The End, My Friend

One year ago today, I set out on a mission to only watch Canadian content. And I succeeded (except for that one incident with the Mormons...). It was definitely an interesting experience and something that I learned a lot from. It's changed the way that I watch TV and hopefully got some people to think about the way that they watch TV.

I did want to keep this blog around for any of my thoughts on the Canadian industry or just TV in general but sadly, it hasn't really worked out as I planned. Work and other projects (unfornately nothing as glamorous as why Dennis McGrath left his blog) have taken over my life, leaving little time for this blog. However, there is a ray of light.

As an outlet for my random thoughts on the glorious media industry, I will be a guest contributor to the filmarmy blog. It's launching on Sept.20th so keep an eye out for all the interesting topics which will be appearing there.

Thank you all for accompanying me on this journey. I appreciate your comments and feedback. The only thing I have left to say is: For the love of God, please watch Canadian television!

New Discoveries

So during this summer, I have been gorging myself on American television. It's not like I mean to but without cable and having missed some shows I really wanted to see, I'm just trying to play catch-up. Besides, as much as I hate to admit it, they produce some pretty good shows. Like:

(1) Flashforward: I've wanted to see this since I first heard about it. Based on a book (written by a Canadian), everyone blacks out at the same time and sees a few minutes of their future in 6 months. It raised a lot of interesting issues by having people not wanting their flashforward to come true, others afraid that they won't and some people not having them at all. I just dove right in and loved every minute of it.

But of course, there will be no season 2. I think what was really working against it was that not a lot of people want to see serialized television anymore. With shows like Lost and 24 gone and the unendless amount of reality television, it's hard to get people to hooked in a story and commit to it. Especially when they miss an episode or there's a long hiatus, serialized shows are just harder to get back into. But I still love them. There's just something so satisfying to watching it all build up to the finale. That's what makes me want to come back week after week (or commit myself to watching the whole thing online which is sorta cheating with serialized shows).

(2) Community: I literally just found out about this show two weeks ago and only by chance when I was flipping through the channels. I love it. It has some of the same director's as Arrested Development and that alone should make you want to watch it. It's just this quirky little show about an odd group of people who are in this study group and go to a community college that tries to be a real school. I'm pretty sure it's been picked up for a second season (weird! but then again I didn't start watching it until now so I doubt there'll be a third) so keep your eyes out for it.

Looking Forward

It's always about this point in the summer when I start to look forward to the new fall season. I know everyone talks about how it's all about watching shows online or buying the DVDs but I still love to watch shows actually on TV. Call me old fashioned. Plus it means a bunch of new shows. Yay! And you can't find a lot of Canadian TV around online and due to lack of funds, the DVDs aren't really an option (despite how cheap they are). So I am looking forward to once again stuffing myself with Cancon.

Though I'm looking forward to returning favourites (Being Erica, Battle of the Blades, The Listener), new shows (Men with Brooms, and Debbie Travis' show that has nothing to do with interior design) and continuing shows (Rookie Blues), for some reason, I'm most excited about So You Think You Can Dance. I have no idea why. Just somewhere in my soul, I need to see Canadians dance. Though I doubt that there will be anything as special as what Vincent and I shared last season, I'm still super excited.

Let's cross our fingers for more excellent Cancon this fall!

Rookie Blue

I always like to harass Global for its lack of Cancon. It always had a poor showing. Then I heard that they were going to be doing a co-pro called Copper and I thought it was a step in the right direction. Then I was never able to find it on their schedule or find out when it was debuting. Eventually I learned that Copper became Rookie Blue and it started last week. So I missed the first episode which is a shame since apparently in the pilot there was a call-out to Jameson Ave in Parkdale. Though a surprise to hear local addresses like that on TV, not surprising that they chose Parkdale for the location of it.

Anyway, overall I enjoyed it. It reminds me a little of Grey's Anatomy but am not entirely sure if it will continue in the same way. It doesn't necessarily have the same gritty, mean streets feel to it that some other cop shows have but we are focusing on rookies and even though it's set in Toronto, it's not exactly mean streets around here (despite what happened during the G20...now that would make a good episode!!!). I am interested to see how it develops since there seems to be a turn towards more hybrid type shows. So dramas with a lot more comedic elements to it, so shows like NCIS or Republic of Doyle (I was reading some where and I'm pretty sure it was the CBC saying that they were looking for more lighter dramas now).

The one thing I love about Canadian shows is hearing Canadian music. Last night episode featured a Metric song (they've done pretty well for themselves lately, haven't they?) which isn't unusual since I'm pretty sure the same song appeared in an episode of Grey's Anatomy. But apparently the pilot featured a song by the Great Lake Swimmers and they too have been doing pretty awesome lately. Moral of the story: always judge a show by the music.

Good-Bye Stargate

Last night was a sad night indeed. We have completely finished watching Stargate SG-1. It was a long haul at times (especially after watching Atlantis) but what a wonderful time. 10 seasons, 214 episodes, it's done.

As much as I love the early episodes and the original SG-1, the later seasons were really the best. The Ori were a much better enemy, though the human form replicators were also pretty good. And who doesn't love Vala? She added a nice contrast to Sam who was sexualized and idealized but was never really portrayed very womanly (even though her sex organs are on the inside). Vala actually talks about sex! She's an alien so she can get away with being sexy and trying to seduce Jackson. Oh good times. Vala was just adding an interesting dimension to the show and loosened everything up. I mean, how many times did any character actually talk about sex before hand? (I sometimes wonder if this stems from the fact that I am a woman and sci-fi really isn't aimed at women and Vala added something that was more interesting to women?)

But I have to say that the last episode is probably one of my favourite episodes. I think I had seen it before but never realized it was the final episode. It was so sad though. I do think that they would have let the ship be destroyed years before they actually did but that's okay. I think especially in season 10, everyone get to loosen up a bit and the writers got to put in a lot more jabs (especially in episode 200).

I'm a little sad that there is no more seasons but there are still 2 movies and eventually I'll see how this Universe thing is working out. But for the time being, I need a bit of a Stargate break.

Downfall is truly a downfall

It's been a while since a show has made me this sad for humanity. Last week, I somehow caught an episode of the new game show Downfall. It truly is an American show. Basically they throw stuff off the top of a building while a contestant tries to answer questions as quickly as possible. What they are throwing off the building are the prizes they could win so it's not little things. It's dining room tables, golf clubs, stereos, and even cars. Sometimes if you press the panic button, you can have a friend thrown off the building (not intentionally and of course the person is tethered for safety). Now according to the website, they use replicas of these prizes which makes it a little bit better but not much.

The whole concept is really ... arrogant. The whole idea of throwing larges items off a building for no good reason. Especially considering the whole economic recession that we all just went through. Even Japanese game shows, as bizarre as they are, are more about embarrassing the contestants than wanton destruction. Just seems all so unnecessary and screaming of American capitalism. I know it's hard to come up with good game shows but this is just taking it too far.

I really hope it doesn't take off.

Undying Love for Bryan Fuller

If there is one person I wish were Canadian it would be Bryan Fuller. He is my TV hero. If I could, I would write novels like Douglas Coupland but I would write TV like Bryan Fuller.

If you don't know Mr. Fuller, you really should get to know him. He created (or co-created) Wonderfalls, Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies. All are rather fantasy type shows with a lot of humour. Inanimate objects talk to a person, there's a group of grim reapers who release your soul from your body before you die and a piemaker is able to bring things back to life temporarily. It may sound weird but you've got some get premises for shows right there.

In a way though, Fuller is like a Canadian. Despite how fabulous all his shows are, and especially how critically acclaimed Pushing Daisies was, none of them lasted for more than two seasons (poor Wonderfalls actually only aired for 4 episodes before it was cut). I can't really explain it. I mean, I know that they were kind of oddball and out there but they are all among my favourite shows. Stylistically Pushing Daisies was the most different but still had the dark undertones to it but the humour remained the same throughout them all.

Fuller is just underappreciated. And I cannot express how happy I am that Heroes is over and he's back to developing a new series: Sellevision, based on a novel by Augusten Burroughs. And I know I will be sitting here patiently, waiting for it to air.

Newsroom

I recently acquired the second season of the Newsroom on DVD. Having never seen the show before and not really knowing too much about it, I was excited. And I did quite enjoy it.

It has kind of the awkwardness of Extras which is something I always love. The more awkwardness a show presents, the more I like it. But it's a cynical type look at the inner workings of a news broadcast. More specifically, the people who decide what is going to be on the news. George, the executive producer, is the perfect anti-hero who you love to hate. I just like how seamlessly they go from talking about really important things to random things in their lives. It's perfect. There's no change in tone or voice or anything.

It is a little slow and I can see how it didn't last long since it's not the type of show that would bring in a huge audience. But it is a really interesting show. I just hope I can get my grubby little hands on the rest of the series soon.

Shows I will probably never watch again

Back before I started the challenge, I thought it would be nice to take a break from shows that I ended up watching all the time like Friends or The Simpsons. I figured I would return to them, happy to see them again and it would be like it was new again.

Which is not what happened. In fact, I have only tried to watch Friends, The Simpsons and Family Guy each once. In doing so, I realized that I've seen them all so many times that even one year is not enough time to take a break from them. I just sighed and moved on to something else. I was actually kind of sad because I used to genuinely enjoy these shows but now I just feel indifferent to them. Given the choice, I'd rather not watch them.

It made me wonder why we tend to just watch shows over and over again when there are so many different shows out there that we could be watching. And with so many shows that I still want to see, I don't see the point in watching something I've already seen 10 times anymore. There is so much great Canadian TV out there that I could be watching.

Splice

On Sunday afternoon we decided to go see a movie so we saw Splice. Now this isn't exactly a good Sunday afternoon movie since it left us all feeling rather uncomfortable.

