Was TV's Golden Age Really Silver?
It was exactly 43 years ago that I arrived at The Globe And Mail for my second stint as a summer entertainment reporter.There I was, eager, callow, hard working when I landed the plum assignment of...
View ArticleBBC's Father Brown: Well Worth Catching
When the DVD previews of the new TV version of Father Brown arrived I elected to take a pass.It was a horribly bad call I'm ready to admit.First of all I'd loved the original TV series made in 1976...
View ArticleCBC Has Much To Celebrate
Suppose CBC threw a big celebratory party and the guest of honor was a no show?That's exactly what happened yesterday at CBC's Toronto headquarters as CBC rolled out the red carpet for its fall season...
View ArticleRookie Blue Back For Fourth Summer Run
Talking to a gaggle of Canadian TV producers and one series emerges that's the envy of all.It's Rookie Blue which is back for its fourth season as a summer pick up series carried on both ABC and...
View ArticleCTV's The Listener: Back For Season Four
"I never thought we'd hit a second season," Craig Olejnik, star of CTV's The Listener is saying on the phone."But here we are talking about the fourth season. There's a story there, really."The...
View ArticleI Remember Jean Stapleton
So there I was in the audience of a new CBS sitcom called All In The Family watching a taping at CBS Television City. It was in June 1972 and boy was the atmosphere volatile.Carroll O'Connor and...
View ArticleCitytv: Making 'em Laugh
I spent yesterday afternoon listening to a gaggle of City stars gurgling on about their new fall TV wares.And City's lineup for the new season is pretty impressive.For one thing I got to gaze at the...
View ArticleShaw Media: The Momentum Is Upward
Considerably more press attended Shaw Media's fall preview than City's the day before.That's because Shaw has made a real impact on the media landscape.The media giant rolled out a stay-pat schedule...
View ArticleCTV's Fall schedule: Bigger And Better?
Here's what I learned after a day of interviews over at CTV's Toronto headquarters about the network's fall schedule:1. Bethenny Frankel whose new talk show Bethenny debuts on CTV this fall says...
View ArticleTVO's First Ever Original Drama Series Is A Hit
I've been covering TVOntario even before it came on the air.First it was the Ontario Education Authority way up on Bayview Ave.Then it morphed into regional network TVOntario on Tortonto's Eglinton...
View ArticleHappy Birthday CHCH-TV!
OK, so I'm a few weeks late.But it's time to say a sincere Happy Birthday to Hamilton's feisty independent station CHCH-TV which officially came on the air on June 7, 1954.Ah yes, I remember it well.My...
View ArticleI Remember James Gandolfini
I'm trying to remember the first time I noticed the great character actor James Gandolfini who has died in Italy, aged just 51 years.I certainly do remember him as Juror Number 6 in the 1997 TV movie...
View ArticleSteven King's Under The Dome Worth Catching
CBS goes way off its usual summer fare of reruns with the premiere of the Steven King mini-series Under The Dome.The first episode (of 13) which is a must see premieres on Global (and CBS) Monday...
View ArticleFinally Mad Men Delivered!
Mad Men is the series I used to watch avidly for season after season.This year I found any reason not to watch. The show had become just another TV soap opera as far as I was concerned.And Sunday night...
View ArticleRyan Belleville Is Simply Seeking Satisfaction
I first met Ryan Belleville in a sleazy sex store located in a down and out strip mall in the wilds of Etobicoke.No, it isn't what you're thinking at all!That was two summers ago and Ryan andhis...
View ArticleWelcome Back Nerve Center!
One of my favorite prestige Canadian TV series Nerve Center is back for a highly anticipated third season.Two new hour episodes are being scheduled by Discovery Canada back to back on wednesday June 26...
View ArticleErica Durance Returns In Saving Hope
Erica Durance says there was a split second when she wondered if she could move to Toronto to star in the new CTV medical drama Saving Hope."My son's in Grade 8 and I couldn't move him. So the family...
View ArticleSuper Channel's Secret State Worth Searching Out
I was going to take a pass on Super Channel's latest British import Secret State because the preview DVDs arrived late.But my curiosity got the better of me, I liked what I saw and I now think you...
View ArticleBravo's The Fall: Must-See TV
Remember the days not so very long ago when TV networks switched to reruns until September's new season came rolling around?No longer. Earlier this week the terrific new short form series Secret State...
View ArticleSuper Channel's Line Of Duty A Hit
All this week I've been watching new British miniseries and rather enjoying the experience.First up there was Super Channel's U.K. remake of the old hit A Very British Coup titled Secret State.My...
View Article