The Canadian networks are rolling out their fall schedules and other announcements, and I’ll admit that I’m still not clear on which U.S. show is on which station. (Most of the time, if I’m watching a show “live,” I just turn to the U.S. network affiliate, and hope against hope that there’s no Canadian network simulcasting it — because that way I get to see the more lavish U.S. commercials.) The more interesting part is hearing about new, original shows. TV-Eh.com is, as always, a good resource for these announcements. Among other things, CTV’s two new comedies from the Corner Gas family got good numbers this past season, CBC has picked up an adaptation of the movie Men With Brooms, and Global has the procedural drama — with a twist! (but they all have twists) — Shattered.
The Canadian networks are rolling out their fall schedules and other announcements, and I’ll admit that I’m still not clear on which U.S. show is on which station. (Most of the time, if I’m watching a show “live,” I just turn to the U.S. network affiliate, and hope against hope that there’s no Canadian network simulcasting it — because that way I get to see the more lavish U.S. commercials.) The more interesting part is hearing about new, original shows. TV-Eh.com is, as always, a good resource for these announcements. Among other things, CTV’s two new comedies from the Corner Gas family got good numbers this past season, CBC has picked up an adaptation of the movie Men With Brooms, and Global has the procedural drama — with a twist! (but they all have twists) — Shattered.
Also, Being Erica is producing a third season; its long-term future is a little clouded by the recent announcement that Soapnet, which has successfully carried the show in the U.S., will be shutting down in 2012. That’s an example of a cable network whose mandate became outmoded: it was supposed to allow viewers to catch up on the soap operas they missed earlier in the day, but most people no longer need a cable network to let them do that — and there aren’t many soaps left to catch up on. Still, it’ll be a blow to see it go, since among other things it was more open to Canadian product than a lot of U.S. cable networks.