From the director of Cube, I was expecting a scary sci-fi movie. My siblings seemed to think it would be sad. I was counting more on frightening just based on the clips I had seen of it. I can't really go into detail without giving it away but Splice went to a lot of places that I had not prepared myself for. It went a lot further than I thought it was going to (which isn't surprising since it was a Canada-France co-production. I should have been more prepared than I was). I was so sure that one scene was a dream since what was happening was so horrific but no, it was actually happening. And things just went further and further from there.

Now, the best part of the movie was watching the audiences' reaction. There was one specific incidence where every person in the audience reacted and started shifting around in their chairs. Everyone was just that uncomfortable (still even more happened after that). It was just interesting to watch everyone try to understand and deal with what was happening in the movie. Rarely have I seen the whole theatre react that way (it was even more extreme than the theatre-wide weeping during i am sam).

I don't want to discourage anyone from seeing it. It was a really interesting film and is definitely worth seeing but it does get a bit ... troublesome at times but isn't that what movies should do sometimes? It's definitely a movie that sticks with you.

DVDs!

The other day, we were shopping by the doors they had those large bins filled with old or straight to video movies. I was casually browsing while other people paid when I made a discovery! The second season of the Newsroom for $4.99! What a steal! And then I even found H20 (the TV movie starring Paul Gross) for $2.99! So for less than $10, I was able to get both of them.

Now I'm sad for two reasons: 1) I haven't seen the first season of the Newsroom (well, really I haven't seen the first season it ran in 1996 I believe) and I do so love to watch things in order. And 2) that they were so cheap and just tossed aside like that. I know that it is a show that's been off the air for years now and a TV movie so I shouldn't be too surprised but I still would like to see them somewhere more respectful. And somewhat idiotically: more expensive. This is idiotic because as much I think they deserve to cost more and I would happily pay more in order to help the Canadian industry, if they did cost anymore I wouldn't be able to afford them (we're having some issues over here).

But I'm just happy to be expanding both my knowledge and collection of Canadian TV shows.

Art Business

I swear this will be my last post about Grey's. It's just taken me some time to proper formulate what I wanted to say.

Now, I know that art is a business. You can see it in various degrees through the different media. Novels you don't see it as much but you do see it more in movies. Stories have to be changed for budgetary reasons and blah blah blah. But nowhere do you see it more than in TV. It's like the story becomes secondary to all the demands of the network, actors, budget, etc etc. And this is why I really started to hate Grey's last season. So much was happening and none of it seemed to fit the story they were trying to tell. It just didn't make sense and it made me angry.

And this why I continue to hate Katherine Heigl with a fiery rage that will burn longer than the sun. Now Izzy should have died at the end of season 5. That would have been very satisfying and a much better story than what actually happened. Instead, she comes back to life (since Heigl decided she didn't want to leave Grey's after all) but then gets fired from the hospital once she goes back to work and disappears again (because Heigl wanted to spend more time with her family). Now I have no problem with her wanting to spend time with her family but my problem is that she made them do an incredibly terrible storyline which was absolutely absurd because she couldn't decide if she wanted to stay or to go. The show suffered because of Heigl.

This is my main problem with Grey's in general. I know that art is a business but the trick is to make it not look like one. With Grey's, everyone knows the politics of what is going on so the illusion disappears. You can see that the story is subject to all these other outside forces instead of what would happen organically. Like the disappearance of Erica Hahn. There was never even an explanation of what happened to her or where she went. That isn't good story telling at all!

All I want is a story, not a collection of business decisions.

Laughter

The other day I was looking for just a sitcom to watch and decided to watch The Big Bang Theory. Actually, I ended up watching Dan for Mayor because old habits die hard. But today I went back to watch some Big Bang which was a show that I had enjoyed watching before this whole challenge.

It was ... weird. The very first thing I noticed was the laugh track. Not going to lie, it freaked me out a little. It wasn't something I noticed but apparently Canadian shows don't use laugh tracks (leading me to believe that as a nation, we are smart enough to recognize what is funny on our own). So here this laughter was again was really bizarre. It felt so unnatural. I know it's something that I will grow accustomed too once more but it's weird. Really, really weird (after if you believe Chuck Klosterman the laugh tracks they use are pretty old so chances are, some of those people you hear laughing are dead. Keep that in mind the next time you're watching a sitcom).

And the show seemed odd. Maybe it's was the laugh track or it's the whole American style but it seemed like every other line had to be something funny or a one liner. I remember from grade ten media studies learning about the whole jpm (jokes per minute) but never really noticed it till now. Maybe Canadian sitcoms have more subtle humour? Though from watching Extras recently and then the Big Bang, Canadian comedies definitely fall somewhere in the middle.

Overall, the show just seemed weird. Watching Grey's was fine. I didn't notice anything too different but with Big Bang it was almost jarring. And Penny seems unnecessarily undressed the majority of the time. Does she own a pair of pants at all? I know they live in California but the guys are still wearing a mountain of sweaters all the time. Come on.

The Trotsky

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing The Trotsky in theatres. I just can't get over the excitement of seeing Canadian movies in the theatre. It lived up to all my expectations and probably surpassed them. Great story, great acting. I enjoyed how the high school actually looked like a high school. I like people with a little bit of crazy in them. But for me, it was exactly what Canadian films need to be. Funny, smart, and unique. And it was accessible without being too mainstream. For me, it's a beacon of hope for the future of Canadian cinema.

What was also interesting about it was its message. The (very Gen Y) idea that if you don't like the way something is, you need to get involved and try to change it. It's up to the students to fight for change in the schools otherwise there is nobody there truly representing them (unlike the trees, they have no Lorax to speak on their behalf). But this idea, mixed with all the slow-motion marching was quite inspiring.

So tell everyone you know to watch The Trotsky. Why? Because I want to change the way people view Canadian movies. I'm trying to get everyone I know to see it in theatres because the more interest people show in Canadian movies, the more likely the theatres will be to show them. I not only want to see more Canadian movies in theatres but I want more people to want to see these movies. We can only do this by supporting those that have made it this far. We need to show that there is a demand and for that, we need people to see Canadian movies and recognize how good they are. We need to change the way people to support and care about the Canadian films. I always say: Support the Canadian film industry because hopefully, one day it will support you.

Good News!

Gather round good people, I bring glad tidings. Okay, so chances are, only some of you will care but it has officially been announced that Being Erica has been renewed for a 3rd season! Hooray! I was most pleased when I heard this. So now both Republic of Doyle and Being Erica will be around for a little while longer. And I will find out if my theories about the third season are correct (that Erica will go into therapy training herself).

Now, I am happy enough to see a good Canadian show stick around and not be given the boot. One of the key things missing from Canadian television seems to be long running shows (yes Flashpoint blah blah blah). I want all Canadian shows to do well but of course, even more so if I actually enjoy watching them.

There is also a special part of me that is joyful since usually all the shows I love are taken away from me too soon. I often joked about this until I actually looked at it rationally.

3 seasons: Slings and Arrows, Arrested Development, Robson Arms
2 seasons: Pushing Daisies, Dead Like Me, Eli Stone
1 season: jPOD and Wonderfalls (the real rub here is that these two happen to be my favourite shows of all time).

So yes, I am very happy to see Being Erica come back. There is just so much joy in having lots of a good thing. I just hope that the CBC keeps on the track it's on because so far, I'm impressed.

Canadian Cinema

So this post will be half commenting on Canadian theatrical release and half a movie review. This is what I get for not blogging yesterday like I had planned to.

First of, I was overjoyed to hear on the radio yesterday that The Trotsky was going to be released in theatres this weekend. I'd heard so much about it when it was at TIFF and dared not hope that I would ever actually get to see it in theatres. After all, how often do you get to see any Canadian movie in a Canadian theatre? Then I remembered that Gunless should've been out around this time too. And also in the theatres! It was a glorious day. But after looking up both movies, I realize that Gunless was currently out but today was the last day that it was playing at this theatre but The Trotsky would be playing this weekend. Apparently they can only have 1 Canadian movie playing at one time.

I know I shouldn't complain because I am genuinely happy just to see any Canadian movie playing in a theatre but I really wish that they would both be playing at once. I mean, Gunless was released (ordering to Cineplex website) on April 30 and today was the last day it was playing. That gives it a run of 2 weeks. Now keep in mind that not only is this theatre still playing Alice in Wonderland (going on 2 months now), it's still playing Avatar (which was released in December!!!!!). But only one Canadian movie at a time. Which is why it's so important to go out and see Canadian movies actually in the theatres so hopefully we can fix this. The more of a demand there is, the more Canadian movies they will play and the longer the runs.

Which is why I went to go see Gunless this afternoon. Truthfully, I didn't have high expectations. I'm not generally a big fan of Westerns (I'm pretty sure the only one that I've seen at this point in my life is Shane) but Paul Gross is a very attractive man. Plus he does do a lot for the Canadian film industry (whether you like what he does or not) so I feel the need to support him. And I thought it was generally good. Did it change my life? No but I wasn't really expecting it to. It was kind of predictable but I still chuckled at parts. I did find it strange that this small Western town managed to have both Chinese immigrants and French people but hey, maybe that's what it was like. The one thing though: Mr. Gross had remarkably white teeth for an American outlaw.

Overall, it was a good movie. And everyone should go check out The Trotsky this weekend. Not necessarily because it's a Canadian movie, but because it really looks hilarious! (seriously, the guy who directed it used to be on Are You Afraid of the Dark? That's reason enough)

Obsessions

One of the greatest things about this challenge was that I discovered so many new shows to love. There's just something about that feeling when you find a new show and look forward to seeing how everything all plays out. It's all so new and interesting! So from Slings and Arrows to The Week the Women Went to Murdoch Mysteries, it was like there was no end of Canadian shows that were new to me.

