CHANNEL CANADA :: CTV Reveals Summer Schedule

CTV Reveals Summer Schedule
Posted on Thursday, May 08, 2008 - 07:38 AM
CTV revealed a summer schedule today starring this summer's most buzzed-about new series, High School Musical: Summer Session. The competitive reality series joins a sizzling summer schedule jam-packed with 15 new or returning series, adding up to more than 175 hours of fresh, new content to be seen seven nights a week on CTV. The schedule officially kicks off on Thursday, May 22 with the return of summertime favourite So You Think You Can Dance. Anchoring it all is summer's most-watched series, Canadian Idol, which returns for its sixth unprecedented season on Tuesday, June 3. Ben Mulroney, Host of Canadian Idol Additional highlights include: * the world network premiere of the critically acclaimed drama Mad Men * the return of big buzz hit Gossip Girl, the CTV premiere of MTV monster hit The Hills and the series premiere of hot college drama Greek * the resurrection of a game show classic with Million Dollar Password - starring Regis Philbin - along with the return of mid-season hit The Moment of Truth * the series premiere of the new CTV/CBS Canadian drama Flashpoint - along with new seasons of Canadian series Instant Star, Comedy Now! and Comedy Inc. * all-new episodes of Without a Trace and Law & Order: Criminal Intent "Mass appeal reality, hot summer drama, fresh family series, Saturday night comedy and hit game shows - there's something for all viewers," said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. "It's a schedule that picks up on the momentum of our strong Spring and builds the groundwork for a solid Fall." The announcement comes as CTV continues to chart nine of the Top 10 programs on Canadian television this Spring - not only among total viewers, but among A25-54 and A18-49 as well. Heading into Summer, CTV's average primetime audience this Spring (1.333 million) continues to distance itself from the competition, up 74% versus CBC (767,600) and more than double that of Global (+122%; 600,700) among total viewers.* Disney's High School Musical has become an unprecedented international phenomenon since it premiered in 2006, breaking audience records in both the United States and Canada, and delivering hundreds of millions of viewers in 24 languages around the world. Last summer's High School Musical 2 attracted more than 17 million viewers in the United States to become the most-watched basic cable telecast in history, and the most-watched TV broadcast period in more than three months. In Canada, the movie drew more than one million viewers, making it one of the highest-rated specialty broadcasts in five years. Both movies spawned stage productions at schools and in professional theatres around the world, multi-platinum CDs (over seven million units sold), DVDs and books, a successful consumer products franchise at mass retailers, themed shows at Disney Parks in Anaheim, Orlando and Paris, a sold-out 42-date arena concert tour in North America and Latin America and a popular touring ice show around the world. Now, High School Musical: Summer Session will capture the spirit of the monster hit movies in a new television series as a cast of unknown musical theatre performers seek to step into the spotlight and capture the top prize. SCHEDULE CTV's Summer Schedule unfolds as follows (for complete series descriptions and timeslots, see "Addendum" below): Sundays * Instant Star NEW * The Hills NEW * Million Dollar Password NEW * High School Musical: Summer Session NEW * Mad Men NEW Mondays * High School Musical: Summer Session NEW * Canadian Idol NEW * CSI Miami Tuesdays * The Moment of Truth NEW * Canadian Idol NEW * Criminal Minds * Law & Order: SVU Wednesdays * So You Think You Can Dance NEW * CSI: New York Thursdays * CSI * So You Think You Can Dance NEW * Law & Order: Criminal Intent NEW Fridays * Ghost Whisperer * Gossip Girl NEW * Greek NEW * Without a Trace NEW * Flashpoint NEW Saturdays * Comedy Now! NEW * Comedy Inc. NEW ADDENDUM New and returning summer series unfold chronologically as follows (all times ET; visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times): So You Think You Can Dance (Season Premiere) * Wednesdays and Thursdays beginning Thursday, May 22 With an all-Canadian version of the hit international franchise poised to premiere this fall, two-time Emmy Award winner So You Think You Can Dance returns to CTV for its fourth season. One of summer's most-watched programs, So You Think You Can Dance averaged 1.25 million viewers on CTV in 2007. Host Cat Deeley and judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy return, along with many renowned choreographers filling in as guest judges. The Moment of Truth (Part 2 Premiere) * Tuesdays at 8 p.m. beginning May 27 * 7 x :60 The Moment of Truth puts participants to the test - the lie detector test - to reveal whether or not they are telling the truth for a chance to win half a million dollars. The challenge is simple - answer 21 increasingly personal questions honestly, as determined by a polygraph, and win up to $500,000. This is the only game show where participants know both the questions and the answers before they begin to play. The touchier questions can be especially shocking because participants reveal their answers in front of spouses, relatives and friends hanging on