Tag Archives: Featured

Anne of Green Gables, Featured

YTV’s Anne of Green Gables celebrates family

It’s been more than 100 years since Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables was first published, and more than 30 since Kevin Sullivan’s CBC mini-series that so many of my generation fondly remember. So YTV is banking on an appetite for another television take on the red-headed orphan for a new generation and for us Anne-a-holics.

The script by Susan Coyne (Slings and Arrows), directed by John Kent Harrison (The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler), reorders events of the novel and, with Martin Sheen in the role, beefs up the presence of taciturn Matthew Cuthbert. The two-hour TV movie also necessarily truncates the action. Gilbert lovers, for example, shouldn’t get their hopes up. The focus here is on the making of a family, related not by blood but by unanticipated love.

Anne, for those who grew up in a cave, is the story of an imaginative, misadventure-prone orphan who arrives at Green Gables, where sister and brother Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert were expecting a boy to help them with the farm.

Ella Ballentine plays Anne Shirley and though her mother had read the book to her when she was much younger, she worked with director Harrison to give the character new life based on the script rather than the novel. “She falls out of the stereotype of so many girls on television,” said the 13-year-old, who sees a bit of herself in the character. “We’re both very chatty and independent we don’t let anyone tell us not to do something.”

“She’s incredibly positive about the world around her. I try to be positive, but she sees a gloomy place and turns it into a fantastical world.”

Ballentine sees relevance to the story today, despite the old-fashioned costumes and lack of modern conveniences. “For younger audiences it shows them the history of Canada, when it wasn’t all about phones and computers. And it shows that you can have a terrible past and still find the good in things.”

Sara Botsford sees Marilla Cuthbert as a woman protective of her beloved brother Matthew. “Marilla’s a very hard working person and has been all her life. She hasn’t exactly had a life full of romance and joy. But she has a big heart and she can’t see how this girl is going to help her brother with the farm.”

Her take on Anne is similar to Ballentine’s. “She’s determined to have a good life and a happy life. She’s looking for joy wherever she can find it. She’s not beaten down by circumstance, she’s courageous and determined.”

For some parts of the country, the movie is premiering on Family Day, which Botsford points out is perfect timing. “It’s about three people who create a family together. Definitions of family have changed over the years. Anne’s a child who needs parents and they’re older people who need love and warmth in their lives, so these people create their own family.”

Anne of Green Gables airs Monday, February 15, on YTV.

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Featured, Schitt's Creek

Comments and queries for the week of February 12

Schitt’s Creek: “Bob’s Bagels”

Schitt’s Creek is BRILLIANT! We watch every episode! Each and every character is funny and engaging. I save episodes on the PVR so I can watch it again. If you aren’t watching this show, you don’t know what you’re missing! It’s more than great writers and cast. Like a great wine, it gets better with age. —Risa

All-new episodes of Love It or List It Vancouver to air

Really like the show and enjoy the “friendly’ rivalry between the two. My only complaint … wish I had home in Vancouver to love or list! —Lennie

I have some inventions and I would love to be on your show (Invent This!). Would you tell me how to get on the show? —Edgar

Unfortunately, Invent This! no longer airs. It was only in production for one season, from 2003-2004, on TechTV.

 

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

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Featured, Letterkenny

Less Than Kind’s Tyler Johnston goes goth for Letterkenny

The last Canadian television show I saw Tyler Johnston in was the excellent, poignant Less Than Kind. There he played Danny, nutty best friend to Jesse Camacho’s Sheldon in the City-HBO Canada series. Now Johnston is back, portraying an equally crazy dude in Letterkenny, Jared Keeso’s creation about the hicks, hockey players and skids living in a town of 5,000.

As Stewart, head of the skids, Johnston’s real hair is hidden under a stringy black wig, his body obscured under layers of black clothing and dark makeup smudged around his eyes. He’s almost unrecognizable, especially when Stewart launches into frantic, falsetto speeches or juddering around to thumping dance music on building stoops, surrounded by his fellow skids.

