From Superheroes to the Supernatural
The New Year gets off to an extraordinary start as CTV announced January premiere dates for the network's 2016 Winter schedule.
The most-anticipated event series of the year "THE X-FILES" (Jan. 24), returns to primetime in a special two-night premiere, anchoring CTV's lineup of heavy-hitter debuts for the network's most-anticipated January in years.
"From a new event series THE X-FILES to the birth of a new superhero seriesDC's LEGENDS OF TOMORROW and LUCIFER, a cop drama with a devilish twist, CTV's giant January roster is an action-packed start to the network's Winter schedule," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks and CraveTV. "In addition to exciting series debuts and the return of fan-favourite hits, viewers can also look forward to all-new episodes of the fall's biggest hits on CTV, including: THE FLASH, THE BIG BANG THEORY, CODE BLACK, CSI: CYBER, and SAVING HOPE."Bolstering CTV's roster of heroes and extending the world of fan-favourites "THE FLASH" and "ARROW," DC'S "LEGENDS OF TOMORROW" makes its highly anticipated debut Jan. 21.
The much-talked about series blasts into Thursdays top-rated programming block, kicking off at 8 p.m. with Canada's current #1 program "THE BIG BANG THEORY."
From TV's favourite nerds to all-new superheroes, the adrenaline-fuelled DC'S "LEGENDS OF TOMORROW" immediately follows at 8:30 p.m., with more heroes set to defend the past, present and future of the planet.
Everyone's favourite 1980s family comedy "THE GOLDBERGS" follows at 9:30 p.m.
Then at 10 p.m., the #1 Canadian drama "SAVING HOPE" debuts in its new 10 p.m. timeslot.
Rounding out the new debuts, the devil comes knocking with fellow DC-inspired series "LUCIFER" (Jan. 25), bringing his crime-solving charm to CTV and the city of Los Angeles.
Television's favourite heroine also makes her return in January as MARVEL'S "AGENT CARTER" (Jan. 19) delivers a new kick-butt installment of Captain America-inspired espionage adventure.
A Top 3 new series among A25-54 and A18-49 last season, the arrival of the action-packed MARVEL'S "AGENT CARTER" rounds out CTV's roster of heroic Top 20 super hits, with "THE FLASH," "GOTHAM" and MARVEL'S "AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D." all set to re-join CTV's midseason schedule.
Big ticket events are everywhere on CTV this winter, beginning with the network premiere of critically acclaimed feature documentary "HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD" (Jan. 3).
Recently long-listed for an Academy Award®, Bell Media's award-winning original documentary explores the birth of the modern green movement and the creation of Greenpeace.
CTV kicks off awards season in January with "THE 73RD ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS" (Jan. 10).
Broadcasting live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, three-time host and Golden Globe® Award recipient Ricky Gervais returns to the stage for the fourth time to present the night's celebration of the best in film and television.
Additional dates for CTV's Winter 2016 schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.
On CTV Two, New Year's resolution-minded viewers can feast on a new reality series "MY DIET IS BETTER THAN YOURS" (Jan. 7).
With their contestants in tow, experts go head-to-head in each of the episodes to watch the scales go down and see whose diet comes out on top.
Viewers can catch up on full episodes of CTV series live and on demand on the CTV GO app and at CTV.ca (visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times).
Highlights of CTV's January schedule:
New to the Schedule:
"HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD" (Sunday, Jan. 3 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV)
In 1971, a group of friends sail into a nuclear test zone and their protest captures the world's imagination, giving birth to Greenpeace and defining the modern green movement. Directed by Jerry Rothwell (Town of Runners), Bell Media's Original Documentary HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD chronicles the adventures of this eclectic group of young pioneers – Canadian hippie journalists, photographers, musicians, scientists, and American draft dodgers – who set out to stop Richard Nixon's atomic bomb tests in Amchitka, Alaska, and end up making history. At the heart of the group is Bob Hunter, a charismatic Canadian journalist from Winnipeg who somehow managed to bind them together into a group with a single purpose, often at huge cost to himself. The story is framed by his first-person narrative, drawn from his writings and journals about the group, voiced alongside animations based on his early comics.
DC'S "LEGENDS OF TOMORROW" (Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, beginning Jan. 21 on CTV)
Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill, BROADCHURCH) is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat -- one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself. From the creators of THE FLASH and ARROW comes this superhero team-up unlike anything that's ever been seen on television before. Combining characters from both shows -- in addition to new heroes from the DC Comics pantheon -- this epic story lives in an interconnected universe and presents a high-stakes "feature film" experience with edge-of-your-seat action, time travel, seamless visual effects, and an infectiously fun character dynamic that's like a THE FLASH/ARROW crossover ... times a hundred! Featuring ARROW's Brandon Routh as The Atom and Caity Lotz as the resurrected Sara Lance/White Canary; THE FLASH'S Victor Garber as Dr. Martin Stein alongside Wentworth Miller as Captain Cold, and Dominic Purcell as Heat Wave. With, the new heroes Rip Hunter, Jeff Jackson (Franz Drameh, THE FLASH), and the reincarnated warrior queen Hawkgirl (Ciara Renée, THE FLASH), this singular super hero spinoff series pits the ragtag team against an immortal threat that remains one of the most powerful villains in the DC Comics universe.
