Canadian Crossing

Canadian TV notebook: Fall 2023 premiere dates on both sides of the border

You ready?

Stream Shoresy Season 2 starting September 29 on @CraveCanada and October 27 on @hulu. From @newmetricmedia. pic.twitter.com/qvE7TraOLW

— Shoresy (@ShoresyHockey) September 15, 2023

Fall TV premieres are normally an over-the-air concept in the early fall. Well, we are in a different world thanks to the writers and actors strikes.

We do have some premiere news for Canadian TV fans on both sides of the border. While Letterkenny debuts are a day apart (Christmas Day in Canada, Boxing Day in the United States), Season 2 of Shoresy had a longer wait time in the United States.

Canadian streamers of Crave can start watching Shoresy on September 29 while Hulu subscribers have to wait until October 27. Crave subscribers via satellite will have to wait for the show to appear on its schedule. Crave used to issue a monthly schedule but Bell Media scrapped that back in May. (Boo!!)

Season 2 will have 6 episodes, just like Season 1.

You could plan a trip to Canada and find an Airbnb that has Crave. A worthy road trip, especially since you can buy ketchup chips and butter tarts, snacking while you binge on Jared Keeso and the cast.

We begged and begged (and begged) for NBC to finally let us know when the U.S. network would air Season 3 of the CTV show Transplant. The last implication we had was a longer wait, like spring of 2024.

We have better news: NBC will run Season 3 of Transplant on Thursday nights beginning October 12 at 9 pm Eastern.

CTV or CTV2 might simsub those episodes, depending on its own mostly U.S. TV lineup. Season 3 ran on CTV in Canada last fall and winter. There are 13 episodes. Here's hoping NBC will air them in a row instead of screwing up, like the network did for Season 2.

Canadians can catch up via CTV.ca while Americans can watch episodes (after they have aired on NBC) on Peacock.

Canadians can watch Season 4, the final season, on Fridays at 9 pm starting October 6 on CTV. There will only be 10 episodes in Season 4. This would free up NBC to air Season 4 next winter, though there are no guarantees.

"I'd always intended a four-season window into Bashir's life as he completes his medical residency for a second time, sets down roots in Canada, and learns to shed some of his past, and it's incredibly fulfilling to be able to tell his complete story,” said Joseph Kay, Transplant creator, executive producer, and showrunner. We expect CTV would want more of Dr. Bashir Hamed (Hamza Haq) and the group.

We are not talking out of school to say John Hannah (Dr. Jedediah "Jed" Bishop) is not back for Season 3. We still miss Grace Lynn Kung as Viv, the social worker who only appeared in Season 1.

The CW finished its runs of Season 2 of Family Law (from Global) and Season 1 of Moonshine (from CBC). The network is running through its comedy lineup with Son of a Critch, Run the Burbs, and Children Ruin Everything.

Those comedies are running on Monday nights instead of the intended switch to Tuesday nights. The shows will switch to Thursdays on October 19.

The U.S. network will run Sullivan's Crossing at 8 pm Eastern and The Spencer Sisters at 9 pm Eastern on Wednesdays starting October 4 on the CW. Both dramas aired 10 episodes last winter and spring on CTV.

Son of a Critch has 2 seasons, 13 episodes each season. Run the Burbs has 2 seasons, 12 in the first and 13 in the second. Season 3 for both shows will air this winter on CBC.

The Season 3 premiere of Children Ruin Everything on CTV airs Wednesday evenings, starting September 27 at 9 pm. The Bell Media release says Season 3 of Children Ruin Everything will premiere on The CW, though with no set date.

2023 CBC television fall preview

Son of a Critch fans should know VOCM is a real radio station in St. John's

Actors and writers strikes could bring some advantage to Canada but others are suffering

CW announces summer schedule filled with Canadian television

Canadian TV notebook: A much longer wait for Season 3 of Transplant on NBC

SurrealEstate Season 2 will finally air on SyFy in the United States and CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada on October 4.

You might recall that the drama, which was cancelled and then renewed, starred Tim Rozon and Sarah Levy as heads of a real estate agency dealing in haunted houses. The cast also features Adam Korson, Maurice Dean Wint, Savannah Basley, and Tennille Read.

