September 2011

Citytv announced today production details for the fifth and final season of original one-hour drama series Murdoch Mysteries.

Principal photography commenced in the summer and will continue until early November in and around Toronto, with the first episode of Season 5, “Murdoch of the Klondike,” filmed on location in Dawson City, Yukon.

Encore episodes of Murdoch Mysteries are currently airing weekly on Citytv. Season five broadcast details will be announced at a later date.

“With new characters and locales, Season 5 will be the most exciting yet for Murdoch Mysteries,” said Claire Freeland, Director of Development and Production, Rogers Media Television. “Beloved by viewers of all ages, Murdoch Mysteries has been a resounding success in Canada and internationally over the last four seasons and we are proud of the enduring legacy this series will leave its countless loyal fans.”

“While we are sad to contemplate the end of Murdoch Mysteries, we are grateful to Rogers and Citytv for believing in the series and taking this journey with us over the past seven years,” said Christina Jennings, Chairman and CEO, Shaftesbury and executive producer, Murdoch Mysteries. “We’ve watched the show grow with the passionate support of audiences in Canada and around the world, and look forward to bringing the storyline to a fulfilling conclusion for fans during our final season. Thank you to one of the most talented casts and crews I’ve ever had the privilege of working with for creating an unforgettable series.” 

The fifth season premiere will feature an array of guest stars joining the cast in the Yukon, including include Aaron Ashmore (Warehouse 13; Smallville) as author Jack London and U.K. actress Jill Halfpenny (Coronation Street) as Elizabeth Bryant, a tough-as-nails hotel owner who finds herself accused of murder. Plus, Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman also makes a guest appearance this season.

Based on Canadian author Maureen Jennings’s popular Detective Murdoch novels, Murdoch Mysteries is set in late 1890s Toronto and explores the intriguing world of William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), a detective using radical techniques for the time to solve the city’s most gruesome murders. Murdoch’s colleagues are coroner Dr. Julia Ogden (Hélène Joy, Durham County), a staunch ally who shares the detective’s fascination for forensic science; Constable George Crabtree (Jonny Harris, Hatching, Matching, Dispatching), Murdoch’s eager but sometimes naïve right-hand man; and Inspector Brackenreid (Thomas Craig, Coronation Street), Murdoch’s sceptical yet reluctantly supportive boss. The series has been sold in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Season 5 of Murdoch Mysteries will present Detective Murdoch with fresh frustrations in his relationship with Julia. Viewers will be introduced to Julia’s protégé, Dr. Grace Howard (Georgina Reilly, Pontypool), a headstrong, ambitious new coroner. In addition to investigating a murder in Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush, the final season will see Murdoch uncovering the intrigue behind the invention of the electric car, and exploring the drama on and offstage when a travelling opera company is hit with murder.

On Monday night, an average of 1.4 million (P2+) Canadians were transported to prehistoric earth for the television event of the season: the premiere of Citytv’s epic new drama Terra Nova.

With 3.4 million unique viewers (P2+) tuning in to some or all of its two-hour debut, Terra Nova’s series opener was the most watched drama in network history.

Additionally, Citytv won the night in the Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver markets in the key A25-54 and A18-49 demos (7pm -11pm). 

In the Toronto market, Terra Nova’s sky-high ratings bested CTV’s Pan Am in the key demos by 18% for A25-54 and A18-49, catapulting the drama to top spot as the #1 new series of the season in Toronto and in these demos. 

Compared with the average audience in the same time period on Citytv last fall, Terra Nova had an increase in viewership of 31% (P2+), 41% (A25-54) and 48% (A18-49), nationally. 

Viewers who missed last night’s premiere can catch up on Citytv.com or on their iPads by downloading the free Citytv video app on iTunes Canada. 

Fans of the series can now experience the world of Terra Nova first hand in Toronto this Saturday, Oct. 1 with the Journey to Terra Nova mobile vehicle. Running during Nuit Blanche, this solar-powered, branded and wrapped experiential activation unit will be stationed at the Rogers Production Studios at Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square. For 11 hours from noon to 11pm ET, fans can be a part of this interactive adventure at the only Canadian stop on its North American tour. Among the innovative features of Journey to Terra Nova is a green-screen studio where fans can star in a recreated scene from the series and share their on-screen debuts via social networking sites. Additionally, visitors can breathe in the fresh Terra Nova air in the Oxygen Bar on board the vehicle while viewing clips of the series. 

Source: BBM Canada

CTV Two continued its fall resurgence last night when 2.14 million viewers watched TWO AND A HALF MEN, the largest audience in the history of the network.

