Tag Archives: Shaftesbury

Featured, Underbelly

Crave announces new original crime drama series Underbelly, starring Stephen Amell, Hamza Haq, Tamara Podemski and Minnie Driver

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From a media release:

Crave announced today the new, six-episode, one-hour crime drama UNDERBELLY. Also announced today are the series’ stars Stephen Amell (ARROW) as Officer Henry Roland, Hamza Haq (TRANSPLANT) as Tommy, and Emmy® and Academy Award®-nominee Minnie Driver (THE SERPENT QUEEN) as May, the residents of a tranquil riverside town in the Thousand Islands region of Ontario, who are caught up in a dark, twisted mystery centred around an international drug ring.

In a quiet riverside town in the Thousand Islands, Officer Henry Roland (Amell) finds evidence linking a case of missing illegal substances to his childhood best friend, Tommy Hawley (Haq), with whom he shares a dark secret. As Henry embarks on a mission to save his friend, a ruthless British crime family, led by matriarch May Ferguson (Driver), is also on the hunt for the drugs and Tommy.

A tragic accident sets off a chain of events involving international drug trafficking, and Henry faces the concerns of his police chief father-in-law (Christopher Heyerdahl, VAN HELSING), and suspicions from rival officer Erica Ross (Tamara Podemski, RESERVATION DOGS). As Henry digs deeper, he uncovers unexpected ties between the crime, his friend’s daughter Ruby (Katia Edith Wood, 8-Bit Christmas), and her partner Miles (Jeremy Watson, SURREALESTATE), pulling him further into the chaos. Henry must confront his friend’s betrayals as they face an epic, life-changing showdown.

Produced by Shaftesbury in partnership with Crave, with global film and TV studio FIFTH SEASON co-financing and handling worldwide rights (excl. Canada), UNDERBELLY began filming in the Thousand Islands, and is continuing production on location across Southern Ontario, including Grimsby, Brantford, Cobourg, and Bowmanville. Filming will move to Toronto in the coming weeks. All episodes are directed by Robert Budreau (Stockholm). The writing team is led by Graeme Stewart and Aaron Martin (SLASHER). 

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Departure, Family Law

New seasons of Canadian original dramas Family Law and Departure return

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From a media release:

Canada’s biggest stars shine bright this summer on Global with the return of Global scripted series Family Law and Departure, plus new reality competition series Superfan adds even more star power to this summer’s hottest schedule. The wait is over for Family Law Season 2, premiering Monday, May 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Global and STACKTV. The principal cast including Canadians Jewel Staite, Victor Garber, Zach Smadu, Genelle Williams and Lauren Holly all return for the new season, which was the #1 new Canadian series when it debuted. Then, fresh off five nominations at this year’s Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Drama Series, Departure Season 3 promises to bring the action this summer when it returns Monday, August 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Global and STACKTV. Acclaimed Canadian actor Eric McCormack joins Emmy Award® winner Archie Panjabi and the rest of the ensemble cast as they investigate the sinking of a sea ferry destined for Newfoundland.

Airing Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT beginning May 22, Family Law Season 2 follows Abby (Jewel Staite) and her dysfunctional family as they help other dysfunctional families – all while navigating their own personal dramas. After six months’ probation at her father’s firm, Abby’s getting into the groove of family law –but her marriage is a trainwreck. Harry (Victor Garber), meanwhile, has finally made Daniel (Zach Smadu) a partner – but is he ready to share his firm with his son? Daniel’s quest for approval leads him to a carefree woman who is definitely not his type, or is she? And Lucy (Genelle Williams) is crashing at Joanne’s, hoping she can fix things with a newly-pregnant Maggie –and getting up her older sister’s nose at the same time.

Then later this summer, Departure Season 3 sets sail Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT starting August 7. The all-new, six-part event series follows the investigation into the sinking of a sea ferry, The Queen of the Narrows. It’s a beautiful day in Boston when almost 500 passengers board the ferry destined for Newfoundland, Canada. A few hours into the journey an “explosion” onboard throws passengers into a panic, rushing for lifeboats as the ferry takes on water with alarming speed. What unfolds for many of the passengers is an unimaginable nightmare with serious loss of life as the ship sinks in record time. The investigation team, led by Kendra Malley (Archie Panjabi) begin to unravel the many tangled threads of the investigation all in search of one answer: why did the Queen of the Narrows suddenly sink to the bottom of the sea?

Stay tuned for more summer lineup announcements coming soon, including the premiere date for the much-anticipated new Global Original Robyn Hood from prolific Canadian music video director and renowned TV director and filmmaker Director X. Plus another exciting new season of Big Brother!

Global’s entertaining lineup of hit series are also all available to stream anytime on STACKTV, GlobalTV.com and the Global TV App.

