ZED

David Malahoff turned me on to ZED, the new “after The National airs a second time” show on CBC Television.” I’d seen the show listed in the TV guide, but I’d assumed it was simply another Richler Family Vehicle, so I’d actually never tuned in.

Indeed I haven’t tuned in yet. But I did discover this amazing gem on their website (which, oddly for CBC when it’s trying for the hip demo, does not suck). And so now I will tune in.

The best reason for watching the movie associated with this story is to hear the word “choreographer” said with a Newfoundland accent; that alone makes me want to move to St. John’s right away.

Comments

Ken's picture
Ken on February 1, 2003 - 00:12 Permalink

ZED is the new Brave New Waves, only with picture.
CBC you so subversive!

dave moses's picture
dave moses on February 1, 2003 - 14:28 Permalink

i remember seeing “pretty big dig” at the Atlantic Film Festival. and i thought what a shame it was that there’s no place where we can fit these awesome little shorts in our day to day media. and ‘though zed is great in that it gets some on the air, i can’t help feeling it’s kinda ghettoizing them to this 11:30 time slot where i’ll never stumble across them.

Christopher's picture
Christopher on February 1, 2003 - 14:51 Permalink

can any of you CBC followers explain to a recent arrival why the National seems to air twice? First time I saw it I thought some glitch had occurred. Almost as jarring as that sudden strange lurch from Global every night when the feed seems to change — usually in the middle of something. So if anyone can explain that one as well…

Steven Garrity's picture
Steven Garrity on February 1, 2003 - 15:30 Permalink

Our friend Kirby Ferguson from IslandEdition.com fame has had a few of his short films aired on Zed.

Johnny's picture
Johnny on February 1, 2003 - 19:59 Permalink

Out here on the west coast, the National airs at 6:00 PM, 9:00 PM, 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM on either Newsworld or the main Network. Its actually nice to get it as the supper-hour newscast. I can’t watch ‘Canada Now’ because its just so bad.

Justin's picture
Justin on February 2, 2003 - 09:00 Permalink

Chris, I think it was about the same time of the last large round-o-cuts to the CBC which cost us Maritimers “The Maritimes Tonight”, or as I called it “The Doug ‘n Bruce Show” It was a concious decision for them to catch folks who can’t make it home until late. I’m glad for the chance to catch a news program and that’s usually the only slot I get to watch… and Zed follows right on the heels of the news with no Ad. break in-between… which explains why I’m a Zed Hed.

Alan's picture
Alan on February 2, 2003 - 15:16 Permalink

The Maritimes Tonight is probably the show I miss most of all through the years of CBC cuts, along with the weekend version. News and sports by folks who seemed to stop off at a pub on the way to the late shift. Years ago it was Frank Cameron and Doug Saunders until they read the story about a bride in Argentina jumping for joy on the hotel bed only to flip herself out the window and plummet 20 stories to her death. It wasn’t so much the choice (or even truth) of the tale but their continued giggling and jumping jokes through the rest of the broadcast. Another early dearly departed is CBC radio’s Neighbourly News” which Kim Keirans has revived to a degree on the best radio show on CBC, “Weekend Mornings”.

Christopher's picture
Christopher on February 2, 2003 - 16:23 Permalink

Thanks, Justin.

Rob's picture
Rob on February 3, 2003 - 14:41 Permalink

The pilot season of Zed featured two longtime summer residents of PEI as ‘guest hosts’ — Nobu and Mio Adilman. Despite a substantial email campaign of support, they were not selected as the permanent hosts, but instead were groomed as the hosts of CBC’s after school game show — Smart Ask. They were great hosts on Zed — letting it all hang out. I think it’s been difficult for them to restrain themselves in their new demographic slot.