Great Canadian TV Shows
by eyeshaveseen | created - 19 Mar 2013 | updated - 26 Mar 2013 | PublicAre there really any decent Canadian TV shows? Well here's a few.
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1. Definition (1974–1989)
30 min | Game-Show
A cross between Hangman and Scrabble, players try to solve puzzles by guessing missing letters. Very similar to "Wheel of Fortune" but without the wheel.
Stars: Jim Perry, Dave Devall, Jean Christopher, Jayne Eastwood
Votes: 37
2. The Friendly Giant (1958–1985)
15 min | Family, Fantasy, Music
In his castle, a giant and his friends tell stories and play music for the young viewers.
Stars: Bob Homme, Rod Coneybeare
Votes: 424
3. The Kids in the Hall (1988–2021)
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy
The TV series of the Canadian sketch comedy troupe that, more often than not, puts bizarre, unique, and insane twists in their skits.
Stars: David Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney
Votes: 11,090
4. The Red Green Show (1991–2006)
TV-G | 25 min | Comedy
Red Green airs his handyman show from Possum Lodge, Canada, and also experiences some zany adventures in real life.
Stars: Steve Smith, Patrick McKenna, Rick Green, Bob Bainborough
Votes: 2,948
5. Strange Paradise (1969–1970)
22 min | Drama, Horror
A Gothic soap opera that took place on a small Caribbean island, Strange Paradise featured the occult in the story of wealthy but cursed Jean Paul Desmond who resided in his castle ... See full summary »
Stars: Colin Fox, Cosette Lee, Sylvia Feigel, Kurt Schiegl
Votes: 90
6. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985–1989)
TV-PG | 22 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Updated remakes of classic stories from Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962), originally produced by the Master of Suspense. His original opening bits are colorized for re-use here.
Stars: Bernard Behrens, Cynthia Belliveau, David B. Nichols, Kathleen Quinlan
Votes: 3,249
7. The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985–1992)
TV-14 | 23 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
"The Ray Bradbury Theater" was a Canadian-produced anthology series scripted by famed science-fiction author Ray Bradbury. Many of the teleplays were based upon Bradbury's novels and short stories.
Stars: Ray Bradbury, Michael Copeman, Frank Whitten, Desmond Kelly
Votes: 1,707
8. The Hilarious House of Frightenstein (1971– )
60 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
"The Hilarious House of Frightenstein" was as hosted spooky show aimed at a children's audience.
Stars: Billy Van, Guy Big, Mitch Markowitz, Joe Torbay
Votes: 838
9. Murdoch Mysteries (2008– )
TV-PG | 48 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In the 1890s, William Murdoch uses radical forensic techniques for the time, including fingerprinting and trace evidence, to solve some of the city's most gruesome murders.
Stars: Yannick Bisson, Helene Joy, Thomas Craig, Jonny Harris
Votes: 17,457
10. Wojeck (1966–1968)
60 min | Drama
A coroner searches for truth and justice with the help of his friends, while trying to hold his family together.
Stars: John Vernon, Patricia Collins, Carl Banas, Ted Follows
Votes: 69
11. The Starlost (1973–1974)
60 min | Sci-Fi
A group of humans must explore a vast starship in order to find the controls to save it from destruction.
Stars: Keir Dullea, Gay Rowan, Robin Ward, William Osler
Votes: 596
12. Marketplace (1972– )
30 min | News
The premiere Canadian consumer affairs show.
Stars: Erica Johnson, Wendy Mesley, David Common, Charlsie Agro
Votes: 127
13. This Hour Has Seven Days (1964–1966)
60 min | Comedy, News
Canada's most famous and controversial news and public affairs show.
Stars: David Steinberg, John Bird, David Susskind, Nikita Khrushchev
Votes: 152
14. E.N.G. (1989–1994)
60 min | Drama
The show was based in Toronto, they are a news station that go out filming news worthy stories all the while a romance brewing with the news show director & camera man, Jake.
Stars: Sara Botsford, Mark Humphrey, Art Hindle, Jonathan Welsh
Votes: 204
15. Live It Up! (1978–1990)
30 min | Comedy, Documentary
Canadian public/consumer affairs series with a humorous slant.
Stars: Dianne Buckner, Mary Lou Finlay, Tracie Tighe, Sharon Seto
Votes: 33
16. The Friendly Giant (1958–1985)
15 min | Family, Fantasy, Music
In his castle, a giant and his friends tell stories and play music for the young viewers.
Stars: Bob Homme, Rod Coneybeare
Votes: 424
17. Excuse My French (1974–1976)
30 min | Comedy
'Excuse My French' was a Canadian television sitcom which aired on CTV from 1974 to 1976. Produced by CFCF-TV, the series starred Stuart Gillard and Lisa Charbonneau as Peter and ... See full summary »
Stars: Pierrette Beaudoin, Paul Berval, Lise Charbonneau, Daniel Gadouas
18. The Wayne & Shuster Show (1955– )
Comedy
Sketch comedy feauturing Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster.
Stars: Johnny Wayne, Frank Shuster, Ben Lennick, Don Gillies
Votes: 247
19. Jubilee (1959–1969)
30 min | Music
Stars: Don Messer, Charlie Chamberlain, Marg Osburne, Don Tremaine
20. The Tommy Hunter Show (1965–1992)
Music
A weekly television program showcasing various country music artists.
