Seven New Series Join CTV and CTV Two's Mid-Season Schedules

Kevin Bacon Headlines TV's Most Buzzed-About New Drama THE FOLLOWING, Premiering Jan. 21

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CTV's Original Series MOTIVE Gets Prime Post-SUPER BOWL Timeslot, Feb. 3

- Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Leah Remini, Chi McBride, Kristin Lehman, Steven Pasquale, Matthew Davis, and Canadian Jessica Lucas headline new mid-season shows -
- New drama series CULT and RED WIDOW, joining previously announced new series DO NO HARM, THE FOLLOWING, GOLDEN BOY, FAMILY TOOLS and MOTIVE -
- AMERICAN IDOL gains superstar judging power and returns for its 12^th season -
- TV's most-watched live events SUPER BOWL XLVII, THE OSCARS^®, THE GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS^® and THE 2013 Juno Awards take centre stage -
- The stars align for SMASH as Jennifer Hudson, Sean Hayes, Liza Minnelli, and Jesse L. Martin guest star this season on CTV Two -

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MOTIVE
"MOTIVE turns the police-procedural on its ear" - National Post

THE FOLLOWING
"The most suspenseful...the most action-packed...the best new show of the season" - Huffington Post

CULT
"CULT may be the cult hit of the new TV season." - TVGuide.ca

DO NO HARM
"…medical drama with a Jekyll & Hyde twist." - Deadline.com

Red Widow
"I love me a good mob story, and this [RED WIDOW] pilot delivered." - TVGuide.ca

Golden Boy
"buzzed-about drama" - Variety

TORONTO, Dec. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - CTV announced today its hot mid-season schedules, including the much buzzed-about psychological thriller, THE FOLLOWING (Jan. 21) and new original drama series MOTIVE (Feb. 3). The two series are among seven brand-new programs coming to CTV and CTV Two in 2013, including DO NO HARM (Jan. 31), GOLDEN BOY (March 8), CULT (Feb. 19), RED WIDOW (March 3), and FAMILY TOOLS (May 1). The CTV schedule is also bolstered by the return of ratings stalwart AMERICAN IDOL, critical darling SMASH, and a new season of Top 3 hit THE AMAZING RACE.

Highlighting CTV's mid-season schedule:

• THE FOLLOWING (Jan. 21 on CTV): From THE VAMPIRE DIARIES creator Kevin Williamson and starring Golden Globe^®-winning actor Kevin Bacon in his headlining broadcast television debut, the suspenseful thriller follows an FBI agent chasing a network of serial killers.
• DO NO HARM (Jan. 31 on CTV): Starring Steven Pasquale (RESCUE ME), DO NO HARM follows Dr. Jason Cole, a highly respected neurosurgeon who has it all - a lucrative career, confident charm, and the gift of compassion. But he also has a deep, dark secret. Hell hath no fury like an alter ego scorned.
• MOTIVE (Feb. 3 on CTV): Starring Kristin Lehman (THE KILLING), Gemini Award-winning Louis Ferreira (SGU STARGATE UNIVERSE), and Lauren Holly (NCIS), MOTIVE is a captivating one-hour crime drama that follows feisty female homicide detective Angie Flynn on a backwards chase for clues to a killer that has already been revealed to viewers.
• CULT (Feb. 19 on CTV Two): Starring Matthew Davis (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES) and Canadian Jessica Lucas (MELROSE PLACE), CULT tracks the investigation of a string of mysterious deaths and disappearances surrounding the show-within-a-show.
• RED WIDOW (March 3 on CTV Two): From Melissa Rosenberg, writer of the Twilight Saga films and co-executive producer of DEXTER, RED WIDOW stars Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill) as a woman who gets caught up in the organized crime world and has to fight to keep her family safe.
• GOLDEN BOY (March 8 on CTV): This new cop-drama follows the meteoric rise of an ambitious NYC officer, Walter William Clark, Jr. (Theo James, BEDLAM), who becomes the youngest police commissioner in the history of New York City. Much to his disappointment, Walter is paired up with veteran Detective Don Owen (Chi McBride, BOSTON PUBLIC), a gruff lifer just two years shy of retirement.
• FAMILY TOOLS (May 1 on CTV Two): Starring Leah Remini (THE KING OF QUEENS), FAMILY TOOLS is a new comedy about a habitual screw-up (Kyle Bornheimer, ROMANTICALLY CHALLENGED) who is forced to take over the family handyman business and unexpectedly discovers that he may have found his calling. 

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"As we said in June, we've saved our best new programs for mid-season. The wait is finally over for this season's most anticipated new series, including THE FOLLOWING and MOTIVE, which anchor CTV's powerhouse mid-season schedule," said Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports. "Each featuring unique premises, and headlined by the one-and-only Kevin Bacon and Canada's own Kristin Lehman respectively, these new series set the tone for what is expected to be a dramatic mid-season for Canada's #1 network."

CTV Returning Series
Chart topper AMERICAN IDOL (Jan. 16) makes its triumphant return to CTV's mid-season schedule with new superstar judges including global icon and the best-selling female recording artist of all time Mariah Carey, renowned rapper, singer and songwriter Nicki Minaj, and country music superstar Keith Urban, who join returning judge Randy Jackson this season. Canada's #1 reality series THE AMAZING RACE (Feb. 17) also returns to the schedule.

