CBC Gem launches a spring slate of new original short-form series from distinct creative voices including nature comedy FRICK, I LOVE NATURE (Mar 25), hosted by comedian Gordie Lucius; romantic drama HELLO (AGAIN) (Mar 25) from Nathalie Younglai and Simu Liu; dramedy HOMESCHOOLED (Mar 25) from Karen Knox and Gwenlyn Cumyn; satirical comedy REVENGE OF THE BLACK BEST FRIEND (Mar 31) from Amanda Parris; and musical drama TOPLINE (Mar 31) from Romeo Candido.
New CBC Gem original lifestyle series premiering in March include THE BIG SEX TALK (Mar 18) exploring Canada’s sexual and gender diversity, REAL BLACKITY TALK (Mar 18) hosted by Burundian-Canadian sisters Aiza and Kamana Ntibarikure; and RAUFIKAT’S BETTER BAKE ALONG (Mar 25) hosted by The Great Canadian Baking Show Season 4 winner, Raufikat Oyawoye-Salami
Returning CBC Gem original series include the third season of tween adventure DETENTION ADVENTURE (Mar 11), the second season of the award-winning drama SOMETHING UNDONE (March 25), and season two of THE NEW WAVE OF STANDUP (Mar 29), which features rising Canadian comics with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints.
The Canadian drama FRAGILE (Mar 11) tells the story of two men from diametrically opposite families whose mysterious deaths expose jealously guarded secrets, dangerous liaisons, and hidden agendas.
New acclaimed international series include BAFTA-winning comedy ALMA’S NOT NORMAL (Mar 3), comedian Sophie Willan’s semi-autobiographical sitcom about a working class woman
dreaming big in a small town; SPREADSHEET (Mar 1), an Australian Sex and the City-style comedy about a divorced mother-of-two looking for sex without commitment; and season two of LADHOOD (Mar 25), a coming-of-age sitcom from award-winning writer Liam Williams that delves into his past to help understand the man he’s become.
A collection celebrating International Women’s Day, with titles including BANGLA SURF GIRLS (Mar 1), THE CHANGEMAKERS (Mar 1), THE LITTLE QUEEN (Mar 1) and LIFT LIKE A GIRL (Mar 2)
NEW CBC GEM ORIGINAL SERIES
- EVIL BY DESIGN: SURVIVING NYGARD (3×60, Blue Ant Media, 2022, Canada)
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere* on CBC TV and CBC Gem on Thursday, March 17
Uncovering the truth behind decades of alleged sexual assault in Canada, the United States and the Bahamas, the CBC Docs Original series, EVIL BY DESIGN: SURVIVING NYGARD, is the story of fashion mogul Peter Nygard, the women who survived his reign of terror, and the brave victims and former employees who are finally bringing him to justice. Reporters, private investigators, and the survivors themselves give us an unprecedented look at an international fashion empire, the stories of crimes that weren’t revealed for decades, and how it was all, finally, brought to light.
- HELLO (AGAIN) (9×10, YA Drama, 100 Dragons Media Inc., 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, March 25
HELLO (AGAIN) is created by Nathalie Younglai (Coroner) and Simu Liu (Kim’s Convenience). Sparks fly when an overworked line cook (Alex Mallari Jr, Dark Matter) almost crashes into a medical resident (Rong Fu, Zombies) at the park. Their clash turns into a whirlwind romance until things sour. As fate would have it, a mischievous little supernatural girl hurls the chef back in time for a second chance at love. Again and again and again.
- FRICK, I LOVE NATURE (8×15,YA Comedy, directed by Stephen Robinson, Zipline Productions, 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, March 25
Edmonton-based Filipino Canadian comedian Gordie Lucius (Rapid Fire Theater) goes on a grand adventure to learn everything he can about nature. In each episode, he’ll answer questions like: Why do geese keep attacking me? Where did life come from? Or, why are animal genitals so weird? Look out Attenborough, there’s a new kid in town.
