Tag Archives: Crave

New Eden

Unbelievable true-crime story about Canada’s all-female cult, New Eden, drops January 1 on Crave

From a media release:

In 1991, two Canadian filmmakers uncovered the gripping story of Katherine Wryfield and Grace Lee’s drug-addled, alien-goddess worshipping, all-female cult, New Eden. Now, decades after their story faded to black, Crave “revisits” the infamous cult and its founders in the eight-part Crave Original Series NEW EDEN, dropping New Year’s Day, it was confirmed today.

Based in Halworth, BC, the New Eden cult, and the infamous 1980s trial that put its founders behind bars, dominated the Canadian news cycle of the day. Originally directed by two LA-based filmmakers named Travis Meeks and Jake Dermay, the docuseries was televised by Broadcast Network Television (BNT) as NEW EDEN: WHEN WOMEN SIN.

The original docuseries premiere was one of the largest in BNT history, but just as the story of New Eden disappeared from Canadians’ collective memories, the BNT docuseries literally faded as well, never to be broadcast again. Decades later, with true-crime fascination at an all-time high, Crave has uncovered the original broadcast tapes from the now-defunct BNT and restored them to their former glory. After months of restorative work, the original series is presented to Canadian viewers once more as it was seen in 1991. A teaser trailer for Crave’s NEW EDEN is available HERE.

NEW EDEN transports viewers back in time to 1991, as cult founders Grace and Katherine prepare for their release after serving eight years in federal prison. Having gone from true-crime sensations, to national jokes, to largely forgotten altogether, they are persuaded to talk on-camera by a pair of unassuming documentarians seeking to tell their story. The series traces Grace and Katherine’s attempt to start a large-scale feminist utopia in the 70s; the sensational 80s murder trial that landed the founders in prison; and finally their decline and seeming rehabilitation behind bars.

Featuring astounding undercover footage captured on the New Eden compound, news footage, and interviews with those closest to the events, NEW EDEN is the shocking tale about an ill-advised plan executed by two overwhelmed women that quickly spirals into a darker narrative of murder, betrayal, and manipulation.

About WHEN WOMEN SIN
Travis Meeks and Jake Dermay met as UCLA film grads in 1987. Inspired by Errol Morris’ boldly unconventional Thin Blue Line in 1989, Meeks and Dermay began searching for a true crime subject worthy of their own self-proclaimed “shock doc” style.

Produced and co-financed by Magnus Meeks, Travis’ father, NEW EDEN: WHEN WOMEN SIN was originally intended to be a film, but got expanded into a docuseries when BNT stepped in as partners in early 1991. Released later that year, the series was as shocking as it was unprecedented. According to Meeks, the piece was about revealing the intricacies of female friendship and crime through the lens of “our inevitable ‘male gaze.’”

While Meeks-Dermay Films continued to collaborate following the original release of the series, none of their later projects achieved the infamy or impact of WHEN WOMEN SIN, and both men have since faded into obscurity. Until now.

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Featured

Poll: Which three returning Canadian shows will you be watching this fall?

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The fall television season is here, and we couldn’t be happier. With the crisper weather comes the traditional time of year when networks’ new and returning favourites hit the airwaves.

In particular, the CBC jumps into the next few weeks with longtime faves in Murdoch Mysteries and Heartland alongside soon to be classics in Anne with an E and Frankie Drake Mysteries. Not to be outdone, Corus series like Carnival Eats and Property Brothers are back and Citytv’s newbie, Hudson & Rex returns with new episodes. In short, there is a lot of television coming our way.

To celebrate, we’re asking you to check off the three returning television series you’re most looking to watching in the coming months. Have fun, and please feel free to leave a comment below regarding why you chose which shows you did. (After you make your selections, make sure you hit the blue “Vote” button just below and to the right of The Nature of Things.)

Also: wondering when your favourites return? Check out our handy calendars.

