Desperate US networks look to Canadian series for help - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Sal · 11-20-2007, 11:57 AM

As the Writer's Strike continues, the major US networks will soon be looking for space to fill in the gigantic holes left in the primetime schedule. This will eventually be taken care of through reruns, movies, and (YECCH!) more reality series. Another alternative could be to look north of the border and import some popular Canadian series like "Corner Gas" and "Little Mosque On The Prairie". (Of course, if they're smart---and we know they're not---the networks could ask for "Hockey Night In Canada" as well. What else is there to watch on Saturday nights?) This possibility is examined in the following article which I read on Yahoo!:

'Little Mosque in Wisconsin?' Strike-bound U.S. networks eye Canadian shows

By Lee-Anne Goodman, THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO - The ongoing screenwriters strike in the United States has had an undeniable impact in Canada - American shows filming here are shutting down due to a lack of scripts, throwing hundreds out of work amid fears that a prolonged strike could damage the entire North American film and TV industry.

But there's been one bright spot on an otherwise bleak horizon: American broadcasters are eagerly eyeing Canadian shows as diverse as "Little Mosque on the Prairie," "Durham County" and "The Border," a new CBC drama that premieres in January.

"We've actually had inquiries from the U.S. networks about shows that we've either produced or are going into production on, so it's been interesting - they're looking for alternatives," Kirstine Layfield, head of network programming for CBC, said Monday.

"The U.S. is the hardest nut to crack. They are the most parochial of markets in the world - they buy no British, no Canadian, no anything. Because they're so obviously self-reliant, when this happens they all of a sudden have to look outside themselves, and that's what's happening right now."

Except for "The Border," Layfield didn't want to name the CBC shows piquing the interest of American broadcasters due to ongoing negotiations. But Mary Darling, head of Westwind Productions, says "Little Mosque" is getting some attention.

She disputed a recent assertion by the president of the Writers Guild of Canada that Canadian producers are "dreaming in Technicolor" and entertaining some "weird pipe dream" if they think American networks are going to buy their shows.

"It's not a pipe dream," Darling said, adding that the longer the strike drags on, the more it could benefit Canadian producers eager to crack the massive and lucrative American market.

"In fact, the possibility does exist. There are two different networks looking at 'Little Mosque' right now. We've heard from people I never expected to hear from directly ... there's been a definite increase in interest since the strike."

CTV programming president Susanne Boyce said American broadcasters have long been interested in "Corner Gas," and says negotiations are continuing throughout the strike.

Where does that leave the writers for some of those Canadian shows? The Writers Guild of Canada and the Writers Guild of America share 265 dual members - mostly Canadian writers in the U.S. who are now on strike. Hundreds of other WGC members in Canada are standing in solidarity with their American counterparts.

In Vancouver, the Writers Guild of America is striking against television shows being shot there, including "Bionic Woman," "Battlestar Galactica" - both of which have ceased production - and "Smallville." Those shut-downs have put about 200 people out of work.

Denis McGrath, a longtime Canadian television writer who also pens the TV blog Dead Things on Sticks (www.heywriterboy.blogspot.com), says no Canadian-based writers should feel like scabs if the shows they worked on find homes in the U.S. because of the strike.

"If you're a Canadian writer and you're a Writers Guild of Canada writer, you've got to think about it; you've got to find your way through," said McGrath, who writes for "The Border," the drama about immigration police premiering Jan. 7 on CBC.

"But if you worked for a show - you wrote it, you got paid, it got produced and it sells abroad - I mean you can't be against capitalism. American shows are regularly sold into our markets on Canadian networks, and because our Canadian networks are saturated with U.S. programming there is less opportunity for Canadian writers, so I don't think any WGC member needs to be upset if a show they worked on gets sold."

The trouble arises if a show is suddenly greenlit by a Canadian network simply to take advantage of the strike.

"The dirty little secret of private Canadian broadcasters is they have tons of shows in development because they have money for that and they can spend that money and point to that on their balance sheet and say: 'Look, we're trying to develop Canadian shows,' and then they just never greenlight any of them," McGrath said.

"But if one of those shows gets greenlit because it makes a U.S. sale it would not have otherwise made - if I was that writer, I would feel really, really skeevy. That's where it gets complicated."

McGrath said he also doubts whether U.S. networks will make any major Canadian purchases, and adds that Canadian producers might suffer long-term consequences if their shows are seen by American audiences simply because of the strike.

