The full announcement is here.
Some highlights:
The Hour, hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos, has been added to the main network at 11 p.m. and will be developed into more of a late-night talk show with a studio audience. It remains on Newsworld at 8 p.m.I always thought The Hour was not as good a show as George Stroumboulopoulos was a host. Strombo is a good, solid, smart interviewer when he wants to be. He's dynamic and informed, and passionate. So far so good.
But here's the thing. Now we're talking a nightly show that's on every single night, over the air, after the news. So what does "developed into more of a late-night talk show" mean?
If anyone -- anyone at all -- was paying attention, I would ask them to watch Letterman, Leno, Kimmel, Conan, Ferguson, Stewart, or Colbert tonight. Check those end credits. Read the names. Read the number of writers...producers...researchers.
Canada always tries to do this kind of thing on the cheap, not just with less resources and less people -- that's a given -- but with so many less people that it's just stupid. You can't port a show from Newsworld to the main network unless you're actually going to pump something into it. Half assed won't do.
I'm not holding my breath -- 20 writers on the Daily Show...you could hire five or six at least on CBC and maybe, maybe get somewhere. But I bet if they have two they'll be lucky.
What about drama? What's new?
The new series are Intelligence, about present-day Canadian criminal and intelligence cases, and Rumours, a comedy about modern life inside a Toronto women's magazine.If they were smart, they'd sell Intelligence like MI-5. I shudder a bit about Rumours, but I guess we have to see how they execute it.
Chris Haddock, the creator of Da Vinci's Inquest, is the writer behind Intelligence and Da Vinci star Ian Tracey plays a gangster who agrees to turn informant.
Jozi-H, the long-delayed Canada-South Africa copro set in a hospital in Joburg, South Africa, will also air this fall. I've got high hopes for this one.
There's also a docudrama series about the October Crisis, which will probably be shown once then pulled for offending separatists in Quebec, and a bunch of reality shows that we who support the CBC wish them well on -- but that I don't really care about very much.
All in all, baby steps. Baby steps. They want to bring people back to CBC. Will this work? Dunno. But I've got my fingers crossed. Leaving broadcasting entirely to the shopping budgets of the private nets doesn't serve Canadian viewers very well, either.
7 comments:
Yes, Intelligence is what I want to see from a TV network...wait, that didn't come out right.
Yes, sell it like MI-5 with a bit of gangsterism thrown in.
Re: Late night talk shows - I'm a fan of Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley both on PBS here. Simple construction - a chat show - but with interesting guests who aren't afraid to plow deep into a subject or their personality.
It don't know the format of this show or George S. modus operandi, but does it have to be expensive to be intriguing?
Denis- Thanks for keeping a solid spotlight on the industry, this page alone is getting people further into the world of Canadiana-pro...
Anyway--
Intelligence should be interesting. Haddock's track record will hopefull prove true, and so long as the writing is as good as DaVinci, it should blossom into something equally as solid. I personally like the premise, and I'm a big fan of those involved. Whom would they be selling it to, if they did?
As for George- he was the best thing to happen to Much and could have been the best thing to happen to CBC. But I don't find The Hour even remotely on par with his obvious potential. If they're going the 'late-night; route...I think you're right on target- they need more writers. And possibly a new format. The topic matter, no matter how important, doesn't ever seem to live up or with the style of the show.
I just hope they get it right. I really do- George is so clearly passionate and skilled that he could very well be something that bolsters the late night CBC audience.
Cheers
James
I love strombo.
He's everything you said he is.
fuck the writers, I wouldn't mind him just shooting the shit on tv for awhile just talking about whatever he wants to talk about cause he's that informed and intelligent to do it.
Just like Jon stuart or Colbert, I mean sure having 20 writers help but i don't believe it's truely necessary
Yeah, but I believe Denis mentioned it already- Colbert and Stewart have many writers. Yes, thier comedic timing is beautiful, and they're both quick witted...but they are allowed so much more freedom because of the writers getting in, doing thier job and then letting the host do what they are there to do. It'd be nice to see Strom bo get that too...
One point that has not been decided yet is, will the show be Mon. thru Thur. or include Fridays.
You got me all excited thinking it's going to be on all week. But I double checked. I just wanted to let you know.
They are calling the new format of The Hour
"factual entertainment." As an alternative to calling it a talk show...
What does that mean to you?
Not much.
It means that the CBC, like all quasi-governmental bureaucratically driven organizations, loves buzzwords. In this case "Factual Entertainment." They've created a new Vice President position and department so that they can develop their own infotainment, game, and reality shows. I guess it means that George's show passes out of the responsibility of current affairs and into the hands of a new CBC keeper.
So what does that mean? Dunno. You tel me.
I guess blogger doesn't receive PINGs from outside of Blogger's network?
Anyway, I used some of your post in my post. Hope ya don't mind.
http://theendofdave.com/?p=416
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