But now that it's all over, my first instinct is to rewatch all my favourite shows that I haven't been able to watch. Thus I've been spending time with shows like Arrested Development and Extras and Stargate (still). Grey's has been good since this whole season is all new to me but I feel a distinct lack of newness in my television life. I love finding a new show and becoming obsessed with it and the gluttonous feeling at the end when you've watched all the episodes you can possibly find.

Being out of the American television loop, I don't know really where to look. I know I want to watch Flashforward but after that, I can't really think of any new shows that I really want to watch. Now without cable, it's not like I can just let the guide channel tell me what to watch. I guess I just have to go back to researching new shows. Sigh.

Music

This post will only start with Grey's. It won't be another post about Grey's, I swear!

But as I was watching Grey's Anatomy the other day, I realized that 2 of the episodes this season used Metric songs. Now one of the things I love about Grey's was the music. It's always been one of the best parts of the show. But I found it strange that they would use Metric twice but it was fine with me since I've been listening to Metric's new cd lately and really like it.

What made it kinda strange is that it reminded me of a conversation we had during the Junos. They mentioned something about Metric being around for 10 years now (which makes sense) but also that this was their first cd to really be big in the States. And then I realized that I had been hearing Gimme Symphathy on the radio all the time and I have never heard a Metric song on an American station before (mind you, for a good 6 years there, I was barely listening to the radio at all). And also I had heard an interview with somebody from Degrassi (I think it was the person who played Darcy but I'm not quite sure) but she was talking about how she wished Hedley was more popular in the States because she loves hearing them on the radio.

And then we all realized that these bands that are huge in Canada are even really on America's radar. I know I was in the mind set that of course they had to be big in the States, otherwise I wouldn't have heard of them. Obviously if a band is popular, they must have the approval of our Southern cousins. But I'm kind of happy that we can celebrate our bands even if they haven't made it in the States yet. That really shouldn't matter (well, I understand it matters to them because it means more money, fame etc). I was surprised about Hedley since they seem like a band that would be popular in the States and like they have the fame already. I don't think Hedley hasn't "made it" since they aren't popular in America. I think they are doing quite well and I'm very happy that they are.

Maybe we're moving to a point where we can make our own bands famous without the help of the States.

Grey's

I'm going to try and not let this ramble on because much like Stargate, I could write a book on Grey's Anatomy. For some reason, I have put a lot of thought into this show. And emotion.

I was all prepared to hate this season. Me and season 5 didn't get along so well. But we just needed a break from each other because I am once again completely sucked in. It just seems much more sad this season. I knew George died but then watching them all deal with it, was terrible! Though I would have much preferred it if Izzy had actually stayed dead as well, as it how it was supposed to be. I tend to like how Grey's does deaths and the whole afterworld. I was looking forward to more of that. And Izzy isn't bothering me as much this time around. I thought I would be overjoyed when she got fired. It didn't really make me sad but I thought I'd be happier.

I think what is slightly different about this season is that they all seem to be in stable relationships. Meredith and Derek are married (via post-it but still consider themselves married) and there thankfully hasn't been any drama there. Cristina and Owen are working through the problems in their relationship. Mark and Lexie are living together. Kallie and Arizona are happy. Now there's some drama in the marriage of Alex and Izzie but that was bound to happen since in my opinion, Alex only married her because she was dying. So it takes the drama outside their personal lives and they actually get to be happy for a while instead of always drowning in sorrow.

Things I do like this season:
-that they have Izzy living with cancer. As she says, you never really expect to have to live with it. Either you go through the surgeries and chemo and radiation and it's gone or you think you die. But to have to live with it and just be happy with the news that it's stopped growing, that's hard.
-when Bailey was operating on Meredith (liver donation because Ellen Pompeo is pregnant and this gave a convienvent reason for why she was always in bed) and Bailey mentions how she's had to operate on 4 out of her 5 original interns (Alex being the only one excluded...so far).
-the merger. They incorporated the whole economic downturn and had Seattle Grace merge with Mercy West. Oh no! Shocking. But it makes them fear for their jobs and with all the people who have left the show already, nobody is really safe anymore. But do they really need to introduce new characters? There's already so many to keep track of. Though I'm sad they got rid of that one nurse who gave George syphilis. It was always nice to see her around.
-poor Cristina has no cardio god to look up to. Admittedly, she's had a tough time with cardio people since Burke left. I think she's been punished enough for that whole incident.

I think the one thing that makes me like this show is the friendships they depict. I love the relationship between Derek and Mark because I just like watching guys be friends. They had a little bit of a rough start but I was happy to see them going back to being friends. And especially Meredith and Cristina. There's never really any friend between them. They aren't the mushy best friends. They're both tough and strong women and it's nice to see them be so close. I even like how Meredith and Lexie get along now even though I hated Lexie in the beginning. I just like to see good, strong friendships.

This has been a much happier reunion than anticipated.

The Return of the Americans

Sometimes I do appreciate how lame I really am. Yesterday morning, I wake up and all excited to watch anything I want! But the only thing that kind of interested me was That's So Raven and Hannah Montana and though I will admit to watching them before, I did not watch that to be the first American show to assault my eyes. So instead I ended up watching Instant Star and Canada's Worst Driver 3. Old habits die hard.

Later on in the day I did watch Arrested Development which I felt to be a worthy choice for the first American show I've watched in 8 months. It's just so good. I also ended up watching more of it at 5am in this morning when I couldn't sleep. It was good times for all.

But now, I just have a few small things to do and then I'm going to devote this whole afternoon to American TV. I don't quite know where to start. Right now the debate is between Grey's or Flashforward. Though I do believe that Flashforward would be the better show, I think I might have to go with Grey's. Hopefully the anger would be too much this time...

The End, my friend

Can you believe that we made it? Except for that Mormon choir at Christmas, I have not watched anything other than Canadian productions on the TV. It certainly has been an experience that I have thoroughly enjoyed and can't believe that I can now go back to watching whatever I want, whenever I want. I'm not going to lie, it feels kinda weird.

Now, do I think that everyone should only watch Canadian content? (could you even imagine?) No, but one of the main points of this whole challenge was to make people more aware of what they are watching. Yes I think more Canadians should watch Canadian productions because I do think they reflect who we are and our media is an important part of who we are as a nation. Our shows are different than American ones and that is important. They shouldn't be immediately discounted just because they are Canadian and appear as lesser. I want people to take note of and make an effort to watch more Canadian television. If more people watched it, then it would become even better.

I know I won't watch 100% Cancon anymore but I do know that the percentage that I watch will be higher than it was before (as I hope your's is too). I've been trying to come up with a ratio that I think I would be comfortable with. I'm thinking of trying for 70/30 (Canadian/Not Canadian). When I think of all the Canadian shows that I'm looking forward to coming back in the fall (The Republic of Doyle, Being Erica, So You Think You Can Dance Canada, The Listener Canada's Next Top Model, Little Mosque on the Prairie, 18 to Life, Hiccups, Dan for Mayor....okay, so I'm not hundred percent sure that all of these are coming back but my fingers are crossed) or the shows I know that I'll be returning to again and again (Slings and Arrows, Robson Arms, Murdoch Mysteries, Corner Gas, jPOD, Degrassi, Stargates, Defying Gravity), I don't think that it will be hard to achieve. Plus all those fun mini-series or events that the CBC has that I've grown to love. And the fact that I've been out of the loop of American shows for a year so I don't really have any idea of what's going on there also helps. (Just to clarify, after I gorge myself on American TV and catch up on the few shows that I've missed out on, then the 70/30 will come into play...don't judge me too harshly).

I think everyone should strive the at least a 50/50. It's hard but it's worth it to have a television culture that is vibrant and an integral part of the society at large. But it's really not that hard once you recognize how great Canadian television really is.

But for now, everyone put on your party hats because this challenge is over! (...as of midnight tonight). Woohoo!

Life After CanCon

As my pledge to Cancon ends this Saturday, I have thought about what will become of this blog. My desire for completion and departmentalizing requires that I post solely on April 30th and end it at that. But then I would miss all the fun of once again being reintegrated into world wide content (there might be an anime marathon on the table with a friend for this summer). What if my reactions to American TV have completely changed? What if I have some great revelation about Canadian television that desperately needs to be shared? What if my eyes start to bleed from watching Grey's? Where will I go then?

Thus this blog will remain open. I will document my return to American content and see if anything has changed. And after a time, it will probably be where I spout off nonsense about all forms of media. From opinions on books (I just finished Alias Grace and it's fascinating, just fascinating!) to movies (I saw a promo for Paul Gross's new movie, Gunless and think everyone should see it, regardless of if it's any good because supporting Canadian cinema, especially financially, is important) to music (is it just me or has hip-hop music gotten surprisingly nicer to women?). Of course, television will play a role and though the whole blog won't be strictly Canada-centric, it just happens that almost everything I read, watch or listen to is Canadian. It's actually rather pathetic when I think about it.

I'm not expecting a lot of people to hang around after this to listen to my drivel so don't feel bad for deserting. I apparently just really like the sound of my own voice (...the sound of my own typing?) and so this blog will live on, even after the challenge has ended.

Note: Strangely enough, I have not picked out exactly what my first non-Canadian show will be. As plans for this weekend keep changing, I cannot fulfill the dream I have of lounging on my couch all day, gorging myself on Arrested Development and Flashforward. But it's always nice to dream.

jPOD

I'm a little surprised that it's taken me this long to blog exclusively about jPOD. I really thought that I would have run out of Cancon much faster and watched it all much sooner. I've been watching it off and on recently and am only reminded of how much I love it.

