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Michael Mando In 'Better Call Saul': Introducing Nacho Varga

December 18, 2014, 9:00 am
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We're getting close to the premiere of "Breaking Bad" prequel "Better Call Saul."

Here’s a first look at Canadian actor Michael Mando ("Orphan Black") as Nacho Varga in the much-anticipated AMC series "Better Call Saul." The prequel to the award-winning series "Breaking Bad" will debut on Sunday, February 8 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT with its second episode airing the next day, Monday, February 9 at 10:00 p.m. The series will then continue to air Mondays at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on AMC.

michael mando nacho varga better call saul
(Click for closer image -- those look like some murderous tools right there in that van...)

Nacho Varga is a calculating, intelligent criminal. While not yet a kingpin himself, Nacho is bright and has the ear of his terrifying boss. Nacho’s ambitions will put him on a collision course with Jimmy (who we know as Saul Goodman) that might just take them both down.

The story is set six years before Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) meets Walter White. When we meet him, Saul is known as Jimmy McGill, a small-time lawyer searching for his destiny and hustling to make ends meet. Working alongside and often against Jimmy is fixer Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), a beloved character first introduced in "Breaking Bad." The new series will track Jimmy’s transformation into a man who puts the criminal in "criminal attorney."

"Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan and writer/producer Peter Gould serve as co-showrunners of the premiere season of "Better Call Saul."

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Some Great Beginnings, Middles and Ends in 2014 Television

December 18, 2014, 9:48 am
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There are many top 10 lists and recaps of the various shows that we watched in 2014. Here are three shows that stood out to me and that are all at various parts of their series run:

The Knick




This show caught me off guard more than any other on the list. I wasn't expecting to see something so beautifully shot. Perhaps the script is weak and the characters sometimes hollow and generic, but they are compensated for when you look at this turn of the 20th century medical drama and the way that mastermind Stephen Soderbergh produces it.

The famed director looks at the show as art in every which way, and he is the camera operator, cinematographer, director and editor, which leaves his footprints all over it. His choices, to light everything as naturally as possible or to focus on parts of the action that are silent but still crucial, prove how critical each decision made is. Instead of corroborating with a dozen different people who all do separate jobs, Soderbergh is able to execute the way he sees the show effortlessly.

For example, one scene revolves around dialogue about funding the hospital, but the whole time we are focused on Clive Owen's character physical withdrawal from cocaine. In another, a woman is walked home by the man she cares for, and as he stands in the hallway she lights a small wick lamp over her bed. Those intimidate glows are the only lighting used in the shot and while small things, definitely a strength a lot of other shows may neglect or not be able to take advantage of.

The Knick's premise is also great within itself. Not to be confused with the current roster of Grey's Anatomy-type soap opera story lines or bizarre House plots, the setting is 1900 New York City, both a time and place that open up endless plotlines. The show is oft-cited as both terrifying and horror-like though not far off from how it was back then. For that reason alone, we get a glimpse into how things were back then when you needed an ambulance or had something easily curable now. The show is an absolutely frightening look into the past which makes us relish what we have today.

Key and Peele




Key and Peele, the long-time Mad TV comics and close friends continued to explore the boundaries of comedy, and especially urban comedy, over 2014. With guest appearances in everything from Horrible Bosses 2, Let's Be Cops, Modern Family, Bob's Burgers and Fargo, their Comedy Central show also had its fourth season.

Presenting every kind of imaginable skit possible, the True Detective-like opening and driving scenes put forth what would be the tone of their latest run -- dark and sometimes creepy ("Make a Wish Boy"). The chances they took and the places they went in putting their hands in different styles of comedy and art show that these two can read the industry and what we want as much as anyone. They're not afraid to take risks and take chances because they've earned viewers trust in following them to where they bring us. You can predict that they will continue to push those boundaries of high-brow comedy in season five, and they seem to have enough of a loyal enough following and talent around them to pull it off.

Parenthood




The Braverman family has filled the homes of NBC viewers for six seasons now, and it has been one dramatic ride. Fans of Friday Night Lights, where a lot of the production crew came from after that show ended, could have anticipated the same level of emotional attachment to the characters, but the show transcended the attachment to the Peter Berg football drama. Instead, they created a subculture family of sorts, where every season viewers tuned in modest, but steady and fiercely loyal numbers to catch up with their television counterparts.

The huge cast offered something for every viewer, whether you related most with the siblings, as a parent, a spouse, a teenager, or how as adults you are trying to find your place still in the world and that life and family bonds aren't always cut and dry. Parenthood has ended nearly every season on the edge of cancellation, and this summer finally announced this would be their last. They're going out on their own terms, and the outpouring of emotion from fans around the country who feel like they are losing their own relatives has been staggering.

The show finishes up in 2015 with four episodes and it will be sure to be an emotional roller-coaster as things tie up. I used to see this show as a carry over of Friday Night Lights, which I had put in a category by itself. From the get-go, Parenthood didn't have legs of its own, in my eyes because everything was done beforehand by FNL. But over time, I've recognized it accomplished far more than I could have imagined. It stripped away the distraction of a sports-themed show that Friday Night Lights was based around, something that surely stunted its audience from finding it, and instead just made a really great show about family. Parenthood figured it out and thus stands alone as one of the best shows about family bonds in TV history.

Honourable Mention

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver




Oliver has taken all that Jon Stewart perfected and taught him at the Daily Show and turned the genre on its head by offering longer-form, thought-provoking, hard-hitting journalism. Sure there were still the one-off jokes and attempts for laughs, but the show inspired so many calls for action that it needs to be acknowledged. There were no gimmicks, no staged interviews or stories that were more silly than serious.

You looked forward to the topics he would cover and he didn't hold back -- ever. He not only got you informed and laughing, but emotional, and he had the time to lay out a story like you would see profiled on a show like 60 Minutes. The difference? No one below 50 is watching 60 minutes and everyone under 40 is watching Last Week Tonight.

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The Elwins Watch Twin Peaks So You Don't Have To: Episodes 7 & 8

December 18, 2014, 9:49 am
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These next two episodes were watched as part of a marathon of sorts. You know you're getting really invested in a show when you can watch for hours and hours on end and not really notice the time going by. Or maybe it's just because Netflix keeps auto playing the next episodes. We may never know.

