Tag Archives: When Calls the Heart

When Calls the Heart to return to Super Channel for fifth season

From a media release:

Super Channel is pleased to announce to the delight of Canadian ‘Hearties’ across the country, that it has acquired the fifth season of the heart-warming family drama, When Calls the Heart.

Season five of the sweeping frontier drama will return to Super Channel in February 2018, kicking off with a special 90-minute Christmas episode airing on Boxing Day. Season four is currently available on Super Channel and Super Channel On Demand.

The Super Channel original series is a Canadian production filmed on location in British Columbia and based on the bestselling book series by acclaimed Canadian author Janette Oke. The series stars Erin Krakow (Army Wives), Pascale Hutton (Sanctuary), Kavan Smith (Supernatural), Lori Loughlin (Fuller House, 90210), Daniel Lissing (The Last Resort) and Jack Wagner (The Bold and the Beautiful).

The enchanting series has captured the hearts of loyal viewers in both Canada and the US and boasts a passionate fan base known as the #Hearties, who have become a social media phenomenon, making When Calls the Heart one of Super Channel’s most social series. These devoted fans also gather every year for a Hearties Family Reunion where they visit the set of Hope Valley, meet the cast & crew, and interact with other Hearties from around the globe. The third annual Hearties Family Reunion took place this past weekend (Oct 20 – 22) in Langley, B.C.

When Calls the Heart is a WCTH Season 5 Production in association with Brad Krevoy Television and Believe Pictures. Vicki Sotheran and Greg Malcolm serve as producers. Brad Krevoy, Alfonso H. Moreno, Paul Jackson, Cynthia J. Cohen, Brian Bird, Michael Landon, Jr., Susie Belzberg, Michael Shepard, Eric Jarboe, Neill Fearnley and Jimmy Townsend are executive producers. Derek Thompson, Elizabeth Stewart, Richard Manning, Amanda Phillips Atkins and Lori Loughlin are co-executive producers. Peter DeLuise, Mike Rohl and Martin Wood serve as supervising producers. Doran S. Chandler, Shelley Matheson and Vince Balzano are associate producers.

 

 

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CBC unveils its 2016 summer schedule with five new primetime series

From a media release:

CBC Television today unveiled its summer 2016 schedule with five new series, returning home-grown hits and comprehensive coverage of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The prime-time schedule includes comedies Baroness von Sketch Show and Four In The Morning; international crime drama Follow The Money; inspiring docu-series The Special Needs Hotel; political thriller Undercover; Firsthand documentary special Perfect; CBC documentary special Newfoundland at Armageddon; popular returning series Still Standing with Jonny Harris; new episodes of the Ha!ifax Comedy Fest hosted by Mark Critch; and When Calls The Heart, based on the bestselling novel by Janette Oke. CBC will also showcase a roster of Canadian movies on Saturday nights this summer, including Passchendaele, Monsieur Lazhar, John A: Birth of a Country, Uvanga and more.

The CBC-TV prime-time summer programming schedule is listed below, along with synopses for new series and returning favourites with summer premieres.

MONDAY
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) — Murdoch Mysteries season 9 (encores)

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Book of Negroes (encores begin June 20)

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Undercover (premieres August 22) *NEW SERIES*

TUESDAY
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) — Rick Mercer Report season 13 (encores begin June 14)

8:30 p.m. (9 NT) — This Hour Has 22 Minutes season 23 (encores begin June 14)

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Still Standing season 2 (beginning June 14) *NEW SEASON*

9:30 p.m. (10 NT) — Baroness von Sketch Show (premieres June 14) *NEW SERIES*

9:30 p.m. (10 NT) — Ha!ifax Comedy Fest (beginning August 2) *NEW EPISODES*

WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) — Dragons’ Den season 10 (encores begin June 22)

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — The Romeo Section season 1 (encores begin July 6)

THURSDAY
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) — The Nature of Things (encores begin June 23)

8 p.m. (8:30 NT) — The Special Needs Hotel (premieres August 25) *NEW SERIES*

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Keeping Canada Alive (encores begin June 16)

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Newfoundland at Armageddon (June 30) *NEW CBC DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL*

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Perfect (August 4) *NEW FIRSTHAND DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL*

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Firsthand (encores begin August 25)

FRIDAY
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) — Schitt’s Creek season 2 (encores begin June 17)

