It was cancellation week for the CBC, as the nation’s public broadcaster crunched its numbers and decided that some of the current projects currently emanating from our analog and digital televisions just aren’t up to snuff.
First off the gang plank was MVP: The Secret Wives of Hockey Wives, the weekly examination of hockey players and their wives and girlfriends. A show which featured fictional players finding more action off the ice than on, perhaps an explanation as to how the Leafs managed to have such a horrible year again. The cancellation by the CBC marks perhaps the first time in Canadian television history that something tied into hockey has failed to attract an audience.
Though its demise is probably not unexpected, critics had suggested that the steamy prime time soaper wasn’t particularly good and viewers likewise voted with their eyeballs by regularly avoiding the show. The kiss of death seems to be when a show starts bouncing around on the schedule and MVP was moved from its original night and what few fans it had (mostly in the young female demographic) neglected to follow along. At 1.5 million an episode it became a rather expensive bit of eye candy for the puck bunny generation.
Also put on the shelf and left for gone is jPod the saga of a group of Vancouver electronic game maker employees. Adapted from Douglas Coupland’s book of the same name, it too struggled to find an audience, though the words from the critics were kind but apparently not productive in sending viewers to the CBC to join in on the buzz.
All was not gloomy at the CBC on Friday however, their latest fast paced drama The Border, which receives healthy ratings and iPod TV exposure has been renewed for another year. Set in the exciting world of Border enforcement, it follows an elite group of CBSA agents who apparently do more than ask if you have anything to declare and search your suitcase for too many new clothes.
Actually, it’s a pretty well made drama and highlights what the CBC can do if provided with a decent budget and a chance to build an audience.
Also coming back for the CBC in the New Year among others, will be the traditional favourites of the Rick Mercer Report, Royal Canadian Air Farce (Air Farce Live as it's now known), This Hour has 22 minutes and the latest hit for the CBC Little Mosque on the Prairie.
Unfortunately Intelligence, the well crafted product from Chris Haddock seems to have been given its pink slip. It was a well told tale of a BC based drug smuggler who ends up feeding and using members of CSIS in a bit of mutually required double crossing.
It created some great plot lines based on BC’s most notorious of crops and featured some interesting sub plots as the CSIS folks played office politics and cover one’s butt.
Haddock’s past projects included the Da Vinci’s Inquest and Da Vinci’s City Hall both of which portrayed the day to day drama of life in Vancouver and added an interesting view to the national network’s schedule.
Cancelling Intelligence is a short sighted measure on their part and shows that perhaps those central Canadian blinkers are still in vogue over at the Barbara Frum atrium.
However, as is always the case a good idea is a good idea and there may be life for a new re-branded Intelligence. It’s reported that Chris Haddock has been busy negotiating with Fox to take the idea to the USA, with a new American based character and American law enforcement double dealing to take the place of the foibles of CSIS.
Chances are that Canadians will once again embrace the concept, all be it from an American network which would be an interesting twist and a loss for Canadian television production.
First off the gang plank was MVP: The Secret Wives of Hockey Wives, the weekly examination of hockey players and their wives and girlfriends. A show which featured fictional players finding more action off the ice than on, perhaps an explanation as to how the Leafs managed to have such a horrible year again. The cancellation by the CBC marks perhaps the first time in Canadian television history that something tied into hockey has failed to attract an audience.
Though its demise is probably not unexpected, critics had suggested that the steamy prime time soaper wasn’t particularly good and viewers likewise voted with their eyeballs by regularly avoiding the show. The kiss of death seems to be when a show starts bouncing around on the schedule and MVP was moved from its original night and what few fans it had (mostly in the young female demographic) neglected to follow along. At 1.5 million an episode it became a rather expensive bit of eye candy for the puck bunny generation.
Also put on the shelf and left for gone is jPod the saga of a group of Vancouver electronic game maker employees. Adapted from Douglas Coupland’s book of the same name, it too struggled to find an audience, though the words from the critics were kind but apparently not productive in sending viewers to the CBC to join in on the buzz.
All was not gloomy at the CBC on Friday however, their latest fast paced drama The Border, which receives healthy ratings and iPod TV exposure has been renewed for another year. Set in the exciting world of Border enforcement, it follows an elite group of CBSA agents who apparently do more than ask if you have anything to declare and search your suitcase for too many new clothes.
Actually, it’s a pretty well made drama and highlights what the CBC can do if provided with a decent budget and a chance to build an audience.
Also coming back for the CBC in the New Year among others, will be the traditional favourites of the Rick Mercer Report, Royal Canadian Air Farce (Air Farce Live as it's now known), This Hour has 22 minutes and the latest hit for the CBC Little Mosque on the Prairie.
Unfortunately Intelligence, the well crafted product from Chris Haddock seems to have been given its pink slip. It was a well told tale of a BC based drug smuggler who ends up feeding and using members of CSIS in a bit of mutually required double crossing.
It created some great plot lines based on BC’s most notorious of crops and featured some interesting sub plots as the CSIS folks played office politics and cover one’s butt.
Haddock’s past projects included the Da Vinci’s Inquest and Da Vinci’s City Hall both of which portrayed the day to day drama of life in Vancouver and added an interesting view to the national network’s schedule.
Cancelling Intelligence is a short sighted measure on their part and shows that perhaps those central Canadian blinkers are still in vogue over at the Barbara Frum atrium.
However, as is always the case a good idea is a good idea and there may be life for a new re-branded Intelligence. It’s reported that Chris Haddock has been busy negotiating with Fox to take the idea to the USA, with a new American based character and American law enforcement double dealing to take the place of the foibles of CSIS.
Chances are that Canadians will once again embrace the concept, all be it from an American network which would be an interesting twist and a loss for Canadian television production.
Globe and Mail--CBC axes Hockey Wives, jPod
Canadian Press--CBC dropping 'MVP,' Intelligence' and 'JPod' for next season
No comments:
Post a Comment