every word. Gossip Girl (Season 1, Part 2 Premiere) * Fridays at 9 p.m. beginning May 30 * 5 x :60 leading up to the CTV series premiere of Greek in same timeslot * Episodes also available on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca After mending her relationship with Blair (Leighton Meester) and getting serious with Dan (Penn Badgley), it seemed as though Serena had turned over a new leaf. But when her former partner in all things bad, Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) returns, Serena's past comes back to haunt her. With Georgina back in town will Serena be able to keep up her good girl act? Without a Trace (Season 6, Part 2 Premiere) * Fridays at 10 p.m. beginning May 30 * 6 x :60 leading up to the series premiere of Flashpoint in same timeslot This season, the New York-based FBI Missing Persons Squad - Anthony LaPaglia (Jack), Poppy Montgomery <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppy_Montgomery> (Sam), Marianne Jean-Baptiste <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_Jean-Baptiste> (Viv), Enrique Murciano (Danny), Roselyn Sanchez (Elena), Eric Close (Martin) - continue to delve into the lives of the missing to help determine their whereabouts, including a lottery winner who disappears after winning millions and a man who vanishes after waking from a three-year coma. NEW The Hills (Season 3.5, CTV Premiere) * Premieres June 1 at 7 p.m. * Sundays at 7:30 p.m. beginning June 8 following Instant Star * 10 episodes leading into the Season 4 premiere this August on MTV * Episodes also available on demand on the MTV Video Player at MTV.ca * 1 x :60; 9 x :30 MTV's #1 series makes its worldwide conventional network debut on CTV. In the special, one-hour season premiere, Lauren and Whitney take a glamorous "working" trip to Paris for Teen Vogue at the Crillon Ball, an international gala for debutantes. The saga continues back in Los Angeles as the cameras reveal all the latest antics, including Heidi and Spencer's tumultuous relationship. While in Paris, Lauren learns that Brody has found a new girlfriend, and seeks solace in the arms of a charming French man. NEW Million Dollar Password (Series Premiere) * Sundays at 8 p.m. beginning June 1 * 6 x :60 Hosted by Regis Philbin, Million Dollar Password is a modern update of one of television's greatest game shows. But the classic game is getting an update - with big celebrities, big money and big stakes. Contestants team up with some of the hottest stars, including Rosie O'Donnell, Betty White, Rachael Ray and Neil Patrick Harris, to earn up to $1 million. One player from the team is told secret passwords and can use only one-word clues to get the teammate to guess them. If the player and the celebrity can work together, they could uncover the Million Dollar Password. Canadian Idol (Season Premiere) * Premieres Tuesday, June 3 with first Audition Episode * Continues Monday, June 9 and Tuesday, June 10 with additional Audition Episodes * Top 200 episodes air Monday, June 16 and Tuesday, June 17 * Top 22 episodes air Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning June 23 * Top 10 episodes air Mondays and Tuesdays beginning July 14 Canada's most-watched original series returns for its sixth season, kicking off with two weeks of audition shows featuring some of the thousands of competitors who auditioned in 10 cities across Canada. For the first time in North America and only the second time in the world, Canadian Idol Online Auditions were held, casting the net even wider and resulting in an 11th virtual city stop. In Week 3, two back-to-back "Top 200" episodes lead to the reveal of the Top 22, followed by the start of live performance and results episodes in Week 4. Back for Season 6 is host Ben Mulroney who, along with judges Farley Flex, Jake Gold, Sass Jordan and Zack Werner, welcome a fresh new voice to the Canadian Idol cast, JUNO Award-winner Jully Black. Instant Star (Season Premiere) * Sundays at 7 p.m. beginning June 8 leading into The Hills * Episodes also available on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca * 13 x :30 In the fourth season of CTV's original drama series Instant Star, Jude's on her way to being an adult and will be facing adult-sized problems. Fortunately for her, Jude has Tommy Q by her side, but being in a serious relationship with your record producer sure comes with its own set of pitfalls. This year Jude has earned the freedom to be her own girl - woman that is. Jude's biggest challenge will be discovering who she is, and what her real music is, while the rock and roll world takes her on a wild ride. NEW Mad Men (Series Premiere) * Sundays at 10 p.m. beginning June 8 on CTV * Wednesdays at 9 p.m. beginning June 11 on Bravo! * 13 x :60 Set in 1960 on New York City's Madison Avenue, Mad Men is a provocative new series about the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of advertising in the Big Apple. The series depicts the sexual exploits and social mores of this most innovative yet merciless profession, while taking an unflinching look at the ad men (self-described "Mad Men") who shaped the hopes and dreams of Americans on a daily basis. The drama unfolds around Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm, who plays Don Draper, one of the biggest ad men in the business. As he calls the shots in the boardroom - and the bedroom - Don struggles to stay a step ahead of the rapidly-changing society and the young executives nipping at his heels. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Season 7, Part 2 Premiere) * Thursdays at 10 p.m. beginning June 12 * 11 x :60 Law & Order: Criminal Intent takes viewers into the minds of criminals, and traces the psychological steps the Major Case Squad - Detectives Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio), Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe), Mike Logan (Chris Noth) and Megan Wheeler (Julianne Nicholson) - use to solve the crimes. Highlights of storylines explored this season include Logan investigating the murder of three college freshmen, and Goren and Eames delving into the death of a writer and whether her torture has ties to the neighbourhood she came from. Comedy Now! (Season Premiere) * Saturdays at 10 p.m. beginning June 14 on CTV * Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT beginning June 15 on The Comedy Network * 13 x :30 Set to kick-off its eleventh season, Comedy Now! has featured more than 100 comics over the years and won numerous accolades, including several international awards and multiple Geminis. The all-Canadian, uncensored stand-up series has helped pave the way for numerous Canadian writer/comedians including Brent Butt, Jeremy Hotz, Roman Danylo, Nikki Payne, Shaun Majumder, Seán Cullen, Gavin Crawford, Brigitte Gall and Elvira Kurt. This season's line-up of all-Canadian laughs features comics Big Daddy Tazz, Johnny Gardhouse, Terry McGurrin, Peter Anthony, Rob Pue, Ron Sparks, Jon Steinberg, Phil Hanley, Kevin Foxx, Casey Corbin, Jenn Grant, Sean Proudlove, Paul Myrehaug, Dean Jenkinson and Sean Lecomber. Comedy Inc. (Season Premiere) * Saturdays at 10:30 p.m. (Premier date TBA) * Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT (Premiere date TBA) on The Comedy Network * 13 x :30 CTV's original comedy series Comedy Inc. returns for a fifth season of edgy sketch, social/political satire and uninhibited physical comedy. The ensemble cast stars "comic's comic" Roman Danylo (Comedy Now!) and co-stars Second City alumni Jen Goodhue (Comedy Now!), comedians Terry McGurrin (Gutter Ball Alley), Jenn Robertson (To Die For), Winston Spear (Comedy Now!), Gavin Stephens (Comedy Now!), Albert Howell (Improv Heaven and Hell) and Ian Sirota (Gutter Ball Alley). NEW Greek (CTV Premiere) * Fridays at 9 p.m. beginning July 4 * 10 x :60 Rusty (Jacob Zachar) is determined to make his college experience ay Cyprus-Rhodes University more exciting than his high school years, which he spent with his head buried in the books. His answer: No more geek, he's going Greek! However Rusty faces one small obstacle ... his sister, Casey (Spencer Grammer). She is already ensconced as a sorority siren and not too keen on having her younger brother steal the spotlight. What will happen when these two worlds collide? Greek stars Jacob Zachar as Rusty, Spencer Grammer as Casey, Scott Michael Foster as Cappie, Jake McDorman as Evan, Clark Duke as Dale, Dilshad Vadsaria as Rebecca, Paul James as Calvin, Amber Stevens as Ashleigh and Tiffany DuPont as Frannie. NEW Flashpoint (Series Premiere) * Fridays at 10 p.m. beginning July 11 * 13 x :60 Starring Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars), Hugh Dillon (Durham County), Amy Jo Johnson (Felicity) and Whistler's David Paetkau, Flashpoint is an emotional journey into the tough, risk-filled lives of a group of cops in the Strategic Response Unit (inspired by Toronto's Emergency Task Force). They're unique cops that can do what ordinary police officers can't: rescue hostages, bust gangs, defuse bombs, climb the sides of buildings and talk down suicidal teens. Members of a highly-skilled tactical team, they're also trained in negotiating, profiling and getting inside the suspect's head at the very emotional breaking point (the "flashpoint") that triggered the crisis. They'll do whatever it takes to diffuse the situation to try to save lives - all in a day's work. Flashpoint is by Pink Sky Entertainment and Avamar Entertainment in association with CTV and CBS Paramount Network Television. NEW High School Musical: Summer Session (Series Premiere) * Sundays and Mondays beginning July 20 * Mondays only at 8 p.m. beginning August 11 * 10 x :60 High School Musical: Summer Session is a multi-episode competition reality series that is in the midst of unique nationwide casting sessions across the United States. With plenty of surprises from the international phenomenon, this much-anticipated series brings the incredibly successful High School Musical experience to life. The casting scouts have welcomed anyone and everyone ages 16-22 who has dreamed of being centre stage - the high school quarterback who's never tried out for a play but has a song in his heart, the drama club extrovert looking to break into the big time, someone looking to trade the chess club routine for a dance routine - all are invited to "Get'cha head in the game," as the hit song says! The finalists will ultimately participate in a summer music program to hone their skills. After eliminations, the winner will be given the opportunity of a lifetime, but details of the grand prize are still under wraps. Hosts and judges will be announced at a later date.
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