We had little expectations of the show beyond a Season 2. Anything else would be gravy though we feel the show deserved a Season 2.

2023 Canadian TV upfronts highlights

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

We mentioned Little Bird, a 6-part series about a young Indigenous woman raised by a Montréal Jewish family. The show ran on APTN Lumi and Crave. 

Now the show will have a run on APTN in Canada and PBS in the United States. The debut date on those platforms is October 12.

FNX was a great outlet for Indigenous programming in the United States, though the outlets are scattered. Glad to see PBS filling a needed gap south of the 49th parallel.  

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

Let us know if we missed an upcoming premiere date for a Canadian TV show.

Twitter capture: @ShoresyHockey
video capture: Crave
photo credits: CTV (x2)

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late September 2023

Welcome back to our coverage of Canadian films on the CBC. We've seen a few new films this summer and fall, even to us, though they are likely Canadian films in name only.

Mystery could be the code word for the September 16 lineup. A classic film finishes out the September 23 lineup of Canadian films.

CBC shows Canadian films on Saturday night before Hockey Night in Canada returns to the public broadcaster in October.

This summer, the CBC presentations are starting at 9 pm local time (9:30 pm in Newfoundland).

We are getting 6 films in the next 2 weeks, though some weeks have 2 Canadian films.

This is a nice service from the public broadcaster.

The CBC will have a special Indigenous programming night on September 30 for National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

Here is the CBC Canadian films schedule for late September 2023.

September 16

9p Disappearance at Clifton Hill (2019)
11p American Woman (2019)
1a Sleeping Giant (2015)

September 23

9p Charlotte (2021)
11p Akilla's Escape (2020)
1a Bon Cop Bad Cop (2006)

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early September 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late August 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early August 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late July 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early July 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late June 2023

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in the 2022 offseason

Canadian film review: Disappearance at Clifton Hill

Canadian film review: Sleeping Giant

Canadian film review: Akilla's Escape

Canadian film review: Bon Cop Bad Cop

Canadian film review: Bon Cop Bad Cop 2

The only major drawback to Disappearance at Clifton Hill is the dullness of the lead female actor but is otherwise an interesting film. Hannah Gross plays the sister but would have been better in the lead. Sleeping Giant (2015) played earlier this summer on July 29.

Charlotte is a Canadian film in name only. The animated film is based on German painter Charlotte Salomon. Henry Czerny is the highest Canadian actor on the callsheet. English actor Keira Knightley voices Charlotte.

We like Charles Officer as a Canadian filmmaker. This encouraged us to see Akilla's Escape, which exceeded my expectations as a film.

If you haven't seen Bon Cop Bad Cop, run the DVR or PVR. The film is a classic for a reason.

The only Canadian film on the schedule that we don't know about is American Woman, written and directed by Semi Chellas. American actor Hong Chau and Canada's own Sarah Gadon are in the cast. Fugitives are involved.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Yes, we praise a lot of Canadian films. Watching films with commercials isn't fun. These intriguing Canadian films address issues where Canadians should be familiar, even if they aren't in their regular wheelhouse.

Saturday nights during the hockey season means the NHL on CBC. Otherwise, CBC has Canadian films in store.

Canadians can choose to watch these Canadian films on CBC Gem. For a monthly fee, you can watch them without commercials.

logo credit: CBC
photo credits: Sleeping Giant; Akilla's Escape

2023 CBC television fall preview

We normally run complete coverage of the CBC television fall schedule. However, we don't have the proper information to do our usual coverage. So we are going to list premieres of the shows we know and hope that information will be useful to our readers.

September

13 — The Passionate Eye Wednesdays at 8 pm with thought-provoking original documentaries, starting with Twice Colonized.

19 — This Hour Has 22 Minutes Tuesdays at 8 pm. The New Wave of Standup Tuesdays at 9:30 pm.

20 — Bones of Crows (5x60) Wednesdays at 9 pm.

21 — Dragons' Den Thursdays at 8 pm.

22 — Big CBC News original documentary series (4x60) Fridays at 9 pm.

