

BONES OF CROWS is told through the eyes of Cree Matriarch Aline Spears as she survives a childhood in Canada’s residential school system to continue her family’s generational fight in the face of systemic starvation, racism, and sexual abuse. She uses her uncanny ability to understand and translate codes into working for a special division of the Canadian Air Force as a Cree code talker in World War II. The story unfolds over 100 years with a cumulative force that propels us into the future.

The project will be shot originally in English, with Cree and Ayajuthem spoken in key scenes and there will be both Cree and French-language versions for broadcast. Filming locations include the Thompson-Nicola Region (Kamloops, Vernon, Quilchena), Greater Victoria Area, and Greater Vancouver Area in British Columbia, and Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Winnipeg portion of production will be produced by Eagle Vision.

BONES OF CROWS is a CBC/Radio-Canada original production, produced with the financial participation of Telefilm Canada, Canada Media Fund, APTN , Independent Production Fund, Shaw Rocket Fund, Bell Fund, ISO (Indigenous Screen Office), FIBC, CAVCO, and First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Cultural Council and Indigenous Arts Program.

BONES OF CROWS is produced, written and directed by Marie Clements (Red Snow, The Road Forward), executive produced by Trish Dolman & Christine Haebler (French Exit, Indian Horse) and Sam Grana (The Boys of St. Vincent) with Executive Producers Lisa Meeches and Kyle Irving from Eagle Vision and the DOP is Vince Arvidson (The Magnitude of All Things).

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