Network president talks to The Suburban

By Mike Cohen, September 21st, 2012

As the president of programming and sports for the CTV Network, Phil King believes viewers from coast to coast are in for an enjoyable 2012-2013 season during which time they are  rolling out four new and 17 hit returning series on CTV, and three new and 10 returning hits on CTV Two.
“We are by far the most popular conventional network in Canada,” King told The Suburban in a telephone interview from his Toronto office. “But that is never enough. You always want to get better
CTV’s new fall lineup is headlined by the   Charlie Sheen’s  Anger Management. The comedic superstar makes his big-buzz return to network television following a special sneak peek of the series premiere episode immediately following the London 2012   closing ceremonies last month. Available across multiple platforms, the new recruits join the CTV and CTV Two fall schedules already jam-packed with established top 20 hits.    
Anger Management began airing on the US cable channel FX last June. It did well enough be guaranteed contractually for 100 total episodes, since specific ratings goals were achieved in the first 10 shows. I watched a few of the episodes online  and yes, they are very funny.
The fall season began in August with the hit “fairytale” procedural drama Grimm, returning for its sophomore season. In addition to Anger Management (Tuesdays at 9 p.m.), The New Normal   (Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m.) focuses in long-term couple Bryan and David, who look to create a new type of family – a surrogate family – with a single mother; and the  Sunday night medical crime drama The Mob Doctor  (9 p.m.) stars Jordana Spiro. Also joining the schedule on Saturday is the comedy series, The Neighbours,   starring Jami Gertz and Lenny Venito.    
In addition, premiere dates are set for returning favourites including CTV’s Thursday night power block, beginning Sept. 27. The Big Bang Theory  (8 p.m.), Canada’s number one programs starts the night off followed by the country’s number two choice, Two and a Half Men (8:30 p.m.), leading into Canada’s top drama  Grey’s Anatomy  (9 p.m.). The highly anticipated final season of the hit original series Flashpoint  (10 p.m. ET/PT) caps the night off.
“Flashpoint has been a huge success and we are very proud about that,” says King. “It is all shot here in Canada and viewers will be blown away by the series finale.”
Saving Hope, another homegrown CTV series, also did well in the ratings over the summer.
King says that CTV is working on filling the void of Flashpoint, about a Strategic Defence Unit,  with another locally produced procedural drama. “We have an excellent success rate at creating our own hits,” King says. “I want to incrementally add new programs every year because we control our own destiny. We can schedule it when we want. We also get to give creative input.”
Last season’s #1 new series  The X Factor is back  on Wednesday nights with new judges Demi Lovato and Britney Spears; Canada’s number one new drama Once Upon a Time and the top reality show  The Amazing Race are back in their regular Sunday night timeslots to kick-off the night.
Once Upon a Time was a saviour of sorts for me. After the hit show Lost went off the air a few years ago. I was effectively “lost” without a show that truly left me at the edge of my seat each week. Once Upon a Time, which brings all of our favorite storybook characters back to life as part of a very “dark” series, certainly does the trick.
Canada’s number one new comedy Whitney has moved to Saturday night. Dancing with the Stars, Castle, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist, CSI, Blue Bloods, CSI: NY and W5 are back.
 CSI Miami will not be back. The CBS network cancelled the popular series after its 10th season, much to my dismay. This was my favorite action series, with star David Caruso and his trademark sunglasses always making you feel safe. I was surprised to see it go, especially since CSI New York was actually the lowest rated of the three CSIs. Miami, reportedly, was the most expensive to produce. Last year it was moved to CTV Two and King said it did well in the ratings.  I just finished watching the final episodes and there is no question it had plenty of legs to keep going. My plan for this story was to do a separate sidebar on CSI Miami, interview some of the stars and preview the season.  Now I can only hope Caruso lands in another cop drama.
“There were rumblings a year ago that one of the CSIs would go,” said King. “Many thought it would be the original. But they added Ted Danson to the cast and it took off.”
Like CSI Miami, King says the show Missing with Ashley Judd did well in Canada. However, that was no the case in the US and ABC cancelled it.
 Premiere dates for CTV Two’s three new dramas have also been set. Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 10, the action-packed Arrow (8 p.m.), starring Canada’s own Stephen Amell, and the much-buzzed about Nashville (10 p.m.),  starring Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere,  both join CTV Two’s lineup and the new medical drama Emily Owens, M.D.   (Tuesdays at 9 p.m. beginning Oct. 16),  starring Mamie Gummer  (Meryl  Streep’s daughter), joins the CTV Two schedule Tuesdays.
The CTV Two schedule is also instantly strengthened with the addition of The Voice, as well as results episodes of The X factor on Thursdays. Additionally, fan favourites returning to CTV Two this fall include Law & Order: SVU on Wednesdays, The Vampire Diaries on  Thursdays Thursdays;  Nikita and Shark Tank on Fridays; and America’s Next Top Model, Mike and Molly and Up All Night  on Sundays.  
Viewers can also catch up on full episodes of CTV and CTV Two series across CTV’s digital platforms following their television broadcast on CTV.ca, the CTV App, the CTV Mobile channel on Bell Mobile TV, and through video on demand partners, such as Bell Fibe TV.