CTV has cancelled their 1/2 comedy "Satisfaction" in it's latest volley across the deck of CRTC's draconian dictate that Canada put Canadian shows on Canadian TV.
Despite a who's who of Canadian actors, Jessica Paré, Tommy Chong, Gordon Pinsent and comic Andy Kindler, Mark Critch, Ryan Belleville, Shaun Majumder, Peter Kelaghan, Gabrielle Miller, Colin Mochrie, Leah Renee, Luke Macfarlane, (ed. plus like hundreds of others.);
Despite most of the comedy writers in Canada today, Mark Critch, Bob Kerr, Albert Howell, Ryan Belleville, Tim Mcauliffe (ed. plus others!);
Despite hot directors like Mike Clattenburg, Jason Priestly (ed. and others!);
Despite 5 Consulting Producers, 2 Executive Producers, and 3 Regular Producers and 3 "Executives in Charge of Production"
Despite 8 Story Consultants/Editors;
Despite a crew numbering into the dozens and dozens (ed. zoinks, look at that Art Department http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2546024/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast . Didn't they have like 2 sets? )
Despite "Other Crew" in the dozens including everyone from P.A.'s to the "production & development coordinator: DHX Media" , "senior vice president: independent production"president: "ctv programming and sports" and everyone had an assistant.
They could not create a good show.
Now you all know me as a Rah! Rah! champion of Canadian television (ed. present discussion excepted) but it's time I let you all in on a not so secret secret.
The working title of this show might as well have been "Doomed for Failure".
When BCE bought CTV the CRTC (ed. m-o-u-s-e) they made them promise they would do their darndest to make Canadian television. BCE said "of course, that would make us very happy." CRTC obviously didn't believe them and told them they had to spend several million of their own dollars on making Canadian TV. BCE's smiles wavered a little bit but didn't crack and they said through clenched teeth "love to".
The deal was signed, and the CTV Exec's went to L.A. for photo ops with the cast of The Big Bang Theory" (ed. especially that girl!).
When they returned to Toronto they were reminded they had to make some Canadian TV. Rolling their eyes they said "whatever", called DHX and told them they needed a half hour comedy. DHX told them they could work up some proposals depending on the genre and demographics the network was after and they could meet and discuss. CTV said, "whatever."
Long story short, CTV spent a ton of money (ed. because they had too) paid off or invested in a bunch of favours from pretty well every creative, executive and administrative person in the business and came up with 13 episodes of Satisfaction.
Describing it as "a half hour single camera sitcom about being on the verge of adulthood, and struggling with the next step. Whether it's committing to a career, a relationship, or living arrangements, it's not easy being a twenty-something when you're torn between your immature past and your potential future."
Basically an excuse for sex, fart and drunk jokes. And surprisingly, given the talent, not very good ones.
CTV ran the series over the summer. On a Monday night. Critics didn't like it. People never found it. CTV shrugged and said "Bad ratings, sorry, we tried."
In actuality the ratings, about half-million viewers per, weren't bad, (ed. for a Canadian show.) but compared to reruns of Big Bang Theory, at 3 times that, look, it's a business.
So CTV spent a ton of money on Canadian programming as they obliged to do, a lot of people benefited and all is right in the world once again. It also works out for The Comedy Channel too, as the show will probably show up there and count toward they Canadian Content quota. But just in case Comedy has ordered 60 episodes of Match Game. This is a "reboot" of a game show from the U.S. A 60 year-old game show. But everyone on it is Canadian. So it counts. Shut up.
Sigh.
Other Canadian shows coming are Package Deal (City) and Spun Out (CTV).
Fingers crossed everyone.
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2 comments:
I agree with your assessment but disagree that they used the best talent. There seems to be a clique of people that move from one failed comedy series to the next. For some reason it only seems to strengthen their careers, whilst so many other performers and writers are overlooked year after year. This is the real problem with Canadian television.
This is true but nothing new. Friends of friends of friends are who gets hired.
I pity anyone trying to break into the business on merit alone.
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