Tag Archives: Featured

Featured, Industry News

Canada AM’s Jeff Hutcheson announces retirement

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It’s the end of the road for Jeff Hutcheson. The longtime sports reporter, weather guru and Canada AM co-host announced during Friday’s broadcast that he is retiring following one final remote tour across the country.

Canada AM followed up Hutcheson’s on-air reveal with the following Facebook post:

“This morning, Jeff shared the news that he is retiring next month. Of course, we’ve been heartbroken since he told us his decision last June… but his wife is thrilled. Since they met twelve years ago, Jeff and Heather have spent 2,600 nights apart, with his work in Toronto and her work and life in PEI. As we get ready to say farewell, Jeff is heading out on one last Canadian tour, visiting some of his favourite places and remembering some of his favourite moments. If you’re near Niagara-on-the-Lake next Wednesday, May 11th, please come out and join us. If you have any retirement messages or advice for Jeff, you can share it with us here, or email us at canadaam@ctv.ca”

“I am humbled and overwhelmed by all your well wishes…thank you very much,” Hutcheson posted on his Twitter page soon after. “Looking forward to my last six weeks..it’s been my pleasure.”

Hutcheson has been with Canada AM since 1998, and has created several trademark segments for the show, including remote broadcast tours that have taken him to points in Canada and around the world and “Things I Learned on the Internet Today.” He began his broadcast career in 1976 as a college student on Toronto’s CFRB 1010 radio before being hired by Kitchener, Ont.’s CKCO-TV after graduating. The next two decades were spent at CKCO-TV as a sports anchor, reporter, producer, writer and program host before making his final move to Canada AM.

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Featured, Slasher

The Executioner takes a back seat to Vaughn on Slasher

Yes, Slasher is about a killer slaughtering small-town folks, but Friday’s new episode is almost exclusively about Chief Iain Vaughn. “The One Who Sows His Own Flesh,” is an examination into what motivates folks to make the decisions they do, and the impact it has on others.

Here are a few questions we get answers to on Friday night.

Why does the Chief have Ariel in his basement?
The shocking reveal at the end of last week’s “Gotten Gains” was Vaughn nabbed Ariel Petersen and was keeping her in a basement room along with a little boy. “The One Who Sows His Own Flesh,” retraces the event in a flashback and catches up with Ariel and her son, Jake. There are surprisingly tender moments in the scenes despite the shocking situation and credit to Dean McDermott for making Vaughn a relatable guy despite his actions. There is a reason for what he’s done, and that is explained.

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Would a journalist kill members of his town to further his career?
That’s the question Sarah has for Dylan. Following the death—and deep-frying of Alison—Dylan has moved his things to her desk and is running the newspaper. He’s also looking to further his career even more than before, with expectations outside of being a talking head on a TV screen.

Why did Tom kill Sarah’s parents?
We got just a hint into the answer; expect more next week. Mainly because there are just two more episodes left.

Where is the FBI or RCMP?
After so many deaths in the town, why hasn’t a government authority descended on Waterbury to take over the investigation?

Slasher airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Super Channel.

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Featured, Orphan Black

Donnie steals the spotlight on Orphan Black

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Yes, I know Season 4 of Orphan Black has (so far) been the quest to find out what the cheek bots are, what they do and how to remove them. We’ve been introduced to M.K. (there’s a killer reveal this week regarding her past), gotten great flashbacks to Beth’s story and have witnessed some truly inspired crafting from Helena. But Donnie has been kicking some major butt so far this season. Maybe it’s because we need someone like Donnie to inject some levity into a series full of science and drama, but some of Kristian Bruun’s best stuff is part of Thursday’s new episode, “From Instinct to Rational Control.”

Donnie + Helena
An all-too-brief scene features Donnie explaining the struggles he and Alison had as they tried to conceive. It’s a tender moment between two characters who are usually providing laughs, like last week’s chat with the police officers.

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Donnie + Felix = Orphan Black‘s new power couple?
The investigation into Trina’s pregnancy is thrust forward thanks to Felix and Donnie going deep undercover at Lifespring Fertility. Alison can’t go in because Beth already did, so it’s up to the two boys … who pretend to be a couple. Again, Donnie provides the chuckles, especially when it comes time for him to provide a sample to the Lifespring staff and calls on Alison for some help. Also? I’d definitely watch a spinoff series named Douglas & Julian.

Orphan Black airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on Space.

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Featured, Podcast

TV, eh? podcast episode 205 – Sweet honeysuckle flair

Anthony and Diane go it alone while Greg attends the Writers Guild of Canada’s 2016 Screenwriting Awards and they sound way too happy that he’s not there.

Once the love-in ends, the pair discuss what’s coming up in the next two weeks of Canadian TV programming, who was winning at the WGC fête, CBC’s worldwide search for the lead actress in Anne and the federal government’s announcement that Cancon will be re-examined.

Want to contribute to the discussion? Post links and discussion topics on our Reddit page.

Listen or download below, or subscribe via iTunes or any other podcast catcher with the TV, eh? podcast feed.

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Children's Programming, Featured

Frank van Keeken ousted from The Next Step

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After creating four seasons of mega-hit The Next Step for Family Channel, Frank van Keeken has been removed as its executive producer.

Van Keeken made the announcement while accepting the Showrunners Award at the 2016 Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Awards, where he was being fêted for his body of work in the television industry. Van Keeken was reliving key moments in his TV career—his love of the medium began when he and his siblings would take turns holding the TV antenna on the roof of their home so signals from Barrie and Kitchener, Ont., could be picked up—that contained many ups and downs, including the news he’d been removed from The Next Step.

Van Keeken supposed to the assembled crowd that executives at Temple Street—The Next Step and Lost & Found‘s production company—viewed the formation of his own company, Beachwood Canyon Productions, as competition and therefore cut ties.

We’re awaiting a comment from Temple Street Productions.

Shot as a reality show, The Next Step follows the struggles of a group of dancers at The Next Step Dance Studio as they try to win national dance championships alongside the angst that is a part of being a young person. The Next Step has become a worldwide phenomenon, earning a BAFTA in 2015 and spawning its own touring dance company showcasing the program’s real stars. Its spinoff, Lost & Found Music Studios, spotlights struggling musicians trying to find their sound.

Van Keeken was the series creator on Winging’ It and Big Sound, executive-produced Billable Hours and was supervising producer on Greg the Bunny and Raising Dad, and has written for The Kids in the Hall and Maniac Mansion.

 

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