We have been huddled up in the Keswick in front of the TV for a couple hours now already. We didn't realize at first but episode seven and eight are the finale of season one and the opener of season two. Both extended length and cramming in a lot of info. As the show develops we have seen so many repeated themes in the imagery, colours, dialogue and music that seem to effortlessly tie all of the weird and disjointed plot points together. They keep adding in new twists and turns, but somehow those thematic elements keep it glued. You're saying to yourself "What just happened?" and "Who is that?" but deep down you know somehow it all makes sense.

Many things come together at the end of season one, while a whole bunch of new possibilities open. Ed's wife Nadine make a suicide attempt, we discover Lucy is pregnant, Hank shoots Leo, the paper mill gets burned down, Leland kills Jacques Renault, Audrey is stuck at One Eyed Jacks and to top it all off Cooper is shot in the final scene.

At this point in the show, we love Cooper. He is the man. He can do no wrong. Even if he did do wrong, he would be the first to admit it. It seems his intentions are pure and he has a real love and respect for all the people in Twin Peaks and wants to help them.

As we find our favourite characters and get to know them a little better we wanted to know some more about their careers as actors. Kyle MacLachlan starred in the movie version of Dune, which is a sci-fi favourite of ours. He is currently the mayor on the show Portlandia which is also amazing. We recognized Ray Wise, who plays Leland Palmer, right away as he has been featured in Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! many times. Here's one of our favourite clips of him on Awesome Show, entitled "Business Hugs."




Speaking of Leland, when the new season opens we find him back with a new skip to his step, it seems he is out of the funk caused by the death of his daughter. As well as this, his hair has turned completely white. He has had a very odd almost psychopathic air to him throughout the show that just keeps getting stronger. Adding to the eerie atmosphere, Cooper awakes from passing out due to his gunshot wound and is greeted by a giant who tells him three secret coded messages:

There is a man in a smiling bag
The owls are not what they seem
Without chemicals he points

At this point these messages are very cryptic and we have no clue what they mean. If anyone can solve a riddle, it's agent Dale Cooper. The log lady returns in this episode, chewing her pitch gum and spurting perplexing clues of her own. It's difficult to grasp the specifics of what she's getting at sometimes but her lines always have a certain ring and tone to them that draw you in. The night of Laura's murder is slowly coming together. The pieces are being figured out as to who was there, where they went and what they were doing.

This episode closes with a dinner party between the Palmer family and Donna's family. Donna's sister gets up and reads an insanely dark poem she wrote to console the Palmer family. If it was me in that situation I think it would have had the opposite effect. Leland gets up to sing "Get Happy" and ends up having some sort of seizure like episode and collapsing on the floor. We start to realize we've been sitting in the same seats for far too long and that the marathon has to end here. More Twin Peaks next week!

Share your thoughts with #ElwinsTVClub

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Sony Hack: North Korea Wants Joint Investigation With U.S.

December 20, 2014, 4:45 am
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SEOUL, South Korea - North Korea proposed a joint investigation with the U.S. into the hacking attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment, warning of "serious" consequences if Washington rejects a probe that it believes would prove Pyongyang had nothing to do with the cyberattack.

The proposal was seen by analysts as a typical ploy by the North to try to show that it is sincere, even though it knows the U.S. would never accept its offer for a joint investigation.

U.S. officials blame North Korea for the hacking, citing the tools used in the Sony attack and previous hacks linked to the North, and have vowed to respond. The break-in resulted in the disclosure of tens of thousands of confidential Sony emails and business files, and escalated to threats of terror attacks against U.S. movie theatres that caused Sony to cancel the Christmas Day release of "The Interview," a comedy about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

On Saturday, an unidentified North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman in Pyongyang proposed the joint investigation with the U.S., saying the North knows how to prove it's not responsible for the hacking. He also said Washington was slandering Pyongyang by spreading unfounded rumours.

"The U.S. should bear in mind that it will face serious consequences in case it rejects our proposal for joint investigation and presses for what it called countermeasures while finding fault with" North Korea, the spokesman said in a statement carried by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA.

"We have a way to prove that we have nothing to do with the case without resorting to torture, as the CIA does," he said, adding that the U.S. lacks any specific evidence tying North Korea to the hacking.

In Washington, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, Mark Stroh, said the U.S. stands by the FBI's conclusion that "the North Korean government is responsible for this destructive attack."

"The government of North Korea has a long history of denying responsibility for destructive and provocative actions," Stroh said. "If the North Korean government wants to help, they can admit their culpability and compensate Sony for the damages this attack caused."

The United States was reaching out to China, North Korea's key ally, for help as President Barack Obama weighs possible responses to the cyberattack, said a senior administration official, who wasn't authorized to comment by name and requested anonymity. Although China holds considerable leverage over the North and its technological infrastructure, involving Beijing could pose complications because Obama has pointedly accused China of engaging in its own acts of cybertheft.

An editorial in the Global Times, a newspaper published by China's ruling Communist Party, said that any civilized country will oppose hacker attacks or terror threats, but it also condemned the movie. "The vicious mocking of Kim is only a result of senseless cultural arrogance," it said.

Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Seoul's Dongguk University, called the North's proposal a "typical" tactic the country has taken in similar disputes with rival countries. In 2010, North Korea proposed a joint investigation after a South Korean-led international team concluded that the North was behind a torpedo attack that killed 46 South Korean sailors, though Pyongyang denied its involvement. South Korea rejected the North's offer for the joint probe.

"They are now talking about a joint investigation because they think there is no conclusive evidence," Koh said. "But the U.S. won't accede to a joint investigation for the crime."

On Friday, Obama declared that Sony "made a mistake" in shelving the satirical film about a plot to assassinate the North Korean leader, and pledged that the U.S. would respond "in a place and manner and time that we choose" to the hacking attack on Sony that led to the movie's withdrawal.

"I wish they had spoken to me first. ... We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship," Obama said at a year-end news conference, speaking of executives at Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Sony said it had had no choice but to cancel distribution of the movie because theatres were refusing to show it.

U.S. options for acting against North Korea are limited. The U.S. already has severe trade sanctions in place, and there is no appetite for military action. Even if investigators could identify and prosecute the individual hackers believed responsible, there's no guarantee that any located are overseas would ever see a U.S. courtroom. Hacking back at North Korean targets by U.S. government experts could encourage further attacks against American targets.

North Korea and the U.S. remain technically in a state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The rivals also are locked in an international standoff over the North's nuclear and missile programs and its alleged human rights abuses.

Earlier Saturday, North Korea angrily denounced a move by the United Nations to bring its human rights record before the Security Council and renewed its threat to further bolster its nuclear deterrent against what it called a hostile policy by the U.S. to topple its regime.