26 — Still Standing Tuesdays at 8:30 pm.

October

1 — Heartland Sundays at 7 pm. The Great Canadian Baking Show Sundays at 8 pm. SkyMed Sundays at 9 pm.

2 — Murdoch Mysteries Mondays at 8 pm.

6 — CBC News Explore's Planet Wonder (9x30) Fridays at 8:30 pm.

13 — Marketplace Fridays at 8 pm.

20 — The Fifth Estate Fridays at 9 pm.

25 — Black Life: Untold Stories (8x60) Wednesdays at 9 pm.

November

9 — Blackberry (3x60) Thursdays at 9 pm.

17 — Sort Of The press release says 2 episodes will be available weekly on CBC Gem. Not clear about a broadcast date.

22 — Swan Song (4x60) Wednesdays at 8 pm.

We are seeing a few limited-run documentary type shows. Canadian content and creative in building off Canadian films such as Bones of Crows and Blackberry.

The post Murdoch Mysteries slot on Mondays will likely be foreign programming, though we don't have details. A better place to put a Canadian show, given how popular Murdoch Mysteries is in the ratings. Moonshine ran this summer in Canada; that would have been a good choice.

Best in Miniature 3 (8x60) was mentioned for fall in the June press release but not in the latest press release. That could be a matter of running in the winter instead of the fall.

We don't see an obvious Canadian anchor show for Tuesdays at 9 pm. That is a significant disappointment. CBC is running an American show (Animal Control) that has already aired on Fox in a key timeslot. We complain about British fillers but they make slightly more sense than an American filler.

The fact that CBC didn't release a full fall schedule in either press release is a sign that they know how shameful these moves are.

2023 CBC television upfront preview

CBC will show Canadian films on Saturday nights until Hockey Night in Canada starts on October 14. Check out our CBC coverage to know what films are coming up on Saturday nights.

As for CBC shows from last fall, Diggstown ended its run, Strays was cancelled, and Comedy Night With Rick Mercer appeared to be a one-time event.

The biggest surprise is that there isn't a single new Canadian show on the fall schedule. Everything that is new is a limited run program. The winter schedule will have new programs but the fall schedule needs to develop new shows.

There will be foreign programs on the schedule. We barely mention them normally but we don't even have that information.

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

We will update our fall preview if we get more information. All times are local: adjust times by 30 minutes in most of Newfoundland.

photo credits: Black Life: Untold Stories; Bones of Crows

Son of a Critch fans should know VOCM is a real radio station in St. John's

I can imagine an American watching Son of a Critch on the CW Network seeing VOCM as the radio station where Mark Critch's dad works. Their inner dialogue being like "they created a really fake radio station for a TV show."

Except VOCM is a real radio station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

U.S. station call letters start with W east of the Mississippi River and K west of the Mississippi River (with some grand exceptions). Canadian station call letters start with C. So why are there stations in Newfoundland that start with the letter V?

Newfoundland wasn't a part of Canada until 1949. When the province joined Canada, stations such as VOCM, VOAR, and VOWR that broadcast before becoming part of the country were allowed to keep their call letters.

VOCM is at 590 AM in St. John's with a news/talk/classic hits format. There is a VOCM-FM at 97.5 FM in St. John's that plays classic rock with a rebroadcaster in Clarenville at 100.7 FM.

VOCM has rebroadcasters in Corner Brook (570 AM), Gander (650 AM), Stephenville (870 AM), Grand Falls-Windsor (620 AM), Clarenville (710 AM), and Marystown (88.3 FM).

The VOAR signal belongs to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Newfoundland & Labrador with a bunch of rebroadcasters throughout the province. The primary VOAR-FM is licensed to Mount Pearl.

VOWR is at 800 AM in St. John's with a Christian radio format.

There is a rebroadcaster called VF2095 at 100.9 FM in Natuashish that rebroadcasts CFGB-FM, the CBC Radio One station in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.

You can listen to these stations via the Internet and various apps if you want to hear a station's call letters starting with V.

