CHUM Television today announced highlights from its 2007-2008 programming schedule. Premiering on CHUM this fall are the comedic spy thriller Chuck (NBC simulcast), the dramatic comedy Reaper from the CW Network, sci-fi thriller Kyle XY, Russell Crowe’s reality series South Side Story and This is David Gest, a reality series following the ex-husband of Liza Minnelli.
Highlights from CHUM’s slate of Canadian programming include the highly anticipated police drama The Bridge (working title), the quirky drama Less Than Kind, outerspace saga Grand Star, and Murdoch Mysteries,(based on the hugely-successful Detective Murdoch Mysteries MOWs) starring Yannick Bisson. Also premiering this year is the edgy drama Terminal City starring Maria del Mar and Gil Bellows, along with Blood Ties based on the Tanya Huff novels and Across the River to Motor City, a six-episode mystery series spanning two eras, two countries and two unforgettable characters. These programs are produced in association with CHUM Television.
“With so many returning successes from last season, CHUM didn’t have many scheduling holes to fill this year,” said Roma Khanna, Senior Vice President, Content and Co-Head, CHUM Television. “Our goal for the new year is to balance our new shows and returning acquired hits with new and critically-acclaimed homegrown programming, which creates a fresh, new television schedule. CHUM will also continue to grow and enhance our position as an industry leader in interactivity by bringing more innovative and exciting ways to engage and connect with our audiences across multiple platforms.”
“Our fall schedule combines impressive new titles with proven hits like Ugly Betty and Men In Trees with first-rate new Canadian productions,” said Ellen Baine, Vice President, Programming, CHUM Television. “We’re delighted to have renewed the shows that resonated so well with our viewers and to have acquired new programming that is a great fit with our strong brands.”
Returning series include: Ugly Betty, Men in Trees, America’s Next Top Model, Everybody Hates Chris, Supernatural, Smallville, Supernanny, Battlestar Galactica, Monk, The Bachelor, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Entourage, Access Hollywood, The Ellen Degeneres Show, Rachael Ray, Jimmy Kimmel, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and The Tonight Show.
The 2007-2008 season will also see new and original CHUM shows following in the footsteps of MuchMusic VJ Search: The Series and Canada’s Next Top Model.
PROGRAMMING SYNOPSES
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NEW ACQUIRED PROGRAMMING:
CHUCK – Citytv/SPACE
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This one-hour, comedic spy thriller focuses on Chuck Bartowski, a typical computer geek until he gets catapulted into a new career as the government’s most vital secret agent. Starring Zachary Levi (Less Than Perfect), Adam Baldwin, (My Bodyguard), Yvonne Strzechowski (Gone), Sarah Lancaster (What About Brian?) and Joshua Gomez (Without a Trace). From Executive Producer
Josh Schwartz (The O.C.) and Executive Producer-Director McG (Charlie’s Angels, We Are Marshall). Simulcast with NBC.
KYLE XY – A-Channels/SPACE
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A teenage boy is found wandering alone. He has no name. He has no past. As innocent as a newborn, he doesn’t speak and he seems to look at the world as if for the first time. There is so much Kyle doesn’t know, and yet he demonstrates amazing abilities no one can explain. His talents however are just the tip of the mystery and the questions are just starting to grow.
Starring Matt Dallas as Kyle, April Matson as Lori Trager, Bruce Thomas as Stephen Trager, Chris Olivero, (Boston Legal, Navy NCIS) as Declan, Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Josh Trager, Kristen Prout (The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess) as Amanda, Marguerute McIntyre (The Shield, The Days) as Nicole Trager and Nicholas Lea (CSI, Whistler) as Tom Foss.
REAPER – Citytv/SPACE
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This dramatic comedy from the CW Network is the story of Sam, who skipped college, took a dead-end job and now wastes endless hours playing video games and wishing he had the guts to ask out his pretty co-worker, Andi. But everything in his slacker world changes the day Sam turns 21 and discovers his parents sold his soul to the devil before he was born. He must now serve as Satan’s bounty hunter, tracking down evil souls that have escaped and returning them to Hell. Along with his friends and his vessel of the week, Sam prepares to face his destiny as the “Reaper”. Starring Bret Harrison (The Loop, Grounded for Life) as Sam, Allison Hossack (Falcon Beach) and Andrew Airlie (The L Word) as Sam’s parents, Kyle Switzer (15/Love) as Keith, Nikki Reed (Thirteen, The O.C.) as Andi, Ray Wise (24, The Closer) as Satan, Tyler Labine (Boston Legal, Invasion) as Bert, Rick Gonzalez (Coach Carter) as Ben and Valarie Rae Miller (Dark Angel) as Josie. Kevin Smith (Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) acts as an Executive Producer and also directed the pilot.
