In my ongoing quest to prove that I really don't have it in for CBC, I'm pleased to report an area where they're doing well: the Tuesday night comedy block of the Rick Mercer Report and This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Ratings for the recent edition of Mercer, when he visited the Prime Minister of Canada at home, got close to that magic million mark. 22's numbers are up this season, too, and creatively, both shows seem to be on an upswing.
I think it's great that they finally stopped running away from the obvious and put the shows together in a viewing block. There was a lof of grumbling and hard feelings when Mercer took his rants from 22 over to his own show -- but the two shows have very nicely staked out different territories. Mercer's emphasis on experiencing Canada and getting out there each week makes his show both more personality-driven, and looser than 22, which still retains its heavy-news flavored cant.
They're both enjoyable viewing, and worth your while. Mercer's website is here. 22's is here.
EDIT: if you go to the 22 site, whatever you do, make sure to watch the TOO HOT FOR TV sketch. Funnn--eeee.
3 comments:
Your article link didn't work for me but it's here too.
The sleepover with Harper was hysterical ... Ralph Klein is suprisingly boring when he's not drinking, though.
The stuff at 24 Sussex really funny stuff. This may be urban myth, but someone told me they had no intentions of actually sleeping over and it was Harper who suggested it. Can anyone confirm or deny?
Both of these shows are shining examples of what the CBC is really good at. I am liking Intelligence more and more each week, too. And my guilty pleasure is The Dragon's Den. Ok, it's a format and they block shot it, but still good tv and in the general milieu of what I look for the CBC to be.
Diane, I know many people that could be said of re: the boring/drinking comment.
I agree with Caroline on Dragon's Den. It's really growing on me. Also her suggestion in another blog to switch up the wardrobe makes a ton of sense.
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