Category — tv

 
Following my recent ‘Canada’s CTV Puts Full Primetime TV Episodes Online’ post, my commenters (see here and here) have justly schooled me in Canada’s current TV episode streaming offerings. While I was aware of the rather piddling offerings that had been available over the last few years, as of late, it seems, there is a lot more on offer than I was aware.

Case in Point – GlobalTV.com’s increasingly impressive array of full-episode primetime and daytime TV streaming offerings. Global is one of Canada’s three nation-wide broadcasters. It carries about half of all U.S. primetime network content. 

The index of shows available from GlobalTV.com is here. Only clips are available for some shows like Survivor and ET Canada. But recent full episodes (plus indicated bonus materials) for the following shows are available:

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Canada’s CTV Network hast recently started putting full-length episodes of prime TV shows online. CTV is one of Canada’s three major television networks. It carries about half of the major U.S. primetime shows in Canada. Global carries the other half.

The new service is available here (see the ‘Watch Online at CTV.ca’ heading to the right). Episodes can be viewed full screen, though the resolution is quite low by Hulu standards. Episodes are divided into segments/clips, presumably matching how shows are segmented between commercials when broadcast. Canadians can fast forward and rewind or jump from segment to segment. Users cannot, however, fast forward through the short commercials (about 10 to 15 seconds each) that play before some, but not all, segments. So far I haven’t seen many commercials. Below is a picture of the interface:

A FAQ is available here. Multiple seasons/episodes of some shows, like ‘The Daily Show’ are available. Only the most recent of others, like Lost  and Grey’s Anatomy, are available. I’ve tested several shows and so far the system works well – though the resolution certainly needs a boost.

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I thought these pictures of Dirk Benedict (the original Starbuck from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series), with Katee Sackhoff (the new Starbuck from the 2004 ‘reimagined’ Battlestar Galactica series) at Starbucks were compelling.

I snapped these from the BattleStar Galactica Finale Special that aired on Space TV on March 20, 2009. It looks like they was taken towards the beginning of the ‘reimagined’ series given how young Katee Sackhoff is in them.

Click on the images for larger views.

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I recently read Brent Evans’ ZNF post on Vista Media Center’s (‘MC’) new MSNBC video on demand service. As with virtually every-other Internet-related video distribution announcement these days, I fully expected this service not to be available in Canada.

Here’s a typical message I get when I try to access this type of MC functionality from Canada:

Virtually none of the movie, TV, or other media-related services our American friends take for granted in MC are available in the Great White North.

Much to my surprise, as I was testing out the Xbox 360 media-extended piece of the latest MC upgrade (the upgrade got my MC working again for the first time in over a year), I saw the msnbc.com item (circled below) on the 360’s MC screen.

Fully expecting the usual ‘Not Available in Canada’ notice, I clicked on it anyway. To my surprise, however it worked.

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Here are my thoughts on the on July 2, 2008 performances of the seven couples making up the season 4 top 14. This week they have two routines each and Comfort and Thayne are dancing together for the first time. (Click images for larger view)

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Jessica/Will

1. Jive (Choo Choo Ch’Boogie – Five Guys Named Moe): Good jive. Terrific jump over/under through the legs (see picture below). [Watch on YouTube]

2. Lyrical Jazz (Alone – Heart): Finally! A memorable and enjoyable dance from these two. What a terrific opening jump (click picture on left). I now think I might ‘get’ what people see in Will. My third favourite performance of the night. [Watch on YouTube]

Comfort/Thayne – first time as a couple

1. Broadway (Cool – Bernstein and Sondheim): Liked him. As always, didn’t like her. How can anyone not  love the music from West Side Story?  [Watch on YouTube]

2. Smooth Waltz (Hov Arek Sarer Jan – New Age Armenia): Not bad. Especially for Comfort. I didn’t expect her to pull a waltz off as well as she did. Nonetheless, she’s my weekly first choice female to be voted off. [Watch on YouTube]

[July 3 Update: Comfort and Thayne were in the bottom 3 couples this week. Unfortunately Comfort survived to stay on the show for another week.]

