News

Canada isn’t seen as a major player in the animation world like Japan or the US, but America's neighbor to the north has produced some classic shows, and the best Canadian cartoons reflect that. However, the country has produced some cartoon classics. Canada seems to place a premium on early childhood programming, as stations like CBC Kids, TVOKids, and Ytv offer a bevy of educational, entertaining cartoons.

But Canadian kids aren't the only ones who get to enjoy the country's excellent animated shows. In fact, there are many popular cartoons that American audiences likely didn't even realize are Canadian, like the hit preschool series Paw Patrol and the beloved Arthur, one of the longest-running animated series of all time. Not every cartoon from Canada is as sweet as maple syrup, either, as the Great White North is also responsible for adult animated series like Clone High, proving there's a Canadian cartoon for everyone.

Catboy, Owlette and Gekko are back to save the day. Disney Junior's CGI animated Pj Masks TV show has been renewed for a second. Animal amulets activated. The Pj Masks TV series voice cast includes Jacob Ewaniuk, Kyle Harrison Breitkopf, Addison Holley, Alex Thorne, Grey Griffin, Trek Buccino, Brianna Daguanno, Julie Lemieux, Ron Pardo, Tristan Samuel, and Rob Tinkler.

Pj Masks is produced by eOne and Frog Box, in collaboration with French animation studio TeamTO, and with Disney Junior and France 5. A pre-school super-hero show, the series is based on French author Romuald Racioppo’s picture book series Les Pyjamasques.

Read More…...

Chicago – For fans of comic strip legend Georges “Hergé” Rémi’s celebrated investigative reporter and trusty canine sidekick, director Stéphanie Bernasconi’s short-lived TV series from the early ’90s represented the ideal adaptation of the Belgian author’s work. Unlike Belvision’s series of the late ’50s and early ’60s, Bernasconi stuck to the original design, structure and spirit of Rémi’s internationally beloved books.

Yet for American audiences unfamiliar with Tintinology, it’s doubtful this low-key French-Canadian co-production will get their pulses pounding and minds enticed for Steven Spielberg’s big screen version, which has already made a sizable splash overseas. The show is an ideal fit for youngsters—it has a gentle spirit and remains upbeat even during cliffhanger episodes, but still has enough tangible danger to excite kids. Older viewers, however, are guaranteed to find this show a dull, blandly animated babysitter.

DVD Rating: 2.5/5.0

With a lanky...

Quebec knows Fabienne Larouche for penning Virginie, a daily (and uninteresting) soap opera taking place in high school. Now, since many months, it has been announced that Radio-Canada will come up with a medical drama written by Larouche. For what I know, we shouldn't expect to see an imitation of Grey's Anatomy or ER.

Shot with a budget of $710,000 per hour (which is a lot for the French Canadian market) for 10 episodes, the series follows Dr Julie Lemieux (Isabelle Richer), is the head of the St-Arsène Hospital's traumatology wing. Each week, this dramatic TV series explores different facets of life as a surgeon when it comes to professional ethics, their reaction when a patient dies or their own personal weaknesses. In fact, Dr Pierre Meilleur (James Hyndman) drinks too much. Sophie Léveillé (Laurence Leboeuf), the young intern, does too much mistakes.

The show also stars Jean-François Pichette, Catherine de Léan,...