Winning the night overall, TWO AND HALF MEN was #1 with total viewers and all key adult demos nationally, and also in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto, where it drew a 12.3 Rating among A18-34.

The episode propelled the Emmy-Award Winning comedy series MIKE AND MOLLY to its own record with 1.33 million viewers, its most-watched episode ever on CTV Two. MIKE AND MOLLY was the #3 program of the night overall with A18-49 and A18-34. 

Also last night:

CTV and CTV Two won every hour of primetime and captured the Top 3 programs of the night with TWO AND A HALF MEN (2.14 million), CASTLE (1.77 million), and DANCING WITH THE STARS (1.76 million). 

Head to head from 8-10 p.m., CTV’s DANCING WITH THE STARS (1.76 million), highlighted by a shining performance by Ricki Lake and a wardrobe malfunction for Nancy Grace, danced past the series premiere of TERRA NOVA (1.41 million, Citytv/FOX) by 25%. 

CASTLE (1.77 million) won its 10 p.m. timeslot on CTV with total viewers and A18-49 (666,000) over HAWAII FIVE-O (1.73 million/653,000; Global/CBS) and THE PLAYBOY CLUB (478,000/297,000; Citytv/NBC). 

All of last night’s episodes on CTV and CTV Two are available now on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca.

Last night, a combined audience of 1.45 million viewers watched the Ontario provincial election debate on all networks (CTV, CTV News Channel, CP24, CBC, CBC News Network, Global, CHCH, Sun News Network and TVO).

In Ontario alone, it was the most-watched program of the night with 1.39 million viewers. Once again, viewers made CTV the news outlet of choice for ongoing coverage of the Oct. 6 Ontario General Election, with 611,000 total viewers, more than double the audience of both CBC (248,000) and Global (225,000).

The 90-minute debate had more than twice as many viewers as the 2007 debate on CTV (263,000). More than 1.7 million unique viewers watched some or all of the debate, an increase of 142% compared to 2007 (724,000). 

“Canadians have once again demonstrated CTV News is the preferred destination when it comes to important news events,” said Wendy Freeman, President, CTV News. “And as Canada’s leading news organization, we are committed to covering news as it happens.”

CTV provides live coverage of the 2011 Ontario Provincial Election on Thursday, October 6 with the election special ELECTION 2011, live at 9 p.m. ET. Anchored by Ken Shaw, ELECTION 2011 will be simulcast live on CTV News Channel, while CP24 carries separate, complementary coverage of the results in GTA ridings beginning at 8 p.m., anchored by Ann Rohmer and Stephen LeDrew. 

From a middle-aged male escort in the recession-plagued suburbs of Detroit to two enterprising twenty-somethings hustling to make their dreams come true on the streets of New York, HBO Canada and The Movie Network kicks off October with new seasons of the Emmy – and Golden Globe-nominated comedy series Hung, and the hip, downtown comedy How to Make It in America.

Premiering day-and-date with HBO in the U.S., Hung (Season 3) premieres Sunday, October 2 at 10:00 p.m. ET/MT followed by How to Make It in America (Season 2) at 10:30 p.m. ET/MT .

Created by Colette Burson and Dmitry Lipkin, Hung kicks off its 10-episode third season with Ray Drecker (Thomas Jane), a former high school legend turned middle-aged hooker and his business partner, Tanya Skagle (Jane Adams), trying to fly under the radar of the law after setting up a new, very public front for their gigolo enterprise.

But Ray and Tanya are now contending with competition from a new, younger rival managed by their revengeful former partner Lenore. Meanwhile, Ray’s ex-wife, Jessica Haxon (Anne Heche), now separated from her dermatologist husband, heads back into the workforce after 20 years as a housewife.

The series also stars: Charlie Saxton as Ray’s son Damon; Sianoa Smit-McPhee as Ray’s daughter Darby; Rebecca Creskoff as Ray and Tanya’s former partner Lenore; Gregg Henry as Mike, Ray’s friend and fellow teacher; Lennie James as Charlie, Tanya’s fellow pimp, advisor and occasional paramour; and Stephen Amell as Jason, the new male hooker.

Recurring guest stars on the third season include: Kaitlin Doubleday as Logan, a former student of Ray’s; Ana Ortiz, as Lydia, a new client of Ray’s who likes to dress up like a cop; and Matt Walsh as Dr. Matt Kopylov, who hires Jessica to work in his office and is the husband of her estranged husband Ronnie’s mistress.