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Associated Press writer Eric Talmadge in Tokyo contributed to this report.

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'Sharktank''s Daymond John Explains The Anatomy Of A Bankruptcy

December 20, 2014, 7:55 am
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FUBU founder Daymond John and Orlando Magic star Victor Oladipo both started with nothing, and overcame personal obstacles to reach the top – Daymond is dyslexic, while Victor found his talent alone wasn’t enough to get him to the NBA. Now that they are reaping the rewards, the two discuss the pitfalls that come with success, and how quickly it can all go wrong if you aren't careful.
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Toronto Raptors' New Logo Did Not Come From Drake, Says The Rapper

December 20, 2014, 5:51 pm
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The new Toronto Raptors alternate logo netted a mixed reaction from fans, but its redesign had nothing to do with Drake.

The team's global ambassador reacted to criticism for the revamped emblem with a tweet directed at The Globe and Mail's sports columnist, Cathal Kelly.




Setting the record straight, the "Headlines" rapper insisted the new symbol was drafted without his input. The revision, which the CBC reports shares similarities with Drake's OVO brand, also bears a resemblance to the logo of rival NBA team, the Brooklyn Nets. In addition, save for a subtle clawing, it leaves the dinosaur branding of yore behind.

However, this account differs from what Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment senior director of communications Dave Haggith told the Toronto Sun on Friday. According to the executive, the 28-year-old songwriter had "great insights" about the new look, and was "one voice in the process."

But one thing remains true, Drake's love of the team knows no bounds. Earlier this week, the Grammy winner hosted his second annual "Drake Night" at the Air Canada Centre, and spoke about his commitment to the Raptors.

"I hate to be redundant, but I just care so much about the city and the people in it and night after night, it's amazing to see all these seats sold out."







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'My Husband's Not Gay': TLC's Latest TV Show Features Gay Mormon Men Married To Women

December 22, 2014, 6:14 am
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TLC's slate of shows keeps on growing, for better or for worse.

The latest is "My Husband's Not Gay," a TV special about several Mormon men living in Salt Lake City, Utah, who are attracted to other men but have chosen to marry women.

A short teaser, above, showcases the four men the show will follow: according to The Wrap, couples Jeff and Tanya, Pret and Megan, and Curtis and Tera, along with 35-year-old bachelor Tom, are all trying to ignore their admitted attraction to men because it doesn't follow the word of the gospel.

Quotes from the trailer include "With our faith in God we believe we believe we can overcome anything," "I like to say I've chosen an alternative to an alternative lifestyle" and "I'm interested in men I'm just not interested in men."

"My Husband’s Not Gay" premieres on Sunday, January 11 at 10 p.m.


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Caroline Manzo's Tribute To Her In-Law Might Leave You Crying

December 22, 2014, 10:26 am
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Bravo’s Caroline Manzo pays tribute to a real New Jersey housewife, a person who taught her a valuable lesson many years ago, that changed her life!

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'Lost Girl' Season 5, Episode 3 Recap: Finding Bo's Mojo

December 22, 2014, 1:16 pm
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Stop ... spoiler time! Please do not read this "Lost Girl" recap until you've seen Season 5, Episode 3, "Big in Japan." Or if spoilers are your jam, keep on reading!

"Big in Japan" has our "Lost Girl" crew back to more of a "case of the week" format with some overarching threads for Bo and Lauren. It also brought all of our regular players into the storyline quite beautifully.

You Can Ring My Bell ... Or Not
Bo is painting the loft with the help of Dyson. She's having some issues with her libido and actually gives the headache excuse when Dyson tells her to feed on him. Over at the Dal, it's karaoke night! An arrogant, entitled Fae by the name of Musashi is doing a bad rendition of "Ring My Bell" with two female companions. After their performance, someone tries to spike his drink with killer fish, but Musashi finds it before it can harm him.

Dyson stops by Lauren's office to go over details of last episode's elevator incident, which turns out to be a crash. The bodies have been taken to Lauren, and she's discovered that three bodies have no bruises or scratches ... including that of the blonde, candle-holding lady. Her name was Elizabeth Helm, and she was a junior lawyer. Lauren tells Dyson that there is unidentified Fae blood that she's trying to identify. In addition to this mystery, Lauren is getting death threats since word spread on what she did to the Morrigan. The entire Fae world is in flux and the lines between Light and Dark are blurred. She tells Dyson that she's used to be hunted and refuses to be scared. Dyson just wants her to be prepared for anything that may come her way.

It's Ladies' Night And The Feeling's Not Right
After a failed attempt at emulating Kenzi's culinary skills, Tamsin and Bo go out on the town instead of staying in. When the duo stops at a hot dog cart, Musashi pulls up in a fancy car and invites them out for a drink. Bo immediately says no, but Tamsin is up for some fun, and convinces Bo to go along with Musashi. Bo and Tamsin wake up the next morning in Bo's bed, both of them rocking a hangover. Bo tries to feed from Tamsin, but it's just not happening. (Is there something she can take? Fae-agra, perhaps?) They soon realize they're not alone. Musashi is sitting in a chair, playing with a knife, but Bo has a knife of her own under her pillow. He tells them there's an assassin after him and he wants them to be his bodyguards.

They head out to a sushi restaurant that Musashi's family owns, and talk about the assassin. Tamsin recognizes the MO from her bounty hunting days, and realizes that Musashi is a legendary warrior. He is set to ascend, becoming a god and king of his ancestors. Someone wants to stop that from happening. The fear starts to creep in for Lauren while she's working late at the office, and she hears a noise. She grabs the closest "weapon" she can find -- a broom -- but it's only a janitor.

Lauren goes to Dyson for some training; he brings her straight into the boxing ring and asks her to show him how she would defend herself. After a few flimsy attempts, Lauren's ready to give up, but Dyson tells her that he's trying to test her combat abilities and come up with the best plan. She's much more receptive when he uses the word "test"! The assassin tries to strike Musashi when he's with Bo and Tamsin, but upon realizing who Musashi is, the assassin takes his own life, but has injured Bo along the way.

Bo heads over to Lauren for medical attention, and tells Lauren about her feeding issues. Lauren suggests that Bo feed off her but it still doesn't work. Lauren tries reassuring Bo that it's normal to have arousal issues, but Bo is sure there's more to it. Bo goes to Trick and asks if her mom ever had a "dry spell," leading to an awkward sex talk with grandpappy. He says it could be psychological, given the year that Bo's had. Bo considers that this may be a way to be free of her responsibilities.

