The chase for finding Canadians on U.S. TV shows used to be a simple and joyous experience. A few over-the-air networks, not that many Canadians to track, fewer streaming services, and a pre-pandemic approach to upfronts where you knew fall and winter schedules.
The 2021 version is as much as we know and definitely subject to change. Episodes that we thought would have aired by now are only airing now.
There have been some significant departures in the last few months: Jessica Paré, Mark McKinney, Lauren Ash, and Lilly Singh among others. We haven't seen too many Canadians on new shows but we may not have the whole picture.
The list does not include Canadians on Canadian TV shows that run on U.S. television, such as Transplant, Coroner, Nurses, and Trickster. Transplant and Nurses will have a Season 2 in Canada with NBC renewing Transplant and CW renewing Coroner. Obviously, we know what happened with Trickster.
Keep in mind that we only know the fall lineups so information may seem incomplete.
Fox acquired the rights to Diggstown in late January. There has been no word on when Fox will air the Canadian drama. Diggstown was not mentioned in the Fox upfront so perhaps this summer. There are 12 "hour-long" episodes in the 2 seasons on CBC.
Wendy Crewson is on the callsheet for Good Sam on CBS. Fans might know Crewson from Frankie Drake Mysteries where she played Frankie's mother and her role on Saving Hope.
SurrealEstate coming to Syfy this summer on July 16 features Tim Rozon and Sarah Levy (Schitt's Creek) and other Canadians such as Adam Korson, Savannah Basley, Maurice Dean Wint, and Tennille Read. The show is shot in Newfoundland and Labrador. Melanie Scrofano, who worked with Rozon and Basley on Wynonna Earp, will direct 2 episodes and guest star as well. We don't know if this show is running in Canada; would seem odd otherwise.
Speaking of Schitt's Creek, Kevin Can F**k Himself starring Emmy-award winner Annie Murphy will start on AMC and AMC+ in June. The show will debut on AMC+ on June 13 and on AMC on June 20. Jennifer Robertson is on Ginny & Georgia on Netflix. Season 1 is available and Season 2 will happen soon. Noah Reid and Canadian Screen Award winner Tamara Podemski are part of the cast of the mystery drama Outer Range coming soon to Amazon Prime Video. Emily Hampshire is linked to The Rig also coming to Amazon Prime Video and a reboot of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman with her Montréal buddy Jacob Tierney.
This doesn't even factor in Dan Levy's 3-year deal with ABC Studios. Hoping NBC Universal finds a U.S. spot for Pretty Hard Cases.
Mark O’Brien (Republic of Doyle) will be a part of 61st Street on AMC. The program is set up to have 2 seasons with 8 episodes per season with a 2022 premiere.
Sarah Chalke is one of 2 female leads with Katherine Heigl on Firefly Lane on Netflix. The program will have a Season 2 in 2022.
Amybeth McNulty (Anne with an E) is one of the new additions for Season 4 of Stranger Things on Netflix.
Jill Hennessy is on City on a Hill, which completed Season 2 on Showtime. You might recall that Hennessy played the matriarch of an unconventional family on Crawford on CBC in 2018.
Kathleen Robertson is linked to a potential ABC medical drama called Triage. A bit premature to make the list but just in case they push ahead.
Rutherford Falls a first for Indigenous people on U.S. television
We wrote earlier this month about the large number of Canadians on the Peacock show. If Americans have Xfinity, you almost certain have Peacock since Xfinity owns Peacock.
Canadian presence on 2020 U.S. TV upfronts
Nathan Fillion in the lead role of The Rookie (ABC) heading for Season 4.
The Republic of Sarah, which reportedly features Megan Follows, debuts on The CW on June 14.
Colin Mochrie and his Whose Line Is It Anyway band ran episodes in the fall and winter lineups on the CW for Season 16 (Season 8 for the CW). The new season 17/9 will run Saturday nights in the fall, a night The CW previously has not run programming.
Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock, whose father is Canadian, will be back for Season 2 of Young Rock on NBC.
Thomas Middleditch and B Positive on CBS and CTV will return for Season 2.
Athena Karkanis is on Season 3 on Manifest (NBC) that will last until June.
Grace Park is on A Million Little Things (ABC) going into Season 4.
Tyler Labine is on Season 3 on New Amsterdam (NBC) that will last until June.
Emily VanCamp and Bruce Greenwood are on The Resident (Fox) heading for Season 5.
Kevin O'Leary will be back on Shark Tank (ABC) for Season 13.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on TBS features the aforementioned Samantha Bee. Her husband Jason Jones is behind the scenes. Allana Harkin serves as a producer and correspondent on the show.
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is the lead in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever from co-creator Mindy Kaling. Season 2 is scheduled to drop in July.
Will Arnett serves as host and executive producer of Lego Masters on Fox. Season 2 is expected to drop in June.
The Expanse on Amazon Prime Video has had a lot of Canadians in the cast, though not a Canadian show. Season 6 will come out soon.
Canadian presence on 2019 U.S. TV upfronts
Lilly Singh proves a Canadian can host a daily late-night talk show
The talents of Jessica Paré seemed to be wasted on SEAL Team on CBS. Paré left as a series regular at the beginning of Season 4. The explanation never came, though we were told Paré would direct an episode, which turned out to be A Question of Honor. CBS is moving the show to Paramount + in the fall.
Mark McKinney and Lauren Ash were crucial members of Cloud 9 at Superstore on NBC. The show is coming to an end after 6 seasons.
Lilly Singh will no longer be A Little Late with Lilly Singh late night on NBC and Global. The network ended the show after 2 seasons. NBC decided not to come up with a replacement.
Singh won't be sitting at home since she has a new Netflix comedy series with executive producer Kenya Barris and developing other work with NBC. The loss of the show is also a loss for Global in Canada. The Canadian network carried the show an hour before the program ran in the United States.
Kim Cattrall played Margaret Monreaux on Filthy Rich on Fox and CTV. Fox cancelled the program after 10 episodes.
Will Sasso was the male lead on United We Fall on ABC. The show ran with 8 episodes in the summer of 2020 but has been cancelled.
Grey's Anatomy is still around but the show killed off Dr. Andrew DeLuca aka Giacomo Gianniotti, who was a cast regular for 6 seasons. Gianniotti was a finalist for the Audience Choice Award at the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards.
Francois Arnaud and Jay Baruchel played the adult sons on The Moodys on Fox, a program shot in Montréal (pretending to be Chicago). Fox cancelled the show in the middle of Season 2 though the last 3 episodes are scheduled to run in June. Gerry Dee is in the supporting cast.
This was a while ago, but Stumptown with Cobie Smulders as the lead and Tantoo Cardinal (ABC) was renewed for Season 2 but the network rescinded the renewal.
CanadianCrossing.com television coverage
Almost everything is subject to change. Let us know in the comments section if we missed any Canadians on TV shows.
video and photo credit: SurrealEstate/Syfy
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