- HOMESCHOOLED (10×15; YA Dramedy, Boss & Co and Portfolio Entertainment, 2021, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, March 25
Sixteen-year-old best friends Farzanah (Eman Ayaz, Ghostwriter) and Greta (Veronika Slowikowska, What We Do in the Shadows) are homeschooled students. When Farzanah decides to go to a “normal” high school and falls in with a new social circle, Greta begins work on a documentary that aims to debunk the myth that homeschooled kids are freaks, putting her lifelong bond with Farzanah to the test.
- REVENGE OF THE BLACK BEST FRIEND (6×10; Comedy, iThentic, 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Thursday, March 31
An episodic series created, co-written, and co-produced by Amanda Parris that follows Dr. Toni Shakur (Olunike Adeliyi, The Porter), a self-help guru whose singular mission is to cancel the entertainment industry’s reliance on token Black characters….before she gets cancelled herself.
- TOPLINE (10×15, YA Drama, Shaftesbury, 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Thursday, March 31
TOPLINE is created by Romeo Candido (Prison Dancer) and follows 16-year-old Tala (Cyrena Fiel), a reclusive singer/songwriter with an online alter ego: 18-year-old ‘Celestine.’ When she is discovered after one of her songs (as Celestine) goes viral, Tala is invited to join a world-renowned music production team that creates hits for superstars and is faced with presenting as either Celestine, the person she wishes she could be, or as herself. In the process, she just might learn how to find her own voice as well.
- THE BIG SEX TALK (6×22, Documentary, Noble Television, 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, March 18
THE BIG SEX TALK places its finger firmly on the pulse of Canada’s sexual and gender diversity. Led by certified sex educator, Shan Boodram—with help from experts, culture vultures, and everyday Canadians—the series unpacks our notions of sexuality, explains new vernacular, and debunks all the myths surrounding sex. From sex robots to gender fluidity, polyamory to good ol’ fashioned monogamy and beyond, this original series isn’t afraid to put a human face on the things that get us all hot and bothered.
- REAL BLACKITY TALK (5×12, Lifestyle, Balling Y’all Productions Inc., 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, March 18
Each episode of REAL BLACKITY TALK unpacks a different aspect of the modern human experience – from people’s relationships with their bodies and the ways people use social media to express themselves to how they engage with their communities and cultural heritage. While the topics are universal, the lens through which they’re examined is uniquely Black. Wildly charismatic and flawlessly bilingual Burundian-Canadian sisters Aiza and Kamana Ntibarikure host the series and are accompanied by a dazzling team of correspondents – their Blaxperts – who provide valuable insight, a diverse range of viewpoints and delectable banter.
- UYTAE LEE’S STORIES ABOUT HERE (8×10, Current Affairs, CBC Creator Network, 2022)
Begins streaming Friday, March 25
Uytae Lee digs into the challenging issues of day to day life in cities across Canada, from an urban planning perspective. How can we do better? Why do public bathrooms suck? Why do cities need ugly industrial land when they also need nice affordable housing? Why are so many bus signs useless?
- RAUFIKAT’S BETTER BAKE ALONG (6×30, Lifestyle, Boat Rocker’s Proper Television, 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, March 25
Raufikat Oyawoye-Salami is a champion baker who can create confectionary delights with the simplest of ingredients. Alan Shane Lewis and Ann Pornel are comedians who barely know their torte from their tart. But that’s okay because Raufikat is going to teach them how to bake in this hilarious step-by-step bake along series. In each episode, Raufikat will bake a beautiful dessert while Ann and Alan will try their best to keep up and present a perfect replication of Raufikat’s dish. The friendly competition gets turned up a few degrees with a game to earn an advantage. And let’s face it, Ann and Alan need all the help they can get. When the flour settles, only one of them will have the Better Bake.
