CBC Gem offers more than 4000 hours of live and on-demand programming, including exclusive premieres, access to CBC’s extensive slate of Canadian programming and a curated selection of best-in-class content from around the world. The streaming service also offers the ability to live stream CBC TV at any time with access to 14 CBC channels and their local newscasts across the country. CBC Gem is available for free as an App for iOS and Android devices and online at cbcgem.ca. Currently available on TV screens via Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.
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EXCLUSIVE CBC GEM PREMIERES IN MAY:
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Asian Heritage Month collection includes “refreshingly different travelogue” (The Telegraph) The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan and documentary The Problem with Apu which “gained widespread traction” (Mashable)
CBC’s first digital original drama The 410 (May 2) and new original comedy The Mile Enders (May 4) highlight two distinct Canadian communities
CBC’s first original tween series for CBC Gem, Detention Adventure, drops May 3
Take Me To Prom from acclaimed Canadian documentarian Andrew Moir starts streaming May 1
“Beautifully observed” (The Guardian) UK drama Kiri starring Sarah Lancashire starts streaming May 3
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NEW CBC GEM ORIGINAL CANADIAN SERIES:
The 410 (Drama, 3×25) – All episodes begin streaming Thursday, May 2
Created, co-produced by and starring Supinder Wraich (The Good Doctor, Crawford), The 410 is named after the solitary highway connecting the suburb of Brampton to the Greater Toronto Area and centres around Suri (Wraich), a South Asian female and aspiring influencer, who turns to a life of crime to bail her truck driver father out of prison. Directed by Toronto-based filmmaker Renuka Jeyapalan.
Detention Adventure (Tween action-adventure, 10×11) – All episodes begin streaming Friday, May 3
CBC’s first original tween series for CBC Gem, DETENTION ADVENTURE follows three nerdy friends and the school bully who must get themselves thrown into detention to find the entrance to a labyrinth of trap-laden tunnels protecting the fabled hidden lab of Alexander Graham Bell.
I Ship It (10×11,) – Seasons 1 & 2 begin streaming Friday, May 10
After a devastating breakup, Ella Spencer enlists her roommate/best friend Tim to help her seek revenge on her ex. The two of them, along with a couple of coerced interns, form a band with hopes of taking down her ex-boyfriend in the Battle of the Bands nerd-rock contest. However, as budding romances among bandmates begin to escalate, Ella is forced to choose between her new-found musical success and her next relationship.
The Ninth (Comedy, 8×10) – All episodes begin streaming Thursday, May 16
A baseball comedy about everything but baseball follows a sub-par Southern Ontario Intercity Baseball League team owned by a discount mattress impresario.
The Mile Enders (Comedy, 4×20) – All episodes of Season 2 begin streaming Friday, May 24
The docu-comedy is a coming of “middle” age story about co-dependent frenemies and neighbours Lori Braun and Adam Wanderer as they navigate aging, gentrification, and the world of start-ups; dating in one of the world’s most trendy Montreal neighbourhoods – The Mile End.
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ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH COLLECTION
Celebrating the culture, traditions and history of Asian Canadians in May, themed programming this month includes:
The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan (Travel, 4×60) – All episodes begin streaming Friday, May 3
Romesh is not an adventurous man but he needs some more material for his stand-up career so he decides to visit some of the world’s most dangerous holiday destinations. Along the way he encounters extraordinary characters, bizarre subcultures, and surprising shared passions.
Nadiya’s Asian Odyssey (Travel/Lifestyle, 2×60) – All episodes begin streaming Friday, May 3
Great British Baking Show 2016 winner Nadiya Hussain was born and brought up in Britain but her family is from Bangladesh. Nadiya makes a surprise discovery about her DNA which sees her travel solo for the first time, exploring the people, places and food of Thailand and Cambodia. In the last leg of her travels she takes a trip to the remote Himalayan country of Nepal to learn more about its people, places, and food as part of her adventure to further explore her identity.
Nadiya’s Family Favourites (Lifestyle/Food, 8×30) – All episodes begin streaming Friday, May 3
Bringing her trademark warm and inclusive style to the show, each episode sees Nadiya prepare four dishes in her kitchen. Whether preparing food on a busy school night, or catering for unexpected guests, the series will open the lid on the kinds of food Nadiya prepares for her family and friends. She also travels the country, meeting some of Britain’s most inspiring home cooks and visiting experts who reveal handy tips and tricks for using store cupboard staples.
The Problem with Apu (documentary, duration, Marobru/Avalon, USA) – Starts streaming Friday, May 3
In this comedic documentary, South Asian-American comedian Hari Kondabolu confronts his long-standing “nemesis” Apu Nahasapeemapetilon – better known as the Indian convenience store owner on The Simpsons. Kondabolu discusses how this controversial caricature was created, burrowed its way into the hearts and minds of Americans, and continues to exist – intact – nearly three decades later.
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ACCLAIMED TITLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
- Kiri (4×60, The Forge, UK) – All episodes start streaming Friday, May 3
The mini-series tells the story of Kiri’s (Felicia Mukasa) imminent adoption by her white foster family, her relationship with her biological family, and the police investigation which ensues. The drama follows Kiri’s social worker (Sarah Lancashire, Coronation Street) as the fingers of suspicion and blame point at her and her judgement is questioned.
- On the Ropes (4×60, Lingo Pictures, Australia) ) – All episodes start streaming Friday, May 3
Aspiring Iraqi-Australian boxing trainer Amirah Al Amir (Nicole Chamoun) has idolised her world champion father Sami (Igal Naor) her entire life. While working in the family gym in Sydney’s west alongside her two brothers, Amirah negotiates a professional debut match for her hard-nosed fighter Jess O’Connor (Keisha Castle-Hughes) with Sami’s long-time promoter Strick (Jack Thompson).