SOUTH SIDE STORY – Star!
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What celebrity superstar would buy a sports team of guys who like to get all bloody and knock the living snot – and sometimes teeth – out of each other? Why, Russell Crowe of course! Watch as this tireless supporter of the South Sydney Rabbitohs – one of Australia’s premiere rugby teams – tries to revive this once grand but now failing franchise. This six-part reality series follows Crowe as he attempts to bring the team back to their former glory, making the games family-friendly in the process and leaving many to wonder whether this Hollywood tough guy might’ve have taken a few too many Cinderella Man-style blows of his own.
THIS IS DAVID GEST – Star!
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American celebrity and soon to be ex-husband of Liza Minnelli, David Gest, stars in his own fly-on-the-wall series, granting exclusivebehind-the-scenes access to the music producer’s life. Does he really have a maid called Vaginica Ceaman? Do his mother and father really have one leg each? All these answers and more will be revealed as the cameras follow David around the clock as he embraces his exciting new life post-Liza, battles with the camera crew and makes a number of life-changing decisions.
THIS IS – Star!
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They leave you breathless with amazement and admiration. Now get a rare glimpse of what the greatest and most influential stars are really like. This Is digs deep to tell the true stories of the Hollywood A-List: from the first glimmer of stardom to their biggest breakthroughs, break-ups and breakdowns. Tune in to This Is for the inside story on the secrets, struggles and successes of the Hollywood elite.
THE O.C. (Season One) – MuchMusic
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Welcome to “The O.C.,” where the lives of a group of friends and families have forever been changed by the arrival of an outsider to their affluent oceanside community of Newport Beach in Orange County, California. Stars Peter Gallagher, Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, Rachel Bilson, Kelly Rowan and Benjamin McKenzie.
MISSION: MAN BAND – MuchMoreMusic
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For half a decade, boy bands ruled the airwaves, maintaining a strange hold on their bustling, female audience. And just as quickly, they faded from the spotlight. Now all grown up, VH1 has decided to bring these teenage heartthrobs together in this new reality series. Living together under one roof, four boy-band legends – Bryan Abrams (Color Me Badd), Rich Cronin (LFO), Chris Kirkpatrick (*NSYNC) and Jeff Timmons (98 Degrees) – will be challenged to create new music and a dynamic stage show, and then perform as a new pop group – all of which begs the question, “Can lightening strike twice?”
LIVE FROM ABBEY ROAD – MuchMoreMusic
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This performance series has redefined and revolutionized music television. The most renowned recording studio in the world invites viewers through its famous doors to meet a host of A-list music makers. In each episode, one iconic band, one top singer/songwriter and one contemporary act showcase their talent. Acts include Grammy(R)-winning artists Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Mayer and Gnarls Barkley as well as LeAnn Rimes, Paul Simon and Corinne Bailey Ray.
KOMBAT OPERA PRESENTS – Bravo!
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This innovative series of contemporary musical comedies from Richard Thomas, the creator of the multi-award-winning hit musical Jerry Springer – The Opera, showcases 30-minute operatic interpretations of major television shows including The Apprentice and Wife Swap.
NEW CANADIAN PROGRAMMING:
THE TOTALLY UNTRUE STORY OF … – MuchMusic
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Do you remember the time Jessica Simpson rescued a family of four from a burning building? Or how about when Eminem finished second in the NBA slam dunk contest? Or Hilary Duff delivering a set of quadruplets in the back seat of a taxi? Of course not, because those things never actually happened, except on MuchMusic’s new mockumentary series The Totally Untrue Story Of… Weaving together archival footage, phony testimonials, out-of-context interview clips and expertly doctored images into a tapestry of hilarity, The Totally Untrue Story Of …is a half-hour satire show that traces a completely false career trajectory of an artist, band or musical movement.
