Show Review - Whistler

[aired Sep. 29 on CTV]

It's been forever since the first season of Whistler ended its run on CTV (actually, it was 12 months) and FINALLY the first episode of the second season aired on Saturday. There were some developments that I didn't like--I absolutely hated that they killed off Ethan (I understand that the actor Nick Lea left, but still--couldn't they have just said he'd left town?) and I hated that Carrie lost the baby (I would have loved it if Carrie had Beck's baby--would have left so many storylines, including a reason for Beck's ghost to stick around). However, that all being said, this episode was awesome. I am so thrilled that the show decided to take advantage of its Whistler setting alot more than it did in its first season. This season looks like it'll feature a ton of snowboarding-related storylines and there's many new characters who are part of Whistler's snowboarding world.

The main story in this episode has Quinn, the main character, returning home to Whistler after many months at university in the States for the commemoration of a training facility named in honour of his dead brother, and Olympic snowboarding champion, Beck Mackaye. He reunites with Carrie, his ex-girlfriend (and also Beck's ex as well) and after they share a passionate night together, he rethinks going back to school, deciding, after a snowboard run on the mountain, to stay in Whistler.

Twelve months of waiting anxiously for Whistler to return my TV screen was worth it.

CTV's Canadian shows this season

With two Canadian shows on its fall docket--Corner Gas and Whistler--CTV at least, if you want to look on the bright side, scheduled twice as many Canadian shows as it's fellow private broadcast network Global. Nice, huh?

I'm a big fan of Whistler--a damn good show---and I am thankful CTV decided to renew it for a second season, but I wish it wasn't scheduled for Saturdays. In Canada, that's the deathstar night, where no shows end up surviving in the longterm (except for good ol' HNIC which has survived a very long time there).

Degrassi: The Next Generation, is also returning in December...although I'm not so sure that counts as the fall season, does it?

Robson Arms and Instant Star have both been renewed for an additonal season each but likely won't air until sometime in 2008. And there are a few other shows rumoured to be in the works. Rumoured titles of new series include Night Doctor, Listeners and Sold.

Though there are a lack of Canadian shows on CTV's fall schedule, I am happy with the fact that all their shows do contain Canadian-ness (if you get what I mean) and have relatively good productions values.

I can't wait until Whistler starts at the end of this month...It's been literally a year since the season finale aired.