For me, when i think of Canadian television, the very first show that comes to mind is always Degrassi. As a child in the states, PBS used to air episodes of Degrassi. That was my first exposure to Canadian tv. everything seemed different. the picture quality. the accents. the actors were people i'd never seen before. I adored Degrassi because it was so bad. but, it made me think that all Canadian tv was poor quality. and sure, there are some serious duds (big Comfy Couch anyone??)...but there are also some greats.
Corner Gas. Little Mosque on the Prairie. Road to Avonlea. Restaurant Makeover. Fraggle Rock. Kenny VS. Spenny.
and now, my newest discovery, Rent-A-Goalie.
and clearly i'm not the only one who thinks it's great....The first season was nominated for three Gemini Awards, including Best Comedy Series. It was also nominated for four Canadian Comedy Awards and won two, a Directors Guild of Canada Award, and the CFTPA Indie Award for Best Comedy Series.
if that doesn't pique your interest, maybe this will...
hello, boyfriend!
this, friends, is Christopher Bolton. He plays Cake on the show. He loves, lives and breathes hockey. He also runs a rag-tag goalie rental service out of a coffee shop in Toronto, called Cafe Primo. The cast is perfect. Wait until you meet Puker, who, as you'd have guessed, gets sick before games. And Shit Pants, and Looch, and Short Bus. They are all eccentric and perfect.
It's heartfelt and hilarious. It hits the Canadian way of life right on the head - - - coffee and hockey. Season 1 of this show just came out on DVD last week, and our friends at Alliance Films have, once again, given us FIVE copies to give away!
FIVE!
and i will throw in a copy of The Academy Award Winning - 4 times over - No Country For Old Men!
to win this prize pack i want to hear from all of you - Canadians and non-Canadians.
what's your favorite thing about Canada?
what's your favorite Canadian show?
what's your least favorite??
leave me a comment today and this could be yours!!
Favorite Canadian thing - The incredible stanard of living that we enjoy
Favorite Canadian Show - The Hour! Followed closely by Corner Gas (filmed in my home town)
Least favorite - Degrassi!
Posted by: shaynajaymie | May 16, 2008 at 03:39 PM
Favorite Canadian thing - The incredible stanard of living that we enjoy
Favorite Canadian Show - The Hour! Followed closely by Corner Gas (filmed in my home town)
Least favorite - Degrassi!
Posted by: shaynajaymie | May 16, 2008 at 03:38 PM
Favorite Canadian thing - The incredible stanard of living that we enjoy
Favorite Canadian Show - The Hour! Followed closely by Corner Gas (filmed in my home town)
Least favorite - Degrassi!
Posted by: shaynajaymie | May 16, 2008 at 03:38 PM
I just had to add mine too.
Fav thing: Creamed honey (I know it isn't necessarily Canadian, but we just don't get it in the US), Maple dip donut & large Tim's coffee with double cream, poutine, Imperial cheese (or stinky cheese as we call it), Rickard's Red on draught....can you tell I'm 9 mos pregnant?
Fav TV show: Does HNIC count? Just hearing the music almost brings me to tears!
Least Fav TV show: Doodlebops!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEKKKKK!!!
Posted by: Margot | April 10, 2008 at 03:00 PM
Fav Thing: A Tim Bit with a hot cup of Tim Horton's
Fav TV Show: Market Place
Least Fav: too long Canadian winters
Posted by: Ramona | April 09, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Fav Thing: Toronto - even if I have only been across the Rainbow Bridge or whatever it is called at night. the views of the big building at night were just... AMAZING...
Fav Show: Blood Ties, because of the accuracy despite all it's filming going on in Vancouver - LOVE its accuracy
Least Fav: That I need a passport to get into the country :(
Posted by: Maryann | April 05, 2008 at 04:31 PM
favorite thing: it's proximity to me - I can be there in about 7 hours.
favorite show: I have become addicted to Degrassi: The New Generation or whatever it's called. I can barely remember any of the character names and probably don't even have the show's name just right - but it's still terrific. In the kind of way where I change the channel if my husband walks in while I'm watching it.
least favorite: Tim Horton's. Only because we don't have one in minnesota and since I hear about it so frequently, I feel deprived.
Posted by: Jennie | April 04, 2008 at 03:14 PM
what's your favorite thing about Canada? Your blogs
what's your favorite Canadian show? I remember loving the Degrassi as a kid as well.
what's your least favorite?? I don't know any other Canadian TV but I am betting it is all better than Israeli TV!
Posted by: Arica Saltzman | April 04, 2008 at 04:49 AM
Favourite Thing: Health Care, Tim Hortons, our International Image (people assume we're nice!)
Favourite TV Show: Corner Gas, Till Debt Do Us Part (The Man and I watch it religiously!)
Least Favourite: This Hour has 22 minutes. Very annoying.
Posted by: Everyday Superhero | April 03, 2008 at 08:03 PM
what's your favorite thing about Canada?
Montreal. Vancouver. Looneys. (The Late) John Candy.
what's your favorite Canadian show?
Is The Red Green show canadian? I actually like that one. And the Tudors. And all hockey games.
what's your least favorite??
The Big Comfy Couch - holy sh*t I hate that showw......