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RETURNING CBC GEM ORIGINAL SERIES
- DETENTION ADVENTURE SEASON 3 (Tween, 10×11, LoCo Motion Pictures/Broken Compass Films, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, March 11
The DETENTION ADVENTURE team – Raign (Simone Miller, Run The Burbs), Joy (Alina Prijono, Odd Squad), Hulk (Jack Fulton, Shadowhunters), and Brett (Tomaso Sanelli, Holly Hobbie) – are at it again, trying to uncover the secret hidden within Group of Seven member Lawren Harris’ painting. Their investigation is interrupted when they are sent to Island School, a dilapidated camp meant for top academic students to unplug and explore new interests among nature. However, the core four come to realize there is more to the island than just campfires and sing-a-longs, and it might just hold the answers they’re looking for. With the help of a charismatic new art school student, Dash (Danté Prince), the team investigates what Harris’ painting could mean through different art forms, while forming bonds with their new campmates. But does growing up mean growing apart?
- SOMETHING UNDONE SEASON 2 (6×10, Drama, 4AM Film Studios, 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Friday, March 25
After winning Best Digital Series at Series Mania 2021 and being an official selection for SXSW 2022, SOMETHING UNDONE returns for a much anticipated second season. Farid (Michael Musi, All My Puny Sorrows) finds himself in a dangerously unwelcoming Newfoundland, where he uncovers the mysterious cold case of the Chaffey murders while struggling to support his unraveling partner.
- THE NEW WAVE OF STANDUP SEASON 2 (14×10, Comedy, directed by Trish Neufield, 2021)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 29
Season 2 of THE NEW WAVE OF STANDUP features rising Canadian comics who bring their diverse backgrounds, viewpoints and unique comedy styles to the stage in 10-minute sets.
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ACCLAIMED INTERNATIONAL SERIES
- SPREADSHEET (8×30, Dramedy, Northern Pictures, 2021, Australia)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 1
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
SPREADSHEET follows Lauren (Katherine Parkinson, The IT Crowd), a divorced, hectic mother-of-two, who is looking for sex without commitment. With the help of best friend Alex (Rowan Witt, Escape Of the Artful Dodger), Lauren develops the “Spreadsheet”: a database of people customised to maintain her sex life with variety and order amidst her chaotic life.
- ALMA’S NOT NORMAL (6×30, Comedy, Expectation Entertainment, 2022, UK)
Begins streaming Thursday, March 3
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
Created, written by, starring and executive produced by Sophie Willan (The Circle), ALMA’S NOT NORMAL centers on Boltonian wild-child, Alma Nuthall (Willan) and her family of eccentric, unruly women. Offering a bitingly funny and unflinching take on class, sexuality, mental health and substance abuse, the story celebrates women dealing with the hands they’ve been dealt while doggedly pursuing their dreams.
- DRAMAWORLD SEASON 2 (10×22-33, Comedy, Third Culture Content, 2022, USA & South Korak)
Begins streaming Friday, March 4
Set in Los Angeles and Seoul, season 2 of DRAMAWORLD recounts the narrative of American understudy Claire Duncan (Liv Hewson, Santa Clarita Diet), who is an enormous fanatic of Korean shows. Notwithstanding, she will be in excess of a fan when she abruptly winds up inside the universe of her #1 show.
- RIPPER STREET SEASON 5 (6×50, Drama, Tiger Aspect Productions, UK, 2016)
Begins streaming Friday, March 4
A crime drama which has explored the criminal underworld of London’s East End through the final years of the Victorian age, comes to its logical conclusion – at the death knell of that era. The final season of RIPPER STREET finds its end during the cold winter of 1901. It takes our heroes to a place where a dark secret they all share emerges to destroy the lives they’ve built.
