Tag Archives: CBC

Link: ‘X Company’ star Evelyne Brochu gets lost in translation

From A.R. Wilson of Digital Journal:

‘X Company’ star Evelyne Brochu gets lost in translation
Sometimes Evelyne Brochu’s career gets lost, quite literally, in translation.

When the Montreal native first began acting in English four years ago, few people in anglophone Canada — and even fewer in the United States — knew about her impressive French-language career in Quebec, which includes not only extensive TV credits, but film work with top-tier directors Denis Villenueve (Polytechnique), Jean-Marc Vallee (Café de Flore), and Xavier Dolan (Tom à la ferme). She was viewed, she says, as a “blank slate.” Continue reading. 

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Preview: Worlds collide on X Company

I’m lucky enough to be sent screeners of X Company in advance of the CBC broadcasts. That gives me the chance to watch them and work ahead on reviews or book interviews with writers, directors, cast or crew. It also affords me the opportunity to get into Twitter conversations with fellow television critics who receive the same perks I do.

The result? Social media conversations like what happened when Bridget Liszewski, A.R. Wilson and I jumped on social media to talk about Wednesday’s new episode, “Fatherland.”

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Written by co-creators Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and supervising producer Sandra Chwialkowska, Episode 8 provides the most gripping, dramatic scenes in Season 2. That’s saying something for a program that’s already featured the Fabers killing their son and Aurora taking Rene’s life. Here’s what Bridget, A.R. and I were going gaga over.

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“Planes, Trains and Panic Attacks”
Chwialkowska tweeted that tongue-in-cheek alternate episode title, but she ain’t lying. The simple train ride Aurora and Sabine are taking to the coast to celebrate Ulli’s life turns into a nail-biter. Façades are shed, conversation turns truthful and innocence is lost forever. Those scenes—directed by Amanda Tapping—are so claustrophobic and full of emotion that I had to get up and walk away from the computer. Yeah, it’s that powerful. Want more proof? Take another look at that image of Aurora and Sabine.

Scuba Man makes his move
Scuba Man works his way into Camp X and sets his assassination attempt against Sinclair in motion while Harry, Neil and Alfred try desperately to warn their commanding officer. Meanwhile, Klaus is still struggling with his feelings. Should he support his Fatherland, Germany, and do all he can to win the war, or recognize Sinclair as a friend of his father? What he decides is the second-most dramatic scene of the episode.

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

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Link: X Company’s Torben Liebrecht on the many shades of Faber

From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:

X Company’s Torben Liebrecht on the many shades of Faber
“It’s hard for me to describe what this episode does, because it does so much. It’s the ultimate face off of two people representing different sides of this war, but on the other hand, are united by their love of innocence. There’s also the fact that they are supposed to act, and it’s demanded of them that they lead and not act how they are as people. In a way, that makes them two sides of the same coin.” Continue reading.

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Orphan Black and Schitt’s Creek capture key Canadian Screen Awards

Orphan Black and Schitt’s Creek were multiple television category winners during Sunday’s broadcast of the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards, dubbed the Candys by host Norm Macdonald in memory of the late John Candy.

“Never has there been so much Canadian talent in one place that hasn’t had to be zambonied first,” host Norm Macdonald joked in front of those assembled in Toronto’s Sony Centre on Sunday night. Orphan Black leads Tatiana Maslany and Ari Millen won in the Best Actress and Best Actor in a Drama while Schitt’s Creek‘s Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy took awards for Best Actress and Actor in the Comedy categories and the series won for Best Comedy Series. City’s off-the-wall sketch comedy Sunnyside beat out favourites Rick Mercer Report and This Hour Has 22 Minutes for Best Variety or Sketch Comedy Series.

“We’re the new kids on the block. It’s a weird show and we’re weird in it. It’s overwhelming,” Sunnyside‘s Kathleen Phillips said in the media room following their win. Gritty cop drama 19-2 outpaced Blackstone, Motive, Saving Hope and X Company for Best Dramatic Series.