We spoke to Johnston about his character, the show, working in Canada and the short film, Conception, that sent him to Brooklyn.

Talk to me about this character.
There is this group of skids and Stewart has coined himself the leader. It’s very evident by the way that he treats his fellow skids that that is the case. Jared called me when I first booked it and said, ‘Hey buddy, here’s the deal. You’re coming to Sudbury and we’re going to put a long, black wig on you.’ I was pumped about it. I look like a vampire. I’ve had to introduce myself to crew members four or five times.

The skids are another group of people growing up in Letterkenny. It’s like a family. Some people in families don’t get along with each other, but they still love each other. I can pick on my sister all I want, but the second you pick on my little sister we’re going to have an issue. The hockey boys probably bullied my guys growing up, so there is some resentment between those two factions. The skids are also the drug dealers in town, so they get themselves into issues that they probably shouldn’t. We’re comic book nerds and talk about video games … a group of loners who found each other and formed this group.

How many skids are in the group?
There are five of us. I don’t want to give too much away, but in the finale the groups sort of meet, and we were very outnumbered. We weren’t prepared.

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How did you land the role for Stewart? Did you audition, or did Jared call you and say he had something in mind?
Jared and I have been friends for a few years. We did Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story together, and he’s a Vancouver boy. I knew about the project and I was so excited for him as an outsider that it got to happen. We had always talked about working together again. I did have to throw something together on tape and tried my best. I was actually in L.A. at the time and threw something on tape and then went to play kickball with a group of people I play with every Sunday. What I put on tape didn’t feel right, so I went home after kickball and re-did it. I knew they were going to watch it and I didn’t want to give Jared and the crew a sub-par tape.

I sent it off and didn’t hear anything for about a month, so I assumed that they went with someone else. Because he and I are friends, I didn’t want to text Jared and ask anything. I didn’t want to be that guy. Meanwhile, I’m wanting to chirp him because I’m a Vancouver Canucks fan and he’s a Calgary Flames fan, but I decided to hold off on that until the decision was made.

You mentioned being in L.A. Is that because you’re looking for the next step?
Yeah, it’s sort of the next step. I’ve been fortunate to have a nice career in Canada and it’s the natural next step. I’ve got my working visa, I’ve got management there. It’s unfortunate that I feel compelled to go there. I love working in Canada, the crews and the talent and the writers.

Is the next natural stepping stone for you creating your own characters, writing and producing your own stuff?
I haven’t dove into writing so much, but my friends and I do a lot of shorts back home. I contribute thoughts and ideas but I haven’t necessarily sat down with a pen and a pad and written a storyline or a skeleton of an idea. I’m not against the idea, but it just hasn’t happened yet. We do the 24 Hour Film Race every year, and last year we were fortunate enough to get into the Top 24 in the world. So, myself and some buddies flew to Brooklyn to represent the film. In Vancouver we have a lot of movies of the week going on, which pays the bills and are awesome. We’ve thrown some webisode ideas around, so I don’t see that being too far off in the future.

Season 1 of Letterkenny is currently streaming on CraveTV.

Check out Conception

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Featured, Hard Rock Medical

Hard Rock Medical moves to North Bay for Season 3

Hard Rock Medical is back, and with a new backdrop. Season 3 was officially announced on Thursday via press conference from Canadore College’s Studio 1 in North Bay, Ont., where filming will take place. The first two seasons of the medical drama were shot in Sudbury, Ont., but an educational partnership with the support of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) meant a shift in cities.

“I am here to announce an NOHFC investment of $825,000 to TVO and its production partners for their production of Season 3 of Hard Rock Medical,” said Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines, and chair of the NOHFC. “We’re really excited about it, and that will support the production of nine half-hour episodes.”