The vast majority of Newfoundland and Labrador radio stations start with C. The only 2 TV stations in the province also start with C and are licensed to St. John's: CBNT (Channel 8) is the CBC station and CJON (Channel 21) is the NTV (Newfoundland TV) station, carrying mostly Global programming.

CW announces summer schedule filled with Canadian television

Canadian TV notebook: A much longer wait for Season 3 of Transplant on NBC

CanadianCrossing.com Newfoundland and Labrador coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

I took this picture in 2015 when I was in St. John's. I knew VOCM was a thing yet when this was literally in front of me, I couldn't resist the desire to get a photo.

They likely report on moose-related traffic accidents. You see road signs for moose crossings. Fortunately, the only moose I saw in Newfoundland was on my plate at a restaurant in Petty Harbour.

Son of a Critch continues into the fall on the CW Network in the United States. Seasons 1-2 are available in Canada via CBC Gem and Season 3 will run this winter on the CBC.

photo credits: Son of a Critch/CBC Comedy; me
video credit: Son of a Critch/CBC Comedy

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early September 2023

Welcome back to our coverage of Canadian films on the CBC. We've seen a few new films this summer, even to us, though they are Canadian films in name only.

The long weekend starts today and you can catch up on some cool Canadian films.

The early September film lineups are sufficiently eclectic.

CBC shows Canadian films on Saturday night before Hockey Night in Canada returns to the public broadcaster in October.

This summer, the CBC presentations are starting at 9 pm local time (9:30 pm in Newfoundland).

Sometimes, we only get 4 films in 2 weeks, though these 2 weeks have 6 total Canadian films.

This is a nice service from the public broadcaster.

Here is the CBC Canadian films schedule for early September 2023.

September 2

9p Tammy's Always Dying (2019)
11p Mean Dreams (2016)
1a Man Running (2018)

September 9

9p Percy (2020)
11:30p Angelique's Isle (2018)
1:30a Into Invisible Light (2018)

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late August 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early August 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late July 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early July 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late June 2023

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in the 2022 offseason

Canadian film review: Tammy’s Always Dying

Canadian film review: Mean Dreams

Canadian film review: Percy

If you only see 1 of the 6 Canadian films in the next 2 weeks, Mean Dreams is at the top of this list and most lists. An intense and scary film at times. Most chase films can't live up to this chase. American actor Bill Paxton, in one of his last roles, will scare you.

Tammy's Always Dying and Percy have good stories that needed help in how they were told. If you are flipping a coin between the 2 films, pick Tammy's Always Dying and research the real-life story of Percy.

We are at a disadvantage about the other 3 Canadian films. Man Running is from Gary Burns (waydowntown), whom we trust. Gord Rand plays a doctor who competes in an ultramarathon. Angelique's Isle is a Canadian historical drama film based on a true story about a voyageur couple who are forced to survive a harsh winter on an island in the middle of Lake Superior. Into Invisible Light is a romantic comedy with Jennifer Dale and Peter Keleghan that is an homage to Uncle Vanya.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Yes, we praise a lot of Canadian films. Watching films with commercials isn't fun. These intriguing Canadian films address issues where Canadians should be familiar, even if they aren't in their regular wheelhouse.

Saturday nights during the hockey season means the NHL on CBC. Otherwise, CBC has Canadian films in store.

Canadians can choose to watch these Canadian films on CBC Gem. For a monthly fee, you can watch them without commercials.

logo credit: CBC
photo credits: Tammy's Always Dying; Percy

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late August 2023

Welcome back to our coverage of Canadian films on the CBC. We've seen a few new films this summer, even to us, though they are Canadian films in name only.

The August 19 film lineup features very good and intense Canadian films. The August 26 mix is more eclectic.

CBC shows Canadian films on Saturday night before Hockey Night in Canada returns to the public broadcaster in October.

This summer, the CBC presentations are starting at 9 pm local time (9:30 pm in Newfoundland).

We are getting 4 films in the next 2 weeks, though some weeks have 3 Canadian films.

This is a nice service from the public broadcaster.

Here is the CBC Canadian films schedule for late August 2023.

