“It was an extremely strong fall, which gives us a basis to continue to build our schedule upon,” says Malcolm Dunlop, executive vice-president of programming and operations for Rogers Media, which owns Citytv.
Citytv's 2 Broke Girls
This time around, only one of the 11 television shows the Toronto-based broadcaster picked up for the fall 2011 schedule got the axe.
The Playboy Club, a 1960s-era period piece about the once-infamous gentleman’s club premiered Sept. 19 and lasted only three weeks.
Another disappointment was the science fiction drama series Terra Nova (simulcast with Fox) that was once lauded by critics for its potential to attract a wide and diverse demographic. However, by late fall the reviews from critics were less than favourable. While the response from U.S. audiences was also lukewarm at best, Dunlop says he’s very pleased with how it performed in Canada and hopes it returns for another season.
“When people watched they became really engaged,” he says. “When you look at the numbers here compared to the States, we did substantially better. I credit that to our marketing and public relations people.” The fate of Terra Nova still hangs in the balance, says Dunlop, who has not yet heard from Fox whether the show has been renewed. “It is frustrating,” says Dunlop. “From a programming perspective we’d love it back on air and advertisers that bought it ended up doing quite well in that show.”
These are two minor blips in what is otherwise a strong schedule with a good mix of comedy and drama.
Citytv has a strong stable of sitcoms with high-profile hits like Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother and 30 Rock. And last fall, the broadcaster added New Girl, Last Man Standing, Suburgatory, Raising Hope, The Middle and 2 Broke Girls to that list. But, Citytv’s “dramas are stronger than they’ve ever been,” says Dunlop, thanks to recently added titles like Revenge, Person of Interest, Private Practice and Alcatraz (which premiered Jan. 16).
“I think sometimes people overlook how strong we are now in the drama department,” he says. Later this spring Citytv will introduce the latest drama series from Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rimes called Scandal. The show follows a Washington press agent who decides to start her own crisis-management firm after dedicating her life to protecting the public images of high-profile government officials. On April 9, Citytv will start airing the American television drama Shameless starring William H. Macy and Joan Cusak. Shameless, which is based on the award-winning British series of the same name, is in its second season on Showtime in the U.S. and The Movie Network in Canada.
Citytv has also shifted part of its focus to homegrown content with the introduction of Canada’s Got Talent and The Bachelor Canada. (Citytv airs the American version of both franchises as well.) The response to both shows has been incredible in terms of Canadians wanting to take part, says Dunlop. Also, these are the types of shows that “advertisers want to get involved with so it really is taking the shows we have U.S. rights for and making them signature Canadian programming,” says Dunlop, who hopes to one day include a Citytv-produced comedy or drama series on the schedule.
Mid-Season Scorecard
[click to enlarge]
Stay Tuned
What viewers can expect from the spring and summer lineup.
Katie
(Disney-ABC Domestic Television)
Katie Couric, former anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News, will host the one-hour live daily show from New York City. Couric calls the content less newsy and more topical, adding that although the show won’t be political, she does intend to interview political newsmakers. Premieres in September.
The Bachelor Canada
(Commissioned by Citytv’s original content team and produced by Force Four Entertainment)
Capitalizing on the popularity of its U.S. counterpart The Bachelor (now in its 16th season on Citytv and OMNI Television), the Toronto-based broadcaster is launching a Canadian version of the romantic reality show. The nine-episode series is in pre-production. Casting for the show began Jan. 23. It premieres this fall.
Apartment 23
Originally titled Don’t Trust the Bitch in Apartment 23, this situation comedy series for ABC is a modern-day female version of the Odd Couple. It revolves around a seemingly naive girl from the Midwest and a savvy street-smart con artist who are roommates in New York City. In it, James Ven Der Beek of Dawson’s Creek fame plays a self-parodied version of himself. Premieres April 11.