Family Law is produced by SEVEN24 Films (Heartland, JANN) and Lark Productions (Motive, Fortunate Son). It was created by Susin Nielsen (Robson Arms, Cedar Cove), who also serves as executive producer and showrunner. The series is executive produced by Jordy Randall, Tom Cox, Erin Haskett and Andy Mikita. For Corus, Susan Alexander is Production Executive; Rachel Nelson is Vice President, Original Content, Scripted, Factual and Kids; Lisa Godfrey is Senior Vice President of Original Content and Corus Studios; Colin Bohm is Executive Vice President of Content and Corporate Strategy.

Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Paul Pope, Jackie May, and Archie Panjabi are Departure’s executive producers, joined by Vincent Shiao and T.J. Scott. Patrick Cassavetti and Julie Lacey are the series producers. Executive producing for Starlings are Chris Philip and Karine Martin, along with Propagate Content’s Ben Silverman; Red Arrow Studios International’s Tim Gerhartz Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia, and Laura Beetz; and Sleeping Giant’s David A. Stern and D. Matt Geller. Departure is directed by T.J. Scott and created by Vincent Shiao. For Corus, Kathleen Meek is Production Executive; Rachel Nelson is Vice President, Original Content, Scripted, Factual and Kids; Lisa Godfrey is Senior Vice President of Original Content and Corus Studios; Colin Bohm is Executive Vice President of Content and Corporate Strategy.

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Featured, Hudson & Rex

Citytv’s homegrown hits take centre stage on its Canadian originals 2022/23 Lineup

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From a media release:

Building on a hugely successful season where its top Canadian series captured the hearts of the nation, Citytv’s 2022/23 original programming slate promises to bring even more jaw-dropping and inspiring moments, loads of suspense, and of course… double the drama!

A new addition to Citytv’s strong original programming slate is Wong & Winchester, a female-driven buddy detective procedural, in partnership with Pixcom. Production starts this Summer in Montreal with the series premiering mid-season. Lionsgate will distribute the program throughout the world, outside of Canada. 

Citytv doubles down on its investment in global hit franchises Got Talent and Bachelor, with the return of Canada’s Got Talent in partnership with Fremantle, SYCO Entertainment, and McGillivray Entertainment Media Inc., along with Bachelor in Paradise Canada in partnership with Good Human Productions.

Having returned to Citytv after 10 years, Canada’s Got Talent reminded the world that this country is bursting with incredible performers from coast to coast to coast. As Citytv’s most-viewed original series in over a decade, Canada’s Got Talent reached 1.4M Canadians each episode throughout the season. Plus, #CGT proved to be a viral hit on social with its engaging content garnering 356M impressions across @CanGotTalent platforms and more than 1M hours of watch-time on YouTube.Canada’s Got Talent Season 2 begins production this Fall in Niagara Falls, ON, and premieres in Spring 2023. Auditions for Season 2 are now open on Citytv.com.

Joining as new host of Bachelor in Paradise Canada in Season 2 is Sharleen Joynt alongside returning resident bartender Kevin Wendt. Decorated Soprano by day, Bachelor alum and long-time franchise recapper by night, Joynt is the utmost authority on all things Bachelor. Joynt is famously known from The Bachelor (Juan Pablo, Season 18), where this charismatic, fan-favourite Canadian, made her initial mark on Bachelor Nation and then continued to cover the franchise thereafter, most recently on the podcast “Dear Shandy.”  

Returning mid-season to Citytv, Bachelor in Paradise Canada promises to bring another steamy season filled with OMG plot twists, juicy drama, and passionate romances.

Winning over the hearts of Canadians week after week, Citytv’s #1 original scripted hit series Hudson & Rex returns this Fall with a 20-episode order for its fifth season. Airing on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT, the beloved series is currently in production in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and will also feature a two-episode story arc set in Northern Ontario. 

Returning this year is Level UP, a four-week mentoring initiative between Reelworld and Rogers Sports & Media, that provides on-the-ground experience to emerging Canadian directors and writers who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Colour. Program sponsors for 2022 are Citytv and Hudson & Rex producers, Shaftesbury and Pope Productions. Applications are open now until June 21 at www.reelworld.ca.

Citytv’s homegrown success continues in daytime with its in-house productions – Breakfast Television and Cityline – which have both experienced tremendous audience growth in 2022**. Breakfast Television has risen to the top among its competitors, making it the #1 morning television show in Ontario. Hosted by Tracy Moore, Cityline grew national audiences by +32% in Q1’22***, while also expanding its roster of original digital content through YouTube series like Face it with Tracy P and Deepa Does It. 

*Source: Numeris PPM, Total Canada A2+ (Mar 22nd – May 25th, 2022)

** Source: Numeris PPM, AMA (000), Ontario A25-54, M-F 6a-9a (Jan 1st – Apr 29th, 2022)

*** Source: Numeris PPM, AMA (000), Total Canada A25-54, M-F 10a-11a (Jan 1st – Mar 31st, 2022)

******************

Citytv’s New Series Description – Mid-Season

WONG & WINCHESTER

Wong & Winchester is a one-hour light and fun female-driven buddy detective procedural. It’s the story of the unlikely partnership between Marissa Wong (Grace Lynn Kung) – a bitter ex-cop turned private investigator – and Sarah Winchester (Sofia Banzhaf) – a former career student with the naivety to prove it. Working side-by-side, the mismatched duo, despite their generation gap and their vastly different approaches to work, life, food, fun, society and even their own gender, somehow manage to always get the job done of solving perplexing cases and odd mysteries.