Posted by: monstergirlee | April 03, 2008 at 08:01 PM
what's your favorite thing about Canada? Hockey Hair! Why is it so hot? I don't know.. but I love it. Smack some on a guy missing a tooth... my knees go weak!
what's your favorite Canadian show? I'm addicted to listening to the vinyl cafe - those stories on my ipod have had me laughing hysterically on the subway. yes, I'm THAT girl.
what's your least favorite?? corner gas drives me crazy it's like stupid people playing stupider.
Posted by: Kelly | April 03, 2008 at 03:07 PM
ok. ok. I know I don't qualify for the prize pack but couldn't resist...
Favorite thing about Canada? Health Care; Hockey; Tim Horton's.
Fav Cdn tv: Hockey Night in Canada; Airwolf II; Just Like Mom; The Raccoons; Canada Vignettes from the National Film Board of Canada.
Least Fav: The Beachcombers; The Friendly Giant; SCTV; Anne of Green Gables; Edison Twins.
Posted by: Giblet | April 03, 2008 at 02:59 PM
fave thing: freedom & fresh water ready for canoeing.
fave show: either the friendly giant or the hour
least fave thing: ben mulroney
Posted by: Julie | April 03, 2008 at 02:43 PM
Favourite THING:So many... we recycle, we have great healthcare, and we can pour liquid sugar on pancakes! :)
Favourite SHOW: Rick Mercer is HILARIOUS. I love his clips online too when I don't catch the show.
LEAST Favourite SHOW: I just don't get Trailer Park Boys. Sorry!!!
Posted by: Holly | April 03, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Favorite thing: Joshua Jackson
Favorite show: Like everyone, the cute Nick shows.
Least favorite show: Why is everyone hating on Big Comfy Couch?! I saw nothing wrong with that show when I babysat. I don't have a least favorite. (Pick me!)
Posted by: B2G | April 03, 2008 at 02:27 PM
Favourite (spelled the Canadian way) thing: health care
Favourite show: Original Degrassi. Love it. (oh, and Rick Mercer Report)
Least favourite: also have to go with that Big Comfy Couch. Tres horrible.
Posted by: Teri | April 03, 2008 at 02:20 PM
Favourite = Poutine
Favourite TV show = Sophie (it's new on CBC and I'm loving it)
Least Fav = I know Big Comfy Couch is a recurring theme but man that show just sucks.
Posted by: chantal | April 03, 2008 at 02:09 PM
Favorite thing: Kinder Surprise...and Super Burger (How random I know. Have you ever heard of it? I think maybe it's just a Shelburne thing.)
Favorite show: Does Hockey Night in Canada count? We love us some Don Cherry in our little Okie-Canadian family. Love Degrassi, both old and new. And then all of our favorite cartoons like Little Bear and Franklin are Canadian. Okay maybe we like more Canadian TV in our house than I realized?
Least Favorite: I hope I don't get stoned for this, but it has to be Mr. Dress Up. He is like a bad Mr. Rogers knock-off to me. But my Canadian husband would argue for the opposite.
Posted by: AJ | April 03, 2008 at 01:37 PM
Favorite thing - friendly people
Favorite show - as a kid, Mr. Dressup - I cried when Sesame Street started on CBC because it bumped Mr. Dressup out of his time slot and I thought he was finished. Now, Corner Gas - I grew up in Sask.
Least favorite - The Red Green Show, although my boys wouldn't agree.
Posted by: Therese | April 03, 2008 at 12:41 PM
I can't win but I'll do this anyway:
Fave thing - Big country, few people. Lots of space. Oh, and public health care.
Fave show - This Hour has 22 Minutes
Least fave - not one specifically but local cable talk shows...baaaaad.
Posted by: Jen Maier | April 03, 2008 at 12:37 PM
my fave thing is the ice cream store in sicamous b.c. umm double dutchmen dairies...fave show is north of 60. least fave show umm not sure oh and i also love 6 teen (yes i know its a cartoon)
Posted by: LAVENDULA | April 03, 2008 at 11:09 AM
what's your favorite thing about Canada?
public health care
what's your favorite Canadian show?
Traders - damn, I used to love that show
what's your least favorite??
Don Cherry's Grapevine - it was a short-lived 30 minute talk/variety show that ran before HNIC years ago... imagine Don Cherry trying to interview someone... yeah, that's pretty much what happened.
Posted by: SciFi Dad | April 03, 2008 at 10:38 AM
what's your favorite thing about Canada?
Eh?
what's your favorite Canadian show?
Degrassi!! I know it's what you just talked about and there are much better 'quality' canadian shows now - but it's the best guilty pleasure around.
I will give Kudos tho to the new show on CBC - Sophie. It's great.
what's your least favorite??
The Red Green Show. I've tried to watch it due to critical praise - but I just don't get it.
Posted by: Janna | April 03, 2008 at 09:48 AM
Favorite...poutine
Fav Show...Till Debt Do Us Part (& other shows on Slice)
Least Fav...Ugh - HATE Big Comfy Couch, actually used to hate "The Uncle Bobby Show" too; not a fan of most Cdn TV, sorry!
Posted by: Maria | April 03, 2008 at 09:40 AM