CBCMondayReport

October 19, 2004 6:03 AM

Rick Mercer's Monday Report on CBC. Canada's Daily Show.
posted by srboisvert (15 comments total)

not living in canada anymore makes me miss this hour has 22 minutes and Mr. Mercer, it's a shame that he's only on once a week though. I sure wish the real files would work though.
posted by grimley at 6:37 AM on October 19, 2004

actually the main page has quicktimes of the most recent that work. Pierre Burton on how to roll a joint. this is excellent.
posted by grimley at 6:43 AM on October 19, 2004

I watched last night, and laughed my ass off. Inspired (especially the Pierre Burton skit).
posted by Quartermass at 7:21 AM on October 19, 2004

Actually, I found last night's episode pretty disappointing. Mercer was best (as he was on 22 minutes) when he did his long, rambling monologue while walking towards the camera. But I thought his standard talk show fare (opening show monologue, headline one liners) was poor at best - uninspired, and kind of stiff. Maybe I've been spoiled by watching too much Jon Stewart, but I really thought Rick Mercer used to be sharper.

Pierre Berton teaching us how to roll a joint was classic, though.
posted by aquafiend at 7:44 AM on October 19, 2004

I'm an expat too, and I miss the sweet bejesus out of Rick Mercer. (To this day, I still think of The Daily Show as the American version of 22 Minutes.)

I have no doubt whatsoever he'll figure it out. There is no one in the States like Rick Mercer (Steve Carell, at his very best during the early part of his tenure on TDS, was close, but Rick's been churning it out on and off for the better part of a decade now), and I miss his style like nobody's business.
posted by chicobangs at 8:10 AM on October 19, 2004

I just started getting CBC after a move to Michigan. Any other shows worth watching?
posted by MikeB at 8:59 AM on October 19, 2004

On CBC? Ha ha ha - no.
posted by disgruntled at 9:06 AM on October 19, 2004

Hockey Night in Canada... (*cries)
Might be a Canadian thing, but The Nightly news/nightly documentary is always worth watching.
This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Uhh, thats about it.
posted by Quartermass at 9:10 AM on October 19, 2004

No, The Daily Show is Canada's Daily Show - it's also on CBC after all <g>
posted by abcde at 9:14 AM on October 19, 2004

And CTV, and the Comedy Channel...
posted by tiamat at 10:56 AM on October 19, 2004

I also thought last night was generally disappointing. I liked the Pierre Burton skit as well as his tour of St Francis Xavier university. I think his rants were the best part of "This Hour" and the Monday Report ones are a little more uneven. The stuff he did behind the desk generally fell flat for me. He's still the sexiest man on the CBC though (that's quite the qualifier).

Unfortunately, many of the archive files no longer work, so I'm not sure if the site deserves that Genie award it's hoping for.
posted by Salmonberry at 11:09 AM on October 19, 2004

DaVinci's Inquest gets consistently amazing reviews, but I've never managed to catch it. It's on tonight, apparently, at 9pm - once again that's out for me. Oh well.

I also really liked "This is Wonderland" last year, although it doesn't seem to be scheduled for this year, I don't know if it's cancelled or what. It did manage to piss me off by having unannounced scheduling changes, but it was a pretty smart little lawyer show with appealing leads.

And I just don't like Monday Report - I wish Rick would go back to 22 Mins, becaues it's just not the same without him there. In fact, I never even bother to watch anymore, though I watch the Daily Show religiously. Guess I'm a bad Canadian.
posted by livii at 2:13 PM on October 19, 2004

Corner Gas on CTV is brilliant. How can it not be when it's done by a guy named "Brent Butt"?

On topic: I also agree that, other than the Berton joint-rolling, last night's season opener for The Monday Report was a bit flat. But hey, Rick Mercer's funny. He'll bounce back.
posted by sharpener at 4:01 PM on October 19, 2004

Jeez, first Rita McNeil picking dope plants on Trailer Park Boys and now Pierre Burton rolling a joint.

Paul Martin, it's your turn next!
posted by filmgoerjuan at 9:30 PM on October 19, 2004

Rick Mercer really needs someone to play off of/with. His monoloagues are always great (I'll watch 22min reruns for them) but besides that his most brilliant bits on 22mins was when he was together with someone. I loved the segments done to chess clocks.
posted by Mitheral at 10:20 AM on October 20, 2004