Part of the reason I haven't blogged about it is because it does make my heart weep when I talk about it. It truly is one of my favourite shows based on a book by my favourite author. But what makes jPOD so important in this context is that it is pretty much the reason I got interested in Canadian television at all. Or seriously at least. Yes I had watched Canadian Idol because it was my patriotic duty but it was never something to base my life on.

But then there was jPOD. A show that I really loved and got treated like shit. First of all, it got bumped from it's Tuesday night slot to Friday night which was pretty much the beginning of the end. The audience for this show was a much younger target than CBC traditionally goes for. Which is why is makes even less sense to put it on Friday nights when they are presumbly all out having a life. Which is why they cancelled it. Next, they aired episode 12 before episode 11. This was a pretty big deal since a main character dies at the end of episode 11. It just seemed disrespectful since they had already decided not to order a second season but to make a mistake like that just made it feel like the whole show had been written off as nothing. Lastly, for those of us who are fans of the show, we went out and bought the DVDs (or got them for Christmas) only to find out that there was a problem with one of the discs and episode 8 stopped halfway through. I really couldn't believe it.

I was very upset with how jPOD was handled pretty much from beginning to end. Frankly, it's embarassing. This is what led me to wanting to take over the CBC, to make sure nothing like this ever happened again. And it ignited my desire to see good Canadian productions and for them to get the respect they deserve. jPOD deserved much more than what it was given.

And who knows? If things had gone differently with jPOD, I might not have been here write now typing this. Chances are, I would be working on a spec script for the next season!

Strombo Sighting?

So I had my first Strombo sighting since moving to Toronto! It was exciting. It was on Queen Street West and I was on a streetcar and he was not. This arrangement was probably for the best as to avoid what inevitably would have been an embarrassing situation for me. The only problem is, is that this was right before 8pm when I know that he has his radio show on CBC Radio from 8pm to midnight Sunday nights. So either he was very late grabbing snacks for the show or it was not him and I am currently experiencing Strombo hallunications. Both seem plausible.

Now my brother has actually made eye contact twice with Strombo which is impressive and also last week saw Dmitry Chepovetsky (Bob from Regenesis or Tesla from Murdoch Mysteries) on a streetcar. This was rather awkward from what I hear. I'm just lacking in my celebrity sightings and this makes me sad.

I just felt the need to share this.

Life without Cable

Since we canceled the cable, we have started watching Little Mosque more. It's such a shame that only season 3 and 4 are up online. I really want to see season 2 now to find out how Rayyan and JJ meet. I've slowly been getting sucked into this universe. Before I had a detached enjoyment of it but now I can't help myself from getting emotionally invested (it also helps that I know how season 4 ends...).

But also, we have returned to an old favourite, Slings and Arrows! Man, do I love that show! I think it's even better the second time around. If you still haven't seen it, please do. For some reason, this and Extras seem to be the shows I recommend to everybody because chances are, you've heard of them, you've might have seen an episode or two but you weren't impressed. But trust me, sit down and start watching either of these two shows and you will be laughing your ass off.

The thing with Slings and Arrows though is that whenever I watch it, I can't help but think how awesome that set would have been to be on. If there is one show that I could be on set for, it would absolutely be that one. And I love Don McKellar on it so much. Everything just works together so nicely.

But the saddest part of all, which is similar for most Canadian shows, is that it's over. We've only got 3 episodes left...

Juno Awards

So Sunday night were the big and snazzy Juno awards. Pretty much the only Canadian award people know about. I have to admit. I was a little disappointed that there was no host. I generally do not like how most award shows are going that way now. I do admit that at times I have wondered why award shows need hosts at all but that is usually just when they are doing a terrible job. I think it helps organize the show and I like organization.

I only have a few things to say about the show because really, it wasn't that remarkable. I felt bad that Bryan Adams couldn't make it back to accept his big award. He did good. I was surprised Michael Buble kept winning but then I realized that that was rather silly of him since he is such a huge star. In a way, I was surprised when bands like Blue Rodeo and Tragically Hip were nominated because I ended up thinking "They're still around?" I mean, I know they are but I never hear their music so I am always surprised to hear they are nominated for something (though I'm sure they completely deserve it).

Now on to the new faces of Canadian music. Seriously, did Drake always have to be on stage? I know he's real famous and all now but that guy was everywhere. And frankly, his own performance wasn't that great. And why did nobody mention he was from Degrassi? I just always feel the need to bring it up. Wasn't all that surprised when K'naan won for best songwriter or finished the show with Wavin' Flag. That guy has done well for himself. What was probably the biggest surprise of the night for me was that poor Justin Bieber didn't get anything. I really thought he would have gotten more. I suppose it's probably one of those 'he's still young, he has plenty to time to win' or maybe his music just isn't that good. Who can say?

The best part of the whole night? When the Barenaked Ladies made that crack about Michael Buble crushing the hopes and dreams of a small child (Mr.Bieber). Still makes me chuckle.

The Good Days

The other day I was catching up on some Little Mosque shows that I had missed. I watched one where Amaar and Rayyan finally admit to loving each other. Since this was only episode 18, I was confused why they wouldn't save that for the season finale. And then I realized, I couldn't find any more episodes after that. And they've all been reruns since then. Eventually I reached the conclusion that the season was only 18 episodes long.

Now, don't get me wrong. I know the CBC had a rough year and all shows suffered. Being Erica was only 12 episodes instead of 13 so as to not decrease the production value of each episode. But didn't shows used to have like a 24 episode season? Otherwise the show 24 wouldn't have made much sense (somehow 18 doesn't have quite the same effect). As far as I can figure, the standard now seems to be 20 episodes. Or 13. But this means that there is then more time the show is off the air and people are less likely to return, wouldn't you figure? Let's take Being Erica. That show premiered in January and got the standard 13 episode order. Big success, everyone was happy so they got picked up for another season of 13 episodes (which turned into 12) which ran that fall. Now, that show ended fall of 2009 and by the time the third season will (hopefully) start it'll be the fall of 2010. That's a long time to away from a show. Which is possibly there has been no news if it's been picked up for a third season. Even Little Mosque will be going at least 5 months before another season begins. My mother's memory doesn't last that long.

And frankly, I just want to see more episodes of these shows. I like the characters, I like what they do, I want to see what happens. But it all comes down to the money. And I know this but it doesn't mean I have to like it.

Life after Degrassi

Lots of people got their start on Degrassi and have gone on to do great things. Usually they pop up in other TV shows and I'm happy for them. But I was rather surprised when I was watching the music video for Wavin' Flag by Young Artists for Haiti (and they are using the term 'young' loosely there but that's another story) and I see Jimmy Brooks from Degrassi rapping right in the middle of the song! Of course, his real name is Aubrey Graham and he played Jimmy who got shot by Rick and is then confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his time on the show. So apparently now he's a rapper who goes by the name Drake. I was even more shocked when I learned that he sang Best I ever Had which I've heard repeatedly on the radio. Apparently he's actually somebody. And has been rumoured to be dating Rihannon (weird).

So even though I found it all kinda bizarre (and I'm apparently out of the loop on this type of thing), I thought good for him. But then I saw his video for Best I Ever Had and frankly, if you haven't seen it, don't. I mean, of course I've seen hip hop videos and know what they are like but this one just seems so much worse than all the rest. As far as I can tell, Drake is the coach of a woman's basketball team and basically only teaches them to stretch and then buys uniforms that are ridiculously impractical for basketball. It literally has nothing to do with the song at all. And it isn't even done well. It all just seems in extra poor taste and poor quality.

I don't care if he's worked with Kanye West and Jay-Z. I'm not looking forward to seeing him at the Junos.

Dammit!

As I knew would likely happen, I missed the Genie Awards!! This makes me angry and sad. Even though I don't really know the movies that are nominated, I still like to watch because they always sound so interesting, thus making me more likely to watch them if I ever get the chance. Plus I think an awards show celebrating Canadian movies deserves some respect here and at least should be shown on one of the big three Canadian broadcasters. Which would mean that I probably wouldn't have missed it last night. Which would have made me a happy person today, so I can report back on the actual show. But instead we are filled with disappointment.

The only silver lining in all this is that the show is still up on the CBC website which means that I will actually get to watch it. All 56 minutes of it. So that is what I'll be doing tonight.

And I don't care if they have already started setting up for the Junos. I want to see the Genies, dammit!!

Cable?

As of this Wednesday, we will no longer have cable. I wish I could say that this is in response to the CRTC stuff but it's not. Mostly it's to save some money since we watch most of stuff online or on DVD. But we'll have an antennae so we'll get the Canadian stations so I'll be fine for the rest of the month. And in a way, we'll be continuing the challenge since we won't be getting most of the American stations. Of course, we'll be watching most of the shows online where it's a whole lot harder to find Canadian shows. I'll be losing my food network shows which is sad since I've only be reunited with it this year. We had lots of good times together.

But it seems to be the trend these days. Now we won't be tied to whenever other people think we should be watching TV. We can do our own programming. The one thing that I am most afraid of is that I won't know the new shows coming out since we won't be seeing all the promos. It just requires more research, which after the past few months where I had to look up almost all the shows I wanted to watch, I'm a little tired of. I kinda miss the days when TV watching was easy, you know.

Love it or List it

Just lately I have discovered a new show: Love it or List it. Essentially the basis is that people will get a Realtor to find them a new house and a designer to redo the house they already own. Then the people decide if they are going to stay or if they will move. Basically, everyone does all the work for them.