I Am The Warrior
Tamsin learns that one of Musashi's brothers, Big Taco, is likely to have hired the assassin because he's next in line to ascend. Bo goes undercover as a masseuse and tries to question Big Taco, but Musashi's sister, Tomoe, interrupts with a hot stone to her brother's head. Bo realizes Tomoe is the one behind the assassin. Musashi can't ascend because he is not the true hero, and his dishonesty with the ancestors will turn him into an akaname, or a filth-licking demon. The main problem is that Musashi has lived the lie for so long he believes it. Tomoe can't tell Bo who the true warrior is, as it will dishonour the family. Musashi has to admit the truth himself. Bo fills Tamsin in on the truth about Musashi and they head off to take down the great one before he ascends.

Bo and Tam crash the ascension, ninja-style, when Tomoe interrupts. She's the true warrior, and Musashi finally admits it, making Tomoe the exalted one. Dyson continues training Lauren, teaching her how to use ninja stars. Lauren's main obstacle is that she thinks too much. Dyson says that sometimes she needs to go with her gut. Dyson confides in Lauren that he thinks Bo blames him for stopping her from saving Kenzi at the portal. Lauren tell him that Bo blames herself, not anyone else, and in the middle of the conversation, Dyson tells her "NOW" and she sends the ninja star straight to her target.

Bo returns to the loft and is doing a self-affirmation in front of a mirror when Musashi arrives and stabs her in the stomach. She can't heal, and can't reach her phone. She somehow ends up at Lauren's clinic and they stabilize her, but there's internal damage that won't be healed unless she feeds. While everyone tries to encourage Bo to feed, Tamsin comes in and tough loves the heck outta Bo. Bo admits that she's scared of losing all of them like she's lost so many others, especially Kenzi. Being chosen is too much responsibility, and she thinks she's going to end up alone. Everyone in the room tells her that they won't leave her and suddenly she's back in prime Succubus form, eyes blue, and asking that everyone leave ... except Dyson.

Bad Medicine
Tamsin and Lauren make small talk while Dyson helps Bo "heal" and Lauren nearly brings Tamsin to tears. Lauren says that while Tamsin is usually full of horrible surprises, sometimes she's just "what everybody needs." A fully healed Bo goes to see Musashi at the sushi restaurant. Big Taco is going to make sure that Musashi atones for his sins, and Musashi asks Bo to end his life. She tells him that's the easy way out, and he needs to learn how to live honourably.

Lauren puts her training to use when a man comes into the clinic looking for the serum and has a knife at her assistant's throat. Lauren fills a syringe with ketamine and throws it into his neck. Booya! The gang meets up at Bo's place for movie night, and two main things happen: Dyson and Tamsin have a heart-to-heart where Dyson tries to convince her to give up her police job to work with Bo; and Lauren mentions to Dyson that she can't pinpoint the Fae DNA from the elevator accident, saying it's either something really old, or completely new.

Meanwhile, at Lauren's office, Elizabeth Helm is awake and breaks out of her drawer. Lauren's assistant, Lisa, picks the worst time to return to the office, and Elizabeth snaps her neck. Who/what is Elizabeth? And how is she connected to the candle, and the Fae world?

Episode 2 Recap
Premiere Recap

You can read recaps and more over at The Televixen.
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Best TV Shows To Binge-Watch: Suggestions For Holiday Couch Surfing

December 23, 2014, 7:07 am
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The holidays are here! Nothing but free time (often with a full stomach) to fill with a glut of TV shows, especially those of us on extended staycations or housebound due to inclement weather.

If the 2014 holiday TV slate isn't doing it for you, thank goodness we have services like Netflix Canada to help us out. If you don't subscribe to Netflix, then you can always go for DVDs/Blu-rays. There are so many TV series worth getting into, past and present, that'll eradicate your holiday boredom.

The Huffington Post Canada editors have compiled a list of the most binge-able shows, and we tried to suggest something for everyone -- from the intensity of "The Sopranos" and "The Wire" to the addictive soapiness of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Gilmore Girls."

Happy watching!
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Best Canadian Reality TV Moments Of 2014: 'Big Brother Canada,' 'The Amazing Race Canada' And More

December 23, 2014, 10:53 am
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Canadians are hungry for reality TV, apparently. In fact, their appetite is pretty ravenous.

For the second year in a row, "The Amazing Race Canada" is the most-watched Canadian TV show in the country. Its sophomore season went international, scored an average rating of 2.8 million weekly viewers for CTV, and casting for its new edition is under way. Meanwhile, "Big Brother Canada 2" was such a big smash for Slice, its next installment will go prime time (for the first time) on sister station Global in 2015.

Yes, according to Toronto Life, these are just two of nearly 100 reality productions partly based out of the city. Let's not forget, too, about Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott, whose appeal is so wide they ended up on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in October.

These highlights are just the beginning of a boffo year for this growing Canadian industry, but 10 moments stand out above the rest. Here are our top 10 Canadian reality TV moments of 2014:

10. Tim Meets April
With a Jessica Rabbit dress, an element of mystery, and a confident swagger, 27-year-old April Brockman set herself apart from the "Bachelor Canada 2" pack instantly. Tim knew it, too. Though she only greeted him with a few handshakes and a cheek kiss, he asked her to stick around to keep chatting with him, and turned around to watch her enter the house. Come on. It was "showmance at first sight" — the jury's still out on whether or not it was love — and April was the clear frontrunner all season long, despite her reservations and self-professed family drama. Of course she ended up with the final rose. She may have been an on-camera bore compared to Lisa (more on her below), but she took Tim's breath away.

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9. Perogies For Dessert?!
Welcome to the TV landscape, "Chopped Canada" Hosted by Dean McDermott of, well, "Tori & Dean" fame, this cutthroat cooking challenge made a major splash in its debut season. Celebrity chef judges Susur Lee and Lynn Crawford brought the right balance of stern warmth to the panel, which changed on a weekly basis. The show will return in January, but its most unforgettable dish, or combination of items, has to be the perogy-kiwi-birch syrup dessert combo from the season finale. It's an unusual mix, but wow does it ever sound delicious!