"From a producers' standpoint, I don't think it's the boon they think it's going to be - you can't overestimate the insularity of Americans," he said.

"And if you sell a couple of shows to American broadcasters, they are going to be seen as 'strike shows.' In the long run, the producers of these shows - if they want to make more shows and have long-term relationships in the United States - may find that it's not a good thing to have aired during the strike."

Boyce agrees that Canadian producers should be wary of having their shows associated with the strike.

"You don't want to ever do anything off the backs of these fantastic writers," she said. "We just hope this ends for everyone soon."

If the strike endures, McGrath said, the biggest silver lining will be how it might encourage Canadians to take in homemade television in January, when many Canadian shows premiere.

"There will be no new U.S. programming on the air, and that's a tremendous opportunity for us - not in the U.S., but here in Canada."

Mikado · 11-20-2007, 12:09 PM

*Starts writing script for new series called "It doesnt have to be good, they are desperate" about Canadian shows being made for US strike market*

TripperFan · 11-20-2007, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikado

*Starts writing script for new series called "It doesnt have to be good, they are desperate" about Canadian shows being made for US strike market*

And we're ALL desperate when they bring back The Littlest Hobo and Rita MacNeil and Friends!

Thank God for Red Green.....

Mikado · 11-20-2007, 12:46 PM

If WGN would have thought things out, they could have shown Corner Gas at the rate of one show a week instead of daily, theyd have more than a year's worth of brand new shows ( to US viewers ) ...... Wouldnt it be cool to see CG on Fox? (I wouldnt want to see it on ABC, NBC or CBS cause theyd probably add a laugh track and redub all Canadian references)

Czas na Zywiec · 11-20-2007, 02:26 PM

Little Mosque doesn't have enough episodes really to be played on a daily basis. However, if they did air it once a week then I would be extatic. Little Mosque is my favorite current sitcom along with Corner Gas.

TripperFan · 11-20-2007, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikado

If WGN would have thought things out, they could have shown Corner Gas at the rate of one show a week instead of daily, theyd have more than a year's worth of brand new shows ( to US viewers ) ...... Wouldnt it be cool to see CG on Fox? (I wouldnt want to see it on ABC, NBC or CBS cause theyd probably add a laugh track and redub all Canadian references)

Exactly - and I agree with Czas, that Mosque doesn't have enough eps yet. Anything in overkill gets old quickly and who knows how long this strike will last. The only good point is that some good Cdn. shows are finally getting discovered by our friends to the south. It is a whole new type of humour I'm sure - more dry like some British stuff.
You're right about the old boy networks too adding the laugh track and cutting out the Canadian references. What's the big deal about the U.S. audience seeing some different humour for a bit?

