# Do they cuss on Canadian TV? In fact, tell me about Canadian TV in general. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152 "2011-03-18T14:01:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![storyguide3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@storyguide3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyguide3)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/81 "2011-03-21T17:09:59Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I didn’t say set, I said shot. Looking it up, I see part of the show is actually shot in Saskatchewan; I just assumed it was all shot in Toronto, since the show has zero prairie flavour and almost painful for this Saskatchewan native to watch. Republic of Doyle is shot, if not entirely then predominantly, in St. John’s. No shortage of local flavour, but that doesn’t help you on the prairie thing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/82 "2011-03-21T17:33:57Z")
As an American who watched the CBC a lot in the 80s and 90s: I saw “Crash” (the mid-90s one) on the CBC at 1 in the morning. They didn’t edit out the nudity, even of the full frontal variety. Don’t remember about the language. We haven’t mentioned the private networks CTV and Global that much, and that’s because there’s little Canadian about them. They are legally required to show 60% Canadian content, but almost all of that is news/lifestyle shows outside of prime time. Virtually their entire schedule in prime time is American programs. Before the mid-90s the CBC aired much more American programming. I remember watching everything from “The Nanny” to “Maude” reruns back then. Then budget cutbacks and competition made them adopt a Canadian programming focus. I remember watching “Front Page Challenge”! It was three journalists doing a 20 Questions-style interrogation of a newsmaker, and then interviewing the person. No audience participation, flashy graphics, and few celebrity guests. Then again I also watched everything from “Hymn Sing” to “Hangin’ In”. Anyone remember the old “Participaction” promos? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/83 "2011-03-21T20:20:31Z")
> [@storyguide3](#): > > Republic of Doyle is shot, if not entirely then predominantly, in St. John’s. No shortage of local flavour, but that doesn’t help you on the prairie thing. 😃 Well, that’s good - maybe CBC has discovered there’s Canada outside of Ontario. 🙂 I remember Participaction - we also used to watch “Definitions.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/84 "2011-03-21T20:37:27Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > … we also used to watch “Definitions.” 😃 Canadian game shows! “Congratulations, you get to move on to the Bonus Round, where you’ll play for a cash prize of up to $100!” ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/85 "2011-03-21T20:39:58Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Canadian game shows! “Congratulations, you get to move on to the Bonus Round, where you’ll play for a cash prize of up to $100!” “And a sewing machine…from Brother!” ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/86 "2011-03-21T21:41:55Z")
‘Definition’ was the first thing I thought of when I saw Austin Powers. I’m absolutely certain Mike Myers must have skyvved off from school to watch it… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/87 "2011-03-21T22:32:12Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > “And a sewing machine…from Brother!” “And some fine Rice-a-Roni products!” Even as a kid I didn’t see what was so special about winning Rice-a-roni. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/88 "2011-03-21T23:14:53Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Well, that’s good - maybe CBC has discovered there’s Canada outside of Ontario. 🙂 > > I remember Participaction - we also used to watch “Definitions.” 😃 I wonder how much [del]Guy Smiley[/del] Jim Perry got paid for that. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/89 "2011-03-21T23:21:27Z")
> [@MichaelQReilly](#): > > I think for some of their late night stuff they even show the nudity. Not the few times I’ve watched a late night “uncensored” movie, unless you count Team America:World Police. > [@](#): > > And for those of you who get IFC as part of the regular cable package, they also show stuff completely uncut. As does Turner Classic Movies. No blurring of nudie bits or anything, not that most of their library has much nudity. What’s there is there though, and they show it uncut, commercial free, and usually it’s actually a classic unlike say, AMC, _cough_Catwoman?_cough_ but I digress. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/90 "2011-03-21T23:53:36Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Undoubtedly, some Saskatchewan Roughriders fans would see that as a good move. 🙂 [Absolutely.](http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/69516/la_id/1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/91 "2011-03-21T23:54:45Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I didn’t say set, I said shot. Looking it up, I see part of the show is actually shot in Saskatchewan; I just assumed it was all shot in Toronto, since the show has zero prairie flavour and almost painful for this Saskatchewan native to watch. It’s all Brent Butt’s fault for setting the bar so high. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/92 "2011-03-22T00:37:11Z")
