J.J. Abrams is developing a new drama series which will center on the infamous island prison of Alcatraz.
The former Lost producer will re-team with another Lost alum in executive producer Elizabeth Sarnoff to develop the project.
Sarnoff will write the pilot episode for the unnamed series whose plot is under a cloud of secrecy.
The project is understood to be based on an original idea sold to Abrams’ Bad Robot production company.
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CBC News is rolling out an extensive series of reports and insights from across Canada to help parents as they prepare to send their children back to class.
BACK TO SCHOOL STUDY GUIDE (cbcnews.ca/backtoschool) is a week-long series of stories beginning Monday, Sept. 6 on all CBC News platforms—The National, CBC News Network, CBC Radio, CBCNews.ca and local news programs across the country.
This can be one of the most daunting, stressful times of the entire year for parents. But CBC News has the answers they need. From putting together a healthy lunch to finding eco-friendly school supplies to understanding curriculum changes to the latest digital learning aids, this series of stories gives parents everything they need to know to get through the sometimes confusing, sometimes exhausting process of getting their kids ready to go back to school.
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The 2010 Film and Television Charity Challenge continues to showcase the creativity and generosity of those working in the industry with the latest contributions coming from two new productions.
Returning YTV series How to Be Indie took the idea of creative fundraising seriously, holding a bake sale on its Toronto set. Led by cast member Sarena Parmar, cast and crew members participated by contributing sale items or buying each other’s goods. The event raised over $500 for the Fund and was an enjoyable break in the day, proving that taking part in the Charity Challenge can be fun and easy.
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Dr. Oz finds himself in the unfamiliar role of patient when THE DR. OZ SHOW returns for its second season on Tuesday, September 7 at 5 p.m. ET on CTV (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times).
As part of the second season premiere, the EMMY® AWARD-winning host, who turned 50 in June, undergoes a colonoscopy to emphasize the critical role they can play in detecting and preventing colon cancer.
But there are some surprising results: Dr. Jon LaPook, gastroenterologist and chief medical correspondent for CBS News, administers the screening and reveals some news that will have a profound impact on Dr. Oz’s life, family and viewers.
THE DR. OZ SHOW airs Monday – Friday at 5 p.m. ET on CTV. New episodes of THE DR. OZ SHOW are available on demand the day following their television broadcast on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca. THE DR. OZ SHOW also airs Monday – Friday at 9 p.m. ET on Star!.
Read moreEliminated So You Think You Can Dance Canada contestants Yonni Fournier and Bree Wasylenko chat about their time on the hit CTV dance show.
Global’s Entertainment Tonight Canada revealed this evening the details surrounding their exclusive red carpet Festival Central gala events in celebration of the 35th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). As the only entertainment show to officially sponsor the Festival, ET Canada will feature wall-to-wall coverage of all things TIFF every night for 11 days beginning Thursday, September 9th.
“TIFF is a landmark event for film worldwide and after five years going strong, Festival Central parties have become renowned among the top tier talent that walk our red carpet,” said Tamara Simoneau, Sr. Executive Producer, ET Canada. “ET Canada is pulling out all the stops for our exclusive gala nights and fans can catch the evening’s best moments every night on the show.”
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One of the most-watched competition shows in Canada, the multiple EMMY AWARD-winning series THE AMAZING RACE returns to CTV with an extended 90-minutes premiere Sunday, September 26 at 8:30 p.m. ET (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times).
A Top 10 show in Canada which averaged 2.54 million viewers last season, the 17th cycle of THE AMAZING RACE visits new destinations including Bangladesh, Ghana and the Arctic Circle.
THE AMAZING RACE moves to its regular timeslot on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET beginning October 3. New episodes of THE AMAZING RACE are also available on demand the day following their television broadcast on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca.
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First it was the MMVAs. Then it was the TEEN CHOICE AWARDS. Next up: ETALK.
The Jonas Brothers are coming back to CTV’s Queen St. headquarters tomorrow and they are headed straight to ETALK’s newsroom studio. Just before Friday’s television premiere of CAMP ROCK 2: THE FINAL JAM and three tour stops in Canada, Jonas Brothers are set to exclusively co-host ETALK with anchors Ben Mulroney and Tanya Kim, live in-studio on Thursday, September 2.
Every fan in Canada can watch the world’s most-famous brothers hold it down on Canada’s most-watched entertainment program that night at 7 p.m. ET on CTV (visit CTV.ca for local listings).
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Around 8 a.m. on December 10, 2007, police in Mississauga, ON responded to a 911 call from a man who had said he had just killed his daughter. When officers arrived, they found 16-year-old Aqsa Parvez suffering from life-threatening injuries. She later died in hospital.
The fate of this young Muslim woman and three others is explored in depth in the world television premiere of the two-hour Original CTV Documentary IN THE NAME OF THE FAMILY, Tuesday, September 7 at 9 p.m. ET on CTV (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times). The film will be available on demand on the CTV Video Player at ctv.ca following its broadcast premiere.
Read moreBig-time fitness club and gym chains equal big-time business with annual revenues in Canada in excess of $2 billion. Fully five million Canadians currently hold gym or fitness club memberships.