8:30 p.m. (9 NT) — This Hour Has 22 Minutes season 23 (encores begin June 17)

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Mr. D season 5 (encores begin June 17 until July 29)

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Four In The Morning (premieres August 26) *NEW SERIES*

9:30 p.m. (10 NT) — Mr. D season 5 (encores begin June 17 until July 29)

9:30 p.m. (10 NT) — Raised By Wolves (encores begin August 26)

SATURDAY
8 p.m. (8:30 NT) — Murdoch Mysteries season 9 (encores)

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Follow the Money (premieres June 18) *NEW SERIES*

SUNDAY
7 p.m. (7:30 NT) — Heartland season 9 (encores begin June 19)

8 p.m. (8:30 NT) — When Calls the Heart season 2 (beginning June 19)*NEW SEASON*

9 p.m. (9:30 NT) — Baroness von Sketch Show encores (encores begin June 19)

9:30 p.m. (10 NT) — Still Standing season 2 encores (encores begin June 19)

CBC-TV SUMMER 2016 PRIMETIME PROGRAMMING SYNOPSES:

BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW — New Comedy Series
Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. (10 NT) beginning June 14

6×30 (Frantic Films)

This all-female, single-camera sketch comedy series takes a fresh look at the world’s narcissistic contemporary culture. Fast-paced and irreverent, Baroness von Sketch Show celebrates the absurd, mines the embarrassing and satirizes daily lives. Drawing on 15 years of comedy experience and multiple collaborations, the award-winning talents of Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne and Jennifer Whalen have teamed up once again as writers, stars and executive producers of this new series. Shot entirely on location in Toronto, the series is insightful and emotionally grounded while offering a witty take on everyday concerns. From the politics of ordering a coffee to entitled co-workers and open relationships, this satirical sketch show holds a fun-house mirror up to modern life.

FOLLOW THE MONEY — New Drama Series

Saturdays at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) beginning June 18

10×60 (Acquired from DRTV)

Follow the Money is a Danish drama that takes audiences into the world of economic crime, following swindlers and corporate moguls and the crimes they commit in the pursuit of wealth. When the body of a man is washed ashore near a wind farm, police detective Mads (Thomas Bo Larson) is called out to investigate. At first, it merely looks like an industrial accident, but the case implicates those in the upper echelons of Energreen — one of Denmark’s most successful energy companies. The CEO of Energreen is the charismatic Sander (Nikolaj Lie Kaas), and young lawyer Claudia (Natalie Madueño) is working hard to advance in the company. Nicky (Esben Smed), a former car thief and mechanic, works at his father-in-law’s garage. He has put his life of crime behind him for his girlfriend’s sake, but his new colleague Bimse (Lucas Hansen) tempts Nicky with a chance to make a quick buck. Set in the worlds of both economic and violent street crime, Follow the Money tells the stories of the rich, the poor, the greedy and the fraudulent — people who will go to any lengths to build the lives of their dreams.

FOUR IN THE MORNING — New Comedy Series

Fridays at 9 p.m. (9:30NT) beginning August 26

8×30 (Serendipity Point Films)

Four in the Morning is an edgy comedy that follows four friends in their twenties as they navigate life at the unpredictable, emotional and bewitching hour of 4 a.m. Dealing with themes of life and death, love and heartbreak, friendship and betrayal, it’s a series about self-discovery, disappointment and clawing after dreams that always feel out of reach. The series is created by Ira Parker, who also holds an executive producer credit alongside Ari Lantos, Jeff Sagansky, Mark Musselman and Matt Geller.

HA!IFAX COMEDY FEST — New Episodes

Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. (10 NT) beginning August 2

6×30 (Pilot Light Productions)

The Ha!ifax Comedy Fest cracks like a whip and moves like a bullet. Hosted by the ever-funny Mark Critch (This Hour has 22 Minutes) and featuring more than 60 stand-up performances, the series was shot in various locations around Halifax and crisply edited into six half-hour episodes. This season features 30 Canadian and international comedians, including festival favourites Lachlan Patterson (Last Comic Standing), Gemini Award-winner Nikki Payne, Graham Chittenden, Tim Nutt, Erica Sigurdson, newcomers Matt Wright, Sean Emeny and Daniel Tirado, and comedy legends Harland Williams and Caroline Rhea.

