Posts Tagged ‘W’

The Amazing Cult on the March to the Jeselnik Offensive; TV must-sees for this week

- February 17th, 2013

Amazing Race cast - season 22

 

Bill Harris’ TV must-sees for the week of Feb. 17:

 

1) The Amazing Race

Why you should watch: So, everybody keeps trying to tell me what a “small world” it is. So how is it that this series is entering its 22nd season (participants are pictured above) and they still keep finding exotic places to visit in different countries? Ex-NHL player Bates Battaglia is one of the competitors this time.
When: Sunday on CBS, CTV

 

2) Cult

Why you should watch: In the series debut, investigative journalist Jeff Sefton (Matt Davis) begins to delve into the dark underworld of a TV show called Cult, and its super-devoted fans. Yes, it’s one of those show-within-a-show things.

When: Tuesday on CW, CTV Two

 

3) Killing Lincoln

Why you should watch: Narrated on-screen by Tom Hanks and starring Billy Campbell in the title role, this two-hour historical drama isn’t a biopic, but rather focuses specifically on the assassination of the 16th president of the United States.

When: Sunday on National Geographic Channel

 

4) Leverage

Why you should watch: In the series finale, Nate (Timothy Hutton) takes a case linked to his son’s death. But when the job goes bad, Interpol interrogates Nate and tries to figure out not only what went wrong, but also what he really was seeking.

When: Monday on Super Channel

 

5) March to the Top

Why you should watch: A documentary about emotional and physical rehabilitation as 12 injured Canadian soldiers attempt to work together to climb the 20,305-foot Island Peak in Nepal.

When: Full-length version Sunday on Documentary Channel; one-hour version Monday on CBC

 

6) Come Date With Me

Why you should watch: An offshoot of the series Come Dine With Me, this new foray sees four eligible suitors try to out-dine, out-shine and out-date each other for the heart of one hottie. You know, just like every night in all bars.

When: Wednesday on W

 

7) The Jeselnik Offensive

Why you should watch: Comedian Anthony Jeselnik has produced some of the most fearless, or offensive, or hilarious Tweets (depending upon your point of view) that I ever have read. You may have seen him on some of those celebrity roasts. Now he gets his own series.

When: Tuesday on Comedy

 

8) Revenge

Why you should watch: The Graysons host their annual Labour Day party – my God, these people throw a lot of parties. Meanwhile, Jack and “Faux-manda” embark upon what is sure to be a stress-free honeymoon.

When: Sunday on ABC, City

 

9) The Good Wife

Why you should watch: Tensions flare when Will and Diane ask Alicia and Cary to face off against them in a mock trial. Hey, remember “Mock Trial with J. Reinhold” on Arrested Development? Now that was funny.

When: Sunday on CBS, Global

 
10) Once Upon a Time

Why you should watch: While Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle), Emma (Jennifer Morrison) and Henry (Jared Gilmore) seek out Mr. Gold’s son in New York, Regina (Lana Parrilla) attempts to track down one of Rumplestiltskin’s most treasured possessions back in Storybrooke.

When: Sunday on ABC, CTV

 

bill.harris@sunmedia.ca

@billharris_tv

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“Newfoundland Newhart” Shaun Majumder minds his “manors” in new series on W

- December 11th, 2012

Cover - Shelby Fenner and Shaun Majumder

Shaun Majumder wants to be the Newfoundland Newhart.

“Yeah, kinda,” Majumder said with a laugh, thinking of his new series, Majumder Manor.

“(Bob Newhart) had that beautiful old inn (in the 1980s series Newhart). Ours is a little more modern.

“But no, I actually have no desire to be Newhart. I want to be Fawlty Towers. That’s really where it’s at.”

Of course, Newhart and Fawlty Towers were scripted sitcoms. Majumder Manor – which debuts Jan. 7 on W – actually is hard to pigeon-hole when it comes to genre.

It’s part documentary, but it certainly isn’t boring and, in fact, is quite funny.

It’s also part reality series, but as Majumder puts it, “It’s real, it’s more real than reality. It’s too real to be reality TV.”

Majumder is a well-known Canadian comedian most widely recognized as a cast member on CBC’s This Hour Has 22 minutes, as well as for his dramatic roles on series such as 24, The Firm and Detroit 1-8-7.

But part of Majumder never left his home town of Burlington, Nfld. Population: “A couple of two-fours shy of 400.”

With rural Newfoundland towns struggling economically, it long has been Majumder’s dream to build a five-star, eco-friendly inn in Burlington. The idea is to provide lodging and restaurant options for tourists attracted to the area because of its intense beauty, and to revitalize – or as Majumder says, “vitalize, is that a word?” – the community.

Majumder Manor chronicles his efforts in this regard, as he interacts with the home-town people he has known his entire life. And fortuitously, Majumder’s fiancee Shelby Fenner, a true California girl, is on hand to provide built-in cultural comparisons.

During a recent interview with Majumder and Fenner, the former turned to the latter and said, “Shelby, how would you describe the food when you first went there (to Burlington)? Honestly, no filter.”

“Salt,” Fenner replied flatly, prompting laughter from both Majumder and yours truly.

“They had to salt everything historically to preserve it. But they need to evolve beyond that, with things like a greenhouse so we can have fresh vegetables all year.”

Majumder added, “So the greenhouse she’s talking about is an evolution of the project, it’s one of the pieces of infrastructure that we’re putting there to kind of foster community support.

“We don’t want to turn Burlington into Las Vegas. It’s not Shaun Majumder coming back from afar, building a nice lodge, doing a TV show and then walking away.”

That was the initial reaction from some Burlington townsfolk, as seen in the first episode of Majumder Manor.

“This always has been a project with a 20-year plan in many ways,” Majumder said. “The TV show just happens to be catching the very beginning of it.”

So Shaun Majumder hopes Majumder Manor is here to stay, emotionally, creatively and physically.

But just a head’s up, if Majumder ever does decide to go the Newhart route, he won’t have to look far for real-life Larry, Darryl and Darryls.

bill.harris@sunmedia.ca

@billharris_tv

Inside - Shaun Majumder and Shelby Fenner

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