As I understand it, “Have another do-nut you fat pig” is considered cussing by Canadians. [Link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXpcb5aTnPk) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/93 "2011-03-22T01:23:24Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > [Absolutely.](http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/69516/la_id/1.htm) Those were just plain weird. > [@Gorsnak](#): > > It’s all Brent Butt’s fault for setting the bar so high. True, true. It’s totally unfair that they had a writer/creator/star who was actually born and raised in Saskatchewan and then shot the whole series in Saskatchewan; there’s no way that CBC can compete with _that_. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/94 "2011-03-22T01:37:16Z")
Did you lot hear about the [auction of Corner Gas props](http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/theatre/article/957042--fans-pumped-for-corner-gas-props)? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/95 "2011-03-22T07:31:25Z")
Baby Blue movies on Channel 79 🙂 Declan ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/96 "2011-03-23T01:32:47Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Did you lot hear about the [auction of Corner Gas props](http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/theatre/article/957042--fans-pumped-for-corner-gas-props)? Yes - I wanted some. Thanks to this thread, I dreamt about Brent Butt last night. It was a good dream - he’s a great guy to hang out with, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![tingbudong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tingbudong/32/520_2.png) [@tingbudong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tingbudong)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/97 "2011-03-24T01:56:11Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Canadian TV is sometimes strange in that our small population size and potential audience often means poor production values, so some of the shows look cheap. But the content is often quite good. Production values have improved considerably in the past 10 years though. There have been some very high quality work in some of the co-created pieces (mentioned previously by another poster) like the Tudors and The Pillars of the Earth. Still, bad values still creep in. I had high expectations for History’s Storming Juno and was completely disappointed. It wasn’t much of an improvement over CBC’s Dieppe in terms of production quality. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/98 "2011-03-28T05:49:34Z")
One thing I’ve always noticed from watching Canadian television is that the colo(u)r level seems desaturated compared to television from the US, and foreign broadcasts I’ve seen on cable. It’s not as if American broadcasts have oversaturated color, but rather Canadian broadcasts seem like the color level or saturation control on a TV is turned down to 35% or 40%. I’ve flipped between the same show airing on an American station and a Canadian station, and there is a very noticeable difference, especially with the CBC. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Edie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/50afbb/32.png) [@Little\_Edie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Edie)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/99 "2011-03-28T14:57:51Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > One thing I’ve always noticed from watching Canadian television is that the colo(u)r level seems desaturated compared to television from the US, and foreign broadcasts I’ve seen on cable. It’s not as if American broadcasts have oversaturated color, but rather Canadian broadcasts seem like the color level or saturation control on a TV is turned down to > 35% or 40%. I’ve flipped between the same show airing on an American station and a Canadian station, and there is a very noticeable difference, especially with the CBC. I’ve noticed this with some British shows, too. Always assumed it had to do with what film they were shooting on… which I guess no longer applies. Honestly, as a Canadian, I’m embarrassed by a lot of our original TV programming, especially the stuff that just seems like weak versions of Americans hows but with 1/10 the budget and generic actors who were clearly cast because someone thought they looked like some other American star. Kids in the Hall was, and remains, one of the best shows on TV in any country, but I sometimes watch it and wonder how it ever aired (especially since I remember watching it in the early evening as a kid!). Not because it contained tons of profanity, sexual situations and half-naked men, but because it was so funny. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152/100 "2011-03-28T15:48:36Z")
Another great Canadian series is ‘Billable Hours’. Sort of a lighter ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ with lawyer friends who constantly undercut one another. I would concur with earlier posts that opined that Canadian TV is essentially cheaper American TV with a little more swearing and nudity. I also find it odd that Canadian television comedy is generally pretty bad (with HUGE exceptions - SCTV, KITH, etc), but Canadian comedians are AWESOME. There’s a ton of amazing Canadian comedians who found great success in the US. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-they-cuss-on-canadian-tv-in-fact-tell-me-about-canadian-tv-in-general/575152.md?page=6)