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Here’s the rundown on the June 25, 2008 performances of the remaining eight couples making up the season 4 top 16.  Susie and Marquis were voted off last week. (click images for a larger view)

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Kherington/Twitch – Hip Hop (Don’t Touch Me – Busta  Rhymes): Who chose those hideous orange overalls and why that song? They danced well enough, but the routine annoyed me. I don’t understand how the judges enjoyed it so much. In fairness, hip hop is about looking cool and tough. There’s nothing Kherington can do to pull off  an image of being tough given who she is. [Watch on YouTube]

Courtney G./Gev – Rumba (Wishing on a Star – Rose Royce): Wow! What a spectacular outfit for Courtney. What a vixen! Terrific rapport. Quite the subdued rumba. A bit stilted a few times, but I liked it a lot. The best performance by these two so far. [Watch on YouTube]

Comfort/Chris – African Jazz (Beautiful People – Marilyn Manson): Finally, a routine I enjoyed with these two. Lots of  fun and well done. I still want to see Comfort voted off. Love the Marilyn Manson song. [Watch on YouTube]

[June 27 Update: Comfort and Chris were in the bottom 3 couples this week. Chris was rightly voted off. Comfort was not. Why the judges like Comfort and keep her week after week is beyond my comprehension.]

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Rayven & Jamie were voted off last week. Below are my thoughts on the on June 18, 2008 performances of the nine remaining couples making up the season 4 top 18. (click images for a larger view) weigh in.

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Chelsea T./Thayne – Jazz (Untouched – The Veronicas):  While I enjoyed the routine, it didn’t match up to last week’s performance. But I chalk that up to the poor choice of song and Mandy Moore’s choreography more than the lack of performance. Terrific costumes. [Watch on YouTube]

[June 19 Update: Chelsea T and Thane were voted into the bottom 3 this week.]

Chelsie H/Mark – Argentinean Tango (Mi Confesion – Gotan Project): Loved her outfit!  A slight hesitation at one  point. I’ve seen better but it was superior to Jessica’s and Will’s tango last week. I thought it was hot and very sexy – what a tango should be. Two very good weeks in a row. [Watch on YouTube]

Jessica/Will – Hip Hop (Whatever U Like – Nicole Scherzinger): Two weeks in a row with a sub-par performance. Aside from a couple of moves here and there, it just didn’t do it for me. Nowhere close to Katee & Joshua’s hip hop last week. [Watch on YouTube]

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Tim Russert (1950 – 2008) believed that “being informed is the first job of being a good citizen”. I do too. For more than a decade I have watched Tim interview his guests each and every Sunday. I rarely missed Meet the Press.

I was saddened to hear of Tim’s passing last Friday. I’ve been watching the bountiful tributes with misty eyes. I respected his intelligence, preparation, passion for what he did, his omnipresent big smile, good humour and down-home humanity.

Tim’s relationship with is father, Big Russ, was inspiring. When he announced his book, Wisdom of our Fathers, I purchased a copy to give to my dad on father’s day. I used the page included in the book to write a bit about what my father meant to me. My dad liked that.

During every U.S. primary, caucus or election night, I would be keenly interested in what Tim had to say. I never found myself disagreeing with him. I don’t remember a partisan moment. If he said it, I took it very seriously.

It’s Sunday morning as I write this. Tom Brokaw is doing a tribute show for Tim in the background. I have never watched Meet the Press under another moderator. He helped to keep me informed. Sunday morning won’t be the same without him.  His chair will be tough to fill.

Click to watch interview with Tim’s son Luke.

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[Top 20] [Top 18] [Top 16] [Top 14] 
I’ve been a fan of So You Think You Can Dance since the first season. Here are my thoughts on the on June 11, 2008 performances of the ten couples making up the season 4 top 20. (Click images for larger view)

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Rayven/Jamie – Hip Hop (American Boy – Estelle ft. Kanye West): Yikes … fish out of water …. boring … I was fearful for the show after this performance. [Watch on YouTube]

[June 12 Update: Rayven and Jamie were voted off the next day.]

Susie/Marquis – Waltz (Dark Waltz – Hayley Westenra): Nice enough but too many mistakes. Was happy Susie showed more substance than she presented in the earlier audition/Vegas shows. Better than expected from her. He was very good. [Watch on YouTube]

Kourtni/Matt – Jazz (Tainted Love – Soft Cell): Kourtni was one of my favourites coming into tonight. She didn’t do much for me in this yawner. The second worst of the night … how disappointing… I hope she makes it through.  I’d like to see her do a Mia Michaels emotive/contemporary routine. She’d be a natural. [Watch on YouTube]

Chelsea/Thane – Cha Cha (Oye Como Va (Latin/Trance Mix) -  Celia Cruz): Hot, hot hot. Chelsea looks to be a permanent passenger on Mary’s Hot Tamali Train.  Thane was good too. That was sexy. [Watch on YouTube]

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