Flashpoint and Rookie Blue showed that U.S. television viewers can handle Canadian television drama shows that aren't too unusual (Orphan Black, Travelers). With the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, U.S. television is looking to fill gaps in their programming schedule.
Traditionally, last week would have been filled with grand ceremonies promoting the new fall lineups on American television with lots of new shows.
No grand ceremonies this time around due to social distancing. Uncertainty reigns unless the show is animated. A lot of shows weren't able to shoot their season finale episodes.
The CW will run the CBC show Coroner this fall on Wednesdays at 9 pm Eastern. There are 16 episodes over 2 seasons. We don't know if the CW will show Season 1 or both seasons as the show isn't on its winter schedule.
Jenny Cooper (Serinda Swan) is a recently widowed Toronto coroner who investigates suspicious deaths. The cast also includes Roger Cross, Alli Chung, Paniz Zade, Eric Bruneau, Ehren Kassam, Tamara Podemski, Lovell Adams-Gray, Saad Siddiqui, and Andy McQueen.
The Canadian show has already run in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Africa, Latin America, Brazil, and Australia.
NBC is picking up Transplant, a new show from CTV. Unlike Coroner and the CW, we don't have news of a specific slot.
Transplant features Bashir "Bash" Hamed, a Syrian doctor who came to Canada as a refugee who works as a medical resident in Toronto.
Hamza Haq stars as Hamed. The cast also includes Laurence Leboeuf, John Hannah, Ayisha Issa, Jim Watson, Sirena Gulamgaus, Torri Higginson, Linda Smith, and Grace Lynn Kung.
Transplant has 13 episodes from this winter. The Canadian debut was on February 26.
Canadian presence on 2019 U.S. TV upfronts
Coroner and Transplant fit unique circumstances for the American networks. Dramas translate easier than comedies. Ideally, the show has enough episodes to fill a temporary gap. The shows also can't have a U.S. network, cable, or streaming deal.
Murdoch Mysteries, Frankie Drake Mysteries, Republic of Doyle, Anne with an E, Heartland, Saving Hope, Mary Kills People, Private Eyes, Being Erica, Orphan Black, Travelers, Wynonna Earp, 19-2: All of these great Canadian dramas have a U.S. deal of some kind.
Northern Rescue with William Baldwin and Kathleen Robertson would have been ideal: 10 episodes, a bit too dramatic. The CBC show is available on Netflix.
Season 3 of the CBC legal drama Burden of Truth returns to the CW Thursday at 8 pm Eastern/Pacific.
Another possibility with no U.S. ties is This Life, the remake of the Radio-Canada series Nouvelle adresse, ran on CBC from 2015-2017 with 20 episodes. Higginson is the lead and also in Transplant. Lauren Lee Smith (Frankie Drake Mysteries) played her sister. This Life was heartwarming, just what the American audience wants.
U.S. television isn't going to run The Beachcombers: a few episodes are available on Amazon Prime Video.
CanadianCrossing.com television coverage
The news from the U.S. networks has been limited understandably. We will cover that television news when we get all the information.
photo credits: CBC; CTV
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