But here's the thing, the people this show are terrible!! They usually end up telling both the designer and the Realtor that they have no idea what they are doing. And this usually happens right at the beginning of the show when they have just gotten started and are figuring out what works. I mean, you can't blame the designer when it's a supporting wall and she can't take it down like you wanted. Or you can't blame the Realtor when you only want to pay $400,000 but all the houses in that neighbourhood are $700,000. It's just to frustrating to watch!! And it's beginning to make me angry. Why can't people just be reasonable??? I just don't understand sometimes.

I just wish somebody would come and redo my house and find me a new place to live at the same time!

A List

I've started a list of all the shows I want to catch up on in May. So far, it looks like this:

-Grey's Anatomy
-30 Rock
-NCIS (for my sister)
-How I met your mother (for my brother)
-US of Tara
-Flashforward

What I'm looking forward to the most is Flashforward since it's all new to me and I've been dying to see what it's like. What I'm looking forward to least is Grey's Anatomy. Since I've been watching it since the beginning, I feel like I have an obligation to see it through to the end. It's no longer something that excites me but is starting to feel me with dread. I haven't stayed up on any of the information about the season so I literally have no idea what's going on. I haven't even seen commercials for it, really. I just remember how the last season filled me with so much rage yet I was unable to stop watching. But I know I will sit down and watch this whole season, probably grimacing the whole time.

Makes me almost wish this challenge was never going to end so that I would always have an excuse to give myself for not watching Grey's anymore.

An Ending

How did it get so late so soon? Tonight is the season finale of Republic of Doyle. It feels like it just began. I'm kinda excited since I hate his sleazy brother so I hope something bad happens to him. But it's a pleasant type of ending since it will be returning for another season. At least I don't have to worry about having all my hopes and dreams dashed. Okay, so that only happened with jPOD but it still hurts.

Also ending this Monday is 18 to Life. After a brief search, I haven't been able to find out if that show will be lucky enough to garner a second season. I hope so since I think it's a decent show and a good pairing for Little Mosque. Plus Michael Seater never wears a shirt. I like it because it's a bit edgier and racier than other CBC shows. Little Mosque is more culturally edgy, 18 to Life is sexier.

There's also no word yet on Being Erica. I really really really hope that is comes back. I have theories about the ending and I need to see if I was correct. I need to see what happens.

But I guess with Republic of Doyle and Battle of the Blades coming back, CBC shouldn't do too badly next season. But really, renew Being Erica. I have questions and my heart can't stand another jPOD.

Coming Soon...

I've said it before but I love award shows. Even if I haven't seen/read anything that's nominated. I just like the excitement of it all. This means that April is the month for me since that's when Canadians hand out all the hardware.

First up is the Genie Awards. Hopefully you all know that these are for Canadian movies. But the ceremony will be on Monday, April 12. Now, what's a little weird is where it's being broadcast. Last year, it was on Global which was very cool since then we all watched it happily. This year Canwest has shifted them to IFC. Even though that is probably where the audience really is but it means that less people will probably watch or even know that they are on. The only upside is that CBC will be streaming it online. So if you are a cool person and want to watch the Genies, either check out IFC or the CBC site.

The next week is the Junos which I'm sure you know all about. They will be on Sunday, April 18 on CTV. It's probably the most glamourous or at least popular award show in Canada. I haven't been able to find out who's hosting it though. Apparently Russell Peters hosted it the last two years. I'm hoping for a switch up. And it's in St.John's so I'm really hoping for some good Newfie culture going on. Personally, I think Danny Williams should host. Now that would be good television!

Bloodletting

Even though eggs, chocolate and Jesus Christ Superstar took up the majority of my time this Easter weekend, I managed to catch up on the entire mini-series of Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures. This is based on the Giller Prize winning book by Vincent Lam. And like all movies/tv shows based on books, I tend to spend most the time wondering about the choices they made instead of looking at it as it's own work.

The biggest difference was the whole baby thing. At first, I was unsure about it but I really liked the last episode and the ending which tied that all up nicely so I suppose it was worth it. The difference I found most interesting though is that they made Fitz and Chen friends. It was much more of a love triangle but Fitz and Chen actually had a real relationship here. Which in way makes their conversations during the whole SARS accident make more sense but I think I liked it more where that was kind of the point where they were actually forced into a relationship. They had no one else to talk to so they turned to each other.

And though I did enjoy the little fantasy sequences (though I am a little upset that they pretty much fooled me each time) I didn't care for the brokenness of the time line. I know it was never really meant as a linear type story but I felt that the way they broke it up and portrayed it didn't really work for me. I believe that there were entire episodes that didn't have any parts that took place in the present at all. I think it could have been framed better.

Other things I liked:
(1) All the appearances of other Canadian actors, 3 of which were from Instant Star which I found slightly bizarre.
(2) The opening credits which appeared to be bizarrely similar to those of Murdoch. And then I realized they are both produced by Shaftesbury.
(3) At Halloween Fitz is dressed up a doctor handing out candy. A mother asks him if he is really a doctor and he responds: "No, I just play one on TV."

The Beginning of the End

My my, haven't we come a long way? Today begins the last month of this challenge. It's so weird to think about it ending now. We've started planning all the shows we're going to watch on May 1st, which conveniently lands on a Saturday. I'll admit, I'm a little excited for it to be over. I mean, it will make life so much easier, especially with other people. And I'll be able to watch Jeopardy again!

But I do know that this has probably permanently changed my viewing habits. I'm already going through the Canadian shows for the summer (like Canada's Next Top Model and possibly Canadian Idol? Or is that show dead for good now? Hmm...must do research). And I'm actually weirdly excited to see the fall line-ups for CBC and CTV. I like to think that I'll give preference to Canadian shows to American shows. I think the area where I will slide is filler shows like The Simpsons and Friends which are just so easy to turn on since they are just always there.

The one thing that I've gotten out of this that I really appreciate is my ability to recognize (and name about half the time) a lot of Canadian actors. I noticed it especially in watching Murdoch since in every episode I knew the guest star from another show, whether it be Being Erica, Instant Star or even the movie Passchendale. I don't know how handy this will be in life and God forbide I ever pass one of them on the street ("Oh my God! You're David Kopp! I love you! I know everything you've ever been in! jPOD and Stargate and even Josie and the Pussycats!").

There's just so much good Canadian TV that it's going to be weird going back.

Why, Murdoch, why???

I suppose technically this post isn't about Murdoch, it's about Yannick Bisson.

But over the past week, I have actually been catching up on Murdoch Mysteries (and by catching up, I mean watching obsessively). So imagine my surprise when I'm watching TV and see Mr.Bisson in a commercial for CIBC. I knew it was him from those eyelashes. They're just so lush! But aside from that, I was just surprised to see an actor from a continuing series in an ad like that. I know he's probably not making the big bucks from Murdoch (it is Canada, after all) but it still seemed out of the ordinary. And I doubt it's an endorsement deal where CIBC is paying him the big bucks. I just find it weird.

Though I am considering switching to CIBC now. If Yannick Bisson and Tom Cavanagh both say it's the place to be, it must be!

Part 2

I didn't want to do another post on the Don Cherry story but after watching the second half last night, I feel the need to comment on something in particular. The story was written by Tim Cherry, Don's son. Okay, that's great. Very nice of Tim to write a movie about his father. The problem I have with it is that Cindy Cherry, Tim's sister was barely in it at all.

Maybe she didn't want to be a large part of it. Maybe she told him to keep her out of it as much as possible. But, as we saw in the movie, she gave him a kidney! Now, if I gave my brother a kidney and then later on he decided to make a movie about our family and my 'character' was barely in it, I would be pissed. Being me, I would probably ask for the kidney back. I should have been portrayed as awesome in that movie!

Cindy did have a couple lines. Most of them were about giving Tim the kidney and then asking how he was. Admittedly, Tim didn't have a lot of great lines either. Most of them were about how much he hated the Montreal Canadiens. But he appeared a lot more in the movie, either playing hockey with his father or helping out the team.

So I just wanted to Cindy Cherry know that I'm on her side.

Keep Your Head Up Kid

Despite being Canadian, I am not a hockey fan. In fact, I'm not a sports fan in the least. And even though I know who Don Cherry is, I don't really know that much about him. He seems like a nice guy, a bit loud for my liking but hey, he is who he is. So when I saw that the CBC was doing a mini-series on him, I thought that was nice. I debated if I should watch it or not since I would really only be watching it so I could write about it here and not so much because I was personally interested in the story. I'm sure he's led a very eventful life and overcame many things. I just wasn't invested in it.

That was until he was on The Hour. They showed a clip from the mini-series and you could tell that he was emotionally affected by it. In fact, he refused to watch it before it aired on the CBC (even though he had many chances to) since he knew that he needed to watch it alone. It was amazing to see somebody who is a huge personality like that be so emotionally honest. He didn't hide the fact that it was going to be so tough for him to watch (apparently the actress playing his wife looks exactly like she did).

And after watching the first part last night, I have to say I was impressed. I laughed a couple times. I was sad at times. For me, what makes it truly fascinating is that his son wrote the script. I'm sure enough of the stories were passed down from Cherry family lore but at the same time, you are exposing your family for the whole world to see. And being brutally honest about your father (it's not exactly the most flattering portrayal but I don't think Mr. Cherry would have it any other way).

But for me what added a lot to the experience was knowing that Don Cherry was sitting in his home alone, watching it too. That's what makes me respect him so much more now.

Paralympics what?

You might have noticed that I loved the Olympics. So when the Paralympics started, I thought: Great! More sports and better yet, more sports I don't usually watch. I thought it would be a great way for me to learn about the Paralympic sports.