NEWFOUNDLAND AT ARMAGEDDON — New CBC Documentary Special

Thursday, June 30 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT)

1×120 (Gala Films and Morag Loves Company)

Newfoundland at Armageddon tells the epic story of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and its bloody destruction on the morning of July 1, 1916, a battle that led to enormous consequences on the life of Newfoundlanders. On July 1st 1916, 800 soldiers of the Newfoundland regiment rose from St. John’s Road trench and marched into no man’s land. “We died like tethered goats,” recalled one officer. Less than 35 minutes later almost every Newfoundlander was wounded or dead. As the boy soldiers suffered, so did the heroic women of their lives – who somehow picked up the scattered pieces. How the women did it is central to the story at the heart of this tragedy.

PERFECT — New Firsthand Documentary Special

Thursday, August 4 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT)

1×60 (Rapide-Blanc)

Perfect follows Canada’s national synchronized swimming team as they strive to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Shot over the course of a year and benefiting from exclusive access to the team, it reveals a world of extraordinary sacrifice and determination. Combining the beauty of dance with the intensity of swimming, this sport not only demands a staggering level of athleticism and artistry, it also requires that a team be physically homogenous: virtual clones of the same ideal body. As these young athletes aim for the world’s podiums, they must strive to maintain their health and self-esteem.

RIO 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES

Aug. 5–21 beginning at 7 a.m. ET (4 a.m. PT) each day

The Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be CBC/Radio-Canada’s 20th as Canada’s Olympic Network and the first Olympic Games hosted by a South American city. Including Team Canada, approximately 10,500 athletes representing 206 countries will be in Rio de Janeiro this summer to compete in 306 medal events. As Canada’s Olympic Network, CBC/Radio-Canada, along with primary broadcast partners TSN, RDS as well as Sportsnet, will provide the most innovative and accessible Olympic Games coverage ever made available to Canadians. With more than 1275 combined hours of television coverage and more than 4000 hours of live streaming and innovative virtual reality experiences, Canadians will enjoy Rio 2016 like no Olympic Games before. Details of CBC/Radio-Canada’s programming plans for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games from September 7–18, 2016 will be announced in the coming months.

STILL STANDING –  Season 2 — New Season

Tuesdays at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) beginning June 14

13×30 (Frantic Films)

Follow Canadian comedian Jonny Harris (Murdoch Mysteries) as he sets off yet again, veering off the main highway to discover the hidden comedy in Canada’s far-flung small towns. Each week, Jonny takes a hilarious and heart-warming journey to find humour in the unlikeliest of places — small towns on the ropes. After immersing himself in the lives of local characters and unearthing the tall tales in these tiny towns, Jonny delivers a rousing original stand-up comedy routine — a toast, not a roast — for the whole community. From coast to coast to coast, Still Standing showcases Canada’s vast beauty and highlights the country’s unique and diverse characters. Viewers ride shotgun with Jonny at the wheel on the ultimate cross-country road trip. In season 2, Jonny makes doughnuts in the Haida community of Skidegate B.C., trades stories with Neil Young’s childhood friend Goof in Omemee, Ontario, visits the world’s most northerly mosque in Inuvik, N.W.T., joins a seniors’ ukulele group in Georgetown, P.E.I., — and much more.

THE SPECIAL NEEDS HOTEL — New Factual Series

Thursdays at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) beginning August 25

3×60 (Acquired from Sky Vision)

The Special Needs Hotel follows Foxes Academy, a remarkable organization that gives young people with learning difficulties the opportunity to train to work in the hospitality industry. In this charming and light-hearted series from the U.K., viewers meet extraordinary young people as they progress through the unique academy, which includes working in the academy’s Foxes Hotel. The hotel is open to the public and competes for customers, and must be at the top of its game while staffed by this eclectic group of students. This inspiring documentary series follows both the missteps and triumphs of this extraordinary group and the staff who help them every step of the way.