- PEOPLE JUST DO NOTHING SEASON 3 (6×30, Comedy, Roughcut TV, UK, 2014)
Begins streaming Friday, March 11
Season 3 of PEOPLE JUST DO NOTHING opens with the Kurupt FM boys starting making moves in the music industry, taking on Chabuddy G (Asim Chaudhry, Click & Collect) as their Manager. Meanwhile Miche (Lily Brazier, Juliet, Naked) continues to push the wedding plans and Beats (Hugo Chegwin, BBC Comedy Feeds) and Roche (Ruth Bratt, Man Down) plan for the birth of their first child together.
- THE SECRET (4×60, True Crime, Hat Trick, 2016, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, March 18
A gripping tale about the conviction of two suspects in Britain’s most infamous murder. An investigation beset by hostility, obstruction and sabotage exposed astonishing levels of complacency, racism and corruption within the UK’s largest police force, taking 18 years to reach a conviction.
- FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER SEASON 1 & 2 (6×25, 7×30, Comedy, Popper Pictures/Big Talk, 2011-12, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, March 18
For the Goodman family, FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER is just like Sunday lunch: just take two days away, add on an extra course and you’ve pretty much got it. Adam (Simon Bird, The Inbetweeners) and his brother, Jonny (Tom Rosenthal, Bridget Jones’ Baby), view Friday night dinner as a necessary annoyance. Necessary because they get fed, and annoying because, well, they have to spend the evening with Mum and Dad.
- THE HONOURABLE WOMAN (9×50, Drama, Drama Republic, UK, 2014)
Begins streaming Friday, March 18
THE HONOURABLE WOMAN centers on Nessa Stein (Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Dark Knight Rises), a woman who inherits her father’s arms business and finds herself in an international maelstrom as she continues to promote the reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.
- MISS S SEASON 1 (15×60, Drama, Shanghai 99 Visual, 2019, China)
Episodes 16-30 begin streaming Monday, March 21
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
In the Chinese adaptation of the global phenomenon that is Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, an unlikely duo – the beautiful and witty Shanghai socialite, Su Wenli (Ma Yi Li, The First Half Of My Life) and the righteous, serious inspector, Luo Qiuheng (Gao Wei Guang, Mr. Pride vs. Miss Prejudice) find themselves paired up to solve cases in Shanghai.
- LADHOOD SEASON 2 (6×22, Comedy, BBC Studios, 2021, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, March 25
Season 2 of LADHOOD sees Liam (Liam Williams, Pls Like) anxiously awaiting A-Level results before trying to find his feet in a most alien of new environments, Cambridge University. There, he searches for hedonism, torn between the laddish drinking societies and the artsy intelligentsia of Cambridge University.
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CBC SHORT DOCS
- THE INCREDIBLE VANISHING SISTERS (1×60, directed by Kenneth Harvey, 2022 Canada)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 15
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
The Presentation Sisters and Sisters of Mercy have stopped accepting new nuns into their orders in Newfoundland and Labrador. In the years to come, both orders will disappear as we know them.
- THE LAST GUIDE (1×44, directed by Cristian Gomes, 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 22
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
THE LAST GUIDE is a story about Canadian folk hero, Frank Kuiack, the last fishing guide in Algonquin Park. At 87 years old and recently diagnosed with cancer, Frank begins to pass on his knowledge to a long time mentee, Sharleen Laval – who is unsure how to take up Frank’s mantle.
- THE PHOTOGRAPHER (1×10, directed by Emily Pasternak, 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 29
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
Faye Schulman is a 101-year-old Holocaust survivor and the only known female Jewish photographer and partisan of the World War 2 era. The Photographer is a searing portrait of survivor’s guilt, loss, and memory, featuring her own archival photographs.
- ME, MAHMOUD AND THE MINT PLANT (1×10, directed by Cat Mills, 2022, Canada)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 29
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
A Canadian nurse in war-torn Iraq uncovers the secret behind a mysterious man and his beloved mint plant.