“I feel honoured that so many institutions are squarely behind Hard Rock Medical,” said co-creator/director Derek Diorio. “Thank you to the city of North Bay, that has been so welcoming to our production. Without all of you here, there is no Hard Rock Medical.” Diorio explained over 50 per cent of Season 3 will be shot at Canadore College. Seventy-five students from the Digital Cinema Program, Television Program and Theatre Arts Program, are currently working on pre-production and will be an integral part of the six-week shoot. A local warehouse and medical centre location will also be used for filming. Post-production will take place at Canadore as well.

“I want to thank Derek,” George Burton, President and CEO of Candore College said. “You have provided an incredible opportunity for learning to our students, which means so much to them. I want to thank everyone on Hard Rock Medical for being such wonderful role models to our students. You bring a level of professionalism to our campus which will hold them in good stead long after graduation.”

All local crew and musicians will be used and over 30 local actors will have lead roles this season, including North Bay native Jamie Spilchuk, who plays Cameron Cahill on the series. Hard Rock Medical follows a group of medical students training in Northern Ontario and is loosely based on the curriculum of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Shooting begins next week and continues until the middle of March.

Co-created by Smith Antonio Corindia and Diorio, Hard Rock Medical stars Patrick McKenna, Angela Asher, Danielle Bourgon, Rachelle Casseus, Tamara Duarte, Kyra Harper, Christian Laurin, Andrea Menard and Stephane Paquette.

Season 3 of Hard Rock Medical will be broadcast on TVO and APTN.

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Bitten, Featured

Bitten’s Laura Vandervoort says goodbye to the fans … for now

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Laura Vandervoort refuses to concede this is the final goodbye for Elena Michaels and Bitten. Yes, Season 3—returning Friday—is the last run of 10 episodes on Space. But whether it’s because she senses an impending announcement on the horizon (perhaps playing a werewolf for three seasons has heightened her sense of smell) or is encouraged by the continuing wave of #howl4more on Twitter, the Toronto native refuses to throw in the towel.

“Anything can happen,” Vandervoort says over the phone. “We never want to say goodbye. I still want to leave the door open, because you never know.”

If this truly is the end, Bitten is going out on a high note. Right from the get-go with Episode 1, “Family, Of Sorts,” the werewolf pack is off and running with blood, action and one heck of a mind-eff by the storyline’s closing moments. New character Sasha Antonov (John Ralston) and his children Alexei (Alex Ozerov) and Katia (Sofia Banzhaf) have a lot to do with that, a trio of human and wolves who deliver an emotional curveball that leaves Elena stunned.

Equally stunning? Jeremy Danvers’ (Greg Bryk) plan to hunt down all mutts and present them with a choice: join his growing super-pack or be killed. That, Vandervoort explains, rubs everyone in her group the wrong way, especially Elena. The former Smallville and V actress—who will recur on CBS’ Supergirl—says this season is all about family both in front of and behind the cameras. The cast has never been stronger as a group, while their small-screen alter egos are struggling to remain united under Jeremy’s rule.

“Elena hates this new Jeremy,” she says. “She sees that he is becoming more like his father and, because of that, it causes tension between Elena and Clay [Greyston Holt] because Jeremy is very much Clay’s father and to go to Clay and complain about how Jeremy is handling the pack mentality causes trouble for everyone.”

This season represents a major departure from the book series created by Kelley Armstrong. Showrunner/executive producer Daegan Fryklind and her writing team have built a dramatic, visually stunning world for these humans, witches and werewolves to frolic in, a melding of what Armstrong conceived and what the actors bring to the table. Vandervoort teases fans may think they know what’s coming, but not this time around.

Yes, she refuses to say an all-out goodbye to Elena and Bitten, but Vandervoort does have a message for the loyal fans who have tuned in for the weekly adventures.

“Thank you so much for your loyalty and continued encouragement every season,” she says. “Thanks for staying in contact with us at conventions and set visits and on social media. We wouldn’t be able to do what we love without you guys watching, and you know the hard work that we put into it.”

Bitten airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on Space.

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