This Fall Showcase is home to a family on the run, a firefighter back from the dead, a spy with no identity and a young woman trying to make sense of her unusual and mysterious powers. Beginning September 1, 2010, Showcase welcomes the highly anticipated return of Rescue Me and Weeds, followed by the network premiere of critically acclaimed spy drama Burn Notice. Showcase also delivers outstanding original drama with the series premiere of Lost Girl and miniseries premieres of Sherlock, Strike Back and Wallander. Weekends get the star treatment with a variety of Hollywood blockbuster premieres including Get Smart and Tropic Thunder.
Heating up the Showcase schedule this fall, Burn Notice follows covert operative Michael Weston (Jeffery Donovan) on the hunt for who is responsible for getting him ‘burned’ – the spy equivalent of being fired. With bank accounts frozen and connections severed, Weston is forced to earn cash by becoming a private investigator in his hometown of Miami. A top-rated, critically acclaimed cable hit in the US Burn Notice season one airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT beginning September 7.
Weeds returns for a smoking sixth season. Picking up after the untimely death of Mexican crime boss, Pilar Zuazo, Nancy Botwin’s youngest son Shane becomes a murderer and sends the Botwin family on the run – again. Starring Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin, Weeds season six welcomes a stellar cast of guest stars including new additions Richard Dreyfuss, Linda Hamilton and Mark Paul Gosselaar. Also returning to Weeds this season is Alanis Morissette and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Weeds season six airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT beginning September 5.
Other breakout hits back this fall include:
* Denis Leary is back as everyone’s favourite tormented fireman. Rescue Me, season six begins Wednesday, September 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
* Season two of life-after-death comedy Drop Dead Diva, featuring special guest stars Paula Abdul, Gloria Reuben, Natasha Henstridge and former Bachelor Jake Pavelka, premieres Monday, October 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
New to Showcase this Fall is the supernatural, urban gothic original Canadian series Lost Girl. The series stars Anna Silk (Being Erica; Billable Hours) as Bo, a succubus who discovers she belongs to the world of Fae; creatures of legend and folklore living among humankind in secrecy. Kris Holden-Reid (Ben Hur, The Bridge, The Tudors), Zoie Palmer (The Guard, Instant Star) and Ksenia Solo (Life Unexpected, Renegadepress.com) also star. Lost Girl airs Sundays beginning September 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Showcase presents popular miniseries from the UK and Australia this Fall including the Canadian premiere of three-part British miniseries Sherlock. Based on the Arthur Conan Doyle classic, the series stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Small Island, The Last Enemy) and Martin Freeman (The Office, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and is written by acclaimed writer/producer Steven Moffat (Dr. Who). Hailed by UK press as “…a thoroughly enjoyable 21st-century makeover,” (The Times), with “…sparkling scripts and unforgettable performances,” (Leciester Mercury), Sherlock premieres Friday, September 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
Other top miniseries premiering this Fall on Showcase include:
· The Canadian premiere of Strike Back a three-part miniseries based on the real-life experiences of former SAS corporal Chris Ryan, airs Friday, October 1, at 10 p.m. ET/PT
· The cable premiere of Wallander, a three-part miniseries based on thrilling adaptations of best-selling crime novels by Henning Mankell and starring BAFTA award-winning actor Kenneth Branaugh, airs Friday, November 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
· Season One of the popular Australian action drama Sea Patrol debuts Monday, August 30 at 5 p.m. ET/PT
Movies get top billing on Saturday nights this Fall with the Showcase Saturday Night Movie block. The block features an unprecedented number of big-ticket, blockbuster Hollywood movies straight off-pay, including:
* Cloverfield, Saturday, September 4 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
* Get Smart, Saturday, October 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
* The Hulk, Saturday, October 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
* You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, Saturday, November 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
* Tropic Thunder, Saturday, December 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
* Pineapple Express, Saturday, December 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Viewers can visit showcase.ca for the latest episodes of Showcase exclusives and original series, behind-the-scenes footage and series extras. The Showcase Blog (showcase.ca/blog) offers daily coverage of Showcase programming, insight into the world of TV and film, regular contests, big name interviews, guest appearances from network stars, and a host of bonus content, updated daily.
Showcase is a Canwest Broadcasting channel.