UNDERCOVER — New Drama Series

Mondays at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) beginning August 22

6×60 (Acquired from BBCWW)

Undercover is a six-part political thriller from BBC/BBC America created by Peter Moffat. The series follows Maya (Sophie Okonedo), a barrister in London, who is at the very top of her profession and about to become the first black director of public prosecutions. But just as her life comes under intense public scrutiny, Maya discovers that her husband, Nick (Adrian Lester), has been lying to her for 20 years. Their stable and loving home life is deeply under threat as a result. At the same time, a case that has dominated her career is about to reach its conclusion. Rudy Jones (Dennis Haysbert), a black man in America, is wrongly convicted of murdering a white politician and soon to be executed. As she fights to save Rudy and discovers more about her husband’s past, Maya begins to realize there are bigger forces at work. An intricate web of corruption involving members of the police, the press and politicians unfolds.

WHEN CALLS THE HEART – Season 2 — New Season

Sundays at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) beginning June 19

10×60 (Acquired from Mindset Television)

Based on the bestselling novel by Janette Oke, season 2 of When Calls The Heart follows the residents of Coal Valley as they navigate matters of the heart during uncertain times in the wake of the mine disaster investigation. Young school teacher Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow) and Mountie Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing) are just starting to build their relationship. But when Elizabeth gets bad news from home, she must return to the wealthy, high-society life she left behind, where her feelings for Jack will be put to the test.

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When Calls the Heart returns to Super Channel for season three Wednesday, April 13

From a media release:

Super Channel, is pleased to announce to the delight of Canadian “hearties” across the country, that the sweeping frontier drama, When Calls the Heart, will return for a third season on Wednesday, April 13 at 8 p.m. ET (SC2). Each episode will also be available on Super Channel On Demand the day following its initial broadcast.

The enchanting Hallmark Channel original series is a Canadian co-production filmed on location in British Columbia and based on the bestselling book series by acclaimed Canadian author Janette Oke.

Returning cast this season includes Lori Loughlin (Fuller House, 90210) as Abigail Stanton, Erin Krakow (Army Wives) as Elizabeth Thatcher, Daniel Lissing (Last Resort) as Jack Thornton, Jack Wagner (The Bold and the Beautiful) as Bill Avery and Kristina Wagner (General Hospital) as Nora, Jack’s estranged wife. Guest stars this season include Brooke Shields as Jack’s mother, Charlotte.

Season three brings new challenges and opportunities to the tight-knit residents of Hope Valley. In the season three premiere episode, “New Year’s Wish”, a fresh start for Jack and Elizabeth, a surprise guest for Abigail, an adventure for Rosemary (Pascale Hutton) and Lee (Kavan Smith), an unwanted visitor from Pastor Hogan’s (Mark Humphrey) past, and new beginnings for the town makes this the most unforgettable New Year’s celebration Hope Valley has ever seen.

When Calls the Heart is produced by Canadians Vicki Sotheran and Greg Malcolm, and executive produced by Brad Krevoy, Brian Bird, Michael Landon Jr., and Michael Shepard. Eric Jarboe and Neill Fearnley are co-executive producers.

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Comments and queries for the week of December 25

Poll: The 2015 TV Ehwards

What makes Murdoch Mysteries so very special is that at times it is also a comedy, a science fiction or a romance as well as a mystery show. That is one reason it is the best! —Santa

When Calls the Heart is the greatest show ever! —Carolyn


Blackstone closes down for good

Blackstone so far is the best show APTN has ever had. The one thing that you get out if watching this show is empathy for people who do not grow up and live with silver spoons. Some people are scratching and clawing their way through life and it is hard. —Doug

Sorry to see this series end. Really enjoyed this show. Why do all the good ones have to end? —Laurie

I tried, oh gosh I tried again and again to get into it, but Blackstone was just too depressing for me. There was never any counter balance feel-good, sadly same was true of North of 60. We’ve been north of 60, James Bay on the Quebec side, NWT and Yukon, and rez’s in southern Canada too, and yes , like everywhere on this planet there’s not nice, but, there’s lots of nice too, just like the rest of the planet. The nice should be portrayed too. —Stevie

Sorry to see this show go! I really enjoyed watching and never missed an episode. It might not have been reality TV, but was so much better than other  “reality” or what is classed as reality TV. Going to miss you all, even Andy, you dirty bugger! LOL —Shirley


This Life closes out stellar first season

One of the best shows I’ve seen in years. So very, very impressed with the acting and the fine writing. I hope this show has many, many seasons… —Di

 

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

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Comments and queries for the week of December 4

Your Favourite Canadian TV Shows of 2015

Heartland is such a wonderful family show! We’ve enjoyed every episode together since it started, and it’s by far MY all-time favourite. —Rachel

