Tag Archives: Mr. D

Mr. D

Cameras rolling on Mr. D Season 6 in Halifax

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From a media release:

Principal photography on Season 6 (10 x 30) of Mr. D – the popular CBC series starring comedian Gerry Dee – is now under way in Halifax. The new season will premiere this fall. 

Exploring the staff and student dynamics at a private school, Mr. D is based on the stand-up comedy act of Dee, who was a teacher for nine years before transitioning to a career in comedy. The series revolves around the eponymous Mr. D, an under-qualified and unmotivated teacher trying to fake his way through work – and life. 

The current season picks up from the hilarious Season 5 finale, in which Gerry and principal Lisa Mason (Lauren Hammersley) got hitched in a drunken haze following a disastrous fun fair at the elite day school.  

Season 6 storylines include Gerry teaching in a prison to earn extra cash; Robert (Jonathan Torrens) fulfilling a few of his lifelong dreams; and Simon (Mark Little) and Nisha (new principle cast member Emma Hunter) slowly exploring their complicated relationship.  

Mr. D also stars Bette MacDonald (Trudy), Naomi Snieckus (Bobbi), Darrin Rose (Bill), Wes Williams (Paul), Suresh John (Malik), Kathleen Phillips (Emma), and Bill Wood (Frank). Guest stars this season will once again include Youtube sensation Madison Tevlin, reprising her role as feisty Ricki, and other surprise guests to be announced later. 

As well, Sandra Rogers, the winner of CBC’s Mr. D Favourite Teacher Contest, will be heading to Halifax for a walk-on role later this summer. A teacher-librarian at Garth Webb Secondary School in Oakville, ON, Rogers was nominated by one of her students, 15-year-old Ishmam Tanveer. 

Mr. D is produced by Topsail Productions Limited and Gerard ADHD Entertainment Inc., in association with CBC, and is distributed worldwide by Entertainment One Television International Ltd. The series shoots in studio and on location in and around Halifax until mid-August.

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Awards, Industry News

Celebrate the Writers: WGC Screenwriting Awards, May 2

From a media release:

The WGC Screenwriting Awards recognize the talented Canadian writers whose scripts spark an entire television and film industry.

On May 2, 2016 the screenwriter is in the spotlight at the awards gala, held at the Royal Conservatory of Music’s beautiful Koerner Hall. Host Ryan Belleville brings his sharp wit to the stage in a fast-paced show co-written with This Hour Has 22 Minutes writer Jeremy Woodcock.

Writers from Orphan Black, 19-2, and X Company compete for the best TV Drama Award, to name just one category. Awards will also be handed out for the winning children’s, documentary, feature film, MOW and miniseries, shorts and webseries, TV comedy, and teens and tweens scripts. Close to 150 scripts were nominated, with 24 scripts chosen as finalists, and 32 screenwriters up for awards.

Awards presenters include The F Word screenwriter Elan Mastai, What Would Sal Do? showrunner Andrew De Angelis with star Dylan Taylor, powerhouse couple Sudz Sutherland and Jennifer Holness (Shoot the Messenger), Mohawk Girls showrunner Cynthia Knight, documentary writer Michael McNamara (The Cholesterol Question), and Jessie Gabe, writer of Cas & Dylan.

A full slate of special awards, including the WGC Showrunner Award, the Alex Barris Mentorship Award, and the Sondra Kelly Award will also be presented.

The 2016 WGC Screenwriting Awards mark the 25th anniversary of the Writers Guild of Canada. Join us Monday, May 2, 2016, at the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning’s Koerner Hall.

2016 WGC Screenwriting Awards Finalists

CHILDREN
Numb Chucks, Season 2 “Witless to the Prosecution”
Written by Evan Thaler Hickey

Odd Squad, Season 1 “Puppet Show”
Written by Charles Johnston

Pirate Express, Season 1 “Fountain of Misspent Youth”
Written by David Elver

DOCUMENTARY
Deluged by Data
Written by Josh Freed

Ninth Floor
Written by Mina Shum

FEATURE FILMS
A Christmas Horror Story
Written by James Kee and Sarah Larsen and Doug Taylor and Pascal Trottier

End of Days, Inc.
Written by Christina Ray

The Saver
Written by Wiebke von Carolsfeld

MOW & MINISERIES
The Book of Negroes: Episode 1
Story by Lawrence Hill, Teleplay by Clement Virgo