So the one afternoon I caught the opening ceremonies and that was really nice. And then they had the first Canadian sledge hockey game on so we watched that. But that was pretty much all I saw. I checked and the next day CTV only had 2 hours of coverage scheduled for it. And then none on Monday. And literally, I didn't catch anymore of the Paralympic games. True, I didn't make any special effort but I thought that CTV would have it on some of the time. Or at least advertising for it but I didn't see anything. It might have been on TSN or Rogers Sportsnet but I never remember seeing it even listed. I was just shocked by how little I heard about it after the opening ceremonies. Just yesterday I went to check out how the sledge hockey team had did and realized that the whole games had ended! (The sledge hockey team came in 4th by the way. I was surprised that Japan got silver)

Now I wasn't expecting it to have the same amount of coverage as the Olympic games. Those games probably didn't even need that much coverage. But I was still expecting enough time devoted to the games. I expected to be reminded that they were on. Maybe I didn't watch enough CTV during that time but I hoped that I would see it listed and I would be able to catch some events.

But according to the website, there was still an amazing amount of support out in Vancouver for the Paralympic games. Events selling out, packed seats, etc. It's just a shame that we couldn't support them by watching.

Tentative Hope

After thinking about all the CRTC stuff lately, I have decided to be optimistic. With CTV giving The Listener a second season even after it was dropped by NBC and with Hiccups, Dan for Mayor and The Bridge, maybe just maybe, they won't be the evil broadcaster with no Cancon at all. I've decided to have some faith in these broadcasters. CTV seems to be loving the copro which is good since it means that it's still Canadian(ish).

Global and Canwest on the other hand, I've always had my doubts about. I don't even know if I've watched any Global during this entire experiment. I think the only time I really watched it before was when the Simpsons were on. And Project Runaway Canada doesn't exactly thrill me. But they do have a copro coming out called Copper (what is with Canada and all these cop shows all of a sudden???). What I'm more interested in though is Shattered which will be on Showcase. A cop with Dissociate Identity Disorder and starring Callum Keith Rennie. Now that sounds like a great show! I just wish Global itself had more great Canadian offerings like that.

So I've decided to have hope that our private Canadian broadcasters will not fail us. Co-pro are better than just buying the American shows. I just hope I'm not disappointed.

(But during all of this, I really just want to give the CBC a hug and pat it on it's back).

Murdoch

There is one Canadian show that my parents watch but I never seem to catch on a regular basis. I have to admit though, I do enjoy Murdoch Mysteries quite a lot. I just never end up watching it. Maybe it's because it's on CityTV which I apparently never watch. Or that it's on Sunday nights. But I do wish I would remember to catch more of it. I do like Murdoch and especially Crabtree. Okay, his name is also awesome. It's just an interesting look at a period of time (late 1890's) that you don't see much of anymore. It's pretty much CSI pre-1900 (and that was how it was probably pitched...).

And I am willing to admit, I just like calling Murdoch a teetotaller.

Oh CRTC

I'm currently scouring the internet to learn more about what the CRTC ruled yesterday. Here are the things that I have discovered so far:

(1) In the debate of fee-for-carriage, they said that though Canadians adamantly do not want to pay more for the television but they can afford it. Now, this probably true. Who wants to pay more for anything, even when we could actually afford it? Does this mean we should have to actually pay more though? And now it will actually happen, pending federal court approval. Thanks guys.

(2) Along the same lines, the CRTC said that private broadcasters (like CTV and Global) will be able to negotiate with cable and satellite companies for carrying their signals. But not the CBC. Now what this means is that private broadcasters will be getting paid for the companies carrying their signals, but not the CBC. I know that Canadians apparently HAVE to have access to the CBC so they can't be placed in a position where it wouldn't be offered. But really, how likely is Rogers to say 'You know, I think we're going to stop offering CTV channels. They're out'? And considering that CBC produces more Canadian content than CTV and Global combined, they could use the extra money whereas the other two will just spend it on the next season of whatever American reality is popular. Thanks guys.

AND...

(3) The CRTC is getting rid of the mandatory 8 hours of Cancon per week and the overall percentage from 60% to 55%. Now, is it just me or should a country's television be comprised primarily of their own shows? 55% is getting dangerously low there. Mind you, what did kinda of brighten my day after reading that is that they are forcing the large companies (CTVglobemedia, Canwest and Rogers) to spend 30% of their gross revenues on Canadian programming and 5% on 'national interest programs' (...what exactly are these national interest programs anyway?). The idea is quality over quantity (because apparently in Canada, we can't have both.).

But the real kicker here, is that these companies can choose to air them on their conventional channels (CTV, Global etc) OR their specialty channels which have a more specific audience. A specific audience means a smaller audience. Now this means let's say Canadians who are still using an antenna or can only afford (or want) the basic cable package will actually be getting less Canadian content. I know that people are generally switching to specialty channels since there is a specific demographic thus they are probably more aimed at you in particular but shouldn't the major Canadian conventional networks have Canadian programming? Shouldn't that be, you know, important? I mean, I don't really watch a lot of specialty channels (except the Food Network) so how will I find out about these great new Canadian shows?

The only little ray of sunshine in all of this is that most of the Canadians who wrote the CRTC in the fall said that local programming was important to them. It's a good starting point since local programming is important. I just hope everyone will eventually realize our important national programming is.

Last summer, I had an obsession with the Tyra Banks Show. From her, I learned so much. From the relationship of African-American women with their hair to what your poop should like look. And if Tyra wears spanx, then it must be okay.

Of course, Steven and Chris filled this void in my life. At first they were just a convenient replacement but now I feel they have become something more. Okay, it's turning into another unhealthy obsession. I still don't like Chris that much but I don't dislike him as much as I did. I still love Steven though. They've taught me so much about what the moulding in my house should be like.

But what I find most interesting is that they are currently during the 'Better Choice Challenge.' They have these ambassadors from things like nutrition to relationships to financial and everyday one of them gives you a challenge. They are usually rather simple things like having a family dinner that night or making a list for grocery shopping. It's just nice because by doing these little things, you will be making your life better. And then you can go online and tell them what you have accomplished. I think it's a good way for people to do little things to improve their lives without a major overhaul.

...sorry, I just distracted because on Instant Star Jude just dropped an earring down the toilet. And Sadie is trying to get a job on Degrassi (guest stars include Jimmy and Ellie).

Dragons and things

I am sad since I missed last night's Dragon's Den. It was the season finale and they were going back to where all the Dragons made all their money and the story of their lives. Doesn't that sound fascinating??? But I missed it and now have to try and watch it online this weekend.

And I still haven't caught up on The Bridge (I've seen part of the second episode but I really wasn't paying too much attention to it).

And I wanted to go back and watch Douglas Coupland on The Hour from like a month ago. I just keep falling behind on all these things I want to see. When did I become such a slacker???

The only good thing is that they are all online and I'll be able to watch them at my leisure. If I can ever remember to get around to them...

Shameless Self-Promotion

It might have nothing to do about television but it's still technically Cancon so hopefully nobody will get too upset!!

I'm hear today to tell you about a brand new, super cool online pet magazine called Animality: http://www.animalitypetmagazine.ca/ It's where you can learn all about animals and the pets you love. Informative articles, interesting pictures, what more could you ask for???

And if you take a look at the articles posted in the wellness section today, you might even find a fascinating article on the proper homes for goldfish written by myself. Just you know, something to check out.

But keeping checking that site out. New articles will be posted every Monday and Thursday so there will always be something new to learn about our furry friends.

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Love Hate and Propaganda

The one thing about living in Toronto that I've really noticed and has helped this blog is that there seems to be a lot of advertising for Canadian shows around the city. Bus shelters mostly have helped with their CBC or CTV ads for their new shows.

I mention this because this is how I learned of CBC's mini-series Love Hate and Propaganda. It took me a while to look close enough at the posters to see if it was a CBC program. And though I missed the first one, I was fascinated by the one last week and look forward to watching the rest of it. It's a close look at the use of propaganda in World War II. And it's hosted by Strombo which doesn't hurt either. But last week was all about how Hitler sold the war in Germany when most Germans didn't want war. Or how Japan also used propaganda in it's preparations for the war.

It just made me think of Canada (of course) and how you never really see a lot of Canadian propaganda, even around that time. Though I know Canada has not been without it's own propaganda, all for various means but that's not what you think of when you think of propaganda. It just makes me wonder if it has anything to do with our supposed lack of a national identity. If we had had more propaganda during the wars or even way back in the day, would Canada feel more defined today? And would that even be a good thing? Just makes me want to research more into Canada's own propaganda.

Canadians in the Movies

The other day I was watching Josie and the Pussycats (please don't judge). And all within the span of 5 minutes, I saw Daivd Kopp (Ethan from jPOD), JR Bourne (really from everything but I know him from Stargate) and Zac Santiago (from Robson Arms). It was at that point I realized that the movie was probably filmed in Vancouver.

It's been a fun game I've started playing, figuring out which movies are filmed in Canada and even where. Like the Saw series. In Saw 5, you had Carlo Rota (Little Mosque) and Greg Bryk (ReGenesis). And then in Saw 6, Peter Outerbridge (ReGenesis) was actually like the central character and Devon Bostick (Being Erica). These are just the ones I recognize and know that they are actually Canadian. It was even better when, rewatching Stargate, I realized that Tobin Bell (who plays Jigsaw in the Saw series) was like the leader of the Tolland when they were first displaced. Weird.

It still makes my heart glow when I see a Canadian actor in an American movie, even in a bit part. And that we always lure them up ever and have them spend their production dollars up here!!

Good News for Doyle

In case you missed the news, the Republic of Doyle has officially been picked up for another season! Woohoo! I'm quite pleased to see it continue. Especially since it seems like most shows barely get past one season these days. Of course, as happy as I am for it, I always get a little sad since jPOD never got that chance (...more on that in a few days). I'm hoping it's a show that will continue to improve and now that they have a second season, they do more interesting things with it. Or possibly get actors who aren't on 22 Minutes (just a suggestion...). I only hope that Being Erica and 18 to Life continue on as well.

