Tag Archives: Featured

Amazing Race Canada, Featured

Sweating it out in Vietnam on The Amazing Race Canada

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Unlike the last two legs of The Amazing Race Canada, Tuesday’s third one had no clear leaders. I blame it on the stifling heat in the Mekong Delta for causing teams to make bone-headed decisions and failing to note a critical clue that caused a shakeup at the Pit Stop.

Among the nuttiness in Vietnam? First-place team Joel and Ashley, along with three other duos, all took 30-minute penalties for using a water taxi to traverse between sections rather than the ferry clearly listed on the card they received. Listen, I get it. My instinct would have been to grab the water taxi I’d just climbed out of too, especially with teams breathing down my neck. But while I understand the urgency to keep moving—this is a race after all—I’m having trouble understanding what Stéphane was thinking.

The father not only relinquished the lead he and Antoine had by helping Ashley complete the goose-herding challenge, allowing she and Joel to depart the test in first place, but he aided other squads too, moving he and Antoine further back in the pack. It almost seemed like he’d given up and wanted to go home, and the frustration and shock on Antoine’s face was understandable. The pair eventually departed dead-last and never recovered, finishing in last place thanks to the four-hour penalty they took when Stéphane gave up on duck-herding after two hours. You’d think knowing the last team would be eliminated would light a fire under his butt, but perhaps the heat of the day sapped all rational thought.

The heat affected everyone, but Tanya especially. She struggled mightily during the ironically-named Hydrate Detour and had to be tended to by the show’s medical team. She sat off to the side, taking in fluids, while Anne continued to carry 60 coconuts from their boat to the harvesting station, completing the task and showing she wasn’t about to give up and was all about teamwork. Speaking of teamwork, Jillian and Emmett continue to complete Legs of the Race despite spending precious time and energy bitching at one another. The former Big Brother Canada competitors are used to playing a singular game, but The Amazing Race Canada is about supporting the other person and they need to work on that. I hit the mute button every time they start to fight because it’s embarrassing.

The most impressive team of this Leg was easily Kelly and Kate. The best friends, on the cusp of exiting the show last week, aced their toad-carrying Speed Bump (and informing viewers 20 toads is known as a knot) and landed in a very respectable third place.

What are your thoughts on this latest Leg? Would you have helped other teams like Stéphane did? Comment below.

Here’s how the teams finished this Leg of the Race:

  1. Joel and Ashley (30-minute penalty, won trip for two to Japan)
  2. Steph and Kristen
  3. Kelly and Kate
  4. Emmett and Jillian (30-minute penalty)
  5. Frankie and Amy
  6. Rita and Yvette (30-minute penalty)
  7. Julie and Lowell
  8. Anne and Tanya (30-minute penalty)
  9. Stéphane and Antoine (four-hour penalty, eliminated)

The Amazing Race Canada airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CTV.

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Featured, Motive

Sons of Anarchy star lands on Motive

“Foreign Relations,” written by Sarah Dodd, may just be Motive’s most international episode ever. Not only does the main crime involve a British student found dead on university grounds, but Scottish actor Tommy Flanagan in a guest role. Yes, Chibs from Sons of Anarchy appears in Tuesday’s new story, as an Interpol agent teamed with Angie to investigate the crime.

Here’s what fans can expect on Tuesday night.

Sons of Anarchy star plays good guy?
It’s deliciously ironic that Tommy Flanagan is playing Interpol Agent Jack Stoker in this episode. He was unforgettable as motorcycle gang member Chibs for 92 episodes of Sons of Anarchy, so it’s pretty neat to see him showered, shaved and dressed to the nines, investigating Julian’s death … while catching Betty and Angie’s approving eyes. (Viewers with a sharp ear will catch a familiar, British bit of music when Jack leaves his meeting with Vega.) We learn a lot about Jack and his personal life; one wonders if he’ll return before—or during—Motive‘s series finale. And we love his off-key warbling of our national anthem.

Motive_2

Vega is in troubleeeee…..
Motive revisits last week’s case involving Sgt. Bailin, with Vegas being questioned by the press about why her mental unbalance wasn’t caught via screening. Vega gets called on the carpet by his superiors for telling the media he thinks the justice system failed her son.

Vancouver’s stunning cityscape
I always forget what a beautiful backdrop Vancouver is for Motive; make sure you look at the scenery as Angie and Betty are examining the body.

Motive airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on CTV.

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Children's Programming, Featured

Gisèle Corinthios exits TVO’s Big Backyard

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Sad news for fans of Gisèle Corinthios: the host of Gisèle’s Big Backyard is no longer with TVO. As reported back in April, the publicly funded provincial channel had cancelled production of program block, impacting six employees.

TVO confirmed on Friday that Corinthios was one of those impacted.

“TVO receives a fixed transfer from the province. Every year, our $40 million transfer gets relatively smaller as inflation allows it to buy less and less. With limited resources that effectively decline each year, TVO has to reduce costs regularly,” the channel said in a statement.

“With 14 years of production and 800 segments of Gisèle’s Big Backyard in our archive, the two-to-four year old pre-school audience will continue to enjoy GBB’s interstitial content for years to come. Since the pre-school audience turns over every two years, there is a large enough catalogue to maintain high quality service without producing new episodes. Older children require a more interactive experience to engage them, which is why TVO offers a live call-in experience with The Space weekday afternoons.”

The network is touting new original content, including mPower, a new math online in-class resource for kindergarten to Grade 6 and Climate Watch, a look at how climate change is becoming an increasing local issue.

Corinthios had been with TVO since 1998, when she became host of The Nook, which evolved into Gisèle’s Big Backyard.