8. Cormac And Nicole Break Our Hearts
Oh, what a gruelling Roadblock! In an agonizing defeat, the mother-son team couldn't muster up the strength to beat the biathlon in Whitehorse. The challenge required the racer to ride a one-kilometre mountain bike loop before taking aim at five targets. If you missed a target, you had to complete another bike lap to earn five more pieces of ammo. Poor Nicole had to bike for 22 (!) kilometres just to finish the task. She surely knew the team was eliminated, but knowing her son Cormac was watching on, she brushed off the tears and kept going until she finished. Cormac knew their race was over too, but it didn't stop him from cheering on his mom. He was never frustrated, and remained her biggest cheerleader. Exhausted, the two finished the race together.



7. The Demise Of The "First Five"
"Big Brother Canada 2" got off to an incredibly slow start. My dislike of the "MYSTERY HG?!" twist is hardly a secret, and it appeared the "First Five" alliance of Arlie, Sabrina, Andrew, Kenny and Sarah would predictably dominate the game at the expense of our entertainment. But, then it was Canada's turn to be HoH, and they forced the house to flip by nominating "best friends" Andrew and Sabrina. This forced then-under-the-radar players Jon and Neda to get in the game and mobilize their troops, and soon the "Sloppy Seconds" covertly took control of the house. "Big Brother Canada 2" became one of the more unpredictable games in the series' history. It's rare an alliance is completely annihilated like that without a push from a challenge or production interference (see also: the Fall of the Rotu Four in "Survivor: Marquesas"), but in this case, it totally revitalized the game. Oh, and my favourite reality contestant of the year, Sabrina Abbate, made it to the Final Two.







6. Second Is The Best
For the second year in a row, the team that won "The Amazing Race Canada" only won where it counted, at the final leg. The Tims saved their victory for the end, as did Muskoka, Ont. bros Mickey and Pete. I'm sure there's some Canadian sportsmanship connection to be made here, but at least we got to have a pantsless dance-off at the finish line.




5. Unmasking Tessa And Scott
They're not dating each other! Their on-ice relationship extends to friends-only warmth! When will Tessa meet Scott's new girlfriend? And when will Tessa find time to date? Yes, W's "Tessa And Scott" docuseries pulled the curtain back on the personal lives of Canada's skating sweethearts, and showed how their profession takes its toll on each of their off-ice relationships. It was a sugar-y "30 for 30" documentary about the pair, who went on to win a silver medal at the Sochi Olympics, and made them even more lovable.



4. Lisa Kisses Someone Off-Screen
Sacre bleu! An off-camera makeout on "Bachelor Canada 2" that doesn't involve the handsome Tim? Scandalous! The "evil" Lisa reportedly locked lips with a stranger in Tuscany. I say reportedly because there's no on-camera proof of it! Get on it, producers! Needless to say, her fellow castmates (especially the bland Sechelle) were outraged, and Tim himself had several heart-to-hearts with her about her dalliance. Naturally, Lisa still made the final three, but it didn't stop the claws from coming out wherever possible. After all, Lisa was "trouble" from the second she "spilled" a drink on Jenny at the opening night cocktail party. The nerve! How dare she not be there for the "right reasons"? Oh, the wrath of "Bachelor" contestants scorned, and their supposed moral high ground. There's nothing like it. Can we please have 24 "Lisas" for Season 3?




3. Jon And Neda's "Big Brother Canada 2" Love Story
She was the teacher, and he was her pupil. She the superfan, and he the "Big Brother" rookie. She's a fashion stylist from Vancouver, and he's a hockey stud(ent) from Clarenville, NF. An unlikely pair from the beginning, Jon and Neda developed a brother-sister bond inside the "Big Brother Canada 2" house. In other words, she scratched his back, and he scratched hers. She even waxed his stomach on-camera! In spite of their seemingly endless playfights, pranks and all-out adorable behaviour, their relationship never became romantic until they left the house. Besides, Jon had a girlfriend at the time. The two ran the house for most of the game, but when it came time to get to the Final 2, Jon cut Neda and took Sabrina to the end. He knew he couldn't beat Neda, and Neda would have done the same thing had she gotten to the end. But, this slight wasn't enough to curb their unlikely love story, which played out for all of Canada to see. The two are now dating, and live together in Toronto.







2. DO YOU WANT GOOD TV?
This clip speaks for itself. Sabrina is the best. I may have contributed to 100 of these YouTube views, and have absolutely no regrets about it.



1. Ika Shreds Everybody's Letters From Home
Ika Wong, we hardly knew ye. Like I wrote then, this is a reality TV hall-of-fame moment. All reality TV show producers should get their ideas from the Staples flyers. If there's a sale on paper shredders, why not have a challenge where a marginalized contestant has the choice between winning $5,000 or letting her fellow competitors read correspondence from their loved ones? Oh, and make sure said marginalized contestant doesn't know her rivals are watching and listening to her trash talk them as she cements her decision. It's hard to describe how amazing this moment is.

"Rachelle, f**k you. I could care less about who wants to write you a freakin' letter. You just got one, bitch."

That was just the start of Ika's put-downs.

Spitting vitriol and tears, the rest of the cast is livid that Ika would destroy their only contact with the outside world, and that she would do so with pleasure. Already guaranteed the boot that week, Ika showed all of her cards and shredded those letters with glee. And when she learned the others were watching her all along, and she had to walk back into the house? Gold, Jerry. Gold.





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Amanda Lang Blasts 'Haters' Amid Criticism Of Speaking Gigs

December 23, 2014, 12:31 pm
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CBC News correspondent Amanda Lang has continued to do paid speaking engagements for companies that "lobby or otherwise influence public policy" after the broadcaster introduced a guideline that banned its journalists from doing so.

And in the middle of criticisms of the gigs, she blasted the "haters" on Twitter.

The prominent CBC personality is the subject of stories by two journalists who say she carried out paid speaking gigs for companies that lobby the federal government, and in a number of cases, that she has covered herself as a reporter.

But the public broadcaster insists the speeches were "grandfathered" — they were booked before the new policy came down in April.

Lang posted this tweet on Monday, the same day that Canadaland's Sean Craig, one of the two journalists, posted a story about her.




CBC started a review of its on-air personalities' speaking engagements after it emerged that Rex Murphy had made an oilsands-friendly speech in Lake Louise and Peter Mansbridge had been paid to speak by an oil and gas lobby.

The public broadcaster subsequently announced new policies around paid speeches.

Following that announcement, Lang carried out two paid engagements as a moderator for seminars organized by insurance company Manulife in July and August, Canadaland reported.

Just a short time later, Lang interviewed Donald Guloien, Manulife's president and CEO, and gave him an "uncritical platform" to talk about its asset management business, without disclosing her paid engagements on the air, Craig said.