August 19

9p Werewolf (2016)
11p Honey Bee (2018)

August 26

9p Carmen (2021)
11p Clara (2018)

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early August 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late July 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early July 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late June 2023

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in the 2022 offseason

Canadian film review: Werewolf

Canadian film review: Honey Bee

Canadian film review: Clara

Malta submits a Canadian film for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars

As we noted earlier, Werewolf and Honey Bee are intense films but definitely worth watching. Ashley McKenzie presents a raw view of drug use in Nova Scotia in Werewolf. Rama Rau brings us an intense look at foster life and why some demons stick around. Julia Sarah Stone is outstanding in Honey Bee. Michelle McLeod has a subtle role and proves why she is a Canadian actor to watch.

While we are familiar with Valerie Buhagiar as an actor, Carmen features her talents as a writer and director. The film is more Malta than Canada. While Malta submitted the film for the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards last fall, the film didn't make the final Oscars list.

Clara is a cute film filled with just enough science. As the August 19 films are intense, Clara is not.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Yes, we praise a lot of Canadian films. Watching films with commercials isn't fun. These intriguing Canadian films address issues where Canadians should be familiar, even if they aren't in their regular wheelhouse.

Saturday nights during the hockey season means the NHL on CBC. Otherwise, CBC has Canadian films in store.

Canadians can choose to watch these Canadian films on CBC Gem. For a monthly fee, you can watch them without commercials.

logo credit: CBC
photo credits: Werewolf; Honey Bee

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early August 2023

Welcome back to our coverage of Canadian films on the CBC. We've seen a few new films this summer, even to us, though they are Canadian films in name only.

The opening film on August 5 has an early start time (8 pm) and is a filmed version of the Shakespeare play Richard III from the Stratford Festival.

CBC shows Canadian films on Saturday night before Hockey Night in Canada returns to the public broadcaster in October.

This summer, the CBC presentations are starting at 9 pm local time (9:30 pm in Newfoundland).

We are getting 6 films in the next 2 weeks, though some weeks have only 2 Canadian films.

This is a nice service from the public broadcaster.

Here is the CBC Canadian films schedule for early August 2023.

August 5

8p Richard III (2022)
11p Mouthpiece (2018)
1a Level 16 (2018)

August 12

9p The Death and Life of John F. Donovan (2018)
Midnight The Song of Names (2019)
2:30a Two Lovers and a Bear (2016)

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late July 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early July 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late June 2023

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in the 2022 offseason

Canadian film review: Mouthpiece

Canadian film review: Level 16

Canadian film review: The Death and Life of John F. Donovan

Canadian film review: Two Lovers and a Bear

We have seen 4 of the 6 presentations, except for Richard III and the Canadian film in name only The Song of Names. We are huge fans of Mouthpiece and Level 16. Two Lovers and a Bear is worth watching just to see Tatiana Maslany in a relatively recent Canadian film. Given its winter setting, watching the Canadian film on a summer night might be a nice contrast.

As for The Death and Life of John F. Donovan, don't get caught up in the negativity. There is a lot of good in this film; needles that are easy to find in a a haystack. Watching the film on CBC gives you a chance to experiment without worrying about cost. This is the network premiere for the film in Canada.

Xavier Dolan recently retired from making films, so we should appreciate all of his films, even this one.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Yes, we praise a lot of Canadian films. Watching films with commercials isn't fun. These intriguing Canadian films address issues where Canadians should be familiar, even if they aren't in their regular wheelhouse.

Saturday nights during the hockey season means the NHL on CBC. Otherwise, CBC has Canadian films in store.

Canadians can choose to watch these Canadian films on CBC Gem. For a monthly fee, you can watch them without commercials.

logo credit: CBC
photo credits: Mouthpiece; The Death and Life of John F. Donovan

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late July 2023

Welcome back to our coverage of Canadian films on the CBC. We've seen a few new films this summer, even to us, though they are Canadian films in name only.

In late July, 3 of the 4 films are familiar to us. Only 1 of the films in the next 2 weeks (Sleeping Giant) has any sense of Canada within the film.

CBC shows Canadian films on Saturday night before Hockey Night in Canada returns to the public broadcaster in October.

This summer, the CBC presentations are starting at 9 pm local time (9:30 pm in Newfoundland).

