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TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
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New Canadian dramatic comedy Be Better finds humour in the realities of caregiving

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From a media release:

Caregiving, family and mental health take centre stage in Be Better, a new Canadian dramatic comedy created, written by, and starring Faly Mevamanana. The six-episode series premieres September 3 on Bell Fibe TV1, with new episodes airing weekly.

Be Better follows Jaynan (Mevamanana), a 20-something whose life is turned upside down when her mother (Samantha Wilson) returns home after receiving treatment for mental health challenges. Newly unemployed and suddenly thrust into a caregiving role, Jaynan must navigate family, friendships and a rekindled connection with her former high school crush, Pax (Breton Lalama), while trying to build a life of her own.

Through humour and heartfelt moments, Be Better explores the evolving relationship between parents and their adult children, the complexities of caregiving, and the challenge of forging your own identity while remaining connected to family and community.

“The idea for Be Better came from my own experience of feeling alone in the responsibility of caregiving and not knowing how to ask for support,” says Mevamanana. “I wanted to tell a story where mental illness isn’t taboo, and where humour and joy can exist alongside struggle. Seeing a story that means so much to me come to life is an incredible milestone, and I’m excited to share it with an audience.”

Filmed entirely in Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Be Better is produced by Fennel Films and directed by Katelyn McCulloch, with support from Bell Fibe TV1, the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, Screen Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Production Incentive Fund. 

“We’re excited to support a series that’s resonant and unflinchingly honest, exactly the kind of story TV1 was built to tell,” says Donna Cagnoli-Broda, Producer, Bell Fibe TV1. “Set in Nova Scotia, but recognizable everywhere, Be Better finds humour in a tough mother-daughter relationship and reminds us why community support matters when life gets messy.”

Be Better is available exclusively on Fibe TV, Channel 1, and the Fibe TV app.

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Featured, Heated Rivalry

Crave original Heated Rivalry continues to expand cast for Season 2

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From a media release:

Crave announced today additional new cast members set to appear in the highly anticipated second season of HEATED RIVALRY. Joining Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie, Justice Smith, and Charlie Gillespie for HEATED RIVALRY Season 2 are: Emily Hampshire (SCHITT’S CREEK, Marvel’s VISIONQUEST) as Vanessa; Edvin Ryding (THE YOUNG ROYALS, 28 Years Later) as Luca Haas; Robert Naylor (Mile End Kicks, CARDINAL) as Wyatt Hayes; Sabrina Jalees (I Used to Be Funny, BLACK MIRROR) as Farah Jalali; and Priyanka as Tarek (DRAG BRUNCH SAVED MY LIFE, Meet Me Next Christmas).

Produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment in association with Bell Media’s Crave, the critically acclaimed and award-winning series HEATED RIVALRY is created by Jacob Tierney and based on Rachel Reid’s bestselling Game Changers books. Season 2 is set to premiere in Spring 2027.

HEATED RIVALRY Season 1 told the story of rival hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). Bound by ambition, rivalry and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understood, what began as a secret fling between two fresh-faced rookies evolved into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery.

The series is distributed internationally by Sphere Abacus, a Bell Media company, and is available in more than 130 countries around the world.

HEATED RIVALRY is commissioned by Bell Media’s Crave, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund (CMF), and the Bell Fund. Jacob Tierney is writer, director, and executive producer. Brendan Brady and Jayme Alter Wilson serve as executive producers. Lori Fischburg and Liane Cunje are producers, with Rachel Reid as consulting producer. Mike Goldbach serves as co-writer on Season 2.

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North of North, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

APTN celebrates real northern life with new fall programming

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From a media release:

Explore the REAL North this fall on APTN! Our cool lineup celebrates true Northern living in all its complexities, where the strength to persevere comes from a commitment to land, to community, and to loved ones. In the North, where life can be precarious, your best assets are adaptability, connection to tradition, and a gritty attitude. APTN’s Northern series will show audiences there are unforgettable stories waiting to be discovered and people to make you laugh just when it feels like all is lost. Come along with us this fall and see the Real North!

First up in this celebration of the North is the award-winning comedy and audience favourite North of North. Just as impressive are APTN’S cultural documentaries like Go North! and Chuck and the First Peoples Kitchen, about Arctic travel and good food, or the true stories of neighbours sharing resources and assistance like Life Below Zero and Northern Air Rescue. Audiences will be swept away by the charm, ingenuity and resilience of these unique free spirits, be touched by the beauty of this seemingly infinite land and the warmth that runs through the lives of the Peoples who call the North their home.

