Raising kids and lowering expectations: CTV welcomes the arrival of its new original comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, airing Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, beginning Jan. 12. Created by Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK, KIM’S CONVENIENCE), CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING follows parents, Astrid (Meaghan Rath, BEING HUMAN) and James (Aaron Abrams, BLINDSPOT), as they raise their two young children in the city and struggle to hold on to their pre-kid life. Filmed in Toronto and Hamilton, Ont., the first season consists of eight half-hour episodes.
In CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, Astrid and James struggle to maintain their sanity in the face of their young children. The series chronicles their war of identity – one conceded battle at a time – it illustrates the hilarious and varied ways kids can wreck happiness, annihilate goals and dreams, and re-invent lives. However, it also explores how sometimes, if parents are very lucky, their re-invented life is sort of okay, too. Nowhere near as good as that old, really great life. But still kinda nice.
CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING stars Meaghan Rath as Astrid, a busy mom who does not care about being perfect or following so-called parenting trends by mommy bloggers; Aaron Abrams as James, a dad who is a mild perfectionist and pressures himself to be a great father – but still misses the freedom, spontaneity, and fun from his life before kids; and introducing Logan Nicholson (BLUES CLUES AND YOU) and Mikayla SwamiNathan as Felix and Viv – James and Astrid’s adorable seven-year-old son and four-year-old daughter, who are sucking the life out of their parents, one tantrum at a time.
Joining the cast in supporting roles are Ennis Esmer (BLINDSPOT, SCHITT’S CREEK) as James’ best friend and colleague, Ennis; Nazneen Contractor (RANSOM, HEROES REBORN) as Astrid’s successful and mildly pretentious older sister Dawn; Dmitry Chepovetsky (KILLJOYS, DEPARTURE) as Bo – Dawn’s husband and a maternal, earthy, loving dork; Darius Rota as Dawn and Bo’s brazen 10-year-old son Corey; Veena Sood (CORNER GAS ANIMATED, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE) as Astrid and Dawn’s recently retired mother Nisha; and Lisa Codrington (LETTERKENNY, ANNE WITH AN E) as James and Ennis’ cunning, fiercely competitive, and ruthless boss who believes children are career killers. This season also features guest appearances by Seán Cullen (WORKIN’ MOMS) and Anna Hopkins (THE EXPANSE).
On the series premiere of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, “Meals” (Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app), after four years of being a stay-at-home mom, Astrid (Rath) is ready to return to work. She and James (Abrams) decide to mark the occasion with a celebratory dinner with the kids. However, getting Felix (Nicholson) and Viv (SwamiNathan) to cooperate at the dinner table is a struggle, leading to a disastrous (and dangerous) dinner. Meanwhile, as James and Astrid prepare for more money, more date nights, and less diapers, Astrid comes to terms with the truth: she wants another baby.
Exclusive videos are available throughout the season on CTV.ca and the CTV app, providing viewers with an extension of the series with bonus digital content that includes behind-the-scenes videos and more.
As previously announced, CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING joins the Roku Originals programming slate on The Roku Channel in the U.S. in 2022.
The series is from award-winning New Metric Media and is created and executive produced by Golden Globe® and Emmy® Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK), and executive produced by one of television’s premier comedy writers Chuck Tatham (MODERN FAMILY, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT), multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mark Montefiore (LETTERKENNY, WHAT WOULD SAL DO?), and Meaghan Rath, with Beth Iley (KILLJOYS) serving as producer. Renuka Jeyapalan (KIM’S CONVENIENCE, GINNY & GEORGIA) and Melanie Orr (THE PARKER ANDERSONS, THE HARDY BOYS) direct the series.
