Television viewing...

[fajrdrako]

I just read lmondegreen's entry regarding the Canada Gazette item on Canadian television.

the average Canadian spends over 26 hours per week watching television.

Ouch. I have some catching up to do.

Then the addendum: and most of it is American TV.

Yeah. No surprise. But a lot of it is sort of half-Canadian, like Highlander or Stargate, or filmed in Canada so we call all pretend we're seeing New York or Kansas when we're seeing Toronto or Vancouver. That really doesn't count when it's American money that makes it, Americans who are the stars, American writers who write it, American sensibility and outlook that goes into it, and they all pretend it isn't set in Canada but in Cascade or Seacouver or wherever. A handful of familiar faces might be Canadian actors,usually in the background. Let's not even mention Kristen Kreuk; I'd rather forget her.

There have been good Canadian shows. I have fond memories of Seaway, an obscure show lost in the mists of time. Due South has reached a sort of classic status, I think, and it's the only Canadian TV show I can think of that's famous internationally, though I've yet to figure out why anyone thinks it should be included on BBC Canada when there's not a British character in the whole show.

Are there other internatially known Canadian TV shows? There must be. Red Green? I know some people in California who watch that. Reboot - now, that was a good one. Then there's the so-famous-it's-embarrassing Anne of Green Gables. And (following a train of thought) Jalna - I'd forgotten all about Jalna till just now, maybe because I never watched it. But I knew it as part of my ambient culture.

When I think of Canadian TV, I think of stuff from my childhood, when American TV was much less accessible - causing me great frustration. There was Don Messer's Jubilee and Front Page Challenge and kid's shows like Razzle Dazzle, Chez Helene, and (my favourite) The Friendly Giant - "look up, look waaay up".

Excuse me while I wallow in nostalgia.

Comments

LJ hopping here...

[chiri-chan.livejournal.com]

I got here though Paper's LJ (and I'm pretty American Illinois girl here)

Red Green was huge on my PBS station. HUGE. As in, they used it with membership drives and I think he came here once. And I can't tell you the number of times I've heard him quoted. He was/is just bigly hugly popular.

And I totally adore ReBoot! which started off small on ABC in 95 and that got popular on Cartoon Network years later. In fact it's the most popular (by 49%) show to ever air on their after-school Toonami block.

Yea... I'm rambling. Sorry. :(

Re: LJ hopping here...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

No, don't apologize - it's interesting to know what Canadian stuff Americans are familiar with. It's kind of neat to know Red Green was popular. And ReBoot was wonderful.

[msdaccxx.livejournal.com]

How can you forget The Kids of Degrassi Street and Degrassi Junior High? We had those on kid's TV here in Ireland

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Really? Neat! I forgot them because I never saw them, but I know they existed.

[msdaccxx.livejournal.com]

Degrassi is how thitrysomething people from Ireland and the UK can recognise a Canadian accent at fifty paces. *g*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

My goodness - I wish I could!

[blackbyrde.livejournal.com]

I liked those shows. Two kids from my school (one from my class) were on those shows from grade 6 to 8. I remember they always got to leave at lunch time, but sometimes they'd actually be at school.

The thing I really liked about Degrassi was that the kids themselves did their wardrobes, and hair and makeup. And the fact that the world didn't revolve around 4 or 5 people, but they told stories about each of the characters. :)

[msdaccxx.livejournal.com]

Lord! You're touched by the Hand of Degrassi!

I really liked both shows and I'm glad to hear they were produced in a workshop-type environment with lots of input from the kids.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

It must have been interesting, having a TV actor in your class. Did they say anything about what it was like?

[liviapenn.livejournal.com]

though I've yet to figure out why anyting thinks it should be included on BBC Canada when there's not a British character in the whole show.

Well, there's the Queen. OK, she's not actually on the show, but she's definitely a presence in Fraser and Turnbull's hearts. *grins*

And Reboot ruled all.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I suppose the Queen is a British presense - but hey, she's the Queen of Canada! Though I suspect that title isn't high on her list of priorities.

Fraser's heart is an interesting place.

I think I miss Reboot.

[blackbyrde.livejournal.com]

*sniff* I miss the Friendly Giant. :'(

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I do too. That was the perfect kids' show. Jerome and Rusty the Rooster will always have a place in my heart. But what I think I liked best was the little miniature rocking chair.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

Yeah. No surprise. But a lot of it is sort of half-Canadian, like Highlander or Stargate, or filmed in Canada so we call all pretend we're seeing New York or Kansas when we're seeing Toronto or Vancouver. That really doesn't count when it's American money that makes it, Americans who are the stars, American writers who write it, American sensibility and outlook that goes into it, and they all pretend it isn't set in Canada but in Cascade or Seacouver or wherever.

And I smile (painfully) to think of Queer as Folk, which they set in Pittsburgh but totally screwed up because instead of using the vibrant and varied and very real Pittsburgh gay scene, they made one up and just called it Pittsburgh, while filming it in Toronto -- totally dissing the formerly-much-healthier Pittsburgh Film Bureau in the process! Life is full of ironies.

A handful of familiar faces might be Canadian actors,usually in the background. Let's not even mention Kristen Kreuk; I'd rather forget her.

William Shatner, now an icon of American television. Another one of those interesting ironies. Anyway, now, whenever I see Miss Kreuk as Lana (or in one of her make-up commercials), I visualize her playing Death from the Neil Gaiman Sandman, and I feel much better. Try it.

Are there other internatially known Canadian TV shows? There must be. Red Green? I know some people in California who watch that.

I watch that. It's very big on PBS. Yes, I'd say it's nationally known, in the States.

Then there's the so-famous-it's-embarrassing Anne of Green Gables.

Why embarrassing, pray? It's sweet. It's like the forerunner to tv's great love affair with Little House on the Prairie, I feel. Also, I think of it most fondly, as the original movie starred an actress (as the aunt of the main character) who was my mother's favorite actress, whose name escapes me now because I'm very tired, who passed away a few years before my mother did, but whom I now remember as fondly myself just for that association. Initials of C.D., I think, believe it or not I know that, even though I cannot think of her name, and I also can see her face very clearly. She also played Murphy Brown's mom, Avery, on that show, right up till her own death.
So... dunno why so many otherwise-rational Canadians get all embarrassed to speak of Anne of Green Gables, really I don't!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Queer as Folk, which they set in Pittsburgh

The show I was thinking of was set in Manchester, but the point is the same. (g)

Filming companies choose Toronto because it's cheaper. The mind boggles. And though I don't know, I suspect the Toronto gay scene is bigger than the Pittsburgh gay scene - just because it's huge, for various reasons - though I haven't seen statistics. Not that I think that influenced them. What is the overall size of Pittsburgh?

Lana Lang as Death? Naw, doesn't work for me. Death is perky and bright. I just can't picture Lana being perky.

Anne of Green Gables isn't embarrassing per se, but it isn't new. I was thinking that I'd like Canada to be known for something dynamic and new and forward-looking, rather than something written before World War I, and rural at that. It would be like the U.S. being known for cowboy movies: fair enough, and a depiction of an era of reality, but removed from the present relevancy.

On the other hand, I think "Ann" nicely encapsulates the Canadian attitude to life rather the same way that westerns encapsulate the American character so maybe it's relevant (and revealing) after all.

Not that I mean to descend to stereotypes here: I know both nations are complex. I'm talking about international images here.