CTV's top-rated event programming continues with THE 70^th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS^® (Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. on CTV); SUPER BOWL XLVII^® (Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. on CTV); THE 85^th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS^® (Feb. 24 at 8:30 p.m. on CTV), and THE 2013 JUNO AWARDS (April 21 on CTV).

In January, viewers can also look forward to the return of this fall's new hit series on CTV, including the #1 new comedy of the season ANGER MANAGEMENT, which returns to anchor a new comedy block, fan favourite ARROW (Jan. 16) and THE NEW NORMAL paired with a new season of HOT IN CLEVELAND (Jan. 8). Also back is Canada's most-watched program THE BIG BANG THEORY (Jan. 3); comedy veteran and Canada's #2 overall series TWO AND A HALF MEN (Jan. 3); Canada's #1 drama with key adult demos GREY'S ANATOMY (Jan. 10); fantasy drama ONCE UPON A TIME (Jan. 6); reality series favourite SHARK TANK (Jan. 4), and more.

CTV Two Returning Series
The top-rated AMERICAN IDOL (Jan. 17) bolsters the network's mid-season schedule. Back for a sophomore season, Broadway drama sensation SMASH (Feb. 5) returns with an a-list guest star lineup including Academy Award^®-winner Jennifer Hudson, EMMY^® Award-winner Sean Hayes, and Academy^® Award-winner Liza Minnelli. CTV Two also welcomes back all-new seasons of comedy series WHITNEY (Jan. 2); and the hilarious hidden-camera comedy BETTY WHITE'S OFF THEIR ROCKERS (Jan. 8). Additional returning fan favourites include reality series UNDERCOVER BOSS (Jan. 4); cut-throat drama NASHVILLE (Jan. 9); teen drama THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (Jan. 16); and more.

Catch up on full episodes of most CTV and CTV Two series on demand on CTV.ca, the CTV App for iPhone and iPad, and on CTV Mobile. Plus, catch exclusive online features, behind-the-scenes extras, and cast interviews for many hit CTV and CTV Two programs.

See below for a list of premiere dates for new series, new returning series, returning fall series and special event television. All dates are subject to change. All times in ET/PT. Visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times.

MID-SEASON 2013 PREMIERE DATES:

Tuesday, Jan. 8
BETTY WHITE'S OFF THEIR ROCKERS at 8 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. (CTV Two) - *RETURNING*
HOT IN CLEVELAND at 9 p.m. (CTV) - *RETURNING*

Sunday, Jan. 13
The 70^th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS^® at 8 p.m. (CTV) - *BIG EVENT SPECIAL*

Wednesday, Jan. 16
AMERICAN IDOL at 8 p.m. (CTV) - *RETURNING*

Thursday, Jan. 17
AMERICAN IDOL (Audition/Results) at 8 p.m. (CTV Two) - *RETURNING*

Monday, Jan. 21
THE FOLLOWING at 9 p.m. (CTV) - *NEW*

Thursday, Jan. 31
DO NO HARM at 10 p.m. (CTV) - *NEW*

Sunday, Feb. 3
SUPER BOWL XLVII^® at 6 p.m. (CTV) - *BIG EVENT SPECIAL*
MOTIVE immediately following SUPER BOWL XLVII^® (CTV) - *NEW*

Tuesday, Feb. 5
SMASH Two-Hour Premiere at 9 p.m., regular timeslot, Tuesdays at 10 p.m.
(CTV Two) - *RETURNING*

Sunday, Feb. 17
THE AMAZING RACE at 8 p.m. (CTV) - *RETURNING*

Tuesday, Feb. 19
CULT at 9 p.m. (CTV Two) - *NEW*

Sunday, Feb. 24
THE 85th ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS^® at 8:30 p.m. (CTV) - *BIG EVENT SPECIAL*

Sunday, Mar. 3
RED WIDOW Two-Hour Premiere at 9 p.m., regular timeslot, Sundays at 10 p.m.
(CTV Two) - *NEW*

Friday, Mar. 8
GOLDEN BOY at 9 p.m. (CTV) - *NEW*

Sunday, April 21
THE 2013 JUNO AWARDS (CTV) - *BIG EVENT SPECIAL*

Wednesday, May 1
FAMILY TOOLS at 8:30 p.m. (CTV Two) - *NEW*

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About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 10 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at ctv.ca.

About CTV Two
Available from coast-to-coast, CTV Two features a dynamic mix of drama, comedy and reality programming on CTV's second conventional network. CTV Two spotlights day-to-day life in local communities in Vancouver/Victoria, Toronto/Barrie, Ottawa, London, Windsor and Atlantic Canada through its award-winning local news programming. Reaching 89% of English Canadian viewers and available in stunning High Definition, CTV Two is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company.

Source: BBM Canada, Fall 2012 = 9/24/2012 - 12/9/2012

SOURCE: CTV

Tonia Addison, CTV & CTV Two, 416.384.2194 or [email protected]
Matthew Almeida, CTV & CTV Two, 416.384.2629 or [email protected]
Jacqui VanSickle, CTV & CTV Two, 416.384.5091 or [email protected]