The eight-episode second season of How to Make It in America has Ben (Bryan Greenberg) and Cam (Victor Rasuk) returning to New York after a potentially lucrative trip to Japan. The pair hit the ground running scouring the downtown scene for new business connections, following every lead they can to get noticed in the ultra-competitive fashion industry and make headway with CRISP, their homemade fashion line of T-shirts and hoodies. Meanwhile, Ben’s ex-girlfriend Rachel (Lake Bell) has returned to New York transformed by a trip to Africa and Europe; Cam’s cousin Rene (Luis Guzman) is pursuing a get-rich scheme by marketing his Rasta Monsta energy drink; Domingo (Scott Mescudi aka Kid Cudi), Cam and Ben’s well-connected friend, is developing his own entrepreneurial business; and successful hedge fund manager David Kaplan (Eddie Kaye Thomas) continues to be a big supporter of Ben and Cam’s venture.

This season’s guest stars include Gina Gershon as an influential fashion rep, Andre Royo, Joe Pantoliano, James Ransone, Eriq LaSalle, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi. The series was created by Ian Edelman, and is Executive Produced by Edelman, Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg, Julian Farino, Rob Weiss and Jill Soloway.

Hung and How to Make It in America will be broadcast in High Definition, and episodes will be available on demand following their network premieres. In Eastern Canada programming will be available via HBO Canada OnLine with Rogers On Demand OnLine, Bell TV Online and Videotron’s Illico Web and in Western Canada via HBO Canada On Demand with Shaw and Shaw Direct Video On Demand and Bell TV Online.

Following the premiere of the #1 new program in Canada on CTV and CTV Two last week, THE X FACTOR’s Simon Cowell continues to predict that his new series will ultimately give AMERICAN IDOL a run for its money.

In a Canadian television exclusive with CTV’s ETALK last night, Cowell also alludes to a “massive, massive mistake” made while searching for America’s next big act that will need to be “sorted out.”

Conducted in his home by ETALK’s Jessi Cruikshank, the first part of the three part exclusive interview airs tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. ET on CTV and at 6 p.m. ET on E!, with parts two and three airing Tuesday, Oct. 4 and Wednesday, Oct. 5 (visit CTV.ca and eonline.ca to confirm local broadcast times).

Simon Says –

On if they’ve found America’s next big act:

“Something happened, and I won’t tell you what, but there was a massive, massive mistake made in the process and we are going see if we can sort that out. But if it all goes the way I hope it will, all will come out. We are going to see if we can do something about it.”  

On THE X FACTOR’s ratings:

“Every show we’ve ever launched – THE X FACTOR in the UK, AMERICAN IDOL in America – they’ve always opened well, but not dynamic, and overtime they’ve built into big shows. I always believe that this show will have IDOL numbers, and I really do, I stand by that now.”

On his satisfaction with THE X FACTOR:

“I’ve been involved with this show for a long time, and when the tape comes in for the first time, that’s the scariest thing of all because now you’re seeing it as a viewer. I was kind of watching it like a horror movie when it first came on … and then I went, god I actually like it and I’m invested, and I’m seeing these contestants in a way I hadn’t seen them before. So I really got into it, and I actually felt quite emotional, which is rare for me.”

On the hidden cameras they use on the show:

“What we did when we filmed the show was put a ton of cameras where the contestants didn’t know they were being filmed. That corridor shot (where) they come down and they are going crazy or they are happy, they have no idea they are being filmed. It’s sneaky but I got so bored of watching these shows where everyone was so aware they were on camera and behaving a particular way. I wanted to show these contestants what they are really like, and I think it made a huge difference.”

On what he thinks he’s like as a boss:

“I’m good, I’m very direct. If I don’t like something I will say it and deal with it straight away. … But I always put myself in the same place as the other judges and allow myself to be produced. I don’t see the final edit because if they want to put something in they can do whatever they want.”

On Susan Boyle:

“It taught me a lesson, because I hated myself when I watched that clip back. I just thought ‘you pig.’ I was bored, I didn’t want to hear another singer, and I remember seeing this woman walk out in the corner of my eye with a microphone and thinking, Oh Christ, she’s going to sing and she’s not going to be great and I’m not in the mood for this. It showed on my face, and this voice came out. When I watched the clip back, I wanted to slap my face, but it was a wake up call.”

On the most gratifying thing he’s spent his money on:

“Probably a Bugatti. I saw it in the show room and it was like this thing was talking to me, saying buy me. And I shouldn’t have because it was expensive, but it’s a beautiful car. They won’t make these cars in the future because they are madly politically incorrect – they are designed to do 250 miles an hour, and you do one mile to the gallon, and all the activists hate it, and that’s why I wanted it so much. The best things are always the most ridiculous things.”

