sowny.net | The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum


You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?

September 20, 2020 7:43 am  #1


Bad Canadian TV shows?

Just reading
UNCLE JOHNS TRUTH TRIVIA AND THE PURSUIT OF FACTNESS
 
One of the sections is headed
BAD Canadian TV
 
These are what are listed:
UNCLE ED’S PARTY (1952)
TALES OF THE RIVERBANK (1960)
NICKNAMES OF FAME (1961)
ROCKET ROBIN HOOD (1967)
OOPS (1970)
WHAT ON EARTH (1971)
EYE BET (1972)
HEY, TAXI (1972)
UP CANADA (1974)
THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG (1975)
SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE MEN (1975)
THE RAES (1978)
PITFALL (1981)
PET PEEVES (1986)

 

September 20, 2020 8:12 am  #2


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

As a viewer I enjoyed watching Pitfall, but god damn...the story behind the cost of the set and everything from hosts not getting paid and so on...and so on!
Such a shame!!

Long live the Mad Dash reruns!! I wish someone would do a modern day version of it! 
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

September 20, 2020 9:49 am  #3


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

don't forget "The Trouble with Tracy"

 

September 20, 2020 9:59 am  #4


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

Add Flappers and Snow Job to the pile.


PJ


ClassicHitsOnline.com...If you enjoy hearing the same 200 songs over and over again...listen to the other guys!
 

September 20, 2020 10:05 am  #5


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

Glen Warren wrote:

don't forget "The Trouble with Tracy"

According to Wikipedia, The Comedy Network announced in March 2003 that they were planning a reboot of the series. Turns out it was an April Fool's Day joke, a few weeks early. 


PJ

 


ClassicHitsOnline.com...If you enjoy hearing the same 200 songs over and over again...listen to the other guys!
 

September 20, 2020 10:06 am  #6


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

grilled.cheese wrote:

Trailer Park Boys, though it's probably too new for this forum.

The topic is "Bad Canadian TV shows" -- what exactly was it about Trailer Park Boys that caused you to dislike it?
 

 

September 20, 2020 10:12 am  #7


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

Check It Out

 

September 20, 2020 6:58 pm  #8


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

Toronto Rocks in it's Lance Chilton days. 
Lance was a good on CityPulse news.
He would have been a good host with the older Toronto Rocks, but once he finally got the chance to become the host, the changes to the actual show (format,etc) became unwatchable.  


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

September 21, 2020 2:08 am  #9


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

"just like mom"



 

Last edited by the original hank (September 21, 2020 2:10 am)

 

September 21, 2020 2:16 am  #10


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

the original hank wrote:

"just like mom"

Just like mom (the original) was actually good.  
So good, the show won't go away! 
Now it's called "Just like Mom and Dad".


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

September 21, 2020 7:19 am  #11


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

On the accompanying thread, Andy asked which were CBC.     Of the list that opened this thread, all were CBC except:

 - Nicknames of Fame, Eye Bet and Pet Peeves were CTV, and
 - Pitfall was Global

 

September 21, 2020 9:41 am  #12


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

Glen Warren wrote:

don't forget "The Trouble with Tracy"

Hard to believe 130 episodes were produced. By today's standards of 22 episodes per season, that is six years worth. CTV stripped the show weekdays at 3:30pm. It never aired in primetime. The original title was The Married Youngs but series producer, Seymour Berns, decided to name the show after his daughter Tracy. No full episodes are available on line and CTV claims to have the series in their archives but I doubt they will ever air again since the series is considered to be the signature for bad Canadian television and CTV wouldn't want to be reminded of this massive failure. I think CITY briefly aired repeats of the series in 1981 or 82. Diane Nyland, who played Tracy passed away on Oct 6, 2014 age 70 of heart disease.

 

September 21, 2020 9:49 am  #13


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

IIRC, there was a story about how cheaply made "Tracy" was.

It was said they'd leave in blown lines or other production mistakes during filming because they didn't have the budget to stop and correct them. I've heard of cheap, but letting errors go to air in a taped show has to be the height of penny pinching. That's one reason I'd like to see a few episodes again, just to watch for that. 

 

September 21, 2020 10:21 am  #14


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

and let's not forget... the trouble with tracy scripts were 2 decades old and were updated copies of a not-so-good u.s. radio show. notice the cop says: "it's kinda hock in here."