11-20-2007, 11:57 AM	#1
Sal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 20, 2001 Location: Oakville, Ont. Canada Posts: 6,150	Desperate US networks look to Canadian series for help As the Writer's Strike continues, the major US networks will soon be looking for space to fill in the gigantic holes left in the primetime schedule. This will eventually be taken care of through reruns, movies, and (YECCH!) more reality series. Another alternative could be to look north of the border and import some popular Canadian series like "Corner Gas" and "Little Mosque On The Prairie". (Of course, if they're smart---and we know they're not---the networks could ask for "Hockey Night In Canada" as well. What else is there to watch on Saturday nights?) This possibility is examined in the following article which I read on Yahoo!: 'Little Mosque in Wisconsin?' Strike-bound U.S. networks eye Canadian shows By Lee-Anne Goodman, THE CANADIAN PRESS TORONTO - The ongoing screenwriters strike in the United States has had an undeniable impact in Canada - American shows filming here are shutting down due to a lack of scripts, throwing hundreds out of work amid fears that a prolonged strike could damage the entire North American film and TV industry. But there's been one bright spot on an otherwise bleak horizon: American broadcasters are eagerly eyeing Canadian shows as diverse as "Little Mosque on the Prairie," "Durham County" and "The Border," a new CBC drama that premieres in January. "We've actually had inquiries from the U.S. networks about shows that we've either produced or are going into production on, so it's been interesting - they're looking for alternatives," Kirstine Layfield, head of network programming for CBC, said Monday. "The U.S. is the hardest nut to crack. They are the most parochial of markets in the world - they buy no British, no Canadian, no anything. Because they're so obviously self-reliant, when this happens they all of a sudden have to look outside themselves, and that's what's happening right now." Except for "The Border," Layfield didn't want to name the CBC shows piquing the interest of American broadcasters due to ongoing negotiations. But Mary Darling, head of Westwind Productions, says "Little Mosque" is getting some attention. She disputed a recent assertion by the president of the Writers Guild of Canada that Canadian producers are "dreaming in Technicolor" and entertaining some "weird pipe dream" if they think American networks are going to buy their shows. "It's not a pipe dream," Darling said, adding that the longer the strike drags on, the more it could benefit Canadian producers eager to crack the massive and lucrative American market. "In fact, the possibility does exist. There are two different networks looking at 'Little Mosque' right now. We've heard from people I never expected to hear from directly ... there's been a definite increase in interest since the strike." CTV programming president Susanne Boyce said American broadcasters have long been interested in "Corner Gas," and says negotiations are continuing throughout the strike. Where does that leave the writers for some of those Canadian shows? The Writers Guild of Canada and the Writers Guild of America share 265 dual members - mostly Canadian writers in the U.S. who are now on strike. Hundreds of other WGC members in Canada are standing in solidarity with their American counterparts. In Vancouver, the Writers Guild of America is striking against television shows being shot there, including "Bionic Woman," "Battlestar Galactica" - both of which have ceased production - and "Smallville." Those shut-downs have put about 200 people out of work. Denis McGrath, a longtime Canadian television writer who also pens the TV blog Dead Things on Sticks (www.heywriterboy.blogspot.com), says no Canadian-based writers should feel like scabs if the shows they worked on find homes in the U.S. because of the strike. "If you're a Canadian writer and you're a Writers Guild of Canada writer, you've got to think about it; you've got to find your way through," said McGrath, who writes for "The Border," the drama about immigration police premiering Jan. 7 on CBC. "But if you worked for a show - you wrote it, you got paid, it got produced and it sells abroad - I mean you can't be against capitalism. American shows are regularly sold into our markets on Canadian networks, and because our Canadian networks are saturated with U.S. programming there is less opportunity for Canadian writers, so I don't think any WGC member needs to be upset if a show they worked on gets sold." The trouble arises if a show is suddenly greenlit by a Canadian network simply to take advantage of the strike. "The dirty little secret of private Canadian broadcasters is they have tons of shows in development because they have money for that and they can spend that money and point to that on their balance sheet and say: 'Look, we're trying to develop Canadian shows,' and then they just never greenlight any of them," McGrath said. "But if one of those shows gets greenlit because it makes a U.S. sale it would not have otherwise made - if I was that writer, I would feel really, really skeevy. That's where it gets complicated." McGrath said he also doubts whether U.S. networks will make any major Canadian purchases, and adds that Canadian producers might suffer long-term consequences if their shows are seen by American audiences simply because of the strike. "From a producers' standpoint, I don't think it's the boon they think it's going to be - you can't overestimate the insularity of Americans," he said. "And if you sell a couple of shows to American broadcasters, they are going to be seen as 'strike shows.' In the long run, the producers of these shows - if they want to make more shows and have long-term relationships in the United States - may find that it's not a good thing to have aired during the strike." Boyce agrees that Canadian producers should be wary of having their shows associated with the strike. "You don't want to ever do anything off the backs of these fantastic writers," she said. "We just hope this ends for everyone soon." If the strike endures, McGrath said, the biggest silver lining will be how it might encourage Canadians to take in homemade television in January, when many Canadian shows premiere. "There will be no new U.S. programming on the air, and that's a tremendous opportunity for us - not in the U.S., but here in Canada."
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11-20-2007, 12:09 PM	#2
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,880	Starts writing script for new series called "It doesnt have to be good, they are desperate" about Canadian shows being made for US strike market

11-20-2007, 12:46 PM	#4
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,880	If WGN would have thought things out, they could have shown Corner Gas at the rate of one show a week instead of daily, theyd have more than a year's worth of brand new shows ( to US viewers ) ...... Wouldnt it be cool to see CG on Fox? (I wouldnt want to see it on ABC, NBC or CBS cause theyd probably add a laugh track and redub all Canadian references)

11-20-2007, 02:26 PM	#5
Czas na Zywiec what up Forum Star Join Date: Jun 28, 2001 Location: Southwest Side, Chicago Posts: 18,398	Little Mosque doesn't have enough episodes really to be played on a daily basis. However, if they did air it once a week then I would be extatic. Little Mosque is my favorite current sitcom along with Corner Gas.