When Calls the Heart is a refreshing change from many of the shows. The actors, directors and crew are extremely talented and provide so much employment to our local economy. Would live to see this series picked up on our local station in Vancouver. The new show The Romeo Section is great too. Love the actors that were in Intelligence. —Wendy

Heartland is the current No. 1 show. Touched by an Angel is probably my all-time favourite, but I guess it’s not Canadian. —Terry

TORNADO HUNTERS! (: —Paige

Heartland is the only show that has ever been able to hook me. Usually, shows are take it or leave it with me, but I love, love, love Heartland. =) —DJ

No question about it, Tornado Hunters is my No. 1 choice as the best 2015 Canadian TV show. I’ll give The Fifth Estate a close second place, and for options 3, 4, and 5, I will list The Rick Mercer Report, Dark Matter and This Life, accordingly. —Trina

Love Blackstone. Then my reality shows Amazing Race Canada, Big Brother Canada, Chopped Canada and Masterchef Canada. —Pamela


The Road to Discoverability

With me, word of mouth or I’ll glance through everything when it’s time for a new crop of pilots be it fall or midseason. An ad alone isn’t enough to get me to check out something usually. I’m a big Orphan Black fan but didn’t even know it existed in its first season. How’d I catch on? Commenters going crazy over it on several of the sites I visit, not just the reviewers themselves, and luckily CTV itself was running the same ad about 50 times a day for the Season 1 repeats. (They really overdo it though, the same ad over and over again actually irritates the viewer and could turn them against seeing a show, Comedy Network is especially bad for this).

Same thing happened this year with Mr. Robot. TVLine, The AV Club, Entertainment Weekly, Hitflix, IGN etc. and their readers wouldn’t stop praising it. It took Showcase until the end of the U.S. run to air here but it was great. They need to simulcast it next year for it to be worth anything. A day late equals a dollar short in the new digital world. I don’t usually watch crime shows but everyone is talking about Fargo, Season 2 so I might actually catch up when the season is over.

In terms of Kelly’s point about binge watching and then being a season behind, part of this is the networks themselves. They usually don’t have the current season up for streaming until the next year, and only the last five or so episodes on demand. You finished The Flash, Season 1? Too bad, CTV only has episodes 6-8 online and even then you have to sign in with a cable provider if you want to see them.

They are getting a bit better though. Syfy is premiering a show with a huge buzz and Canadian crew in the middle of December about a week before Christmas. That sounds like a way to kill a show, but they released the first episode online last month, and Space did it at the same time for Canadians with access to YouTube. I watched it because of word of mouth buzz and now fully plan to record both episodes on December 14th & 15th, and the 22nd.

Will TV itself and the broadcasters completely die out? No. This abundance of choice and “golden age of TV” is because of consumer appetite. Can the telecoms act like consumers are restricted to them in the same way we often are for cell phones and internet? No. The broadcasters themselves aren’t who I look to guide me to stuff, other viewers are. They can try and filter shows between them but trying to limit viewers to only what they have when conversations about TV are happening globally is impossible especially as the Internet generations get more buying power. They aren’t competing with just two or three Canadian rivals anymore, they’re competing with everyone.

The Big Four U.S. networks have been in a ratings decline for years now. They’ve only officially canceled one show so far this year (Wicked City) and just let the other weak ones show what they have already made. They know launching a new show in a failed timeslot right away is pointless. Streaming has changed the game and both the U.S. and Canadian broadcasters are going to scramble for a while before catching up. —DanAmazing

For me there is only one answer: word of mouth. In 2015, I don’t see ads really. I listen to podcasts (generally from public broadcasters), I watch Netflix, I PVR, I iTunes, I turn my adblocker off for sites I visit frequently but honestly I hardly notice the ads anyway. The only way I find out about new shows/movies is from sites like this one and from recommendations by people I talk to. Fortunately, my Twitter and Facebook feeds are crowded with actors, directors, producers and writers so I get a lot of recommendations.

Still, there are about 25 shows on my list (yes, I have an actual list) that I try to keep up with. The other problem—equally as large in my opinion—is quality. With so many options, shows have to be consistently excellent to stay on the list. They also have to be reasonable original and not formulaic or repetitive. —Justin

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

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