We were hoping for 3 Canadian films but the current pattern is 2 Canadian films in most weeks.

Still, this is a nice service from the public broadcaster.

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early July 2023

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late June 2023

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in the 2022 offseason

Here is the CBC Canadian films schedule for late July 2023.

July 22

9p Sweetness in the Belly (2019)
11:30p Funny Boy (2020)

July 29

9p Sleeping Giant (2015)
11p Brooklyn (2015)

Funny Boy disqualified as Canada entry for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars

A follow up to our Funny Boy Canadian film review

Canadian film review: Funny Boy

Our Funny Boy preview with debuts soon on CBC and Netflix

Sweetness in the Belly is definitely a Canadian film in name only. The screenwriter is Camilla Gibb, an English-born Canadian writer in Toronto. The film features Dakota Fanning and Kunal Nayyar.

We wrote a considerable amount about Funny Boy back in December 2020. The first half of the film is delightful. The second half of the film had so many problems. Start watching the film on July 22 and if you fall asleep halfway through, you won't feel so bad.

Canadian film review: Sleeping Giant

Canadian film case study: Brooklyn

Sleeping Giant is the debut film from Andrew Cividino, whom you may know from his work as a TV director on Schitt's Creek. The Cividino film fills the screen with male adolescence.

As we noted in 2016, "The scenes are a bit raw but they need to be to show the rituals of what many young boys go through in figuring out life and their place in it." Too bad Cividino didn't make another feature film (so far).

Sleeping Giant is very much a summer film so that will fit in nicely.

Brooklyn is a Canadian film in name only. Saoirse Ronan is very good in a film that feels more like about going back and forth than moving forward.

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Yes, we praise a lot of Canadian films. Watching films with commercials isn't fun. These intriguing Canadian films address issues where Canadians should be familiar, even if they aren't in their regular wheelhouse.

Saturday nights during the hockey season means the NHL on CBC. Otherwise, CBC has Canadian films in store.

Canadians can choose to watch these Canadian films on CBC Gem. For a monthly fee, you can watch them without commercials.

logo credit: CBC
photo credits: Funny Boy; Sleeping Giant

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for early July 2023

Our July coverage of the CBC showing Canadian films got delayed because Canada Day fell on a Saturday. The CBC celebrated Canada Day in grand fashion.

CBC shows Canadian films on Saturday night before Hockey Night in Canada returns to the public broadcaster in October.

This summer, the CBC presentations are starting at 9 pm local time (9:30 pm in Newfoundland).

The pattern appears to be 3 Canadian films so stay up late or activate the PVR. There are only 2 films in some weeks.

The July 8 and July 15 films are relatively new to the CBC list of summer films. That is a healthy sign.

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late June 2023

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in the 2022 offseason

Here is the CBC Canadian films schedule for early July 2023.

July 8

9p Death of a Ladies Man (2020)
11:30p Splinters (2018)

July 15

9p Best Sellers (2021)
11:30p Meditation Park (2017)

Splinters is a wonderful film from Thom Fitzgerald. The patriarch of the family has passed away and Belle (Sofia Banzhaf) returns home. Her relationship with her mother is strained because she came out as a lesbian. Now Belle identifies as bisexual and she has a new boyfriend.

Death of a Ladies Man focuses on Gabriel Byrne as a professor with an inoperable brain tumour trying to make peace with loved ones. The Leonard Cohen laced soundtrack and the countless great Canadian actors are the highlights of the Canada-Ireland co-production.

Meditation Park is the latest from Mina Shum about a older woman who takes a look at her life after finding a thong in her husband's laundry. Chinese actor Cheng Pei Pei is wonderful in the leading role with great support work from Canadian veterans Sandra Oh and Don McKellar.

Best Sellers is a U.S.-Canada co production that appears to be a Canadian film in name only. American actor Aubrey Plaza and English actor Michael Caine are the leads as a cranky author goes on a final book tour to help out a young publisher. Scott Speedman and Ellen Wong are Canadian actors in the film. This film marks the directorial debut for longtime Canadian actor Lina Roessler.

We have seen all of these film but Best Sellers. In fact, we had to look up that film because it wasn't on the radar. We can recommend the films we've seen.