Here are the winners in the television categories (denoted by blue):

Non-televised
Best International Drama
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Vikings

Golden Screen Award for TV Reality Show
The Amazing Race Canada
Big Brother Canada
Canada’s Smartest Person
Dragons’ Den
MasterChef Canada

Televised
Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Adrian Holmes, 19-2
Jared Keeso, 19-2
Ari Millen, Orphan Black
Ben Bass, Rookie Blue
Aaron Poole, Strange Empire

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Brittany LaBorgne, Mohawk Girls
Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Belinda Cornish, Tiny Plastic Men

Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Leading Comedic Role
Gerry Dee, Mr. D
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Dave Foley, Spun Out

Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series (Individual or Ensemble)
This Hour Has 22 Minutes
The Second City Project
Sunnyside
Rick Mercer Report

Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role
Kristin Lehman, Motive
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Megan Follows, Reign
Missy Peregrym, Rookie Blue
Jennie Raymond, Sex & Violence

Fan’s Choice Award
Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Natasha Negovanlis, Carmilla
Yannick Bisson, Murdoch Mysteries

Best TV Movie or Limited Series
The Book of Negroes
First Response
Forget and Forgive
Kept Woman
Studio Black!

Golden Screen Award for TV Drama/Comedy
The Book of Negroes
Corner Gas: The Movie
Murdoch Mysteries
Rookie Blue
Saving Hope

Best Dramatic Series
19-2
Blackstone
Motive
Saving Hope
X Company

Best Comedy Series
Mr. D
Mohawk Girls
Schitt’s Creek
Tiny Plastic Men
Young Drunk Punk

Were you happy with who won? What did you think of the broadcast and/or Norm Macdonald as host? Comment below or via @tv_eh.

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Secrets revealed on X Company

I watch a lot of television shows. And while I enjoy every one, some are really special. X Company is one of those that strikes a cord with me emotionally every time, especially with an episode like this week’s.

“La Vérité Vous Rendra Libre,” written by Adam Barken and directed by Amanda Tapping, translates to “the truth will make you free,” and a lot of truths were uttered Wednesday night. With just three more episodes to go in Season 2, Barken’s script blew the doors off secrets kept for awhile. Perhaps the biggest of them all was the double shot of Sabine admitting to Aurora that she and Franz smothered Ulli and Aurora admitting to killing Rene (Aurora didn’t say Rene, but we all knew who she was talking about.) Alfred listening in to their confessions, in a church no less, means the Allied team is even more divided.

Now Aurora and Sabine have hopped on a train and headed to parts unknown. I’m assuming they’re going to the ocean so Sabine can bury Ulli’s bow tie. And if they are going to a beach, I’m betting it’s Dieppe, because of course it would be. Either way, Aurora has put herself in a dangerous position, betraying the team in order to get closer to Sabine and blowing their cover in Paris. And while Sabine and Franz’s relationship has been in the crapper since the tail end of Season 1, I always assumed things would work out between them. Not anymore. Franz knows Sabine told Aurora about the concert and it was he who told his wife in the first place.

As for the rest of the squad, they’re without a safe house or a camp. The guerrilla army was shattered when Martin revealed the location to the Germans—Neil’s cold killing of the young man was shocking but expected—and Miri and Neil’s relationship appears the same way. Him admitting his nightmares were tied to killing the German wasn’t what she wanted to hear, especially since Germans slaughtered her family.

Did I mention there was a lot going on in Wednesday’s episode? A planned mission to sabotage an auto plant being retrofitted to build tanks was jettisoned, and we learned Scuba Man joined the Royal Care Society so he can get into Camp X and kill Sinclair. And, thanks to the radio being shot up, Harry has no way to warn the camp of the coming attack.

Next week’s episode, “Fatherland,” is co-written by Sandra Chwialkowska and showrunners Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and promises to be another nail biter. What do you think will happen? Will Franz turn against his wife or will he choose her over the party? Do you think Aurora and Sabine will end up in Dieppe? Comment below or via our Twitter feed @tv_eh.

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

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