 

Last edited by the original hank (September 21, 2020 10:29 am)

 

September 21, 2020 10:29 am  #15


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

mace wrote:

Glen Warren wrote:

don't forget "The Trouble with Tracy"

 No full episodes are available on line and CTV claims to have the series in their archives

After much investigation I was told by a CTV archivist that they no longer have copies of this series, it was long ago consigned to the scrap heap.
YTV did rerun the series in 1988/89 so there is a chance someone recorded episodes off TV. I hope they did as that is all that is left! My father appeared as an extra in a few shows and I would love to find them.

 

September 21, 2020 10:48 am  #16


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

Retrontario wrote:

mace wrote:

Glen Warren wrote:

don't forget "The Trouble with Tracy"

 No full episodes are available on line and CTV claims to have the series in their archives

After much investigation I was told by a CTV archivist that they no longer have copies of this series, it was long ago consigned to the scrap heap.
YTV did rerun the series in 1988/89 so there is a chance someone recorded episodes off TV. I hope they did as that is all that is left! My father appeared as an extra in a few shows and I would love to find them.

I'm sure most here already know this, but Retrontario is an absolutely amazing YouTube presence, that collects TV shows, station I.D.s, program intros and broadcast advertising history from Ontario and Western New York.

"Retrontario’s primary mission is the preservation, research and exhibition of rare videotape recordings (1970s to 1990s) recorded off of any and all Ontario (and surrounding area) TV channels; footage which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally," its statement reads.

If you've never visited, it's Must See TV. But be aware if you do click the link, you should do it when you have a lot of time on your hands. You may be there for a while!

Retrontario On YouTube 

 

September 21, 2020 4:37 pm  #17


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

I guess it’s possible, but I find it odd Tracy would be junked after being rerun for years across the country. It’s not a game show or soap opera that was meant to air only once. Perhaps CFTO or CTV eventually couldn’t sell it for reruns, and it was so bad they just wanted it gone forever.

 

September 21, 2020 9:17 pm  #18


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

RadioActive wrote:

IIRC, there was a story about how cheaply made "Tracy" was.

It was said they'd leave in blown lines or other production mistakes during filming because they didn't have the budget to stop and correct them. I've heard of cheap, but letting errors go to air in a taped show has to be the height of penny pinching. That's one reason I'd like to see a few episodes again, just to watch for that. 

No argument that it was done on the cheap. 

However, part of the reason for letting errors go to air on a taped show was due to the technology of the time. 2" Quad videotape electronic editing was still in its infancy in 1970. The AMPEX Editec system had just been released two years earlier.  Still, the wider used method at the time was still looking at the control pulse and sync/frame edge thru a microscope and physically cutting the tape and then splicing it back together with the alternate take. It was both time consuming and nerve wracking for the editor. And it still had to be done after the studio shot and pick up shot or re-take. So this added to the time and cost factor.

With the electronic assembly systems, they required at least one additional 2" VTR machine, the electronic edit controller, and at least one additional reel of videotape on which to record the edit/assembly master.  Also, due to the noise (air bearing) and physical size and complexities of the 2" VTRs (compressed air lines/dryers etc.)  they were generally located in a machine room with a tape operator / loader, and the Editor operator was in the edit suite with production personnel.  So, this was a cost in additional man power, equipment/facility costs, and tape costs.

Live to tape,  or die on tape...





 

Last edited by Glen Warren (September 21, 2020 9:19 pm)

 

September 24, 2020 8:52 pm  #19


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

I was just about to make a list, then I realized that one already existed.

http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/television/programming/cbc-television-programming

 

September 24, 2020 8:59 pm  #20


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?


 

September 24, 2020 9:05 pm  #21


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

I remember the Forest Rangers when I was a kid.

Last edited by Media Observer (September 25, 2020 2:24 pm)

 

September 25, 2020 9:00 am  #22


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

I also watched the Forest Rangers when I was a young one. The relentlessly cheerful theme song is difficult to forget.

 

September 25, 2020 9:50 am  #23


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

There are a number of episodes on YouTube if you want to relive your childhood. Here's one of them.

 

September 27, 2020 6:58 pm  #24


Re: Bad Canadian TV shows?

Second Jen is probably the worst scripted Canadian series produced for a major network in a very long time. You've probably never heard of it (for good reason), but the IMDB score isn't unjustified. I'm certain the only reason it's gotten three seasons is because of some mixture of nepotism, diversity quotas and undiscerning government funding agencies.