Canadian film notebook: Marketing Canadian films as not Canadian

2018 WIFF Canadian films in review (Splinters)

2017 WIFF Canadian films in review (Meditation Park)

Mina Shum and Sandra Oh have worked on 3 films together: Double Happiness (1994), Long Life, Happiness & Prosperity (2002), and Meditation Park (2017).

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Yes, we praise a lot of Canadian films. Watching films with commercials isn't fun. These intriguing Canadian films address issues where Canadians should be familiar, even if they aren't in their regular wheelhouse.

Saturday nights during the hockey season means the NHL on CBC. Otherwise, CBC has Canadian films in store.

Canadians can choose to watch these Canadian films on CBC Gem. For a monthly fee, you can watch them without commercials.

logo credit: CBC
photo credits: Splinters
video credit: YouTube/TIFF Trailers

2023 Canada Day notebook

CANADA IS... pic.twitter.com/biazACVHgB

— Brittlestar (@brittlestar) June 2, 2023

Welcome to Canada Day 2023. Older people might remember this day as Dominion Day, which is essentially the same thing. Our Quebec friends know this more as Moving Day, especially in Montréal.

Our Newfoundland friends celebrate Memorial Day on July 1 for losses of approximately 700 soldiers of the 1st Newfoundland Regiment from the Dominion of Newfoundland at Beaumont-Hamel in 1917 during World War I.

If you are checking in from the United States, you might have the impression that Canada is on fire. The wildfires season started really early. Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta were the major sources of the smoke that went south into the United States. The fact that the smoke went into New York City and Washington, DC makes anything more significant since the cable news channels are there.

Chicago got a significant dose of smoke this week. Those cable news channels report on smoke but not the actual fires in Canada.

Nova Scotia isn't usually on the Canada wildfires list but there were plenty of smoke and fire around Halifax.

Canada says "sorry" for being on fire so much and spreading that smoke across the border.

If you do like Canada, and why would you read this if you don't, we suggest following @brittlestar on Twitter. This is the kind of stuff (at the top of the column) we enjoy from him.

This is our annual Canada Day notebook so you can keep up. With the U.S. holiday, we may not post much until mid week.

Grocery rebate is helpful for Canadians while Americans struggle without help

The grocery rebate we mentioned earlier this year will start going out to Canadians on July 5.

Eligible families of 4 will receive up to $467; single people without children get up to $234; and seniors will get up to $225.

Speaking of smoking, Canadian cigarette packages have been more obvious about the evils of smoking than any U.S. cigarette packaging. The Canadian push will get a boost starting August 1. Health Canada is introducing new warning labels on the cigarettes themselves. Some of the messages include:

• Cigarettes cause cancer
• Cigarettes cause impotence
• Cigarettes damage your organs
• Tobacco smoke harms children
• Poison in every puff

Canada will become the first country to put warning labels on individual cigarettes.

This also might be a deterrent for smuggling cigarettes. While the packaging has been different, the nuance between individual cigarettes from the U.S. vs. Canada has been virtually zero. Now American cigarettes can be identified because they don't have warning labels on the actual cigarette.

If you smoke in the United States and thinking your cigarettes are expensive, Canadian smokers are like, "hold my beer."

39,999,998… 39,999,999… 40,000,000!

Canada’s population has officially reached 40 million people! 🎉 https://t.co/dR46gGFq8x #40millionCDNS #40MillionAndGrowing pic.twitter.com/V4PzrN9tHN

— Statistics Canada (@StatCan_eng) June 16, 2023

Statistics Canada has Canada at 40 million and growing. Canada's population grew by a record 1.05 million in 2022 with 96% of that increase due to international migration.

The housing shortages in several major Canadian cities, not just Toronto and Vancouver, means even more housing needs to be built. Even Windsor is struggling with housing shortages.

The American Dream is alive, just in Canada. To be fair, even the American Dream is struggling in Canada.

I Am Canadian was the long-time slogan of Molson Canadian beer. The time was 1994-1999 and again in 2000-2005. Canadians are fairly humble about (aboot?) their own country. This was a nice reminder of the reasons why Canadians should be proud of what they have. Canada Day feels like a good day to watch that commercial.