Which three returning Canadian shows will you be watching this fall?

  • Heartland, CBC (39%, 1,133 Votes)
  • Murdoch Mysteries, CBC (13%, 392 Votes)
  • Anne with an E, CBC (8%, 228 Votes)
  • Property Brothers, HGTV Canada (6%, 169 Votes)
  • Frankie Drake Mysteries, CBC (6%, 165 Votes)
  • Still Standing, CBC (6%, 162 Votes)
  • The Great Canadian Baking Show, CBC (4%, 126 Votes)
  • Hudson & Rex, Citytv (4%, 111 Votes)
  • The Nature of Things, CBC (3%, 87 Votes)
  • Highway Thru Hell, History (3%, 84 Votes)
  • Battle of the Blades, CBC (2%, 57 Votes)
  • Marketplace, CBC (2%, 53 Votes)
  • Dragons' Den, CBC (2%, 47 Votes)
  • Letterkenny, Crave (1%, 43 Votes)
  • Carnival Eats, Food Network Canada (1%, 29 Votes)
  • Baroness von Sketch Show (1%, 21 Votes)
  • CBC Arts: Exhibitionists, CBC (0%, 8 Votes)
  • First Contact, APTN (0%, 8 Votes)
  • Eyes for the Job, AMI-tv (0%, 6 Votes)
  • Bajillionaires, Family (0%, 6 Votes)
  • In the Making, CBC (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 1,464

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New Eden

First images of killer Crave comedy New Eden unearthed

From a media release:

Never-before-seen images strongly suggest production has begun on the Crave Original Comedy, NEW EDEN, ending months of speculation. The fly-on-the-wall photos, seemingly taken in the late 1970s, offer clues to a story that’s never been told; about the most notorious women the world’s never heard of; orchestrating a utopia that never happened.

Spanning the 70s, 80s, and 90s over eight half-hour episodes, NEW EDEN is a hilariously complex, true crime parody that begins in 1977, when Katherine Wryfield (Kayla Lorette) and Grace Lee (Evany Rosen) attempt to start a large scale feminist utopia, “New Eden.” While intentions for this would-be utopia were noble, in the inexperienced hands of Lee and Wryfield, the community quickly devolves into drug addled, alien-goddess worshipping chaos…and murder. Definitely some murder.

In addition to Rosen and Lorette, NEW EDEN stars Tony Nappo as a small town sheriff with a grudge against “New Eden,” and Caitlin Howden as a former member of the commune. The series is directed by Aleysa Young. Rosen and Lorette serve as showrunners.

NEW EDEN is currently in production in North Bay, Ont, with production slated to conclude in Brampton and Hamilton in mid-August. Developed in partnership with Peacock Alley Entertainment,NEW EDEN hails from the brilliant comedic minds of its creators, showrunners, and stars Evany Rosen (PICNICFACE, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW) and Kayla Lorette (KIM’S CONVENIENCE, SPACE RIDERS). NEW EDEN is slated to premiere on Crave later this year.

NEW EDEN joins Crave’s growing slate of comedic and factual original series which includes: DRAG RACE CANADA which begins production this fall; a new six-pack of the smash-hit LETTERKENNY set to debut on October 11; four all-new Crave Original stand-up specials taping at the upcoming Just For Laughs Festival in Montréal; the new documentary series WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE; a second season of MUCH STUDIOS PRESENTS: MIKE ON MUCH IN CONVERSATION WITH…; and two new series from Bell Media Studios, the UNTITLED ELAINE “LAINEY” LUI series featuring Lui as she dishes on some of Crave’s most buzz-worthy programming, and HEALTHY IS, showcasing a variety of healthy living tips from Chloe Wilde’s highly successful website, Healthy is Hot.

NEW EDEN is produced by Peacock Alley Entertainment Inc. in partnership with Crave, with the participation of Canadian Media Fund and Bell Fund. Carrie Mudd (TRAVELERS, SANCTUARY) is Executive Producer. Rosen and Lorette serve as writers and showrunners.