"THE X-FILES" (Two night premiere on Sunday, Jan. 24 at 10 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. PT and Monday, Jan. 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, where it will continue for four weeks)
Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) are back in THE X-FILES, in the most-anticipated event series of the year, re-inhabiting their iconic roles as FBI agents 13 years after the original series completed its run. In the premiere episode, Mulder and Scully take on a case of a possible alien abductee. Mitch Pileggi (SONS OF ANARCHY) returns as FBI Asst. Dir. Walter Skinner, Mulder and Scully's boss, who walks a fine line between loyalty and accountability to his superiors. Guest stars this season include Joel McHale (COMMUNITY), Robbie Amell (THE FLASH), Lauren Ambrose (DIG), Annabeth Gish (THE BRIDGE), Annet Mahendru (THE AMERICANS), Rhys Darby (FLIGHT OF THE CONCORDS), Kumail Nanjiani (SILICON VALLEY), and William B. Davis, who reprises his role as "Cigarette Smoking Man".
"LUCIFER" (Mondays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, beginning Jan. 25 on CTV)
Bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell, Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis, MIRANDA) has resigned his throne and retired to the City of Angels, where he owns an upscale piano bar called Lux. Lucifer is enjoying his retirement and indulging in a few of his favorite things -- wine, women, song -- when a beautiful pop star is brutally murdered outside of Lux. For the first time in roughly 10 billion years, he feels something awaken deep within him. He's not sure whether it's his suppressed desire to punish the wicked or something deeper and more confusing -- is he actually capable of feelings for a human being? The very thought disturbs him -- as well as his best friend and confidante, Mazikeen (Lesley-Ann Brandt, THE LIBRARIANS), a fierce demon in the form of beautiful young woman. The murder attracts the attention of LAPD homicide detective Chloe Dancer (Lauren German, CHICAGO FIRE), who finds herself both repulsed and fascinated by Lucifer. As they work together to solve the pop star's murder, Lucifer is struck by Chloe's inherent goodness. Used to dealing with the absolute worst of humanity, he begins to wonder if there's hope yet. At the same time, God's emissary, the angel Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside, SUITS), has been sent to Los Angeles to convince Lucifer to return to Hell. But with the City of Angels at his feet and a newfound purpose, Lucifer's having too much fun to go back now.
"MY DIET IS BETTER THAN YOURS" (Thursdays 8 to 10 p.m. on CTV Two, beginning Jan. 7)
Hosted by Shaun T, creator of the workout sensation "Insanity," the new reality series MY DIET IS BETTER THAN YOURS features experts coaching average Americans to lose weight and get in shape. Each expert brings his/her own individually designed and wildly diverse diet and exercise plan to their contestant, and works with them to change their lives and prove that "my diet is better than yours". In the end, one team will reign victorious. MY DIET IS BETTER THAN YOURS is produced by Kinetic Content and Milojo Productions.
Returning Series:
MARVEL'S "AGENT CARTER" (Special two-hour premiere airs Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV)
Dedicated to the fight against new atomic age threats in the wake of World War II, Peggy (Hayley Atwell, Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger) must now journey from New York City to Los Angeles for her most dangerous assignment yet. But even as she finds new friends, a new home — and perhaps a new love — she's about to discover that the bright lights of Hollywood mask a more sinister threat to everyone she is sworn to protect.
CTV's 2016 KEY JANUARY DATES:
All dates are subject to change: CLICK HERE for the most current list of CTV's 2016 Winter schedule premiere dates. All times in ET/PT. Visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times.
Sunday, Jan. 3
8 p.m. – HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD (CTV) – *NETWORK PREMIERE*
Thursday, Jan. 7
8 p.m. – MY DIET IS BETTER THAN YOURS (CTV TWO) – * SERIES PREMIERE*
10 p.m. – SAVING HOPE (CTV) – *NEW EPISODE IN A NEW TIMESLOT*
Saturday, Jan. 9
12 p.m. – NFL PLAYOFFS (CTV) – *BIG EVENT SPECIAL*
Sunday, Jan. 10
12 p.m. – NFL PLAYOFFS (CTV) – *BIG EVENT SPECIAL*
8 p.m. – THE 73RD ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS (CTV) – *BIG EVENT SPECIAL*
Saturday, Jan. 16
3:30 p.m. – NFL DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF WEEKEND (CTV) –*BIG EVENT SPECIAL*
Sunday, Jan. 17
12 p.m. – NFL DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF WEEKEND (CTV) – *BIG EVENT SPECIAL*
Tuesday, Jan 19
9 p.m. – MARVEL'S AGENT CARTER (CTV) – *TWO-HOUR SEASON PREMIERE*
Thursday, Jan. 21
8:30 p.m. – DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW (CTV) –*SERIES PREMIERE *
Sunday, Jan. 24
2 p.m. – NFL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (CTV) – *BIG EVENT SPECIAL*
10 p.m. – THE X-FILES (CTV) – *SERIES PREMIERE, PT. 1*
Monday, Jan, 25
8 p.m. – THE X-FILES (CTV) – *SERIES PREMIERE, PT. 2*
9 p.m. – LUCIFER (CTV) – *SERIES PREMIERE*
Saturday, Jan. 31
8 p.m. – TRON: LEGACY (CTV) – *BIG MOVIE EVENT*
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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 14 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. 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.