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ACCLAIMED CANADIAN PROGRAMMING
- FRAGILE SEASON 1 (10×60, Drama, Fullum Films Studio, 2019)
Begins streaming Friday, March 11
FRAGILE tells the story of two diametrically opposite families: the wealthy, influential Bachands, and the middle-class, salt-of-the-earth Coutures. It’s also the story of an unlikely friendship, that of Dominic Couture (Pier-Luc Funk, 1987) and Félix Bachand (Marc-André Grondin, Goon). The pair’s mysterious death sends a shock wave through their families, in the process exposing jealously guarded secrets, dangerous liaisons, and hidden agendas.
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY COLLECTION
- THE CHANGEMAKERS (1×60, Documentary, Unladylike Productions, 2020, USA)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 1
Timed with the 2020 women’s suffrage centennial, THE CHANGEMAKERS explores the biographies of women whose courage and tenacity 100 years ago shaped the political life and future of this nation. This documentary film presents five little-known women trailblazers: Martha Hughes Cannon, the country’s first female state senator; Jovita Idar, a journalist, and President of one of the first Mexican American women’s civil rights organizations; Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress; Mary Church Terrell, a leader in the anti-lynching movement and a co-founder of the NAACP; and Zitkála-Šá, aka Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, who lobbied for U.S. citizenship, voting rights and sovereignty for American Indians. Their accomplishments in government, suffrage and civil rights are brought back to life through rare archival imagery, captivating original artwork and animation, and interviews with historians and women thought-leaders of today.
- THE WITCHES OF THE ORIENT (1×100, Documentary, UFO Production, 2021, France)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 1
How did a group of factory workers become a phenomenal sports success story and the pride of a nation? THE WITCHES OF THE ORIENT tells the tale of the Japanese women’s volleyball team’s thrilling rise, unbelievable 258 games winning streak, and eventual Olympic gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
- THE LITTLE QUEEN (1×90, Drama, directed by Alexis Durand-Brault, 2014, Canada)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 1
Julie, star cyclist, is two races away from winning the World Cup. It is the culmination of years of effort. Julie loves the spotlight. Her entourage too. Encouraged by her coach and doctor, she has been doping since the age of 14. When her doctor denounces her, she manages to hush up the case, but the extent of the mess leads to abuse, lies, and treason. Caught in a gear that goes beyond her, will she succeed in finding a way out?
- BANGLA SURF GIRLS (1×90, Documentary, directed by Elizabeth D. Costa, 2021, Canada)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 1
BANGLA SURF GIRLS is an immersive documentary that takes us into the heart of Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, where we witness the transformation of young girls who join a local surf club and dare to dream of freedom and escape from a life of drudgery and abuse.
- DEAR FUTURE CHILDREN (1×90, Documentary, Nightrunner, 2021, Germany)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 1
Three young female activists in Hong Kong, Chile, and Uganda are hoping to make changes in their countries. They must also cope with the staggering impacts of their activism on their personal lives.
- POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHÉ (1×90, Documentary, Velvet Joy, 2021, UK)
Begins streaming Tuesday, March 1
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
The death of punk icon and X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene sends her daughter on a journey across the world and through her mother’s archives to reconcile their fraught relationship in this new documentary feature, featuring Oscar nominee Ruth Negga (Loving) as the voice of Poly Styrene.
- LEFTOVER WOMEN (1×90, Documentary, Medaliia Productions, 2019, Israel/USA)
Begins streaming Wednesday, March 2
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
LEFTOVER WOMEN follows three successful Chinese women — Qiu Hua Mei, a 34-year-old lawyer; Xu Min, 28, who works in public radio; and Gai Qi, 36, an assistant college professor in Beijing — who, despite thriving careers, are still labeled “leftover women,” or sheng nu, a derogatory term used in China to describe educated, professional women in their mid-20s and ’30s who are not married.
