Category Archives: CTV

June 12, 2007 · 8:30 am

Why I am Not (Yet) Watching ‘Canadian Idol’

For those of you who realize that I am in fact Canadian, and that I spent a fair amount of time covering American Idol, you might be wondering why I have yet to even care to mention the recent launch of the summer programming juggernaut that is Canadian Idol. And, for those few of you who meet that description, I have this following explanation: it’s not at all compelling for me.

While the audition stages are always a huge draw for the American Idol audience, and for good reason, I believe that Canadian Idol has never quite figured out how to achieve the desired effect. On American Idol, the audition stages provide a glimpse into the future of the competition: with each episode you get an idea of a certain level of talent, and you connect with these people. I think a lot of it has to do with the judges: the dynamic that Simon, Farley and Paula have created is something consistent, set in stone. When people step before them we can immediately predict their reaction, or approximate it at the very least. This is, in actuality, a good thing: it allows the candidates to be judged on a fairly consistent set of standards.

I don’t know what it is about Canadian Idol’s judging panel, but I swear they’re all of them schizophrenic. They outright jeer certain contestants like an over-sized peanut gallery, but then fawn over others who are merely average. One second Farley’s Mr. Nice Guy, the next he’s destroying some poor contestant. Sass usually has nothing of import to say, and yet she can’t even decide whether she’s mean or nice in the process. Yes, I know most of this is purely natural behaviour: Zack isn’t a villain all the time, so why should be play one on this show? These people have to like people at some point, so what’s the problem?

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Filed under Canadian Idol, CTV, Reality TV, Television

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June 4, 2007 · 2:47 pm

Network Upfronts Canadian Edition: CTV Finalizes Fall Lineup

With little aplomb, CTV has announced its finalized Fall schedule today [American Perspective, Canadian Perspective], and it’s one that continues its recent trend: continue raking in the ratings with established American hits while introducing Canadian content as an attempt to seem devoted to Canadian content. And, well, there’s a reason CTV is Canada’s #1 Network. And a reason why Canadian content isn’t really part of that success.

Their fall schedule basically confirms this status, building on their existing American distribution success by adding a series of new Dramas and a single new comedy.

New Shows for the 2007-2008 Season

Private Practice

Why CTV Picked it up: They have Grey’s, this was a logical extension.

Dirty Sexy Money

Why CTV Picked it up: It has Canadian cultural icon Donald Sutherland, and CTV will jump at any chance (See: Commander in Chief) to stake a claim on the family since Global has Kiefer and 24.

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Filed under CTV, Gossip Girl, Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, Television, The CW, Upfronts

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May 24, 2007 · 8:14 pm

Network Upfronts Extravaganza 2007: Canadian Edition

So, I spent last week covering the American Network Upfronts, but in reality that was all a warmup for the epic event that is: the Canadian Upfronts. Man, what a week this is going to…oh, you mean they already selected all their shows? And they just announced them in a press conference? Really? That’s, uh…wow, I wasn’t really prepared, I expected to have all sorts of time to write previews and…wow. Okay, so I guess I should run down some of the new that came over the past few days? I’m all out of sorts here.

Who are the Players?

Global (CanWest) and CTV are really the only major players involved now that CTV bought out CityTV and the rest of CHUM. There’s Sun TV out of central Canada, but they’re not a huge player. It’s really down to the big two for the big shows.

What should we know about Canada’s simulcasting system?

Well, first off, do the math: the shows airing on five different American networks don’t easily fit onto two Canadian networks, not all of them anyways. This has left some fairly substantial hits south of the border (America’s Next Top Model, Ugly Betty) off of these main networks and onto networks like CityTV or Sun TV.

Canadian networks struggle most with the fact that many of their shows overlap. For instance, they own the rights to both CSI and Grey’s Anatomy: as a result, the network is forced to air Grey’s an hour earlier than it is in the U.S. It’s all a give and take like this, which makes for some interesting Canadian scheduling. Another example was just last night, when CTV had the rights to both the Lost and American Idol finales, and actually split Lost into two parts in Central Canada to make it work.

Which network is better at simulcasting?

Definitely CTV. Global is a complete and total mess: its HD is extremely limited, its commercials are far worse, and all in all the production values just aren’t the same. I really wish they’d revamp everything to be less ugly, too. They really need to work on that. CityTV and the others aren’t terrible, but they don’t have the same level of nationwide coverage, which is a problem for families without digital cable or the joys of timeshifting that some of us enjoy.

So what’s happened so far?

Well, CTV has not officially announced any of its pickups thus far, but there have been some leaks ahead of their early June Upfront Presentation in Toronto. Meanwhile, Global has spilled the beans on which shows they’ve picked up. For all the information, you can follow to The Hollywood Reporter. For a complete summary and analysis, keep reading.

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Filed under Back to You, Chuck, CTV, Global, Gossip Girl, Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, Reaper, Television, Upfronts, Without a Trace

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May 17, 2007 · 12:45 pm

‘Lost’: Recap Show Tonight at 10pm EST, CTV Finale Scheduling

Although we’re still in the middle of Cultural Learnings’ Upfronts Extravaganza, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t other news to worry about. For example, today brings news regarding the upcoming finale of Lost that I figure people should be made aware of:

Lost: “The Answers” [10pm ABC]

– Tonight (May 17th) at 10pm on ABC, after the Grey’s Anatomy finale, ABC is going out of its way to try to pull back some viewers who have strayed from their other hit drama: Lost. In preparation for its finale next week, Lost airs a new recap show which will fill everyone in on what’s gone down in the island since they abandoned it in the Fall. For those who fall into this category: you’re in for a wild ride. There’s been only a few lukewarm hours since the show returned in February, and we’re heading towards a wild finale.

CTV Schedules the Lost Finale

For us Canadians, we’re often a bit spoiled with Lost. We usually get to see it two hours earlier than Americans thanks to CTV airing both it and American Idol. However, as much as we’ve enjoyed this in the past, it looks like we’re about to pay for it.

Thanks to NeoGAF user Olivier for alerting me to the fact that CTV is, for the Eastern and Western Time Zones, splitting the Lost finale into two halves and airing American Idol between them. Yes, that’s right: Lost begins at 7pm EST, American Idol airs from 8pm to 10pm, and then Lost returns to finish its finale. I swear, it’s right out of Alice in Wonderland, but “Through the Looking Glass” will be torn apart for its CTV airing in those timezones (And, therefore, in High Definition). For people in the Atlantic or Central Time Zones, the show will air uninterrupted (by other shows, anyways) from 7pm to 9pm.

This is an unsurprising move (Otherwise, it would have had to have been on at 6pm EST), but it’s still very frustrating because I’ll have to choose one of three options:

– Watch in Standard Def in Atlantic time zone.

– Watch in High-Definition split up

– Watch in High-Definition starting at 10 on ABC, and missing Idol’s 2nd hour to watch the unbroken version.

I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. For now, anticipation takes over.

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Filed under ABC, American Idol, CTV, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Television