The Gourmet Detective
Written by Becky Southwell & Dylan Neal

Kept Woman
Written by Doug Barber & James Phillips

SHORTS & WEBSERIES
Bob! The Slob
Written by James Nadler

Goldfish
Written by Michael Konyves

TV COMEDY
Mr. D, Season 4 “President Jimmy”
Written by Anita Kapila

Mr. D, Season 4 “Short Stocked”
Written by Marvin Kaye

Schitt’s Creek, Season 1 “The Cabin”
Written by Amanda Walsh

TV DRAMA
19-2, Season 2 “Orphans”
Written by Jesse McKeown

19-2, Season 2 “Property Line”
Written by Nikolijne Troubetzkoy

19-2, Season 2 “School”
Adapted by Bruce M. Smith

Orphan Black, Season 3 “Newer Elements of Our Defense”
Written by Russ Cochrane

X Company, Season 1 “Into the Fire”
Written by Mark Ellis & Stephanie Morgenstern

TWEENS & TEENS
Some Assembly Required, Season 2 “Rocket with a Pocket”
Written by Jennica Harper

Some Assembly Required, Season 2 “Snappo”
Written by Cole Bastedo & Jennifer Siddle

The Stanley Dynamic, Season 1 “The Stanley Grandpa”
Written by Alice Prodanou

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Mr. D, Rick Mercer Report, Schitt's Creek, This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Mr. D, Schitt’s Creek, Rick Mercer Report and 22 Minutes renewed by CBC

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From a media release:

CBC‘s hit comedies have been renewed for 2016-17, with brand new seasons of SCHITT’S CREEK, MR. D and THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES. Also returning for its 14th season is Canada’s RICK MERCER REPORT. The four original productions currently air back-to-back on Tuesday nights.

CBC recently led the way with 164 nominations for the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards, receiving 15 nods for SCHITT’S CREEK, the most nominated TV series of 2016, 12 for MR. D, six for THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES and four for RICK MERCER REPORT.

SCHITT’S CREEK – Season 3 premieres winter 2017 on CBC Television
SCHITT’S CREEK centres around a wealthy family that suddenly finds itself broke and forced to live in Schitt’s Creek, a small, depressing town they once bought as a joke. The half-hour single-camera comedy is co-created by Eugene and Daniel Levy, who also star in the show alongside celebrated actress Catherine O’Hara, rising star Annie Murphy and funnyman Chris Elliott.

MR. D – Season 6 premieres fall 2016 on CBC Television
MR. D follows an under-qualified teacher trying to fake his way through a teaching job, just as he fakes his way through life. The show stars stand-up comedian Gerry Dee as the inexperienced and overconfident Mr. Duncan (Mr. D) and an all-star ensemble cast including Jonathan Torrens, Bette MacDonald, Wes Williams, Lauren Hammersley, Naomi Snieckus, Mark Little, Suresh John, Darrin Rose, Bill Wood and Kathleen Phillips.

THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES – Season 24 premieres fall 2016 on CBC Television
An award-winning and record-breaking Canadian comedy institution, THIS HOUR HAS 22 MINUTES features cast members Mark Critch, Cathy Jones, Shaun Majumder and Susan Kent as they savagely satirize Canadian politics and world events. It was recently announced that the sketch/variety show will be honoured with the Academy Icon Award, to be presented during the Canadian Screen Awards in March.

RICK MERCER REPORT – Season 14 premieres fall 2016 on CBC Television
This fall, RICK MERCER REPORT returns to CBC-TV for a 14th season. Rick Mercer’s highly anticipated topical rants, funny takes on the week’s top stories and Canada-wide adventures have made him a longtime audience favourite.

 

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19-2, Amazing Race Canada, Awards, Big Brother Canada, Blackstone, Degrassi, Dragons' Den, Featured, Industry News, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Masterchef Canada, Mohawk Girls, Motive, Mr. D, Orphan Black, Rookie Blue, Schitt's Creek, Spun Out, Still Standing, Strange Empire, Vikings, X Company, Young Drunk Punk

19-2 and Schitt’s Creek lead 2016 Canadian Screen Award TV nominations

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Bravo’s gritty cop drama 19-2 and CBC’s high-profile comedy Schitt’s Creek topline the nominations for the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards. Announced Tuesday morning in Toronto at TIFF Bell Lightbox by Lyriq Bent (The Book of Negroes) and Aislinn Paul (Degrassi), 19-2 captured 12 nominations, including Best Dramatic Series and Best Performance nods for supporting cast and leads Jared Keeso and Adrian Holmes; Keeso and Holmes recorded a video to mark the occasion (check it out below).