He went on to show that Guloien is registered as a lobbyist for Manulife Financial Corporation by the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada.

CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson told Canadaland that Lang's Manulife engagements had been "grandfathered" because they were booked before the broadcaster came up with its new policy.

But Craig noted that Lang had another speaking engagement with insurance company Sun Life on Nov. 24, just over a month after she interviewed CEO Dean Connor on the air, in what he called "ridiculously positive" coverage.

Connor is also a registered lobbyist.

dean connor

Thompson told The Huffington Post Canada that Lang had been contracted for the Sun Life speech — in which she talked about the subject of her book and nothing else, he said — before CBC came out with its policy.

"There are many occasions, several occasions where people get booked long in advance," he said. "Amanda is someone who's going to honour any contractual obligation that she has, and it's no different with this particular instance."

As for the Manulife engagement, Thompson said it was disclosed on CBC's disclosure site, but not on the air on Sept. 5, when the Guloien interview was broadcast.

Meanwhile, ex-CBC journalist Frank Koller wrote a blog post earlier this month alleging that the broadcaster is "seriously backtracking on its paid-speeches policy."

In a letter to Jennifer McGuire, editor-in-chief of CBC News, he pointed out Lang's speaking engagement for Sun Life, and another as a moderator for the Portfolio Managers Association of Canada.

Koller also noted that "The National" host Peter Mansbridge had spoken at the Morningstar Canadian Investment Awards; that business correspondent Dianne Buckner had spoken at a Canadian Chamber of Commerce awards dinner; and that investigative journalist Diana Swain had spoken at an event for the Project Management Institute (PMI).

"Certainly, with any reasonable reading of this policy and considering the payers involved in the above examples and the others listed, one would have expected the CBC to have immediately refused permission for its journalists to attend — and be paid," Koller wrote.

He posted McGuire's response to him in a later blog: she said that CBC is "100 per cent living up to the commitments we made when we concluded our review last April."

McGuire went on to say that none of the groups Koller mentioned (she initially omitted Sun Life) "makes a significant effort to lobby or otherwise influence public policy."

(The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has two active lobbyists on the federal registry).

But she was more sympathetic to Koller's point on the Sun Life engagement: "This is an example of a request we now reject," McGuire wrote.

The answer didn't satisfy Koller.

Thompson told HuffPost Canada that the content of Lang's speeches does "not, in any way, present a conflict of interest nor does it compromise her journalistic integrity or that of CBC News."

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CraveTV Shows: Top Television Choices On Bell Media's Streaming Service

December 23, 2014, 12:35 pm
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By now, you've probably heard about Bell Media's new streaming service, CraveTV.

A rival to Netflix Canada and Rogers'/Shaw's Shomi streaming service, CraveTV offers full seasons and full series of some of the most loved and celebrated TV shows of all time.

If you're a Bell, Telus, Bell Aliant or Eastlink subscriber, CraveTV is available for $4/month, and once subscribed, you immediately have access to hundreds of titles, all commercial-free.

One of the main appeals of CraveTV is it features shows that ended long ago -- including big titles like "The Sopranos" and "The Wire." What else is on offer? We've amassed some of the best choices below.

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Judd Apatow Blasts Centre In The Square For Hosting Bill Cosby

December 28, 2014, 11:27 am
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Film director Judd Apatow took to twitter on Boxing Day to blast two Ontario theatres for going ahead with scheduled performances by Bill Cosby next month despite the sexual assault allegations the comedian is facing from more than 15 women.


Cosby is scheduled to perform at Kitchener's Centre in the Square on Jan. 7 and at Budweiser Gardens in London, Ont., on Jan. 8. 


Apatow tweeted at Centre in the Square, asking if the venue planned to go ahead with the planned performance. In a subsequent tweet, he asked if Cosby is "only popular in Ontario" now.


Apatow's tweets were met with a flurry of both criticism and praise.


The director did not hold back when it came to his critics, urging Cosby to speak publicly about the allegations.


Cosby boycott


 The London's Abused Women's Centre has called for a boycott of the comedian's show and the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region has encouraged fans to evaluate their support.


An alternate event in Kitchener, Voices Carry, is being held on the same night as Cosby's scheduled Centre in the Square show. It is being organized by a group of volunteers to raise money for survivors of sexual assault, with proceeds going to the Sexual Assault Centre of Waterloo Region and Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region.


In late November, Centre in the Square wrote a blog post explaining why it would not cancel the show, despite "concerns raised by patrons and the local community."


The theatre wrote that the venue is being rented by a promoter, Innovation Arts and Entertainment, and that cancelling the show would mean the theatre has to compensate for box office losses, show expenses, refund all tickets and pay back "any guarantee fee contracted to Mr. Cosby."


Apatow did not think the financial penalties were a strong enough reason not to cancel the show.

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Everything That's Wrong With New Year's Eve, According To John Oliver (VIDEO)

December 29, 2014, 11:30 am
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If you can't wait till the new year for your fix of "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver", here's some good news, particularly if you're the kind who hates New Year's Eve.

As the British comedian put it so succinctly in a new clip on the show's YouTube page, "New Year's Eve is THE WORST."

Sure, saying goodbye to 2014 can't hold a candle to Christmas, Kwanza or Chanukah, but is New Year's Eve really that awful? Well, when you're forced to hang out with strangers while you're drunk, cold and tired, then yes, welcoming the new year really is the pits. Oh and let's not forget about waiting hours for Ryan Seacrest to tell you what time it is.

And while some of us will undoubtedly find themselves stuck in a NYE party anyway, Oliver has you covered in that department too. For his trio of not-so-surefire excuses to get you back in bed by 11:45 p.m., watch the video above.

"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" returns in 2015 on HBO.




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Sofía Vergara Engaged: Actress Reportedly Says 'Yes' To Joe Manganiello

December 29, 2014, 1:56 pm
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It looks like Sofía Vergara is taking steps toward starting her own modern family with Joe Manganiello.

The two haven't made it official, but E! News confirms they're now engaged, a source close to the couple told the publication.

"I've never seen two people so truly in love. The way they talk to each other, touch each other. It's incredible," E! News reports a source as saying.

Vergara, best known for starring in "Modern Family", was previously engaged to U.S. businessman Nick Loeb but broke off the relationship back in May 2014. Vergara began dating Manganiello in June and he reportedly popped the question to Vergara on Christmas Day.

Reps for both stars have yet to confirm the news.