- LIFT LIKE A GIRL (1×92, Documentary, Cleo Media, Egypt, 2020)
Begins streaming Wednesday, March 2
LIFT LIKE A GIRL provides a closer look into the inner life of an aspiring athlete and the female weightlifting community of Alexandria. For 4 years, Zebiba goes through victories and defeats, including major losses that shape her, as she finds her way from dust to gold.
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CANADA READS COLLECTION
- UNLESS (1×90, Drama, directed by Alan Gilsenan, 2016)
Begins streaming Friday, March 4
Based on the novel by Carol Shields, UNLESS tells the story of a writer who struggles with her daughter’s decision to drop out of college and live on the streets.
- NELLY (1×100, Drama, directed by Anne Émond, 2016)
Begins streaming Friday, March 4
A high-class prostitute by choice, Nelly Arcan’s (Putain) colorful life is recreated in a multi-layered and stylish mix of make-believe and memoir, revealing Nelly’s alter egos: the neurotic writer, the vulnerable lover, the call girl and the star. Nelly shocked the literary world with her elegant writing and the lurid details of sex work in her autobiographical first novel, Whore, which became a critically acclaimed bestseller. Despite unprecedented success, Nelly’s remarkable life ended in tragedy.
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LIFESTYLE
- ESCAPE TO THE CHATEAU SEASON 9 (8×60, Spark Media, 2022, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, March 4
*Exclusive Canadian Premiere*
Can one couple transform a ruin into a fairy-tale dream castle? This heart-warming renovation series follows Dick, Angel and their family after moving to northern France and buying a run-down 45-room chateau, complete with 12 acres of land and a moat.
- JAMIE & JIMMY’S FOOD FIGHT CLUB SEASON 6 & 7 ((12×60)x2, A Fresh One Production for Channel 4, 2017, UK)
Begins streaming Friday, March 11
JAMIE & JIMMY’S FOOD FIGHT CLUB features Jamie Oliver (5 Ingredients: Quick & Easy Food) and childhood friend Jimmy Doherty (Jimmy’s Farm) as they cook alongside some exciting, celebrity guests, including Orlando Bloom (Lord Of The Rings), Goldie Hawn (Overboard), and David Tennant (Doctor Who). Jamie specializes in cheffing up dinners to impress your friends while Jimmy creates ready-made food at home.
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FEATURE FILM
- NEVER STEADY, NEVER STILL (1×90, Drama, directed by Kathleen Hepburn, 2017)
Begins streaming Saturday, March 5
The feature film debut of writer/director Kathleen Hepburn (The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open), NEVER STEADY, NEVER STILL is a tender and heart-breaking story of a physically disabled mother and discontent son – each alienated from their world and struggling to manage in the face of grief, guilt and chronic disease.
- YOU’RE SLEEPING, NICOLE (1×93, Drama, directed by Stéphane Lafleur, 2015)
Begins streaming Sunday, March 6
Making the most of the family home while her parents are away, 22-year-old Nicole (Julianne Côté, Le Chalet) is enjoying a peaceful summer with her best friend Véronique (Catherine St-Laurent, District 31). But when Nicole’s older brother shows up with his band to record an album, the girls’ friendship is put to the test.
- KNIVES OUT (1×180, Comedy, directed by Rian Johnson, 2019, USA)
Begins streaming Sunday, March 27
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer, Inside Man) is found dead at his estate, the inquisitive Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig, No Time To Die) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death.
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THE BEST OF CBC
- Past and current seasons of CBC series including ARCTIC VETS, PRETTY HARD CASES, THE GREAT CANADIAN BAKING SHOW, FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES, HEARTLAND, MURDOCH MYSTERIES, STILL STANDING, TALLBOYZ, KIM’S CONVENIENCE, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW, and SCHITT’S CREEK; and classic CBC hits like BEING ERICA.
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COMING IN APRIL
- AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
- EDEN: UNTAMED PLANET
- GHOSTS (SEASON 3)
- MANAYEK
- THE A-WORD (SEASON 3)
- THE PRINCES AND THE PRESS