Happy Thanksgiving!!!
So what will you be doing today? Having fun with your family? Raking the lawn? Sleeping in?
Me? Well I’ll be watching eight hours of 3rd Rock From The Sun, of course.
God bless Thanksgiving marathons on TVtropolis.
It seems only fitting that I write a blog post about William Shatner today. After all, it marks the 45th anniversary of the debut of the original Star Trek series. While a lot of the original cast has faded into the deep dark beyond, the one and only Captain Kirk has seemingly never left the spotlight. He’s currently in his seventh decade of work and yet, he seems busier than ever! I’ve been getting a flurry of press releases about him lately and for a while, I couldn’t actually believe that an 80 year old could be so busy. William Shatner really is the Canadian equivalent of Betty White.
Here’s a recap of the Shat’s upcoming activities:
William goes on tour!
To celebrate his longevity in the industry, Shatner is hitting the Canadian roads for a speaking tour that will easily delight trekkies and normal fans alike. Throughout the evening, the former Captain Kirk will be taking attendees on a wild ride through his life and career and singing songs as only he can.
October 19th: Vancouver
October 21st: Regina, SK
October 23rd: Edmonton, AB
October 25th: Winnipeg, MB
November 3rd: Toronto
November 4th: Montreal
William Writes a Book!
On October 4th, Will is releasing “Shatner Rules: Your Guide to Understanding the Shatnerverse and the World at Large” on hard cover. The book will feature a series of rules, illustrated with stories from Bill’s illustrious life and career. Essentially if you ever wanted to know how exactly he’s been able to have a career that spands seven decades, then this is the book for you!
William sings songs!
A mere seven days after the release of his book, Shaner will have a new album on the shelves. It’s called Seeking Major Tom and features two-discs worth of songs about Shatner’s second home: space. It will have some original songs as well as a slew of covers featuring a pretty random assortment of duets including: Lyle Lovett, Steve Miller, Brad Paisley, Peter Frampton and Zakk Wylde!
William returns to TV.
Well technically he never left….
This weekend will see the return of the Shatner hosted “Weird or What?” on the History network. And even though Rookie Blue just finished its second season, they’ve already secure one helluva guest start for season three. Yup, you guessed it: William Shatner! He’ll play a drunk driver when the show returns to Global and ABC next summer. So we’ll have to wait another ten months to see his return to TV, but I think you’ll have enough Bill to keep you busy, no?
More than any kitchen show, race around the world or faked romance, there’s only one reality show that I’m watching this summer, that has me absolutely hooked: The Glee Project.
The show airs on the Oxygen network in the States and Slice here in Canada…but I’ll get to that later.
What’s most surprising about this show, is the fact that I like it at all, I mean I could barely stand this past season of Glee, let alone a reality show about the finding a new cast member. But as it turns out, most episodes of this series are better than a handful of Glee’s combined. The competitors are good, they can all sing reasonably well and happen to be great performers. The cast is a genuine mix mash of people who would be in a real Glee club. Some are geeky, others cute, but all are good TV.
So for the most part, the show is exciting. The challenges are also intriguing and give the viewer a chance at seeing how the musical numbers of Glee are really put together. The vocal and dance rehearsals culminate in a music video that showcases the best…or wort of the contestants.
A more cynical writer might think the way the contestants get cut from the show (not being “called back” and then forced to sing a musical number) is cheesy, but I really like it and it feels like it would, if they happen to be casting a real Broadway show.
But there’s a problem:
Since its debut, the Slice network has been airing The Glee Project with a week delay, which for a show that heavily using social media to promote itself, is super frustrating here in Canada. Do you know how hard it is to avoid a spoiler about who got kicked off a high-profile reality show for almost an entire week. Well, so far, it has proven impossible. Every week, I have to wait patiently for Slice to air a show that has already been on for an entire seven days below the border.
The finale of The Glee Project airs this weekend…in the USA. But we’ll have to wait an extra week. My request is this: Can’t Slice double up and air the finale at the same time? It would make it so much more exciting and I checked the Slice network schedule and I’m fairly certain everyone would be okay if Wedding SOS was bumped a week.