Stars: Tommy Hunter, Al Cherney, Donna Ramsay, Leroy Anderson
Votes: 35
21. The Party Game (1970– )
Game-Show
Two teams compete in a super-advanced game of charades. The people playing the game move at seemingly impossible speed, solving long clues based on puns. An approximate example: Would a man... See full summary »
Stars: Dinah Christie, Jean Christopher, Jack Duffy, Jayne Eastwood
Votes: 33
22. Hope Island (1999– )
Drama
Reverend Daniel Cooper has come to Hope Island to reopen the Community Church, hoping the assignment will help him through the grief of a terrible loss. Distrusted by the local inhabitants ... See full summary »
Stars: Cameron Daddo, Suki Kaiser, Duncan Fraser, Haig Sutherland
Votes: 135
23. Little Mosque on the Prairie (2007–2012)
22 min | Comedy
A satirical view at a Muslim community living in Mercy, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Stars: Zaib Shaikh, Sitara Hewitt, Debra McGrath, Manoj Sood
Votes: 2,639
24. The Fifth Estate (1975– )
60 min | Documentary, News
Investigative journalist news documentaries are presented.
Stars: Bob McKeown, Mark Kelley, Gillian Findlay, Linden MacIntyre
Votes: 265
25. Celebrity Cooks (1975– )
30 min | Talk-Show
Bruno Gerussi interviews various celebrities who prepare various dishes on the studio's cooking facilities.
Stars: Bruno Gerussi, Patrick Macnee, Bob Crane, Hermione Gingold
Votes: 9
26. Metropia (2004–2005)
23 min | Drama
Stars: Dharini Woollcombe, Walter Alza, Zainab Musa, Jessica Heafey
Votes: 95
27. Degrassi High (1987–1991)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Family, Romance
The lives and trials of students of a city high school.
Stars: Pat Mastroianni, Stefan Brogren, Maureen Deiseach, Angela Deiseach
Votes: 3,183
28. Street Legal (1987–1994)
50 min | Drama
The professional and private lives of a group of young, aggressive attorneys in partnership together in Toronto.
Stars: C. David Johnson, Eric Peterson, Cynthia Dale, Julie Khaner
Votes: 262
29. For the Record (1976–1990)
Drama
A collection of docudrama-style short stories on diverse but socially-relevant (and very Canadian) topics such as unemployment, euthanasia, spousal abuse, televangelists, aboriginal issues,... See full summary »
Stars: Heath Lamberts, Mavor Moore, David Gardner, Kenneth Welsh
Votes: 28
30. This Is the Law (1971–1976)
30 min | Comedy, Game-Show
A panel observes sketches of a man breaking the law somewhere in Canada, and are challenged to guess the law being broken.
Stars: Paul Soles, Robert Warner, Bill Charlton, Austin Willis
Votes: 34
31. W5 (1966– )
Documentary, News
Investigations covering tough, relevant stories for Canadians.
Stars: David Tyler, Kevin Newman, Avery Haines, Sandie Rinaldo
Votes: 114
32. Til Debt Do U$ Part (2005– )
Reality-TV
Money can't buy you love. But keeping love alive without money can be pretty tough. In fact, ninety percent of marriage breakups are due to money problems. And to get advice on how to ... See full summary »
Stars: Gail Vaz-Oxlade, Doug Hoyes, Rachel Cowan, Hellen Buttigieg
Votes: 104
33. Sidestreet (1975– )
60 min | Mystery
Canadian Police detectives investigate community and social cases involving elderly people, youths and indigenous citizens.
Stars: Donnelly Rhodes, Jonathan Welsh, John Swindells, Antony Parr
Votes: 10
34. Mr. Dressup (1967–1996)
30 min | Family
An amiable man teaches preschool subjects with his puppet friends using games, songs, and the infinite number of costumes inside his tickle trunk.
Stars: Judith Lawrence, Ernie Coombs, Jani Lauzon, Jonathan Whittaker
Votes: 833
35. Black Harbour (1996–1999)
Drama
A Los Angeles chef (Katherine Hubbard) returns to her Nova Scotia roots to run her ailing mother's boatyard with her director husband (Geraint Wyn Davies) and two daughters.
Stars: Rebecca Jenkins, Melanie Ann Foley, Barrett Porter, Geraint Wyn Davies
Votes: 93
36. Blackfly (2001–2002)
Adventure, Comedy, History
The show is set in 18th-century Canada back "in days when beaver fur was good as gold".
Stars: Ron James, Shauna Black, Richard Donat, James Kee
Votes: 213
37. Traders (1996–2000)
60 min | Drama
Set in the Toronto-based investment house Gardner/Ross, "Traders" explores the intimate lives and loves of investment bankers whose high-stakes decisions and sizzling alliances can have grave international consequences.
Stars: Sonja Smits, Bruce Gray, Patrick McKenna, Chris Leavins
Votes: 470
38. History Bites (1998–2008)
Comedy, History
Important periods of history humourously illustrated in a television format.
Stars: Rick Green, Ron Pardo, Bob Bainborough, Janet van de Graaf
Votes: 281
40. You Can't Do That on Television (1979–2004)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Sketch TV by young amateur actors in true classic Nick-style. But whatever you do, never admit that you don't know or ask for water.
Stars: Les Lye, Abby Hagyard, Christine McGlade, Lisa Ruddy
Votes: 2,611
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