Meanwhile, Schitt’s Creek does battle in the comedic categories, with co-stars Eugene and Dan Levy facing off for Best Performance and the Tuesday night comedy fighting off fellow CBC series Mr. D, Mohawk Girls, Young Drunk Punk and Tiny Plastic Men for Best Comedy Series.

Space’s Orphan Black did well too, snagging 13 nominations including performance acknowledgements for Ari Millen and Tatiana Maslany, though it was shut out of the Dramatic Series list. Global’s final season of Rookie Blue was recognized by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, as Missy Peregrym and Ben Bass received nominations.

The nominees in the key television categories are listed below. Who do you think deserves to win? The two-hour Canadian Screen Awards gala airs Sunday, March 13, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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 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 LeBorgne, Mohawk Girls
  • Annie Murphy, Schitt’s Creek
  • Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
  • Belinda Cornish, Tiny Plastic Men

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

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

Best Reality/Competition Program or Series

  • The Amazing Race Canada
  • Big Brother Canada
  • Dragons’ Den
  • Game of Homes
  • MasterChef Canada

Best Animated Program or Series

  • Endangered Species
  • Numb Chucks
  • Rocket Monkeys
  • Slugterra

Best Children’s or Youth Fiction Program or Series

  • Annedroids
  • Degrassi
  • Full Out
  • Max & Shred

Best Factual Program or Series

  • Emergency
  • Ice Pilots NWT
  • Jade Fever
  • Million Dollar Critic
  • Still Standing

Best International Drama

  • Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
  • Vikings

Best Lifestyle Program or Series

  • Buy It, Fix It, Sell It
  • Carnival Eats
  • Income Property
  • Masters of Flip
  • Survivorman Bigfoot

Best TV Movie or Limited Series

  • The Book of Negroes
  • First Response
  • Forget and Forgive
  • Kept Woman
  • Studio Black!

The rest of the television categories can be seen here.

As previously announced, comedian Norm Macdonald will host the 2016 event. Wendy Crewson—currently starring on CTV’s Saving Hope—will receive the Earle Grey Award for acting and Martin Short will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Canadian Screen Awards air Sunday, March 13, at 8 p.m. on CBC.

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Featured, Mr. D

Love is in the air for Mr. D’s Simon in Season 5

Mark Little has got a lot on his comedy plate. The veteran comedian and actor figures he’s got at least a dozen projects in various stages of development at the moment. He’s just flown into Toronto after a week in Atlanta where he was performing improv with friends. Prior to that, he spent Christmas with family and managed to unwind for a whole five says until the wheels started to turn and he started writing again.

Mr. D, returning for Season 5 on CBC this Tuesday at 9:30 p.m., represents one project where Little doesn’t have to write—series creator Gerry Dee and his writing room take care of that—but his character, Simon Hunt, does require work.

“Every summer I arrive in Halifax to film Mr. D and I have to go through the process,” Little says. “How does this guy talk again, how does he feel about things? I also watch old episodes. Doing that to figure out who you are is a weird experience.” Definitely helping Little immerse himself in the role of Xavier Academy’s socially awkward science teacher (with a borderline creepy relationship with his mother) is Simon’s wardrobe; as soon as he buttons that plaid shirt up to the top, dons the cargo pants and ties up the desert boots, he’s become the TV character. Good thing too, because the Picnicface performer called on all his acting skills in Episode 2, where he did artistic battle with Wes Williams. Simon signs up for guitar lessons with Williams’ Paul Dwyer and things get destructive.

“Wes really dives into his character,” Little says with a laugh. “He really works to figure out his motivation and that keeps me on my toes. His method takes him to a pretty intense place and it really brings out natural reactions from me.”

As for what else is to come for Simon story-wise, Little reveals Xavier’s resident science teacher enjoys a workplace flirtation.

“His love life has been hinted at in previous seasons, but I get more going this year,” he says. About time.

Mr. D airs Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. on CBC.

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