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Wynonna Earp

Space, SYFY, IDW Entertainment, SEVEN24 Films announce return to production of Wynonna Earp

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From a media release:

IDW Entertainment, SEVEN24 Films, Space (soon to be CTV Sci-fi Channel), and SYFY announced today that “Wynonna Earp,” the award-winning series based on the IDW comic created by Beau Smith, has been greenlit to start production for its fourth season.

With a major commitment from Bell Media’s Crave as a new production partner and streaming platform, production is slated to begin later this year. Season 4 is expected to debut in Summer 2020 on Space in Canada and SYFY in the US, with Seasons 1-3 streaming on Crave in Canada in the fall.

Additionally, IDW Entertainment announced that Cineflix Studios has come aboard to co-produce, with Cineflix rights handling international sales for all four seasons of the series. Winner of the 2018 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show, “Wynonna Earp” follows the life of the great, great granddaughter (Melanie Scrofano, “Bad Blood”) of famous lawman Wyatt Earp. The action-packed supernatural sci-fi series stars Scrofano, Tim Rozon
(“Schitt’s Creek”), Dominique Provost-Chalkley (“Avengers: Age of Ultron”) and Katherine Barrell (“Working Moms”).

Known for having one of the most active social media communities – from arranging fan conventions around the world to raising money for LGBTQ charities – “Wynonna Earp” has been praised for its “fierce and committed performances”*, and has received and been nominated for numerous awards including Canadian Screen Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, Directors Guild of Canada, Writers Guild of Canada and Alberta Film & Television Awards.

SEVEN24’s Jordy Randall and Tom Cox, in addition to Cineflix’s Peter Emerson and Brett Burlock, serve as Executive Producers along with Todd Berger and Rick Jacobs.

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Industry News

Queens of the North, come through! Crave announces new original series Drag Race Canada

From a media release:

O Canada! As Pride Month winds down, and Canada Day approaches, Canadians have another reason to celebrate this weekend as Crave and OUTtv announced today an unprecedented partnership that extends the reach of international television phenomenon, RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE in Canada. This partnership includes the new Crave Original Series, DRAG RACE CANADA, the first-ever Canadian adaptation of the show.

Crave and OUTtv are set to become the leading Canadian broadcast and streaming homes of:

  • Future seasons of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, airing day and date with the U.S. broadcast
  • The all-new series RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE UK, available day and date with BBC Three
  • The all-new Crave Original Series, DRAG RACE CANADA

All past seasons of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE and RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE ALL STARS will be available on Crave and OUTtv.

Produced by World of Wonder, RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE has become a world-wide movement since its premiere in 2009. After 11 Seasons and more than 100 competitors, the series has garnered nine Emmy Awards; critical praise; a legion of fans including mega-celebrities from Katy Perry to Anne Hathaway to Henry Rollins; and a world-renowned drag and pop culture convention, RuPaul’s DragCon, in Los Angeles and New York City .

Now, DRAG RACE is sashaying to the North and producers are on the look-out for the country’s most sick’ning artists to slay the competition, and be crowned Canada’s first Drag Superstar. Produced by Blue Ant Studios, DRAG RACE CANADA combines elements of the classic fan-favourite, with a healthy serving of Canadian maple shade, and likely, some Canadian bacon. Casting begins this summer on the 10-episode, one-hour original series, with production to begin this fall in Ontario. The DRAG RACE CANADA host and judges will be announced at a later date.

In association with Crave, DRAG RACE CANADA is produced by Blue Ant Studios. World of Wonder’s Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, and Tom Campbell serve as Executive Producers. RuPaul serves as Executive Producer. Executive producers for Blue Ant Studios include Betty Orr, Michael Kot and Laura Michalchyshyn with Mike Bickerton acting as Showrunner.

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