- Back in Time for Dinner (6×60, Wall to Wall, UK) ) – All episodes start streaming Friday, May 10
The original British format that inspired the Canadian series comes to CBC Gem. Fast-forwarding through six decades of culinary revolution in just 60 days, Back in Time for Dinner turns one modern British family’s kitchen into a time machine. The family members follow a fascinating historical resource, the National Food Survey, which began chronicling British food habits in 1940. Food critic Giles Coren and food historian Polly Russell guide the family on its fascinating journey.
- Further Back in Time for Dinner (6×60, Wall to Wall, UK) ) – All episodes start streaming Friday, May 10
Further Back in Time for Dinner offers a lively, intelligent and revealing look at one British family as it travels even further back – to the early 20th century. Guided by the experiences of real families at the dawn of the last century, the fun- and food-loving family is fast-forwarded through 50 years of incredible history to explore how people lived and what they ate in the years before modern technology and conveniences.
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DOCUMENTARY & ARTS
- The Move (8×5) – All episodes of Season 2 begin streaming Monday, April 29
The Canadian Screen Award-nominated series returns with eight of Canada’s most dynamic choreographers and the incredible stories of what makes them dance. Each episode is a showcase of signature dance styles, personal stories and explorations of why these celebrated artists continue to move despite the obstacles on their path. With deeply insightful interviews and original choreography, this series not only expands our movement vocabulary, but also illuminates how dance can connect us in a way that no other artform can.
- Take Me To Prom (21 Minutes) – starts streaming Wednesday, May 1 (premiering day-and-date with 2019 Hot Docs Festival)
Queer Canadians look back at their prom nights. Take Me To Prom invites audiences to revisit an iconic adolescent milestone while telling a story of social change that spans more than sixty years. The documentary features seven interview subjects ranging in age from 17 to 88. Directed by Andrew Moir.
- MINDING THE GAP (Kartemquin Films, USA) – Starts streaming Friday, May 3
First-time filmmaker Bing Liu’s documentary Minding the Gap is a coming-of-age saga of three skateboarding friends in their Rust Belt hometown hit hard by decades of recession. In his quest to understand why he and his friends all ran away from home when they were younger, Bing follows 23-year-old Zack as he becomes a father and 17-year-old Keire as he gets his first job. Bing explores the gap between fathers and sons, between discipline and domestic abuse, and ultimately that precarious chasm between childhood and becoming an adult.
- Dream Boxer (15 minutes) – Starts streaming Friday, May 10 (and at cbc.ca/cbcshortdocs)
Charles Wilton, a young disabled Canadian, attempts his first wheelchair boxing match while facing obstacles that go deeper than his disability.
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CANADIAN FEATURE FILMS
- WEREWOLF (Grassfire Films, 2016) – Starts streaming Friday, May 3
Blaise (Andrew Gillis) and Nessa (Bhreagh MacNeil) are outcast methadone users in their small town. Each day they push a rusty lawnmower door-to-door begging to cut grass. Nessa plots an escape, while Blaise lingers closer to collapse. Tethered to one another, their getaway dreams are kept on a suffocatingly short leash. Directed by Ashley McKenzie.
- MODRA (PUNK FILMS, 2010) – Starts streaming Friday, May 10
Lina is 17 years old and lives in Toronto with her mother. For one week during the summer holidays she plans to visit her extended family in Modra, a small town in Slovakia. When Lina is dumped by her boyfriend she invites Leco instead, a cute boy from school. Not long after arriving in Modra, Lina and Leco discover they have little in common. To make matters worse, Lina’s family mistakenly assumes that a romance is afoot, setting off a chain reaction which leads to an explosion of repressed desire and confusion. Directed by Ingrid Veninger.
- HOME AGAIN (Hungry Eyes Film & Television, 2012) – Starts streaming Friday, May 16
Three young people are deported back to Jamaica after having been raised abroad since infancy. When they land in Kingston without a compass of any kind, each of them embarks on a journey that pushes their endurance beyond measure and forces them to discover who they truly are. Directed by Sudz Sutherland.
- FUBAR 2: BALLS TO THE WALL (FU2 Productions, 2010) – Starts streaming Friday, May 16
The sequel to the 2002 cult hit Fubar, the story starts in Calgary where Terry (David Lawrence) and Dean (Paul Spence) are barely scraping by. Their old friend Tron (Andrew Sparacino) sets them up with high-paying jobs in Fort McMurray. Directed by Micahel Dowse.
- TAKE THIS WALTZ (Joe’s Daughter, 2011) – Starts streaming Friday, May 31
When Margot (Michelle Williams), 28, meets Daniel (Luke Kirby), their chemistry is intense and immediate. But Margot suppresses her sudden attraction; she is happily married to Lou (Seth Rogen), a cookbook writer. When Margot learns that Daniel lives across the street from them, the certainty about her domestic life shatters. Directed by Sarah Polley.
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THE BEST OF CBC
- Past and current seasons of CBC series, including new Canadian drama hit CORONER, family drama NORTHERN RESCUE, original legal drama DIGGSTOWN, limited drama series UNSPEAKABLE; acclaimed comedies KIM’S CONVENIENCE, BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW and SCHITT’S CREEK; crowd-pleasing dramas MURDOCH MYSTERIES, ANNE WITH AN E and HEARTLAND; and classic CBC hits like THE KIDS IN THE HALL and BEING ERICA.
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COMING IN JUNE
- Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s JAMIE’S 30 MINUTE MEALS
- Season 6 of Emmy-winning sketch comedy series PORTLANDIA created, written by and starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein
- Season 2 of British drama series SAVE ME
- Special collections: Indigenous History Month and Pride