Slice, I’m writing this post in the hopes that you’ll be able to do something about it before Sunday, because the geeks that like potential Gleeks, need a little help sometime.
The other day, I mentioned that the Slice Network would soon be premiering a Canadian edition of the huge hit Intervention. While the production is being closely guarded (obviously), I’ve been able to nail down to very important tidbits: Who will the addicts be up against?
When addicted Canadians are brought in for their interventions, they’ll be confronted by their loving families and two very formidable foes: Andrew Galloway and Maureen Brine will be the series’ interventionists. While the two might not look that intimidating, their records speak for themselves. Galloway is a Substance Abuse and Behavioural Health Specialist in private practice an International Certified Alcohol and Drug Counsellor (ICADC). He won the Award of Academic Excellence after completing his Addiction Studies at McMaster University. His private practice includes interventions, assessments, counselling and referral. In 2008, he was awarded the Transforming Lives Award from The Centre of Addiction and Mental Health. Besides his private practice, he is a counsellor for the National Hockey League and National Hockey Player’s Association Substance Abuse and Behavioural Health Program.
Maureen Brine herself will also bring years of experience to the table. She is a very well respected Canadian psychotherapist, Addictions Counsellor, Interventionist, Consultant and Educator. She is also an Imago Relationship therapist who works with couples in recovery. She has been in successful private practices since 1985 in both Vancouver and Toronto. With over 35 years of experience in the addictions field, Maureen has vast knowledge and expertise. She is a former Director of the Donwood Institute Treatment Centre in Toronto. In 1985 she was certified as an Alcohol and Drug Counsellor (Canadian Certification C.A.D.C.) and then in 1989 was certified as International Alcohol and Drug Counsellor (I.C.A.D.C.).
Intervention Canada will premiere on Slice on September 8th.
I’ve been feeling like a bad Canadian for a while now. Despite writing a daily Canadian entertainment blog, I had never seen an episode of OLN’s Mantracker. I had it heard that it was addictive, but ever since Blair Witch Project, I’ve approached anything to do with trees with caution.
Tonight’s season premiere features Olympic bobsledders Jesse Lumsden and Justin Kripps facing off again Terry Mantracker Grant, in what will be his last season on the show.
I got my hands on the first episode and within in the first five minutes, I. WAS. HOOKED.
If you’re like me and you’ve never seen the show, the premise is pretty basic: You and your teammate have to get from Point A to Point B. Simple right? Wrong. Hot on your trail is a Mantracker and his sidekick who are pros at looking for clues about your whereabouts deep in the woods of some of Canada’s roughest terrains. Their goal is to find you before you reach Point B.
What makes the show so exciting is the editing and overall production values. The show is tight, clean and most importantly, exciting. A sure sign of me really enjoying a show is my reaction, and I hadn’t felt this excited about a race since the first few seasons of The Amazing Race, when I used to watch the whole show standing up and yelling at the TV.
I think my favourite part is when Mantracker gets close he says terrifying things like, “Howdy boys.” If Terry ever decides to be a serial killer, I think that should be his line. Seriously, can you imagine running through the woods for two days and then having someone come up and say “howdy boys.” Chills.
If your summer is feeling a little dull, I suggest that you hunt down Mantracker.
Mantracker airs tonight on Outdoor Life Network (OLN).
UPDATE: The show is now accepting applications for prey for the show’s seventh season. If you’re interested, click here to apply.
Now this is one casting call that I’m glad I missed!
Slice Network announced today that it will soon start airing Intervention Canada. So if you’ve noticed a camera crew following you around for mysterious reasons, chances are you are about to be asked to meet at a hotel for one last interview. Just a heads up.
I gotta say, I’m pretty impressed that this show was able to stay off the radar for so long. The series, which is a huge hit on A&E has come to Canada before, it actually filmed an entire episode about a firefighter named Jeff in my hometown of Fredericton, NB.