 

 

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Amazing Race Canada, Featured

Comments and queries for the week of July 8

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Swimming with the fishes on The Amazing Race Canada

There’s something fitting about a bus pulling away just as you run up to it, even on television. They seem to be trying to inject a bit of a strategic game in our Race, usually the Express Passes are given for winning a leg and the Fast Forward takes you out of the way—but you’ll probably get first that episode with the FF. In typical Canadian politeness two teams agree to work together … but in no real shock the team from Big Brother breaks the deal. Though when they aren’t yelling at each other they seem like a strong team.

Although with the other Pass having to be given away either in Episode 3 or 4, I don’t see how much strategy could really go into it. There are eight teams left, so it can’t cause too much of an upset. The Face Off twist from last year was kind of a bust too. In terms of being strategic better just leave that to the U-Turn boards.

Having been to Calgary last year, I was deeply amused how the twins kept searching around the wrong building, which you can see from the tower but it clearly wrong. Two rapeling Roadblocks in a row? Meh. I know they’re going for a positive edit, but damn if Lowell’s big grin going down the tower and fish puns with Julie wasn’t sweet as hell.

That Sim Detour must have been harder then it looked. It seemed just like a video game but three teams GTFO almost instantly.

Oh wow! An actual footrace between the last two teams! This is so tense and exciting … way to undercut the tension there. I know non-elimination legs are planned in advance but this seems a bit early. (And aren’t we short at least one team this year to begin with?) Going international next week Yay! —DanAmazing

 

I find there is a lack of age diversity this time. Not very many older couples, it’s all very pretty and attractive shiny people. —Kelly H.

Where will Major Crimes and Rizzoli & Isles land?

Now that Super Channel has lost the rights to Major Crimes and Rizzoli & Isles, is there any word on the new seasons being picked up by a Canadian broadcaster? I know the last season of Rizzoli, which aired on Super Channel, is about to air on Showcase.

Meantime, has a Canadian broadcaster picked Shooter, which begins in the U.S. soon? —Doug

No word yet on where Major Crimes and Rizzoli & Isles will air now that Super Channel has lost the rights, but Showcase is a natural and likely fit for both, especially since Rizzoli is airing in a second window on that station.

As Jayme notes below, Shooter will be broadcast on Bravo this fall.

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email greg@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

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Featured, Killjoys

Killjoys’ Hannah John-Kamen details Dutch’s Season 2

“More challenges, more questions to be answered, more characters. Some questions answered. Bigger, more action. Romance. Explosions!” That’s Hannah John-Kamen’s description of Season 2 of Killjoys. And if what happened in Episode 1 is any indication, she wasn’t kidding.

We’ve already gotten indications, through “Dutch and the Real Girl,” that Khylen’s actions are a reaction to a larger story, something John-Kamen outlined when we spoke last January from the set of the Space and Syfy drama.

We’re talking on the set of Season 2 while you’re in the midst of production. Do you feel like you’re hitting your stride at this point?
Hannah John-Kamen: To be honest, when we came back for Season 2 it felt like we’d never left. We really, really picked up where we left off. We were in our stride straight away.

The Old Town set this season is incredible. As an actor, it’s just another layer to help you get into this character, isn’t it?
One of the most exciting parts is when you see, in the script, that we’re going to be in a whole new world. And then to see the sets is so exciting.

Was it a bit of a learning curve for you, coming into a genre that is so beloved and has a built-in audience?
I remember when the only thing that was out while we were shooting Season 1 was a picture and a small synopsis of the show. But then we did the Fan Expo here in Canada and in the back of my mind I wondered if we were going to have any fans because there was so little information about the show. And then we went through the room and it was packed full of fans already. I remember the questions they asked the panel were so amazing and in sync and intellectual about the show. The questions about The Quad, about Leith, Westerley and the politics. It was nice to have a built-in audience, but it’s also nice to have a new audience. This show has action, drama, romance, comedy … everything that appeals to an audience.

Dutch had quite the journey last season. Khylen, the fight with D’Avin … she’s gone through a lot. Will Khylen be a big part of her storyline in Season 2?
Yes. It’s unfinished business. When we left Episode 10 in Season 1, there are so many more questions to be answered. It’s bigger than just Dutch and Khylen now. Now it’s expanding. The relationship with Khylen isn’t just about Dutch anymore, it’s everyone in The Quad now. It’s another journey.

Killjoys_S2_cast
Killjoys images courtesy of Space

Dutch has got to be pretty pissed off at this point. It’s one thing for Khylen to come after her, but now he’s targeting D’Avin and Johnny.
But not everything is black and white, especially with Khylen. It could be being done for the greater good; there is a reason why he’s doing the things he’s doing.

It’s so much fun to hate him. Rob Stewart plays him so well.
He’s a lovable rogue! It’s fun to hate him, but at the same time there is such a love for Yala, the little girl that he saved, and we still don’t know why he saved her. He’s protecting Dutch, always has and always will.

I know that we will be visiting more of Dutch’s Yala phase. I’d love to explore the first time that Dutch and Johnny met, with her in a bloody wedding dress.

Did you have any questions for Michelle Lovretta between Season 1 and 2?
Michelle is so amazing and open to a knock on the door and talking about the arc and in general what’s going to happen. I don’t know details about each episode because those can always change.

Talk about Dutch’s wardrobe. Pretty kick-ass.
Are you kidding?! I love the wardrobe. It’s so gorgeous. The wardrobe is so important. The material, the leather, it’s harsh but sexy. And then, when I go undercover, the wardrobe is elegant but with the Dutch twist on it. Honestly, it really does make the character.

What’s your elevator pitch that summarizes Season 2?
More challenges, more questions to be answered, more characters. Some questions answered. Bigger, more action. Romance. Explosions!

Killjoys airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Space.

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