When it comes to the shows on our televisions, a lot of folks talk about the American shows. We Canadians have had some pretty amazing shows on the small screens, too. So let’s chat about some stand-outs over the years, and through the generations!
Boomer
Here’s something a lot of folks might have watched right when Canadians really got tv: The Howdy Doody Show.
This cowboy puppet show was originally from the states but after a few years, we got our own version with characters like Mister X, and Timber Tim being exclusive to our version of Howdy Doody.
Here’s another one that might take you back a bit: The Front Page Challenge! Now there’s a show that is very of its time. A quiz show about current events. It had hosts like Pierre Berton, Toby Robins, Jordan Sinclair, and in the 90s, Jack Webster! I feel like going back to a show like that would be an interesting look back thru time.
The Tommy Hunter show went from 1965 to 1992, featuring different country music artists every week. A true variety music show!
1952 brought Space Command, the first dramatic series on CBC with over 150 episodes.
Gen X
Here’s one that I remember, but it really took off at the end of the 70s, into the 80s: The Nature of Things (with David Suzuki). Or what I lovingly used to call “that science show with David Suzuki. Unfortunately that’s not something that Mr Suzuki has since retired from as of 2022. It was good while it lasted.
The Beachcombers was another pretty popular show into the 80s! It’s actually one of the longest running drama series in Canadian TV! All about some loggers off the coast of BC and the community on that coast.
Another classic kids show, a true Canadian classic, is Mr. Dressup! I just learned that Mr Dressup was an understudy of Mister Roger’s! I dunno why I never knew that. I feel like there’s not been anything quite like Mr Dressup in the years since.
The Buck Shot show was filmed in Calgary from 1967 to 1997 with cowboy Buck Shot played by Ron Barge and puppets like Benny the Bear, and Clyde the Owl. When it was cancelled in 1997, it was the longest-running children’s tv show in Canadian history!
In the 1960s, there was Popcorn Playhouse hosted by Eric Neville and Muskeg the Moose answered riddles. This was down in Edmonton.
Millenial
When it comes to Millenials Canadian TV shows there were kids shows like Babar the Elephant, teaching little animated lessons on tv. I wouldn’t be surprised if they still aired reruns today. I remember it being quite a fun show as a kid.
Or one that got revived for another season in the last couple of years: The Kids in the Hall.It aired back in 1988, but got a couple seasons back in 2022! I never thought that would come back.
When it comes to tv comedy shows, I think the Red Green Show is one that isn’t talked about often enough. Or SCTV. There were a ton of great comedians that came from that show, especially thinking back to shows like Bob and Doug Mackenzie’s Great White North!
Fred Penners Place was a Musical Kids show that aired from 1985 to 1997. Not too far off from Mister Roger’s, with puppets, guests, and a fictional version of Fred.
The Big Comfy Couch was a classic kids show with Loonette the Clown, and her doll Molly. I swear the Ten-Second Tidy is one of those sleeper phrases.
Gen Z
Here’s a show that I thought would never stop airing: How it’s Made. I feel like that was the classic “watch it in the background” show, but you could actually learn some pretty interesting info watching all sorts of stuff coming down the assembly line on that show.
Of course I can’t talk about Canadian TV without mentioning the Trailer Park Boys. Mockumentary with comedy that I feel like still can hold up and I’ve rarely met folks that don’t enjoy it, honestly.
Pippi Longstocking was an animated series about the adventures of the animated braided red-head.
Shows watched as a younger kid might have been Little Bear about an animated bear and his friends in the forest. Or Max and Ruby about two rabbit siblings and their misadventures around the house and neighborhood.