Rumours of an engagement between Vergara and her "True Blood" beau have been circulating since Sunday. The Daily Mail points out what appears to be a diamond ring was spotted on Vergara's hand while the couple were photographed in Hawaii over the weekend.

As if the holidays weren't enough reason to celebrate, the couple also celebrated Manganiello's 38th birthday on Sunday. Vergara took to Instagram to share the moment with a picture of the two hugging it out. "Happy happy bday to my love and best friend," she wrote. "To the one that makes me laugh like crazy!"





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Favourite 2014 TV Moments From a Big Fan

December 29, 2014, 3:14 pm
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I'm a child of television and have grown up on great television. I recognize TV is a tough business and it's hard to make television that is good. Still, that doesn't excuse most reality TV. The (still expanding) genre has received its deserved share of flagellation thus no need to extrapolate. Thankfully, good television is still being made and 2014 had its share of great TV moments. Here, some of my favourites:

Indra K. Nooyi, CEO of Pepsi, on whether or not women can "have it all." This was the perfect answer to last year's Sheryl Sandberg media tour.





Billy Bob Thornton on Cooking Competitions.
Oprah's "Master Class" is by far one of my favourite hour on television. The Billy Bob episode was no exception and it delivered this little golden nugget:





Barbara Walters' Farewell On The View.
Many prominent women on television credit Walters as their mentor. And they came out for her last show on The View. History.





Chris Rock On Charlie Rose, on being famous as a Black man.
In my eyes, Charlie Rose remains one of the very best interviewers. And because he is such a good interviewer, his guests feel at ease and are able to in return, deliver great interviews.





PBS' "American Masters" - "The Boomer List".
I've often said that my yearly contribution to PBS is some of the best money I spend. The shows Frontline and American Masters could be put in "the best television in the world" vault. Here's the trailer from American Masters' "The Boomer List" series:





Portlandia - "History Of Hip Hop "
Portlandia is a gem of a TV series. This particular featurette captures the show's essence and wit.





Viola Davis, in a clip the Academy should use as her (most likely Emmy nod), from the TV show How To Get Away With Murder.
Shonda Rhimes penned yet another must-see-series. Oscar winner Viola Davis delivered a goosebumpy scene without saying a word. A bit like she did in Doubt.





J.Cole on Letterman.
This came à point nommé, in the wake of the Eric Garner grand jury travesty. "Be Free" is a manifesto.




Cindy Crowley's CNN Farewell.
CNN use to be great. And in its early days of greatness, Cindy Crowley was there. 2014 marked her last year at the network and the farewell featured a clip of her first question as a White House Correspondent. Gold.




John Oliver takes down FIFA and the World Cup.
John Oliver's weekly HBO show is what we all needed. His editorials are smart and enlightening. His FIFA and World Cup rant was exceptional considering how much of a fùtbol fan he is.




Senator Elizabeth Warren, on Letterman.
Because there is an option to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and because Letterman is not the goof he wants you to think he is. A great exchange between two raconteurs.




CBS commentator James Brown addresses domestic violence in the NFL.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. James Brown, a Harvard alum, is definately on top of the "best sports commentator" chart. This editorial delivered in the wake of the Ray Rice debacle was powerful not only because of its content but also because of the timing of its delivery. Brown used a pre-game show on a network that recently signed a very lucrative deal with the NFL. With subtlety, he challenged not only the league but also its questionable Commissioner.




Stephen Colbert. Period.
There were many moments to choose from: his star-studded farewell, his Eric Garner Grand Jury editorial, his Mike Brown editorial. I chose this short clip from the Kennedy Center Honors Soirée. Short, sweet and testament to his politico acumen:




All things on CBS This Morning.
No need to sugarcoat it: "CBS This Morning" is an impeccable news show. Tightly produced, well-researched with great co-hosting by Charlie Rose, Nora O'Donnell and Gayle King. In addition to the co-hosting, the show boasts a series of correspondants who very often deliver must-see reportages. Anthony Mason, one of my favourites, does great music pieces. In 2014, notable ones included interviews with Arcade Fire in Montréal and one with Neil Diamond.

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Netflix Canada: What's Good In January?

December 30, 2014, 9:03 am
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A new year means new TV shows and new movies on Netflix Canada.

Not only is Netflix Canada getting the entire run of an insanely popular TV show ("Friends"), but award-nominated movies like "Zero Dark Thirty," "Cloud Atlas," and "The Master" -- among many other films -- will be added to the service in January.

HuffPost Canada and Netflix Canada have teamed up to provide you with our best suggestions for new arrivals, long-time favourites and titles coming soon. Stop shuffling aimlessly through Netflix's library, and just take our word for it.

Feel free to check back whenever you're at a loss. Of course, Netflix Canada has way more titles than we have listed here.

Movies

"When Harry Met Sally"
Cast: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher
Harry and Sally are chums who resist sexual attraction to maintain their friendship, a relationship that's always teetering on the brink of love.

"Blade 2"
Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Ron Perlman
The Vampire Nation asks the half-vampire bloodsucker hunter Blade for help when a nightmare plague threatens to wipe out both humans and vampires.

"Resident Evil: Retribution"
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Michelle Rodriguez
The Umbrella Corporation's deadly T-virus is transforming ordinary people into legions of the undead, and the human race has just one hope: Alice.

"The Man With The Iron Fists"
Cast: RZA, Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu
Combining kung-fu action and hip-hop style, this martial arts thriller relates the saga of a Chinese blacksmith caught up in a battle between clans.

"Cloud Atlas"
Cast: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent
In this star-studded drama, six seemingly disparate stories explore the complicated links that humanity shares through the generations.

"The Bourne Legacy"
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton
Following the Jason Bourne debacle, the CIA finds itself dealing with a familiar threat when another estranged operative surfaces.

"To Be Takei"
Cast: George Takei, Brad Takei, William Shatner
This documentary profiles the career of actor George Takei, who played Lieutenant Sulu on "Star Trek" and later became a gay-rights advocate.

"Deep Impact"
Cast: Robert Duvall, Téa Leoni, Elijah Wood
With a massive comet threatening to destroy Earth, the U.S. president appoints a steely veteran astronaut to lead a crew into space to destroy it.

"Yes Man"
Cast: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper
After a bitter divorce, a bank drone falls under the sway of a self-help guru who urges him to say yes to everything that comes his way for a year.

"Safety Not Guaranteed"
Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson
A team of journalists are sent to find out who's behind a classified ad seeking a companion for time travel, then must decide how to approach him.