“Nine Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Comedy Series, says a lot about how good Season 1 of North of North was, and Season 2 picks up right where we left off”, said Adam Garnet Jones, Director of TV Content and Special Events at APTN. “This fall’s new and returning documentaries bring that same energy – real people, real stories, told by the people living them. This isn’t content made about the North – this is the North telling its own stories.”

See the premiere dates below – and follow the links for more information.

North of North (Season 2) – Comedy
APTN, CBC and Netflix original series is back for Season 2! As winter closes in on Ice Cove, young Inuk mother Siaja (Anna Lambe) is still making bold decisions and even bolder mistakes in her effort to level up her life. The hardest part? Proving to her tight-knit Arctic community, and herself, that she’s ready to take charge.

●     Exclusive world premiere on APTN+: September 1 (English)

●     APTN premiere: September 8 (English)

Go North!  – NEW Docu-series
A celebration of Arctic Indigenous travel, resilience, and life across the changing North. Narrated by Shina Nova, it follows remarkable people, using countless traditional and modern methods, to keep cultures, knowledge, and connections alive.

●     APTN premiere: September 3 (English)

Northern Air rescue (Season 2) – Docu-series
Be transported inside the world of Manitoba’s fastest growing and only Indigenous owned airline, “Missinippi Airways”. Fly with their pilots, nurses and grounds crew as they embark on lifesaving air ambulance missions into remote northern communities.

●     APTN premiere: September 13 (English)

Life Below Zero (Season 7) – Docu-series
In the remotest regions of Alaska, where bears and wolves outnumber people, survival is a daily battle. Our Alaskan neighbours share truths about how they live through the long and brutal Arctic winters, enduring isolation and scarce resources, to re-emerge, at end, into warmth and light.

●     APTN premiere: September 13 (English)

Chuck and the First Peoples Kitchen (Season 6) – Lifestyle/ Culture
Eager to learn about the culinary traditions on Turtle Island, Chef Chuck Hughes visits Indigenous communities, where he discovers their time-honoured or contemporary harvesting techniques and savours their unique recipes. He always ends his visits by preparing a great meal for his hosts. This season Chuck travels further north, to Nunavik and the Northwest Territories, to experience new flavours and the richness of these Northern cultures.

●     APTN premiere: August 31st (English) and September 4 (French)

●     APTN Languages premiere: September 6 (Innu)

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Home Network’s fall blueprint delivers signature originals and internationally acclaimed hits

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From a media release:

Home Network, Canada’s #1 destination for lifestyle content*, is ready for a new season with a dynamic lineup of hit series debuting this fall. Featuring signature originals and internationally acclaimed titles, Home Network’s fall lineup is anchored by two returning Canadian Original hits with Season 4 of Rock Solid Builds (8×60 – Cineflix), hosted by third-generation builder and proud Newfoundlander Randy Spracklin, and the sophomore season of House of Ali (8×60 – Nikki Ray Media), helmed by award-winning interior designer Ali Budd. The lifestyle lineup continues with the return of fan-favourites Interior Design Masters, Renovation Rescue, and Million Dollar Dream Home.

Home Network opens its fall lineup with Season 4 of Rock Solid Builds, premiering Sunday, September 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Viewers will get an intimate snapshot of Spracklin’s home life as he and his partner Melissa undertake a massive project of their own. Now the proud owners of her grandparents’ property in Brigus, the two are determined to transform its tired interior into an East Coast showpiece that blends cherished memories with a refreshing modern update. Randy and his talented team are continuing to tackle a load of big projects, such as restoring the historic Ferryland lighthouse, turning a neglected backyard into an all-season sanctuary, and many more. These proud islanders deliver ‘catty’ builds and elite craftsmanship all while showcasing the windswept charm of rugged Newfoundland. A new roster of sponsors are also breaking ground with integrated content from Home Hardware, Kohltech, Dildo Brewing Co., and Charm Diamond Centre.

Up next for Canadian originals is Season 2 of House of Ali, premiering Thursday, September 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. From a private villa in Costa Rica to a designer dream home in Connecticut, Budd and her team are making global moves in a style that is completely their own. The show’s unscripted lens gives viewers a look into the reality of high-end interior design, million-dollar reveals, and the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Meticulous down to the final detail, Budd showcases her unfiltered honesty and one-of-a-kind creativity to the pickiest of clients. Audiences can look forward to spectacular, custom transformations that inspire them to tap into their inner designer. One of the sales partnerships for the show’s sophomore season is with Knix, where the brand is featured through seamless in-show story integrations.