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Pixcom

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Nicola Merola & Charles Lafortune; Showrunner is Chris Pozzebon; Creator and Co-Showrunner is Hollis Ludlow-Carroll; Producer is Nathalie Cecyre

CAST: Grace Lynn Kung (Transplant, Fahrenheit 451), Sofia Banzhaf (Closet Monster, Splinters), Joe Cobden (The Sinner, This Life), and Anthony Lemke (The Hardy Boys)

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Hudson & Rex, Industry News

Shaftesbury mourns the death of Paul Pope, president of Pope Productions and executive producer of Hudson & Rex

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From a media release:

Shaftesbury extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Paul Pope, the beloved Executive Producer of Hudson & Rex and President of Pope Productions. Pope passed away suddenly on the morning of April 14, 2022. He was 63 years old.

“The news is truly shocking,” says Christina Jennings, Chairman and President, Shaftesbury. “Canada has lost an amazing producer, a force in Newfoundland. Paul has been Shaftesbury’s partner on seven shows for over 15 years. Most recently, we teamed up on Hudson & Rex. Paul was a wonderful man. A spirited human. He loved life and knew how to live it. Paul will be sorely missed by his wife, Lisa, his two sons and all of us here at Shaftesbury.

Based in St. John’s, NFLD, Pope was a dynamic force in the Canadian film industry, having produced or worked on hundreds of films. A founding member of the Newfoundland Filmmakers Cooperative (NIFCO), where he served as president for over 20 years, he has been instrumental in the development of a vibrant production industry. A generous mentor, he was a passionate voice for independent production at a national level with a long-standing tradition of supporting Canadian artists and ensuring that Canadian stories were brought to the screen.

In addition to his numerous awards and nominations for his projects with Pope Productions, he also received the Arts Achievement Award from ArtsNL, the Douglas James Dales Industry Builder Award, and an honorary Doctorate from Memorial University. Pope served on the board of Resource Centre for the Arts and NIFCO and has previously served on the board of the Canadian Media Producers Association and was Vice-Chair of the Canadian Media Fund.

About Pope Productions
Pope Productions is a St. John’s based media production company, helmed by producer Paul Pope. The company’s most recent television projects are the fourth season of Hudson & Rex for Citytv, which is now seen in over 100 territories worldwide and Departure Season 3 for Global. The company’s features and MOWs include the CBC comedy A Christmas Fury and festival favourites Hunting Pignut, Beat Down and Grown Up Movie Star, which scored a Special Jury Prize at Sundance for Tatiana Maslany. Documentaries include It’s Mental, Heavy Weather Presents, the multi-award-winning My Left Breast, Legends and Lore of the North Atlantic, and Going the Distance. From the historical dramatic miniseries Above and Beyond to the classic comedy Rare Birds, and the outrageous series Drunk and on Drugs: The Happy Funtime Hour, Pope’s rich repertoire reflects its deep commitment to a vibrant production industry both in Newfoundland and nationally.

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Featured, Murdoch Mysteries

Preview: Murdoch Mysteries, “I Know What You Did Last Autumn”

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Remember “Sir. Sir? Sir!!!,” the Halloween episode of Murdoch Mysteries that was so controversial? An homage to classic horror movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, it featured a dire conclusion. Fans either loved it (like me) or hated it.

Here we are again with a Halloween instalment of Murdoch Mysteries. Will it be as galvanizing as “Sir. Sir? Sir!!!” was?

Here’s the synopsis for “I Know What You Did Last Autumn,” written by Simon McNabb and directed by Craig David Wallace:

At Halloween, Murdoch pursues a killer dressed as a clown who is terrorizing romantic, young couples.

And here are some observations by me after previewing the episode.

It begins with the opening credits…
Monday’s episode lets you know this one’s going to be different with a twist to Robert Carli’s theme.

… And gets creepy fast
Like the serial killer genre it is acknowledging, “I Know What You Did Last Autumn” features a mysterious phone call that goes downhill quickly.

A killer costume
Anyone who is disturbed by clowns will be freaked out by this MM creation. The fact the mask looks handmade is all the scarier, in my opinion. Someone took the time to make themselves look this way. Gah. Helping in the investigation is Miss Cherry, who reported on events the previous year when a clown was stalking “teeners.”

Meanwhile, back at the Station House
Watts and several other lads partake in a pumpkin carving contest. Turns out that Watts is much better as a detective than a jack o’ lantern maker. Also? Someone in the MM cast of characters seems to have invented a certain spice we enjoy so much of today.

Murdoch Mysteries airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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