"The Intouchables" (Available January 3)
Cast: François Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny
Based on a true story, a quadriplegic aristocrat's world is turned upside down when he hires a good-humored ex-con as his caretaker.

"Zero Dark Thirty" (Available January 4)
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton
Helmed by Kathryn Bigelow, this gripping dramatization chronicles the 10-year hunt for Osama bin Laden in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"Noah" (Available January 9)
Cast: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone
This ambitious adaptation of the story of Noah depicts the visions that led him to voice dire prophesies of apocalypse and to build an ark to survive.

"Eraser"
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vanessa Williams, James Caan
A U.S. Marshal is assigned to protect a woman who has uncovered evidence that a weapons manufacturer has been selling to terrorist groups.

"Rush Hour"
Cast: Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan, Tom Wilkinson
When a Hong Kong inspector is summoned to Los Angeles to investigate a kidnapping, the FBI assigns a cocky LAPD cop to distract him from the case.

"Dom Hemingway"
Cast: Jude Law, Richard E. Grant
After finishing a 12-year prison sentence, safecracker Dom Hemingway sets out to collect the money he's owed by his former partners in crime.

"The Other Woman"
Cast: Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton
When she finds out that her boyfriend is married and that she's his mistress, a woman teams up with the jerk's wife to get revenge.

"The Master" (Available January 14)
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
A heavy-drinking loner finds some semblance of a family when he stumbles onto the ship of Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader of a new "religion."

Listings Continue After Slideshow!


TV Shows

"Friends" (Complete Series)
Six young people lean on each other as they struggle to survive both the pressures of their personal and professional lives in New York City.

"Call The Midwife" (Series 3)
This period drama set in impoverished East London in the 1950s follows a newly qualified midwife and her colleagues at a nursing convent.

"Misfits" (Season 5)
After being sentenced to six weeks of community service, five ne'er-do-well teens discover that a freak storm has given them superpowers.

"The Musketeers" (Season 1)
Based on characters made famous by Alexandre Dumas, this series set in Paris in 1630 follows four swashbucklers who fight to protect their country.

Kids & Family

"The Adventures Of Puss In Boots" (Season 1)
The world's greatest feline fighter, lover and milk connoisseur is back in this original series filled with daring adventures, great boots, and laugh-out-loud fun! The entire family will be entranced by Puss' fantastical CG world filled with new characters, exotic locations and mystical tales that make up the stuff of legends.

"Rio 2"
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jemaine Clement
Blu, Jewel and their three youngsters visit the Amazon, where they find adventure, friends old and new, and even a little danger.

"Bubble Guppies" (Season 2)
Cast: Zachary Gordon, Brianna Gentilella, Christopher Borger
Aimed at preschoolers, this interactive animated show is set in an aquatic classroom, where the Bubble Guppy kids learn valuable lessons about life.

"Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie"
Cast: Johnny Yong Bosch, Jason David Frank, Steve Cardenas
Wicked space aliens are out to release a sinister force held captive in a volcano, and the Power Rangers must step in before it's too late.

"The Ant Bully"
Cast: Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep
Fed up with being bullied, 10-year-old Lucas vents his frustrations on the anthill in his yard ... until the insects shrink him to the size of a bug.

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Netflix Canada: What's Good In December?
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North Vancouver Log Cabin Used To Film 'MacGyver,' Shaw Fire Log (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

December 30, 2014, 12:27 pm
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A short distance from the highway in a North Vancouver park sits an unassuming log cabin surrounded by tall trees. And while you may not recognize it, you've likely seen it on the small or the big screen.

north vancouver cabin

The cabin, which is owned and operated by the District of North Vancouver, has been used for an array of famous shoots including "Once Upon A Time," "Fringe," "Bates Motel," "Supernatural," and, most historically, "MacGyver." It was his cabin.

macgyver cabin

It was also used as the park ranger's cabin in all those Kokanee beer commercials:



And was the backdrop for the most recent — wait for it — Shaw Fire Log. Yup. It happened right there.

north vancouver cabin fireplace

"This is a great, rustic cabin and it looks like you're far away from the urban city," Alice To, business relations co-ordinator for the District of North Vancouver, told The Huffington Post B.C. For privacy reasons, she asked that the cabin's exact location not be published.

"It's authentic, it's heritage, it's enclosed in a park setting with great creeks around it."

The one-storey cabin, no bigger than 600 sq.-ft., has all the comforts of home. It consists of a living room, dining room, and kitchen, plus one bedroom and one bathroom. Old trunks, cozy couches, and antique knick-knacks make for an inviting and cozy space.

It was originally built in 1950 for a restaurant chain owner named Victor Golden. Streams feed into the man-made duck pond he added behind the cabin.

The property was taken over by the District of North Vancouver in the '80s and has been used for filming ever since. Renting the cabin for a shoot costs $1,500 per day. The fees are enough to cover property maintenance, To says, and aside from necessary upkeep, the look of the cabin hasn't changed much over the years.

Story continues below slideshow:




When not starring in TV shows and commercials, the cabin is home to the park's caretakers. Connie Johnston and Peter Bucholtz spend the winter months living in the cabin while their friends — the full-time caretakers — make an annual trip to Thailand.

For Johnston, who has been doing her share of the job for nearly 10 years, it's a "privilege." Her duty is to keep the park clean, collecting trash, emptying garbage bins, and making sure wanderers are respectful of their surroundings.

"It's a really comfortable job," she says. "I get to walk in the park every day."

And while the job is paid, Johnston emphasizes that none of them do it for the money. It's really a "labour of love," she says.

"It's magic. I love it when it rains. It just plunders on the roof; there are a few holes in the roof, but you just put buckets where you need to put buckets."

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'Fashion Police' Without Joan Rivers: Kathy Griffin Takes Over In First Trailer For E! Show (VIDEO)

December 30, 2014, 1:27 pm
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There's something missing from E!'s "Fashion Police," and that's the late comedienne Joan River's acerbic insults and vitriol.

In the first trailer for the fashion critique show, we can see that Rivers' replacement is none other than the sass-mouthed Kathy Griffin. Along for the ride are "Fashion Police" staples Giuliana Rancic and Kelly Osbourne, and new wingman (and Canadian) Brad Goreski. Former co-host George Kotsiopoulos is apparently not returning.

Do you think this new iteration of "FP" will be as biting and hilarious as the Rivers version? Based on this trailer, Griffin claims to have her "eyes on you." We'll see.

"Fashion Police" returns to E! on January 12, 2015 at 10 p.m. ET.

(Watch video, above.)
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