USCG presser about the lost submersible

Odd

The thing was discovered by CDNs

Using a CDN ROV

From a CDN ship

The effort was supported entirely from St John's .. with Canadian Coast Guard ships

RCAF Auroras constantly dropping sonobuoys

AND yet "Canada" was never mentioned

— robert lavigne (@robertlavigne) June 23, 2023

Canada is a helpful country but U.S. journalism goes out of its way to not acknowledge Canada's help. Still blows my mind that they ignored what Canada did on 9/11 with airplanes, and not just in Newfoundland.

Olivia Chow will be the next Toronto mayor

We did report on Toronto's next mayor. Olivia Chow knows her way around Toronto. There is a lot of work that needs to be done and we couldn't think of anyone better to do this difficult work.

U.S. makes progress on same-sex marriage, but still short of Canada (2013)

While Canada legalized same-sex marriage in 2005, Ontario is celebrating 20 years of same-sex marriage since the first ceremony was performed on June 10, 2003. There was a time where some people went to Canada to get married before they could in the United States. 

Love is love.

CW announces summer schedule filled with Canadian television

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

The CW debuts of Canadian TV shows air later this month:

• Family Law July 7
• Moonshine July 7
• Son of a Critch July 24
• Children Ruin Everything July 24
• Run the Burbs July 31

We have details on times for those debuts. There is also some lovely reading on what Paramount + is doing with Canadian film and Canadian television. Variety looks into the difficulties of making Canadian TV.

Your humble narrator has seen 19-2, the English language remake of the Quebecois show of the same name. The French version was created by and stars Claude Legault and Réal Bossé. Now Netflix in the United States has the original French-language version of the show. That version has 30 episodes over 3 seasons.

Acorn TV carries the English language version with Adrian Holmes and Jared Keeso.

CBC Saturday night Canadian film schedule for late June 2023

CBC normally runs Canadian films on Saturday nights in the summer. Canada Day falls on a Saturday so the CBC will run Canada Day festivities. The films resume on July 8 and we will have an update next Friday.

CBC News Special: Canada Day 2023 runs at 11:30 am local time (noon in most of Newfoundland) for 2 hours. The 2-hour prime time celebration Canada Day in the Capital featuring the annual Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill runs at 8 pm local time.

CBC will also air Tower of Song: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen, a star-studded tribute concert honouring the Canadian musician and songwriter. Times differ depending on where you are in Canada.

2023 CFL Week 4 preview

The CFL smartly schedules a Canada Day game, though in the CFL city least likely to celebrate the holiday. Winnipeg is in Montréal for the 7 pm Eastern kickoff. The BC Lions are in Toronto for a July 4 eve (July 3) game on Monday night.

The Saturday and Monday games are on TSN in Canada and the CBS Sports Network in the United States.

The league also gave 3 of the 9 teams the weekend off so they can celebrate in style: Calgary, Hamilton, and Saskatchewan.

Rogers Centre renovations help but Canada still needs a really good baseball stadium

2023 Toronto Blue Jays preview

The Blue Jays play on Canada Day at 3:07 pm against Boston. Toronto is wrapping up a homestand on Sunday that featured both Bay Area teams — Oakland and San Francisco. The Blue Jays then travel to Chicago and Detroit before the All-Star Game break.

Rogers Sportsnet will have the Canada Day game. MLB Network usually carries the Canada Day game but not in 2023. The channel is not even carrying a Saturday afternoon game. MLB Network will have Sunday's matinee game, hopefully with the Blue Jays feed.

The Toronto Blue Jays have a 45-38 record so far in 2023, 11 games out in the AL East Division. Alek Manoah is not coming back soon. The Blue Jays will not have a position player starting in the All-Star Game (July 11 in Seattle) for the first time since 2019.

The NHL celebrates free agency day on July 1, which is Canada Day. Hope your team gets better players, providing your team is in Canada.

Twitter capture: @brittlestar; @StatCan_eng; @robertlavigne
photo credit: Health Canada
video credit: Molson Canadian beer