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submitted 2 days ago by MyBrainHurts@lemmy.ca to c/canada@lemmy.ca

I figure a few of of us are trying CBC Gem, might help if we shared knowledge and recommendations!

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[-] observantTrapezium@lemmy.ca 12 points 2 days ago
[-] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago

100 times this!

[-] MyBrainHurts@lemmy.ca 11 points 2 days ago

I'll start the ball rolling:

The instant classics, Schitt's Creek and Kim's Convenience are there. Both are heartwarming, joyful family comedies. Blackberry is a great little movie about the Blackberry phone with Glenn Howerton (Dennis from it's always sunny in Philadelphia) and Jay Baruchel (Man Seeking Woman, basically that nerdy looking dude you'll recognize instantly.)

Ones I haven't seen but have heard really good things about (and are thus on my list):

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, Reservation Dogs, Penny Dreadful, Britannia, Masters of Sex, Pen15

Haven't heard much but Natasha Lyonne is usually awesome, so Poker Face is on my list.

[-] Evkob@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago

Kim's Convenience is such a good show! It toes the line perfectly between being an authentic representation of the struggles immigrant families can face while still being mostly lighthearted and fun.

[-] garbagebagel@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Reservation Dogs is on there? That's one of my favourite shows in recent years, highly recommend.

[-] lodronsi@beehaw.org 3 points 2 days ago

Upvote for BlackBerry. I really enjoyed that film!

[-] liverpoolbutter@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Reservation Dogs was easily the best thing I watched last year

[-] MyBrainHurts@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

I've heard such good things, it's top of my list. I might try and start a watching group on here or something. Think like a book club with an episode a week or something.

[-] dom@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago

Kim's convenience and schitts creek

[-] Aspen10310@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 days ago

North of North is a cute lighthearted show I'd recommend.

[-] UnderFreyja@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 days ago

A good tool to find what's well rated or popular is just watch

https://www.justwatch.com/ca/provider/cbc-gem

[-] MyBrainHurts@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

Great suggestion, thanks!

[-] LittleTarsier@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 days ago

I'm really enjoying Son of a Critch. It's a coming of age / family comedy. It's a really cute show.

[-] liverpoolbutter@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago

I love it! No new episode last night though, fu** the CBC

[-] thistlexthorn@slrpnk.net 6 points 2 days ago

We love Schitt’s creek

[-] villasv@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

I’m enjoying Kim’s Convenience and North of North. Also looking forward to the next season of Short Film Face-off and The Great Canadian Potery Throw-down

[-] gonzo-rand19@moist.catsweat.com 6 points 2 days ago

If you like absurdist comedy (and you don't cringe at millennial comedy) you should check out Baroness von Sketch Show. It's not for everyone though; my wife's mom said she "didn't get it," which is totally understandable.

[-] LittleTarsier@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago
[-] gonzo-rand19@moist.catsweat.com 4 points 2 days ago

Boom, boom, boom in the chiiiips!

[-] thistlexthorn@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 days ago

Helloooooo??

[-] zipzoopaboop@lemmynsfw.com 5 points 2 days ago

I have a soft spot for corner gas

[-] glandrid@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Lana Longbeard is great if you are looking for an Adventure Time-esque cartoon

[-] PlaidBaron@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

I wish there was a Canadian option for watching old school Trailer Park Boys, but I think Netflix has the monopoly on that right now.

[-] dubyakay@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago

Just pirate it for the time being.

[-] garbagebagel@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

Oh wow I could've sworn it was on crave but I don't see it anymore.

[-] argh_another_username@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago

And no one recommended Murdoch Mysteries yet???

[-] breakfastmtn@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago

RIP Constable Johnstable

[-] fishtaco@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago

Canadian: Saint Pierre, Canada's Ultimate Challenge, Schitt's Creek, Kim's Convenience

International: Colin from Accounts, Families like Ours

[-] wise_pancake@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Colin from Accounts was fun, I had no idea what to expect and enjoyed it

[-] discomatic@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago

My mom is a huge fan of Still Standing - the stand-up comedy guy, not the sitcom.

