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Roger Ebert: Last Great Movie Critic?
When Roger Ebert started coming to the Festival Of Festivals (renamed Toronto International Film Festival) he told me it was to meet and chat with fellow movie critics from around the world.That was in...
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Disaster Reigns Supreme on HGTV
I've just figured out the favorite word for the programmers at HGTV.It's "disaster".Already up and running is Disaster:DYI with Brian Baeumler.Now stay tuned for Disaster Decks --this one starring Paul...
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Perfect Storms Is Almost Perfect
Just a few years ago a series as ambitious as History TV's new offering Perfect Storms would have been impossible to make.It literally requires a cast of thousands in each episodes and special effects...
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Take Time For Save My Pet
You'll notice other TV critics are busy reviewing the first new episode of Mad Men.I'd be doing the same except for a challenge by a 12-year old girl I recently met in the Toronto Central Reference...
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I Remember Annette Funicello
IIn my 38 years as TV critic I was lucky to meet and interview many top Hollywood living legends: Cary Grant, Lucille Ball, Hank Fonda, Bette Davis, Jim Garner, Roz Russell, Jimmy Stewart.Right at...
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The Borgias Return For Season 3
TV's most conniving, despicable family is back.Here's a group that enjoys swindling others, exalts power over sincerity, kills off all enemies and engages in sex with anyone who comes along.The Ewings...
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History's Vikings: Second Sight
Here's good news for fans of The Vikings: History has renewed the sprightly Norse series for another 10 episodes.This is the first scripted series for History (both the U.S. and Canadian channels).In...
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Money Morons: Gail Vaz-Oxlade Is Back
"Yes, you're perfectly right. I'm b-a-c-k!"And Gail Vaz-Oxlade lets out that mighty laugh of hers.Without missing a beat she's jumped from one hot reality series, Til Debt Us Do Part to the more...
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Watergate Revisited
Has it really been 40 years since the Watergate scandal began slowly unfolding--the end result was the toppling of an sitting American president?We learn nostalgia comes in many strange guises in the...
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Republic Of Doyle: Season Ender
CBC's biggest drama hit Republic Of Doyle wraps up its successful season with a rollicking two-parter that begins this Sunday night at 8.Ratings are way up this season because of the prime Sunday night...
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Black Mirror: The Darkest Satire
The new British satire series Dark Mirror is the blackest of satires.It plays like a modern remake of The Twilight Zone mixed with Tales Of The Unexpected.The simply stunning debut is on Super Channel...
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I Remember Rita McNeil
As part of my duties as TV critic for 38 years at three great Canadian papers (The Globe And Mail, The Spectator, The Toronto Star) I was expected to interview Rita MacNeil from time to time.How I came...
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The Canadian TV Conundrum
"How can I help save Bomb Girls?" asks an earnest lady at the streetcar stop.My advice?"You can't!" And then I board the vehicle.Because the newly cancelled Bomb Girls is only the latest casualty in...
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Gordie Howe Is Mr. Hockey
Was Gordie Howe the greatest ever Canadian hockey player?With appropriate apologies to Rocket Richard, Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky I 'm guessing it's true.And as Howe celebrates his 85th birthday...
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Changing A Lot Of Channels
When I was the young hotshot TV critic at the Hamilton Spectator in the Seventies I was told I HAD to cover all hearings of the CRTC in Toronto and Ottawa.At that time the CRTC was building the cable...
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The Big C Returns: Final Season
I've only been an irregular viewer (by choice) of The Big C, a Showtime made cable series I find too demanding to be included among my regular TV favorites.Yes, I know Laura Linney is impressive, she...
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Hail And Farewell: CBC's Kirstine Stewart
Kirstine Stewart, for seven years CBC-TV's top programmer, is jumping ship to join Twitter Canada.Her CBC tenure has been a rocky one and she collected the usual hits and misses along the way.What she...
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Never ever Do This At Home: Scary TV
I'm trying to figure out what age group the new TV series Never Ever Do This At Home is geared to attract?The 9 p.m. time slot is too late for the impressionable kids who might like watching a house...
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It's TV Cancellation Time!
This is the time of the year when the big old American networks cancel all those series that just aren't working.For NBC and ABC it's been tough seasons. For CBS riding high in the ratings there's some...
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Seth Meyers To Replace Jimmy Fallon
With its prime time lineup crumbling away there's still a bright spot for NBC.And that's late nights.Despite the Conan O'Brien dust up the peacock proud network remains number one.Leno's Tonight show...
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