The CBC thinks we’re fat
The CBC’s winter TV lineup was announced late last week, and despite the departure of “give the people what they want even if it’s total pap” head honcho Richard Stursberg, the network is continuing down the crowd-pleasing path. Though much of the programming will remain the same as this fall—Republic of Doyle, 18 to Life and Little Mosque on the Prairie all return—there are two new noteworthy shows.
The first is a new half-hour action-comedy called InSecurity (formerly known as The B-Team), which follow the exploits of a bumbling team of spies who seek to protect Canada “one mistake at a time.” Then there’s Village on a Diet, generously billed as a “docu-series” that chronicles the trials and tribulations of the residents of Taylor, B.C.—one of Canada’s fattest towns—as they try to shed serious poundage.
The network will also air Pillars of the Earth, a miniseries based on the book by Ken Follett that aired previously on HBO Canada.
It’s a short list, and the Globe’s John Doyle says it reveals just what the CBC thinks of us Canadians. He summarizes it thusly: “You’re overweight. You eat garbage food. You’re a slacker. You don’t get enough exercise.” While this may be true, we think a lineup that boasts little more than some 3-D hockey games and a Canadianized Biggest Loser implies that it’s not just our physiques the CBC disrespects, it’s our intelligence.
• CBC winter season focuses on Canadians’ health [CBC] • Your public broadcaster’s been looking at your flabby butt [Globe and Mail]
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