STARS GONE WILD – MuchMusic
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Driving under the influence. Throwing public hissy fits. Heroin possession. Wearing no underwear to show off your freshly shaven crotch. Pill popping. Selling sex for profit. Mandatory rehab. Jail time. Sound like the behaviour of a common criminal or an attention-starved sociopath? Absolutely. But these common criminals and sociopaths are also Hollywood stars and infamous rich kids with bloated egos the size of their bloated paycheques. The series Stars Gone Wild takes an irreverent, comedic look at all the ridiculous celebs that live in a fantasy land where reality and accountability have become very dirty words.
TIP OF MY TONGUE – MuchMoreMusic
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Think you know Tom Cruise’s weirdest meal ever? How about which rock star snorted a line of ants? MuchMoreMusic’s Tip of My Tongue is the quiz show that tests only the most useless knowledge you’ve picked up from hours of listening to music, watching TV, reading tabloids and talking trash with your friends. The show combines Pop-Up Video trivia with NTN-style bar game interaction. So put on your pop-culture thinking cap, sit back and prepare to put your knowledge to the test with Tip of My Tongue.
POPAGANDA – MuchMoreMusic
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This series offers an in-depth look at the controversial and compelling stories of entertainment and music. In each themed one-hour episode, we dive into subjects that are rarely explored, but are certain to pique the interest of viewers – from the influence of religion to the increasingly important role of public-relations reps. Revealing, fresh and fascinating, Popaganda goes deep inside the world of celebrity.
AWESOME 80s – Star!
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Were the 80s awesome? We think so and we’ve got the show to prove it! The80s had it all – music that rocked, movies that kicked, and fashion
that…well it felt right at the time. Awesome 80s features all-new interviews
with icons from the era and industry experts who can shed some light on the
events that shaped the famous decade. Re-live the good times, scrunchies and
all, because if it happened in the 80s, it was awesome man! A Star! Original
Production
MAKE ME A STAR – Star!
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A new weekly half-hour reality series, follows the life of Sean Gehon as he desperately seeks stardom. From stand-up comic to runway model, from pop star to rehab, there’s nothing Sean won’t try in order to become a star. A Star! Original Production
BATTLE OF THE STARS – Star!
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Pitting celebrities against each other, a panel of in-studio judges determine which celebrity will reign after they’re heavily critiqued on their career hits & misses; as well as, their relationship & fashion choices. Let the battle begin! A Star! Original Production
BLOOD TIES – Citytv/SPACE
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Blood Ties follows the misadventures of Vicki Nelson, a feisty, attractive, 29-year old ex-cop turned private investigator with a degenerative eye disorder, who seems destined to sit on the sidelines until fate intervenes, turning her life upside down. After witnessing a terrifying murder, she finds herself on a collision course with a stranger who is also investigating the murder. He is Henry Fitzroy, a 450-year old vampire who just happens to be the bastard son of King Henry VIII. After solving the murder, Vicki finds her forays into supernatural crime are anything but over. Week after week, Vicki’s relationship with Henry draws her into baffling cases
involving a terrifying pantheon of occult adversaries. Forget fraud investigations and cheating spouses – she’s squaring off against ghosts, goblins and ghouls. Vicki and Henry’s unlikely alliance soon progresses beyond a purely professional arrangement, complicating her relationship with her long-suffering ex-partner in policing and love, Detective Mike Celluci and pretty well everything else in her life. Starring Christina Cox as Vicki Nelson, Dylan Neal (Dawson’s Creek) as Mike Celluci and Kyle Schmid (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) as Henry Fitzroy.
TERMINAL CITY – Citytv
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This Gemini-nominated 10-part series looks at the modern family through twin lenses of cancer and reality television. The series seeks to uncover the truth about ourselves, emotionally and sexually, as we confront fear with comedy, adulation with loss, and life with death. Stars Maria del Mar, Gil Bellows, Katie Boland, Adam Butcher and Paul Soles who received a 2006 Gemini Award for his role. Produced by Crescent Entertainment. Executive Producers are Harold Tichenor and Jayme Pfahl.
ACROSS THE RIVER TO MOTOR CITY – Citytv
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Across the River to Motor City is a mystery series spanning two eras, two countries and two unforgettable characters. As an insurance investigator in 1960s Windsor and Detroit, Ben Ford weathered the storms of those tumultuous years. Four decades later, a long-buried tragedy leads his daughter Kathleen to unravel the secrets and lies at the heart of her troubled relationship with her father – secrets Ben will risk everything to keep. Stars Sasha Roiz, David Fox, Anne Openshaw, Joe Pingue, Howard Jerome, Matthew Deslippe and Raven Dauda. Executive Producers are Robert Wertheimer, Richard Mozer and David Devine and is a joint production by Devine Entertainment Inc. and Jonsworth Productions Inc.