But at what cost has Doyle been renenewd? Well, The Border has been cancelled. Okay, so I never watched the show ever. But I heard good things about it and I'm not really the audience they were going for. And it's a fine line. I would prefer to see more long running Canadian shows. It just always feels like all these shows are coming and going so quickly that they never really live up to their potenial. Also there's not something familiar to go back to. And with the CBC for example, there are few spots for dramatic shows since The National is permantently on at 10pm each night. And then The Tudors are there. And Being Erica and Republic of Doyle now. But it's all about balance. I like seeing the new shows but I like knowing that all my returning favourites will be there too. I guess I just want it all.

Hiccups for Dan

Usually I like to give new shows 3 episodes before I officially pass judgment because pilots are tricky and for the most part, shows get better. But I have decided to post my first thoughts on CTV's new comedies.

(1) Hiccups - I dislike Millie. I find her too over-the-top for me. I also find Stan's (Brent Butt) wife too attractive for him and for some reason, this really bothers me. I think overall that this show just hasn't found it's way yet. And even though it is different, it still seems to have a Corner Gas flavour. So far, I have not been won over.

(2) Dan for Mayor - Between the two shows, I prefer Dan for Mayor. Though Dan isn't really that different from all of Fred Ewanuick's other characters, I like him more than either Millie or Stan. One of the main problems I have with it is Benjamin Ayres' mustache. It just looks so sleazy and fake. I also wonder about the viable of this show over many seasons. I suppose he'll have to win the race (now that he's actually running against people who are still alive) or otherwise it won't make much sense. Or maybe they're give me some sort of great groundbreaking resolution. I just don't really see where it can go. And I do always love a deus ex bus.

On a related note, I have been enjoying 18 to Life more and more. Though it may not always be the most original of shows, I like it. And Michael Seater does have his shirt off a lot.

Friends

In case you were wondering why I didn't blog at all last week, it was because I was staying with some friends in various cities. I was a little worried about this since it's one thing to make my brother and sister only watch CanCon but it seems rude to go into somebody else's house and limit what they can watch.

But I have to say, my friends were excellent. As all of them knew about my commitment to Cancon, they respected my life choices and there were no problems. Well, there was one problem but I swear it was only a half an hour. My friend's roommate was watching SVU (I think, I don't really know what program it was) and we were in the same room, waiting to watch a movie. My friend was nice enough to try and carry a conversation with me so it wasn't like I was watching it at all. So don't judge me too much. Though considering it was about Mischa Barton as a prostitute who has a baby, I think that was punishment enough.

I even planned my return so I would miss the first 1 1/2 hour of the Oscars. I then hid out in my sister's room where I would hear part of it for a while but ended up watching jPOD in my own room. Who needs fancy award shows anyway???

Canada's Game

I have to admit, as much as I love Canada and everything, I never watch hockey. Well, actually, I only watch hockey at the Olympics. And then it's just too intense for me. I usually end up getting far too emotionally involved in all the sports but for some reason, hockey is the worst. Maybe it's because it's supposed to be Canada's game. And my favourite commercial Olympics has been Coke's commercial about letting the world know whose game they're playing. But it does mean that I will probably be whimpering on the couch this afternoon as we watch the game. My heart can't handle things like this.

But for all those who were criticizing Own the Podium, I have to say, looking at our 25 medals so far, I'm pretty happy with that. And considering we currently have 13 gold medals, the most a host country has ever won in games, I'm very pleased.

And I will be happy to see the closing ceremonies tonight. Now I can happily go back to my regularly scheduled programming and leave all this stress behind me.

Prejudices

So I've never been to believe that you shouldn't judge something before you see it. Sometimes you just can't help it. Especially in this situation with Hiccups and Dan for Mayor (which shall just be referred to as Dan from here on).

I want to go into these shows with an open mind and I'm going to try my hardest to but my head is already filled with ideas about these shows. First of all, I think Hiccups is going to be too much like Corner Gas. Maybe not exactly like it, but the tone and dynamics will be the same. I'm also afraid that eventually the show is going to rotate around Brent Butt instead of Nancy Robertson (in which case I will yell "Usurper" every time I see Brent Butt). I also have a deep fear that it will fail, utterly and completely, going down in flames.

As for Dan, it just makes me sigh. I originally was really excited to see this series but now that it's here, it just leaves like every other role Fred Ewanuick has played. You know, the slacker. Though it's interesting because Corner Gas was set in Saskatchewan, Robson Arms in Vancouver and now Dan is set in Ontario. At least he's covering a lot of ground. Though Hank and Nick weren't that similar in personality, they did have similar situations (often unemployed, one very close friend). So I'm just worried it's going to be more of the same.

So I know it doesn't sound like I have an open mind since it is hard to keep these thoughts in behind, but I'm going to do my best on Monday night. I'm always willing to be pleasantly surprised. I guess we'll see if there really is life after Corner Gas.

Better Late then Never

I would just like to take the time to thank CTV for finally joining this challenge. Despite watching the Olympics on there for the past while, I hadn't seen spent much time with CTV lately. But this is all going to change next week. CTV is premiering 3 new Cancon shows! Wow! I'm impressed. Here they (although if you've watched any Olympics at all, you've probably seen the promos):

(1) Hiccups (Monday, 8pm): Millie is a children's writer with anger management issues who hires a life coach. But of course it's starring Nancy Robertson and Brent Butt, who also created and is the story runner for the show. It sounds interesting but what bothers me is how much buzz Brent Butt is getting as the star of the show. Indeed, he is not. Nancy Robertson is the star of the show! In fact, Butt wasn't even supposed to be in front of the camera at all.

(2) Dan for Mayor (Monday, 8:30pm): Dan is a bit of a loser in his small town but then decides to run for mayor. I'm a bit foggier on this show except that it stars Fred Ewanuick. Oh and Benjamin Ayres who was Cowboy from jPOD. I'll be happy to see his face again.

(3) The Bridge (Friday, 9pm): A gritty cop drama. Okay so it's about corrupt cops and a man who's trying to fight it and eventually is appointed the head of the Police Union. I'm a little less excited about this one, personally. Over the course of this challenge, I've realized that I'm becoming more and more the epitome of my demographic. I'm not the audience they are going for but I'll give it a chance and see how it goes ...

Welcome back, CTV. It's nice to see you, old friend.

Not a Failure

In Canada, our national chant always seems to be "We're #4!" And some people will sit around and complain about how we're always so close but we can never seem to quite get there. Or we comfort ourselves that4th in the entire world is pretty damn good. And it really is.

But then there are situations like with Melissa Hollingsworth. She was 2nd in the skeleton and then in the last race, she slipped to 5th. You know, we were all a little upset since we had been so close to a medal. But realistically, whatever we felt was no where near what she felt. Then later on, she went on TV and pretty much tearfully apologized to the country. But she has no reason to apologize! She did the best she could. She didn't deliberately set out to raise our hopes and then deviously crash them down. All she did was try her best and it just so happened that, on that day, it didn't turn into a medal for her. She didn't disappoint the country at all.

Or take Jeremy Wotherspoon. He's been in pretty every Olympics I can remember (that's technically a lie though Nagano was the first Olympics I paid a large amount of attention to) and so when I see him compete in the games, I expect big things from him. But at the same time, I'm only judging these athletes based on their performances at one event. I mean, in 2003, he became the most successful male skater in the world cup history with his 49th victory of his career. 49! And that was 7 years ago. But most Canadians won't care because he didn't win a medal. But he is not a failure in the least.

I think the Olympics just needs some perspective sometime. No athlete is a loser here.

Boo to the Americans

Right now, as the Canadian hockey team plays the American hockey team, I wonder if the rest of the world hates the Americans as much as Canadians.

Okay, maybe not hate. And definitely not in the love-to-hate type of way. But for some reason, I'm fine with any other country beating us but if it's an American? It just makes it so much worse. It's like the whole "Anybody but Harper" mentality. Maybe it's because they always win all the medals and they always seem so much more arrogant. But then again, chances are, no matter what they do, I will attribute it to them being arrogant.

Though what really pissed me off is Shawnee Davis talking about 'Own the Podium' and saying that it cost Deny Morrison a medal. And their whole 'you can own the podium, we're just going to rent it.' What is up with them?

Even though this hockey game isn't for a gold medal, I hope they kick those American asses.

Rationality of Sports Fanship?

I love watching the Olympics and cheering for team Canada. If you hadn't guessed, I'm pretty big with being a fan of Canada. But ever since I read one of Chuck Klosterman's books, I have one of his essays hanging in the back of my head. It was about how he feels no real emotions for the Olympics since he sees no point in cheering for the American team. And I can see his point. I do not know any of these athletes personally. I have not helped any of them succeed. I'm only cheering for them by virtue of the fact that they happened to be born within the same borders I did. It doesn't matter if they are actually any good, I want (and think they deserve to) win just by virtue of the fact we are both Canadian. It doesn't really make a whole lot of sense.

And this has made me wonder a lot about how people become fans of their favourite sports team. I mean, it seems illogical to cheer for the same team year after year since the players themselves change and the teams can be completely different each year. You don't want to cheer for whatever team is technically or statisically the best, you want to cheer for your team. From what I can tell, this is mostly developed by geography. You cheer for whatever team is closest to your hometown. Or from your parents. You either cheer for the same team they do or for whatever team they hate, depending on your relationship with your parents. And after you start cheering for a team, you are pretty much stuck with them no matter how they perform. It's the whole 'you gotta leave with the one who brung you' mentality.

