Bell Media reveals 2023/24 originals slate as streamer Crave plans AVoD shift

Children Ruin Everything has been renewed for a third season

Canadian broadcaster Bell Media has unveiled its 2023/24 programming slate, including new titles from Blink49 Studios, Counterfeit Pictures, Pier 21 Films and Cream Productions, in addition to revealing that its streaming service Crave is moving into AVoD.

Among the newly commissioned shows for Crave are sketch comedy series The Dessert (LaRue Entertainment), presented by Bruce McCulloch of The Kids in the Hall, and Winnipeg-set indigenous comedy Don’t Even (Pier 21 Films, Frantic Films, Sekowan Media), about a high-school graduate who wants to make the most of her last summer before starting university.

Elsewhere, The Office Movers (Counterfeit Pictures) follows two college dropout brothers who must rescue their struggling office moving company from the brink of bankruptcy, while comedy The Trade (Rollercoaster Entertainment, Blink49 Studios) is set in a working-class community where the stress of working in a refinery is balanced with the antics of the plant workers.

There’s also Optimist’s Guide to the Planet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Cream Productions), which follows the Game of Thrones star as he travels the world to find people and projects that inspire hope for the future; plus shortform series Nesting (Project Undertow), about two unlikely best friends who try to get pregnant at the same time so they can parent together in a new version of family.

Bell Media also confirmed previously announced Crave originals such as So Long, Marianne (Letters From Leonard, Tanweer Productions, Connect3), its scripted coproduction with Japan’s NHK about Canadian singer and poet Leonard Cohen and his muse Marianne Ihlen; and four-part docuseries Billionaire Murders (Entertainment One), about the unsolved murders of Canadian power couple, Barry and Honey Sherman;

Other previously announced originals include half-hour comedy series Bria Mack Gets a Life (New Metric Media); comedy I Have Nothing (Blue Ant Studios in association with Catalyst), led by Baroness von Sketch Show star Carolyn Taylor; and comedy Late Bloomer (Pier 21 Films), created by and starring Jasmeet Raina (aka Jus Reign).

Meanwhile, Bell-owned streamer Crave showcased a raft of new English-language documentaries and docuseries, including Beauty Kings (Morro Creative), Modern Whore (Clique Pictures, Virgin Twins), Postnatural (90th Parallel Productions), Singhs in the Ring (Fennessey Films, Score G Productions, FMT Productions) and a project about the life of Canadian comedian Russell Peters (Loft Entertainment).

In addition, Bell Media’s broadcast network CTV has ordered lifestyle series The Take Back (McGillivray Entertainment Media, Fremantle), which gives Canadians a second chance to celebrate following cancelled events, and hour-long daily talkshow The Good Stuff with Mary Berg (Bell Media Studios).

Also headed to CTV is previously announced drama Sight Unseen (Blink49 Studios, Front Street Pictures), about a homicide detective who is haunted by the unsolved cases she left behind after losing her vision; gameshow Battle of the Generations (Bell Media Studios/GroupM Motion Entertainment); and an English-language adaptation of Dutch format The Traitors, which was revealed earlier this week. Bell Media’s French-language network Noovo also commissioned its own adaptation of the popular format.

CTV has renewed Farming for Love, The Amazing Race Canada, Children Ruin Everything and Transplant for new seasons, while drama Sullivan’s Crossing, recently acquired by The CW in the US, is also returning.

Within its portfolio of CTV-branded specialty channels, Bell Media has made several additional orders. CTV Comedy Channel has commissioned stand-up series The RP4, hosted by comedian Peters, and has renewed Roast Battle Canada and Acting Good for seasons four and two, respectively.

CTV Drama has ordered The Squad (Cream Productions), which explores the story behind the 1991 arrest of Wanda Holloway in Texas, and CTV Sci-Fi has confirmed the previously announced Paranormal Revenge (Sphere Media) and the return of Reginald the Vampire (Cineflix Studios, December Films, Modern Story and Great Pacific Media). In addition, lifestyle-focused CTV Life Channel has renewed Mary Makes it Easy for season three and ordered Staying Inn: Hotel Julie (Alibi Entertainment), about the redesign of a 19th century inn.

On the French-language side, Bell Media previously greenlit originals including Noovo drama Après le déluge (Zone3, ZAMA Productions) and gameshow Plus ou moins misérable (KOTV).

Elsewhere, Bell Media confirmed Crave’s long-rumoured shift into ad-supported streaming. Starting this summer, the service, which carries all HBO and Max originals in Canada, will begin offering one or more AVoD tiers, with further details to be announced at launch.

The shift to AVoD comes just over six months after Netflix and Disney+ both introduced ad-supported subscription plans. This week, a report from The Wall Street Journal said Amazon is exploring the addition of an AVoD tier to its Prime Video service.