My Week in TV

• I was bored, so I made my own version of TV University (a format I blatantly stole from something I saw on www.thetvaddict.com- please, no one sue me).

• This week I got the opportunity to participate in a conference call with Secret Life of the American Teenager actress India Eisley. Not being very familiar with the show, I thought the most interesting thing about this would be that her mother was Zeffirelli's iconic Juliet. But when I caught up with some episodes online to prepare for the call I quickly discovered that I would be speaking to the most interesting aspect of the show. Eisley's character Ashley is the beating heart and smart mouth of an otherwise lobotomized teen condescension fest. And when I heard what Eisley had to say on the call I quickly realized that it's her that gives Ashley the awesome factor. Smart, articulate, humble, sweet and honest, Eisley was thoroughly charming. And when asked what shows she watches and movies she likes I couldn't help but think about the Teen Choice Awards (currently accepting voting online). The nominees are all fluff, the sort of belittling stuff that tells teenagers that because of their age they are expected to actually consider Tristan Wilds (90210) the best actor in a drama on TV (not that I don't really enjoymany a CW show and think that the Emmys should get off their high horse and consider Ed Westwick next season, but still- Tristan Wilds?!). But when 16-year-old Eisley watches TV she chooses Weeds, True Blood and Nurse Jackie (much to the audible surprise of the reporters on the call); and her favourite movie? It's not Twilight, it's Bridge on the River Kwai. I was so impressed with the mature teen star that I may even begin to watch her show. (I'll post more from the interview in the coming days).

• After an uphill battle that's been raging since Christmas, I'm closing in on finishing The Sopranos as I finally embark on season 6. It's been somewhat unpleasant (least sexy show EVER, though I suppose that's the point) and I don't care much for any of the characters but I can see why it is considered so artistically meritorious. For every cartoon of a mobster that fills out the background there's a fascinatingly drawn character to counteract them. The whole affair reeks of filmmakers gone rogue on television: the blatant narcissistic rule-breaking works against the series more than one might expect but does lead to the occasionally inspired moment (like heads in bowling bags- for example!) That doesn't make it pleasant to watch, but it does make it interesting.

• This week I watched all of CBC's newest hit 18 to Life in one sitting. It was cute, it was sweet and I'll be back next season for more.

• When I finally watched CTV's weeks old TV movie Turn the Beat Around (starring forgettable So You Think You Can Dance Canada contestant Romina Something-or-other and awesome SYTYCDCcontestants Miles and Natalie in sadly smaller roles), it proved so unlikeable that I ended up fast forwarding to the dancing parts. Whose idea was it to make a Flashdance remake using disco?!

• Monday night trash TV continues to make me incredibly happy. I love to hate the horrible people on True Beauty (though I kinda actually like Taylor, go Taylor!) and am loving The Bachelorette (as shameful usual). Kirk is progressively becoming my new favourite, I still love Frank even if he is going crazy with jealousy, am counting the days until Craig and Chris N finally leave, still think it might be Roberto who breaks her heart and could not care less if people think Justin is evil, she's clearly not going to pick him anyway.

• So You Think You Can Dance kicked off the voting this week with a strong episode. The All-Stars create a mixed bag or results. Some, like Allison, Mark, Pasha and Anya, raised their competitor partner's game. Others, like Kathryn and Twitch, accidentally detracted by being so awesome themselves. One (namely Courtney) is a mediocre all-star who kinda got outdanced by her partner. Some showed off their partner nicely by supporting them and doing their intended job of just being a partner that won't leave the contestant undeservingly in the bottom 3 (Lauren, Neil, Ade and Comfort did exactly that). I'm not sure how this whole thing will play out but I do know that every new thing I learn about Alex Wong makes me love him even more.

• Drop Dead Diva continues to be amazing this season with an excellent second episode. Chad Lowe made a spectacular guest appearance, Tony and Jane each tore my heart out, Fred proved awesomeness once more, Kim is starting to bounce back as a non-villain and Jeff Rose started his arc as a lawyer in opposition to Jane's firm.

• My daily summer staples Jeopardy and The Daily Show continue to go strong (though I am tired of oil spill coverage- is that terrible?).

and

• I almost missed the Top Chef premiere until I noticed something on the ever-helpful (and sometimes sorrowfully spoiler-full) Facebook newsfeed. It's awesome to have that show back for the summer!

Canada's Got More Hits

CBC has officially put a third show on my radar (the others being Little Mosque on the Prairie and Being Erica). The charming sitcom 18 to Life is not exactly ground breaking but it is incredibly sweet. As the central 18-year-old married couple, Jessie and Tom are fun characters with excellent chemistry. Jessie is played by yet another Degrassi alum (seriously, how many of those kids are there?!), Stacey Farber, while oldschool YTV fans get a blast from the past when they realize that Tom (Michael Seater) is Spencer from The Zack Files all grown up. The cast in general is really great including 2 interesting friends, 2 fun siblings and 4 eclectic (read: scene stealing) parents (Slings & Arrows fans will recognize Jessie's hilarious dad, Peter Keleghan, as the morally questionable bottled water businessman who taunted Richard regularly).

Another great surprise in the cast is a number of familiar faces from my newest favourite Canadian movie, The Trotsky. The lively and painfully clever film (WHICH YOU SHOULD ALL GO SEE!) was set and filmed in Montreal, just like 18 to Life. Whether it's purely coincidental or not, the two share quite a few actors, including the awesome Kaniehetiio Horn, who is one of my new favourite people to watch. The pilot also starred Tommie- Amber Pirie as Jessie and Tom's friend Ava but she was mysteriously replaced by Erin Agostino for the series run, she is dearly missed. Their other friend, Carter, is played by Jesse Rath, the target of The Trotsky's best line: "are you my Stalin, Dwight?"

With yet another recent TV hit, an awesome new movie (starring Jay Baruchel and Colm Feore, home-grown Canadian boys with cross-border appeal) and one of our best writers (Rob Sheridan) inking a deal with Warner Brothers to develop a comedy script for the American market, the Canadian industry is on the rise. Support it by checking out 18 to Life and going to see The Trotsky, you won't regret it.