I’ve had a lot of time in the past few days to watch TV. One would think that, due to the proximity of the city of Toronto to the US (and vice versa) that TV in general and local commercials specifically would be relatively close to what we see in the US. What I’ve found, however, is that this is not the case. TV here differs in many ways, from the obvious to the very subtle. I have a feeling this will be an on-going topic, but here are some of the highlights I’ve noticed so far:
Best TV show name and concept: “Little Mosque on the Prairie,” about a Muslim family in the territories.
Best commercial, so far, is the Double Double twins, for fast food. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7p-x46k07U. There are also a few awesome furniture store commercials, including one with some creepy old guy with a full beard: “the boxes are ooooooopening!!!!!”
Daytime TV: Steven and Chris. I’m really sad I’m not at home at 2 pm to watch these guys. It’s like gay Oprah and gay Martha do a talk show together. Unbelievable.
http://www.cbc.ca/stevenandchris/
But I think the thing I especially love is the network ads for upcoming programming. I’m used to the US-short-attention-span-flashy-loud thing, where you get a few words and some pictures of hot chicks. Here, they do a full synopsis to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. Example: New season of the bachelor. Instead of the normal, “he got burned last year, but now he’s back,” they spend the full 90 seconds describing in detail the follies of last season, how he has recovered, and who the lucky ladies will be this season. Also, the CBC showed “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.” Even during the movie, there were 90 second promos about the plot: “Four young children venture into a world of ice and snow. Along the way, they encounter an array of wonderful creatures, and challenges beyond their wildest dreams….” Perhaps they expect viewers to be a bit slower here….
And I won’t even start in on the variety sketch shows. NOT FUNNY.
Maybe eventually I’ll speak enough French to understand what’s happening on those channels, too…..
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"Steven & Chris will prove that 'a little bit of fabulous' can go a long way toward putting some sparkle in your day. This is how Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman lead their lives. They believe that good design, delicious food, and great clothes are about more than being fabulous - if you add all those things together, you'll end up feeling as great as you look!"
ReplyDeletehahahahhaa i want to watch canadian television
I thought you would like steven and chris. I'd bet that they are where they got Terrance and Phillip.
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