However, lots of clients are reporting problems.
CBC’s award-winning consumer watchdog program MARKETPLACE is calling on Canadians to share their stories through the Big Gym Ripoff Search: you tell us—how bad is it? What horror stories do you have?
Viewers can submit their experiences online beginning Aug. 30 at http://www.cbc.ca/gymripoff
“Instead of getting ripped, people are getting ripped off. Year after year, the exploitative terms of gym memberships rank among the top ten consumer complaints reported to government,” said Erica Johnson, co-host of MARKETPLACE. “For the first time ever, we’re offering Canadians a chance to tell their stories so that we can expose which gym chains most need to snap themselves into shape.”
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The second season of the riveting 6 hr. crime series Durham County received 7 Gemini nominations today. The Gemini Awards are Canada’s “Emmy Awards” and honour outstanding achievement in television.
Durham County - Season 2 received nominations for Best Dramatic Series (Michael Prupas, Janis Lundman, Adrienne Mitchell and Laurie Finstad Knizhnik); Best Direction (Adrienne Mitchell); Best Actress (Hélène Joy) as well as Best Casting, Best Make-up, Best Sound and Best Main Title Design. In 2009, the series brought home 5 Gemini Awards.
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It was announced tonight that BREE Wasylenko, 22, a Contemporary dancer from Toronto, ON and YONNI Fournier, 27, a Salsa dancer from Montreal, QC would be leaving the SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA stage.
The results were revealed live during tonight’s broadcast after host Leah Miller revealed the three couples with the lowest number of votes would dance for their lives and await their fate. Eighteen dancers are now in the running for the chance to be crowned Canada’s Favourite Dancer.
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Tina Fey has announced that Mad Men’s Jon Hamm and film actor Paul Giamatti will both appear on the upcoming season of 30 Rock.
Fey told Entertainment Weekly that Hamm will reprise his role as Drew Baird, a love interest for her character Liz in a forthcoming episode.
Giamatti meanwhile will feature in the second episode of the season playing a “grouchy television editor”.
"Paul Giamatti is going to be on," she said. "[He plays] a guy who works down in this cavernous editing room."
Read moreMeet the judges who will be picking through the best that Canada has to offer in this year's season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada.
Jean Marc Genereux
Returning as a SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA judge for a third season, Quebec’s Jean Marc Genereux began dancing at age 10 with his partner, and now wife, France Mousseau, and within six years the pair had won every Regional and State Championship.
Tré Armstrong
Returning as a SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA judge for a third season, Tré Armstrong is looking forward to finding Canada’s next favourite dancer. Armstrong’s dance school technical training in ballet and jazz alongside her unique flare for urban street dance shaped her into the multi-talented dancer, actress and choreographer she is today.
Luther Brown
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If you haven't seen Global's new show Rookie Blue, then you're missing out. Why? Let me give you ten reasons why you should be watching it.
It has this chick in it. Missy Peregrym. You may remember her as Andi Prendergast in Reaper. You won't forget her as Andy McNally on Rookie Blue.
Missy Peregrym is a former model.
And had a role on Heroes.
This was Missy Peregrym showing off her abs in the movie Stick It, but I digress.
The new Kate Plus 8 premiered this week and in summary, it was a good PR move. Kate has returned, and she hasn't changed. In the first of two episodes, viewers were given a glimpse into her life while doing Dancing with the Stars and other press tours. Whether you agree or disagree that the mom of eight should be working in showbiz, it's the reality and the show acted as a reminder that Kate Gosselin is not a frosty individual just hoping to climb to the top. Perhaps both of those things are true, but the episode truly did help viewers remember that she is human and she is a mother who succumbs to stress just like anyone else. After months of negative media, this was exactly what was needed to start things off.
Read moreYesterday, EW's Michael Ausiello had a few major things to say about the Grey's Anatomy 2 hour finale. Today, with that all behind, it's clear he spoke the truth in saying:
"based on what I’ve seen (the first hour) and heard (much of the second), it’s no exaggeration that this is truly a momentous game-changer."
"If you think the first seven minutes were disturbing or shocking, then I strongly suggest you skip the remaining 78-odd minutes, because some seriously dark and depressing $h!t goes down in that hospital tonight, and it’s not for the faint of heart."
Grey's really took things to a new level - letting go of some of the romantic drama and turning the doctors into the patients. This season of Grey's Anatomy has not been the best so far, but with an ending like this, they've ensured that viewers will be tuning in when the next season begins!
Cadbury screened its brand new ad for the first time last night during the first ad break of Desperate Housewives on TV2 in New Zealand. The TV ad features cow tap dancing to Fred Astaire's song Putting on the Ritz:
(More pictures and video after the jump)
Read moreI recently sent a complaint to Cityline staff after watching one too many idiot comment made by Tracy (after cutting off the guest mid-sentence, of course). Apparently the folks at Cityline see me as part of a minority as opposed to the majority "who love her!". I would love to see actual members of this "majority" (none of whom exist around me in real life) speak of their love for Tracy on the Cityline forum as well as members of the "minority" who dislike her.
