TORONTO — After the success of CBS’ “Flashpoint,” Canadian indie producers are cranking out even more homegrown dramas and comedies that could look and feel perfectly at home on U.S. network and cable schedules.
Canadian cable channel Showcase has ordered 13 episodes of “Lost Girl” from Prodigy Pictures, a sci-fi drama that stars Anna Silk and Kristen Holden-Reid about inhuman women who seduce and feed off their human partner’s sexual energy.
The producer is completing an interactive website, a graphic novel and a downloadable video game to accompany the 2010 broadcast bow.
Jay Firestone, Paul Rapovksi, Plato Fountidakis, Michelle Lovretta and Peter Mohan share executive producer credits on “Lost Girl.” Wanda Chaffey is producing.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. has also ordered a slew of pilots as part of its growing development slate, including “Henry Starts Again” from E1 Television, which is shortly to start production on “Haven,” a 13-part suspense TV series for Universal Networks International.
Other CBC pilots include “The Lowe Life,” from veteran indie producer Bernie Zukerman and his production shingle Indian Grove Productions, “Mr D.,” a dramedy starring Gerry Dee from indie producers Michael Volpe and Gerard Donoghue, with Bruce McDonald as pilot director, and “Trust,” a one-hour drama from indie producer Jennifer Holness at Hungry Eyes Film & Television.
Rival broadcaster Corus Entertainment has ordered a comedy pilot for “The Yard” from Whizbang Films for its Movie Central pay TV service. The Sopranos-style mockumentary portrays three brothers, ages 12, nine and six, who have wrestled schoolyard power from their rivals, the Guarducci brothers, who plot their own return to the top.
Paul Gross and Frank Siracusa are producing “The Yard,” with Dave Eddie and Michael Mabbot penning the pilot script.
Corus also ordered for its women’s cable channel W the makeover series pilot “Second Act” to star Mary Jo Eustace, a Toronto TV host whose 2005 break-up with actor Dean McDermott after he fell for new wife Tori Spelling made tabloid headlines.
Corus is also developing a new home design series, “Candice Rules,” with Candice Olson, host of W’s popular renovation show “Divine Design,” and a money/finance series with Preet Banjeree after he won the reality series “The Ultimate W Expert Challenge” on the W network.