So I will continue to cheer for Team Canada. I know it isn't really logical to cheer extra hard for people like Kristina Groves just because I once lived in her hometown but I will anyways. Go Team!

Commentate This!

Ever since the narrator of The Week the Women Went, I've been paying more attention to the commentators of different events. I really thought that CBC was just crazy most of the time and thus had the best commentators (when they referred to the one figure skating team as "gyrating to first"). And I was a little disappointed that CBC didn't have the Olympics since I can only imagine the shenanigans that they would get up to.

But I have to admit, CTV has had some pretty good commentary. I love the harsh judgments they pronounce on these athletes. I know they really aren't being that harsh and it's really the truth but it's just so much fun to listen to. David Pelletier has had some bizarre comments and seem very concerned about the costumes of the figure skaters. The best was really the moguls commentators. When they were talking about Dale Begg-Smith (who CTV has had so much villainizing), the man said: "He just has no human emotions." Which though appears to be true, made me laugh so hard!

So much for Canadians always being nice!

Thus Far

Sadly I missed the first 2 hours of the opening ceremonies so I don't have too much to comment on from there. But I can tell you that I have not watched anything else but the Olympics since Friday night. But here are my observations thus far:

(1) CTV is terrible at coming up with names for segments! "Difference Makers." Okay, so that's the only one I can remember off-hand but there was also one about community that was no good. Clearly CTV spent all their money on the bid to air the Olympics and didn't bother hiring anybody to come up with good titles.

(2) I cannot express how happy I was to see Brian Williams!!! Literally the first thing I thought of when CBC wasn't going to be airing the Olympics was how sad it would be without him. To me, he is the Olympics. It just wouldn't be the same without him. It also made me happy when he accidentally said CBC instead of CTV. I didn't see it myself but I smiled when I heard.

(3) I never realized how much I like the moguls! And give me three weeks and I will completely forget what they are.

(4) I'm also really happy to see Darrin Jones back. I had no idea that he had gone to MTV. I also enjoy the other two MTV hosts that have been rounded up. I don't think that they are utilizing Seamus as much though. I feel he should play a larger role. I also don't really like the broadcasters they have for the afternoon or night. Then again, I tend to hate everybody first and then learn to like them. It's not a good strategy at all.

I am very happy to see Canada win gold on our own soil!! It's about time. And I was happy to say I saw it when it was happening though have already seen it too many times. I can only watch that moguls run so many times!!!

But I must go now. I have to finish watching the figure skating pairs!

Big Day!

I don't have much to say since it's the opening ceremonies tonight and I know we'll all be watching. I just wonder why CTV felt the need to have 9 hours worth of coverage leading up to the ceremonies tonight. That seems like a bit much.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjiwBwBL4Qo

Doctor, Doctor

So the other day, I was flipping through channels, looking for something to watch. It paused briefly on the Dr.Oz show and I heard him ask: "So have they come up with a vaccine for the bubonic plague?" (okay, my memory is a bit hazy so it might have either been vaccine or cure, whatever). You have no idea how tempted I was to stay there and see how that conversation continued!

My first thought was: why are they looking for a vaccine for the bubonic plague? Are we that close to another outbreak? I understand the need to be prepared and everything, it just seemed like an odd choice to be worrying about. But chances are, if I were a doctor, I would probably want to study the bubonic plague so I do understand.

Secondly, I started thinking about why we don't have shows like this in Canada. I mean, why don't we have Canadian doctors on there everyday discussing the threat of Bubonic plague? If there were an outbreak, then I would feel very unprepared since I can't watch the Dr. Oz show. I mean, the Americans have both the Doctors and the Dr. Oz show. They technically should be the healthiest people ever. But I'm always weary of these shows. I mean, it's good to know about your health but do you literally need to watch 5 hours a week about what health problems you should be aware of? I'm sure it's all very interesting but I'm tend to be afraid of the more you know about illness, the more you'll think you have it. One of my best friends thought she was schizophrenic when she was taking a psychology course in school. And since we as a species always seem to jump to the worst case scenario, shows like this seem kinda dangerous. Combined with all the medication commercials on TV these days too, it'll give you both the disease and the cure (quite handy indeed).

But really, the people that watch these shows and care about their health are already the ones who would probably go to the doctors anyways, if something were wrong. And I know I fall into the category of those who like to diagnose their own problems before even seeing a doctor, and I know I am what's wrong with society. And assume the worst ("what?! my left arm hurts. I must be having a stroke!").

But people should be informed because it could save their life one day. I just wish people took more things with a grain of salt (but not too much salt since too much sodium can raise your blood pressure).

ps I was reading the other day on the CTV website that one of the most viewed shows was the Dr.Oz episode where he talked about the best orgasm after 40.

Late Night TV

Last night I couldn't get to sleep. So at 1am I wandered back out to the living room to see what I could see. I thought it would be fun to see if there was anything I could watch.

As it turns out, there isn't. There were lots of American shows that I would've liked to watch, like Jimmy Fallon, the Daily Show and the Colbert Report were on the time shifty channels, but not really any Canadian goods. Instead I watched some of The Hour online. Which was funny because I was watching the one with Kevin Smith who talked about how much he loved that show and how unique it was and how there couldn't be one like it in the States because it wouldn't be the same at all. And I've always been kinda proud of The Hour since it isn't really like any other late night talk shows of the American variety. But I do wish that we had more of a late night presence. I know it doesn't really make much sense since how many Canadians are up at 1am looking for Canadian Content? But I do still wish we had a late-late night show of our own. Or at least decent reruns in the middle of the night. Is that too much to ask for?

Olympic Fever!

So last night, we programmed our favourite channels to all those covering the Olympics ... all the Canadian channels anyways. CTV, TSN, OLN, Omni, oh my! I'm truly excited. I'm a little sad though since I might be missing the first hour of the opening ceremonies because I'll be on the bus. Poor planning really. Who really needs to be home for Family Day when the opening ceremonies are on???

Now, I have no idea how this blog will look during the Olypmics when it's highly unlikely I'll be watching anything else. It's not the CBC is going to have any new episodes of anything on. But unlike Harper, I refuse to prorouge and plan on working through. It'll be tough but I'm sure I'll survive.

I'm just very interested to see how this whole 'Own the Podium' thing turns out ...

Shirtlessness

Is it just me or has Michael Seater taken off his shirt in every episode of 18 to Life? Oh, I'm not complaining or anything, there just seems to be a lot of shirtlessness. It's actually one of the things I like about Canadian TV. There's scenes of him and Jessie in bed together. Or Erica and Ethan on Being Erica last season. I remember the one time my sister said "Can they even show that on TV?" And I replied that of course they can, it's Canada. There just seems to be a lot more sexy scenes or even dirty jokes. And this isn't even Showcase on Friday nights! I think it's nice that we are much more lax in our morals (hehehehe). But there's just more freedom to show things that might be considered more risque south of the border.

The best line from 18 to Life tonight: "I like my religion like I like my women: organized."

International TV

There other day, I had a mad craving to watch Extras since I love Ricky Gervais. And I got excited because for a small second, I thought I could watch it. I mean, it's not American TV at all! But then came the actual thinking part of my brain which said it still wasn't Canadian. Then the sadness came.

But here's the thing, I realized that my main problem is with the amount of American TV that is available to Canadians. I mean, I don't think I would have as much of a problem with there was more British or Italian or Russian shows on. I would find them rather interesting. I mean, I always tell myself that I should read more Russian literature but here I am, limiting my television habits to Canadian shows. In a world of globalization, this would be wrong. But globalization is one thing. What I'm really fighting is Americanization. I want to be able to watch TV from all around the world instead of just another cop drama set in New York.

So I guess I won't be able to watch the anime 'Shaman King' with my friend either until this is over. She'll just have to wait. (But I highly recommend if you haven't seen the show 'Extras', you should. And start with the one with Kate Winslet. You'll never be able to look at her the same way again after you here her talking about Sam Mendes polishing his Oscar).

ps Guess who isn't watching the Superbowl today???

Docs

I have 3 passions in life:

(1) CanCon
(2) Generation Y/Me/Millennials
(3) Stargate

Now I can wax philosophical for hours and hours on any of these topics (as many of you already know). So I was quite pleased last night to watch Doc Zone which was about Hyper Parents and Coddled Kids. And what I like most about watching docs like this is that they spark conversations and debates. Last week, we were all discussing pot and mental illness and this week is all about the ways in which we fit into our generation and then how we don't (and I realized that I'm probably more bitter than most Gen Me's, oh well). But this is what I like about the CBC, they give me the things I already love and introduce me to new things. We're good friends.

An interesting note: there is a facebook page called 'Can this onion ring get more fans than Stephen Harper?' And apparently the answer is yes, yes it can.

Doyle

Now generally, I like the Republic of Doyle. The accents, the houses, people getting hit in the face a lot. I mean, last night Mark Critch was on it! Mark Critch! From 22 minutes. It was weird. I find it funny that most of the guest stars are comedians since apparently only comedians come from the East coast. Even though I have mixed feelings about Mark Critch, it was interesting to see him in a more dramatic role. And he got beat up. It kinda made me feel good. Oh! And Gordon Pinsent was on it last night. What a good man.

Here's what I don't like about it. The sting. Everytime they go to commercial, they play the "Oh yeah!" from the theme song. I always expect the Kool-Aid man to make an appearance. It's just no good. And to me, the act breaks seem to be an awkward places. They always go to commercial and I'm left thinking, "Really? This is where you want to break it?" I had a conversation with my brother about this and he said that it's like an older style. To him, the whole show feels more like it belongs 20 years ago and really, what is that saying about good ol' Newfoundland?

But I did learn last night about a small group of islands (St. Pierre and Miquelon) that are just south of Newfoundland that are technicaly still in French control. Who knew?