[-] aramis87@fedia.io 4 points 2 days ago

I like documentaries, so I'd like to recommend Canada: A People's History and Stuff the British Stole.

[-] Tm12@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 days ago

Not your question, but you may have Kanopy access as well through your public library.

[-] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 days ago

What’s Kanopy? I am just neglecting going to bed so I thought I would ask and sign out.

[-] Tm12@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Indie films, documentaries, foreign films.

[-] azi@mander.xyz 2 points 2 days ago

Tall Boyz: absurdist sketch comedy somewhat evocative of Kids in the Halls (which makes sense Bruce McCulloch was executive producer). Or hell just watch old Kids in the Hall.

Haven't gotten around to seeing it myself but I've heard North of North is pretty good. It's a sitcom set in Nunavut

Das Boot is also really good. A very raw and suspenseful Second World War drama set both in occupied France and inside a German submarine. There's also no "pretend this guy isn't speaking english" thing which is pretty cool. The actors actually speak German when their characters speak German, French when they speak French, etc. So most of the show is subtitled.

Thanks for the Tall Boyz recommendation, I'll be checking that out.

...sigh...I miss Picnicface... need more Canadian sketch comedy in my life in general.

[-] lodronsi@beehaw.org 5 points 2 days ago

Along with other suggestions above, I’ve really enjoyed Travel Man - travel show with Richard Ayoade (IT Crowd, and many other credits).

[-] MyBrainHurts@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago

Oh dang, I do love me some Ayoade! (If anyone hasn't seen it, Garth Merenghi's Dark Place is one of the first things he wrote and is fantastic, trailer .

[-] Akuchimoya@startrek.website 4 points 2 days ago

Zarqa, the funniest thing I've ever watched. A spiteful, middle-aged, Pakistani Muslim divorcee in Regina tries to manage/rehab her reputation and ego... With disastrously hilarious results. It's a short mini-series that can be watched in about two hours.

I just stumbled upon Gangnam Project. It's about two biracial Korean-Canadian teens who go to S. Korea to connect with their roots and get all caught up in the K-Pop making machine. It's meant for the tween market, but it's just so different than anything I've seen (maybe I haven't seen much) that I find it interesting. Plus who doesn't live an eternally optimistic lead when the real world is crazy times? Obviously it's dramatized, but I am kind of peripherally aware that idol-culture is a very serious deal in Asia, esp Korea. (Last year some K-Pop star publicly apologized for having a boyfriend?!) I wonder how much of it is based in reality and how much is just made up.

[-] MyBrainHurts@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 days ago

I'd never heard of either of those and they sound great, thanks for sharing!

[-] DerisionConsulting@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

"Please like me"

[-] garbagebagel@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I loved Sort Of, wholesome and funny queer comedy if you're into that sort of thing.

[-] LightOnFoot@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Republic of Doyle is a great Newfie show. Plus Allan Hawco is great. I met him at a Costco in St. John’s once, buying peaches with Mark Critch. Both awesome people, super friendly.

[-] eightpix@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Luther. If you've not seen this twisty police procedural starring Idris Elba, give it a good go. Short seasons, great pacing, some of the best British TV I've seen.

The only other show I've gone to Gem for was Schitt's Creek. I want to watch Station Eleven and Poker Face (b/c Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne).

Films currently on Gem worth the watch:

  • Incendies
  • Snowpiercer
  • Parasite
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  • Moonlight

And I hear good things about:

  • Call Me By Your Name
  • Captain Fantastic

Anyway, this a pretty good start for the non comedy side of Gem.

[-] Albbi@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

I'm a fan of Family Feud for kinda mindless trivia questions, and Family Feud Canada ain't bad. The questions aren't real trivia, but survey results, so trying to get in the heads of the average Canadian is fun.

[-] kia@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Dragon's Den

[-] WheelerSelanne@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Small Achievable Goals has promise, only a couple episodes in though. North of North had been mentioned and I like it way more than I thought I would. Children Ruin Everything is a really good Canadian show, but I don't know if it's on Gem.

this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2025
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