But now with its own devoted series, thirteen Canadians are about to confronted by their families and forced to deal with their addictions…for better or worse. Since its premiere in March 2005, the series has conducted 202 interventions, with 158 individuals currently sober. The hope is obviously that the show helps Canadians, whether they are actually on the show or not.
Intervention Canada premieres on September 8th on SLICE.
Who knew Alex Trebek was such a bad ass?
Late last week, the Jeopoardy host was checking into his hotel in San Francisco when he noticed he wasn’t alone! At 2:30 a.m, he ended up chasing a burglar down the hallway of the hotel. While he was able to scare off the burglar, he injured quite himself quite badly in the process. Now relegated to crutches, the Toronto-born TV show actually ended up rupturing his achilles tendon and bruising his other leg in process leg when he fell. Because of his injuries, Trebek had surgery on Friday.
But the injury didn’t stop him from hosting the National Geographic World Championship, which were held at the Google HQ, just a few days later.
Your move Chuck Norris.
If the networks were worried about Netflix, it was only a matter of time before the networks did something about it.
It looks like Shaw has now staged its attack!
The media giant has just announced a new service called Shaw Movie Club and it seems like it’s going to be GOOD. It’s going to cost $12 a month. (If you want HD add another $5,) and I’m guessing it already has Netflix’s execs shaking in their boots.
While it’s a little pricier than Netflix, Shaw Movie Club does have one clear advantage: Modern selection. A quick perusal shows seasons of True Blood, Game of Thrones and Dexter. With newer movies like Adjustment Bureau, Hall Pass, True Grit and Just Go With It.
Netflix has has been struggling with bad word of mouth, because while their selection is HUGE, it’s not really impressive. (That’s what she said.) Their choices are a lot older and typically forgettable.
Shaw Movie Club has begun rolling out in Calgary and Edmonton, and will only be available for Shaw customers. You can watch it through your cable box or online with your computer.
It will be interesting to see what happens next. Shaw has essentially called out Netflix and forced a move, it’s up to Netflix to decide what exactly that move will be!
Well colour me surprised, I guess now that summer is finally here, I thought that Canadians would turn off their TVs and actually get outside and enjoy it! But if the ratings for this week’s shows are any indication, viewers above the 49th parralell have done anything but!
MMVAS: The MuchMusic Video Awards had their biggest year ever, with more than 1.1 million viewers tuning in to barely hear Sarah Taylor and the rest of the VJs hand out awards to stars like Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga! That’s up more than 10% from last year! Anytime any show has increases like that, you know there is some network executive in Toronto eating their Beaver Tails in smiles!
SYTYCD Canada: The next night, CTV’s execs were celebrating the big, big, big return of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, which had more than 1.1 million viewers check out the country’s best dancers. That’s up more than 11% last year. Given the size of this country, I’m pretty sure if this show goes on much longer, we will all have auditioned at least once. Either way, for a reality show, any increase is welcomed news!
Combat Hospital: Global TV did it again! Their new summer drama premiered last night to record audiences, with more than two million homes tuning into to watch an Etobicoke-filmed show disguise itself as Kandahar. The ratings weren’t as impressive in the states, but the show doesn’t seem to be in any trouble of being cut short this summer! Combat Hospital had the highest debut of any show in 2011, it unofficially also has the worst name.
All this sets up for a HUGE return for Global’s Rookie Blue season premiere on Thursday night, which has been getting a big push on its Canadian network and ABC, which is airing it across the fifty states.
Sweet!
EW.com is reporting that Lost Girl, the huge Canadian hit series starring Anna Silk, will soon find a home in the good ol’ US of A! The website has exclusive details that Lost Girl has been picked up by SYFY and will be airing both seasons of the show. This is pretty great seeing as how the show just went into production for its second season this week.
If you missed Lost Girl’s first season, fret not, you have the whole summer to catch up. Showcase has the entire first season streaming on their website!
So great to see more and more Canadian shows being exposed to a bigger audience! This news definitely made my day!