MURDOCH MYSTERIES – Citytv/Bravo!
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Murdoch Mysteries builds on the success of the highly-rated Detective Murdoch Mysteries made-for-television movies adapted from Maureen Jennings’ best-selling mystery novels. The series, set in 1895 Toronto, combines compelling Victorian tales of murder with the fast-paced, visually-intriguing styles of today’s leading crime series. Stars Yannick Bisson and Helene Joy. Produced by Shaftesbury Films Inc. Executive Producer is Christina Jennings.
GRAND STAR – SPACE/A-Channel
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What if the universe’s grandest star didn’t exist? Towards the end of the 21st century, nuclear waste stored on the moon explodes and the Earth falls into a new Ice Age and the name, the function and the very existence of the Sun has been forgotten. The few hundred people that survived the disaster succeed in preserving the species, but quickly destroy democracy, civilization and liberty. Those with dictatorial control over all the other inhabitants know about the past and that the sun still exists – but they keep it a secret because that fact would bring their downfall. Grand Star is based on the saga by French novelist Georges J. Arnaud and produced in association with CHUM Television.
THE BRIDGE (WORKING TITLE)
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This one hour dramatic cop series in the vein of The Wire and Rescue Me, is set in Toronto and exceeds the speed limit while following politics, law and gang enforcement. Set in a fictious police division, The Bridge spans two disparate worlds, one of affluence and one and one of abject poverty, a combination of high stakes theft and murder to muggings in a world where the victim’s rap sheets run longer than the perps. Produced by Barna-Alper Productions (Da Vinci’s Inquest, Blue Murder) 990 Productions and Jonsworth Productions.
LESS THAN KIND
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A delayed Bar Mitzvah epiphany reveals to Sheldon that his life sucks. He’s overweight, with a self-destructive driving instructor father, a pyromaniac mother, and a failed egotistical actor brother. The family driving school business is on its way down the toilet AND he lives in Winnipeg. Less than Kind is a dysfunctional family half hour comedy that follows Sheldon as he tries to maneuver through the maze of teenage angst and unrequited love all the while being too awkward and too smart to possibly be related to his family. As Sheldon struggles with his family, and his family struggles to keep the business running, cars crash, hearts break, blood pressure boils, buildings burn down and corned beef is eaten. Less Than Kind is produced by Breakthrough Entertainment and Buffalo Gal Pictures.
THE FIDDLE AND THE DRUM – Bravo!
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Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell collaborated with Alberta Ballet’s artistic director Jean Grand-Maitre to create The Fiddle and the Drum, a ballet set to her music and performed before projections of her artwork. This one-hour dance, music and visual art performance special, produced by Joe Media Group in association with Bravo!, is a reflection of Mitchell’s life-long concerns about environmental neglect and the warring nature of mankind.
CHRISTOPHER HOUSE: AHEAD OF THE CURVE – Bravo!
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A one-hour documentary about Christopher House, one of Canada’s beloved modern dance maestros and the artistic director of the popular and internationally acclaimed Toronto Dance Theatre. This intimate exploration of the art of choreography reveals the detailed processes House brings to his work, and is a story of an artist and his enduring search for knowledge and inspiration. A film by Rosemary House, Christopher’s sister, in association with Bravo!
PEGGY AND PEN: THE LIFE AND LITERATURE OF MARGARET ATWOOD – Bravo!
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This one-hour documentary profiles Canadian author Margaret Atwood and her invention, the LongPen, the world’s first long distance, real-time, real pen and ink autographing device operated over the Internet. Produced by Joel Gordon in association with Bravo!
RETURNING PROGRAMMING INCLUDES:
AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
BEAUTY AND THE GEEK
ENTOURAGE
EUREKA
EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS
GIRLS NEXT DOOR
HYPASPACE WEEKLY
INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE
LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN
LIVE AT THE REHEARSAL HALL
MONK
PUSSYCAT DOLLS: SEARCH FOR THE NEXT DOLL
SMALLVILLE
STAR! DAILY
STARGATE ATLANTIS
SUPERNANNY
SUPERNATURAL
THE BACHELOR
THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW
THE 4400
THE SPACEYS
TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO
WORLD POKER TOUR
CELEBRITY POKER