The Globe and Mail is reporting this morning that MVP: The Secret Lives of Hockey Wives will be picked up by an American cable network that specializes in — God help us all — the soap genre.
SOAPnet is owned by Walt Disney Co. and reaches about 41 million homes in the U.S. It will air the first season, beginning in June. The CBC cancelled the prime-time soap opera in its first season three weeks ago
“ABC is taking the cast around to do a number of promotions, as well as the talk-show circuit,” said MVP creator Mary Young Leckie, clearly taking a jab at the CBC, which has been criticized by independent producers for not spending enough money to promote their programs. The CBC says the cancellation was due to less-than-expected ratings, and not an issue of promotion.
But the Globe is quoting an unnamed source “close to CBC” that says the Corporation maintains second-season licensing rights for the show, leading some to speculate at the CBC will watch the U.S. ratings to see if a second season in Canada is viable.
MVP which employed about 175 people in production, administrative, and talent.
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Why am I not surprised an American Network picked this up…. it will fit right in with the rest of the tripe that is produced South of the Border. You’ll have to excuse me now, I just threw up in my mouth a little…
There are plenty of great TV shows made in the US, Stephanie. Some of them even have Canadians in them! You should get your acid reflux problem checked out, though.
You got me and I’ll admit there’s a few standout’s, Lovespring International would be one, and even had the Canadian too. But like most smart, witty and well written shows, it was cancelled without being given the proper chance. Now that some of the top shows are the likes of “The Hills”, “Big Brother #?” (I’ve lost count) and “The Simple Life”, with every TV premiere season that passes by I become more and more disenchanted with what the U.S. Networks are offering. I’m proud when Canadian produced shows are well worth investing my time in, even got myself bent outta shape when the Ceeb cancelled “The Tournament”. Perhaps it’s just me, but I guess I held the CBC to a Higher Standard, and was basically disappointed, embarrassed even, that it chose to air MVP. I like when a show is uniquely Canadian, I was brought up with shows like The King of Kensington, SCTV and The Beachcombers, and it’s jmho that MVP does nothing but come across as a wannabe “Desperate Hockey Housewives of Orange County”. I liked that the CBC wasn’t FOX, damnit. I’m gonna go sulk some more now… jPod’s been cancelled too.
Could this mean we could see something simular happen to JPOD? I had the pleasure last night of watching JPOD ep. 11 & 12. I can’t believe after years of crap has been Canadian television, that no broadcaster would see the value in series like jpod.
These are the rights to re-runs of a show that Canadians have already paid for in full.
An obscure channel has chosen to show it for pennies on the dollar.
Wow. Let’s celebrate! maybe it was good after all.
Then again …
In this media savvy world of too much choice, someone right now is once again negotiating for the rights to a season of The Munsters. In black and white.
Well, imho, I thought MVP was one of the best, “with-it” new programs on CBC in ages! (Along with jPod) Not stuffy upper-crust “cultural” programming for a change. I think the reason they didn’t get the audience was for a couple of reasons - people aren’t used to seeing this kind of thing on CBC, and the title was stupid - I’m their target audience - 40-something female - yet, when I see “MVP” listed as the title of a show, I think it’s some dumb sports thing and wouldn’t watch it. Had they simply entitled it “The secret lives of hockey wives”, I’d have given it a chance. Just a guess, and I work here (though not in programming), but I think a change of title, and giving it a longer run would’ve given people a chance at this great show. I also don’t watch any of those dumb American shows you list, Stephanie, but they DO have other, really good ones as well.
I watched MVP faithfully every week and it is my favorite show. It is the first show in years that actually kept my attention. I looked forward to it every week. The action starts within the first ten minutes of the first episode and it has you hooked. The writing is phenomenol and production is amazing. I am hoping Soapnet and its viewers see the show the same way I did. The show had a little bit of everything… This announcement made my day. THANK YOU ABC & SOAPNET. I will enjoy the first season all over again and hope for season 2.
I myself am beginning to lose faith in the good old Ceeb. With my 2 favorite shows being pulled of the air, it hurts to see what else they will do to punish me. I was in love, but now left with a broke heart. CBC needs to keep crisp and original programming like MVP and JPOD and give it a chance to bloom. Not to sound offensive, but the Coronation Street viewers will only last so long. time to grab the younger viewer and bring them into the amazing thing that is CBC.