Show-stopping iconoclasts Penn & Teller bring their unique vision of the world to Discovery Channel on the six-part series PENN & TELLER TELL A LIE.

Premiering Wednesday, October 5 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT, this new interactive series – with a twist – promises to forever change how audiences interact with this remarkable duo’s brand of entertainment.

In each episode, Penn & Teller make seven outrageous claims, such as: “A butter knife can stop a speeding bullet,” or “You can melt steel with bacon.”

But things are not always what they seem – so while most of the wildly unbelievable stories are absolutely, positively true – one of them is a totally believable big fat lie! It will be up to Discovery’s savvy viewers to spot the fake by noticing buried clues that give it away.

In a Discovery Channel first, PENN & TELLER TELL A LIE will incorporate an exclusive co-viewing experience into every episode, offering the network’s first live, interactive digital/on-air integration. During the show, viewers will be prompted by Penn & Teller to launch the Guess the Lie iPhone App, available for free at the Apple App Store. Guess the Lie will allow viewers to select in real time whether each of the stories is “True” or a “Lie” – and they can change their vote as many times as they like until the final reveal. Users can also log on to discoverychannel.ca for complete show information.

Known for their razor sharp wits and engaging minds, Penn & Teller present PENN & TELLER TELL A LIE in their signature free-flowing, fast-paced manner… supporting each outrageous claim with fascinating scientific information. The home audience’s final results will be revealed at the end of each episode. Will Canada get it right? Viewers who participate will also be able to access bonus videos, revealing how Penn & Teller were able disguise their lies. The Guess the Lie app will be available just prior to PENN & TELLER TELL A LIE’s premiere on October 5.

Astral’s Family Channel is casting a spell on viewers this October as Halloween specials join the schedule. The bone-chilling lineup features new episodes on Fridays throughout the month, a special four-episode Wizards of Waverly Place story arc and mysterious movies airing each weekend.

Online at Family.ca, viewers can play tricky new games, check their October ‘horrorscopes’ and enter a watch and win contest.

October 14 gives a new meaning to ‘fright night’ with a Halloween-themed Night of Premieres schedule. Featuring festive new episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place, Good Luck Charlie, Shake It Up, Jessie, A.N.T. Farm and So Random!, the lineup kicks off at 4:30 p.m. ET/PT with Phineas and Ferb where guest stars Anna Paquin (True Blood) and Michael J. Fox (Teen Wolf) voice Halloween-inspired characters. The eerie evening concludes with the feature film Return to Halloweentown, the fourth instalment in the Halloweentown series of films, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Spellbinding new episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place continue to air Friday nights throughout the month with a four-episode story arc entitled “Wizards of Waverly Place – Apartment 13B.” Following the episode included in the Night of Premieres lineup on October 14, the Russos will continue to face off against their archenemy, Gorog, in a never-before seen episode on Friday, October 21 at 5:00 p.m. ET/PT. The battle comes to a head on Friday, October 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, when all four episodes of the arc (two previously broadcast and two premiere episodes) air back to back followed by Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.  

Family is delivering wicked weekends with frightening flicks each Friday night at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT and Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00 p.m. ET/PT. The movie lineup includes Halloweentown 1, 2, 3 and 4, Twitches, Twitches Too, Roxy Hunter and the Horrific Halloween, Roxy Hunter and the Mystery of the Moody Ghost and Under Wraps.

In honour of Halloween, Family.ca is conjuring up games, activities and contests to fuel the seasonal spirit. New and returning favourite Halloween-themed games will be available alongside fortune telling activities and special haunted ‘horrorscopes’ all month long. A special Wizards of Waverly Place watch and win contest will be paired with the Friday night episodes beginning October 14, where a special word will appear during the episodes and viewers can enter this code online for the chance to win one of three prize packs featuring props from the series.

Family OnDemand subscribers get their fill of Halloween programming throughout October when seasonal episodes from viewers’ favourite series including Phineas and Ferb, Good Luck Charlie and Shake It Up are added to the lineup. Additionally, the “Wizards of Waverly Place – Apartment 13B” episodes will be available OnDemand beginning October 28.

10:00pm – Tuesday, September 27 on CTV

When a young boy witnesses a murder, Carrie (Poppy Montogomery) must put aside the memories of her sister’s death to help him lead the police to the killer.

Tuesday, September 27 – 10pm ET/PT on Global

Amber relishes her new-found freedom while Sarah strives to remain a part of her life. Meanwhile, Kristina is concerned about Crosby and Adam’s new business venture.