Home Network sets the blueprint with additional fall programming, highlighting an exciting schedule of new and returning shows, starting off with the series premiere of The Mother Flip on Wednesday, September 2 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT. Following are several international series that appeal to at-home design enthusiasts, including Renovation Rescue, which returns for its second season on Monday, September 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and Season 7 of Interior Design Masters on Thursday, September 10 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT. Outdoorsman Hal Shaffer is back with Season 4 of Renovation Hunters on Monday, September 7 at 9/9:30 p.m. ET/PT, along with host Viviana Vigil, who returns to connect affluent house hunters with luxurious multi-million-dollar properties in Season 8 of Million Dollar Dream Home, premiering Monday, October 26 at 10/10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Viewers can continue to watch new episodes of Love It or List It Season 12 on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, and Season 8 of Sun, Sea, and Selling Houses on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. The programming slate continues with new episodes of:

  • The Block, Season 20 on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
  • Help! We Bought a Village, Season 4 on Fridays at 10 p.m. ET/PT
  • The Bidding Room, Season 7 on Saturdays 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • A Place in The Sun, Season 16 on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT

Viewers can stream Home Network’s hit lineup, including prior seasons of Rock Solid Builds and House of Ali, anytime on STACKTV.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Docuseries Racing Waters goes to camera for Season 2 ahead of series launch on APTN this fall

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From a media release:

Racing Waters Productions Inc and APTN announced today that the brand new documentary series Racing Waters, directed by Asia Youngman (I’m Just Here for The Riot), has been renewed for a second season ahead of the series’ debut. The nine episode 22 minute series begins airing weekly on APTN (in English) and streaming on APTN+ starting on September 13, 2026. The series is presented in English and will also be released in Hul’q’umi’num on APTN Languages at a later date. 

Racing Waters takes viewers into the exhilarating world of Indigenous war canoe and outrigger racing through the eyes of the paddlers of the Island Brave Canoe Club from the Snuneymuxw First Nation, while also following the many Indigenous canoe clubs that make up the Pacific Northwest racing circuit. More than a sports series, it is an intimate portrait of a community where every stroke carries generations of history, responsibility, and pride. Led by respected Chief Mike Wyse Sr., the series follows the paddlers as they compete in the fiercely competitive Pacific Northwest war canoe circuit while pursuing opportunities in outrigger racing on the international stage. From first-time racers to seasoned champions, athletes battle for seats, overcome personal setbacks, and support one another through triumph and loss, discovering that success is measured by more than crossing the finish line.

“That Season 2 of Racing Waters is already in production speaks volumes about the appeal of this new adrenaline-fueled series,” says Adam Garnet Jones, Director of TV Content and Special Events at APTN. “An intimate look inside the fiercely competitive world of Indigenous war canoe racing, this docuseries runs the gamut of human emotion, from the thrill of victory, to the sting of defeat and the deep pride of representing one’s Nation. It delivers at every turn, suspense, resilience and heart.”

Season Two expands the story by following even more clubs across the Pacific Northwest, including Vikki Lynn Canoe Club and Rikkole Cree Canoe Club, as the series explores new communities, rivalries, and journeys both on and off the water.

Season one was shot across British Columbia, with locations including Agassiz, Cultus Lake, Comox, Musqueam, Saanich, North Vancouver, Cowichan Bay, Nanaimo and Cumberland featured. Other shooting locations include Rio De Janeiro & Niteroi, Brazil, Calgary, Alberta and Lummi, Washington. For Season Two, which has gone to camera, additional shooting locations include Victoria, Oregon, Washington, Oahu & Molokai, Hawaii, Singapore and Fort Langley.

Racing Waters is directed by Asia Youngman, produced by Mike Wavrecan (Moosemeat & Marmalade) and contemporary Coast Salish master carver Luke Marston, with Carey Newman (Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun) and Patti Poskitt (Kokum & Dot) as executive producers. The director of photography for the series is Luke Connor (Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun), editors are John Roney (Ocean Warriors) and Jovan Harmuth (Highway Thru Hell), and the composer is Jason Burnstick (Red River Gold).

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