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TV Media Weekly | October 8 - 14, 2016 By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Will the series "Cedar Cove" be returning to the Hall- mark Channel soon? A: Sadly, it won't be returning at all. The third season of the Hall- mark Channel original series (the channel's first) was canceled last winter, just before the end of its third season. The show ended with some questions unanswered, which is frustrating for fans. And though it was based on a series of books by prolific romance author Debbie Macomber, the show often went its own way plot-wise, so those questions generally aren't an- swered in the books. But the show's real appeal came not from its plot, but from its characters and setting — the opportunity it gave for viewers to spend time in the little town of Cedar Cove. In that sense, the books can go a long way to help grieving fans. There's enough there to last fans for a while: There are 13 novels in the series so far, plus a cookbook for the truly devoted. But though I say "so far" here, it seems like that may be the end of it — the most recent book in the series was published in 2011, and they'd been coming out at least one per year prior to that. And as for the show, its stars have gone on to other, similar projects. Series star Andie Mac- Dowell ("Four Weddings and a Funeral," 1994) has picked up the option to star in a Hallmark adap- tation of the novel "The Beach House" by Mary Alice Monroe, though there's been no move- ment on it yet — it may be on hold while the fate of MacDow- ell's new ABC pilot, "Model Wom- an," is decided. Co-stars Barbara Niven ("Ches- apeake Shores") and Brennan El- liott ("UnReal") went on to star in Hallmark telefilms last winter, and Hallmark turned another Ma- comber story into a movie last Christmas: "Debbie Macomber's Dashing Through the Snow." Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Per- sonal replies will not be provided. Hollywood Q&A By Andrew Warren TV Media W hat's a "MasterChef" fan to do when the once-a-year cooking competition series is over? Fox's Gordon Ramsay- headlined hit crowned its seventh winner last month, but the long wait for its eighth season doesn't have to be unbearable: there's an- other way to get that "Mas- terChef" dose, albeit one without Ramsay's unique brand of tough love. The first two seasons of Can- ada's version of the show have aired on Cooking Channel on this side of the northern border, sea- son 3 premiered last week, and a new episode airs Tuesday, Oct. 11, on the same cabler. "MasterChef Canada" should immediately feel familiar to "MasterChef" fans. A group of talented home cooks (with charming Canadian accents!) cook their way through a series of grueling challenges. There are mystery boxes, pressure tests and three culinary experts scrutinizing their every move, not to mention sending someone home each week. Over the course of 15 episodes, the Great White North's best home chefs cook for Canada's fashion elite, reimagining classic cocktails as complete dishes, making sausages at an Oktober- fest celebration and even crafting their own cheese. There may be no Gordon Ram- say here, but the man who might be his closest Canadian equiva- lent is on hand to critique the home cooks' creations. Chef Alvin Leung earned the nickname "The Demon Chef" for a reason: he de- mands perfection in his food, and he doesn't hesitate to point out even the slightest flaws. The chef is famous globally for his unique style of food, and his restaurants hold four Michelin stars. Toronto-based chefs Michael Bonacini and Claudio Aprile are the other two judges, and togeth- er the trio makes what's probably the biggest difference between the American and Canadian ver- sions of "MasterChef": the Cana- dian version just feels so much friendlier. The intense pressure is the same and the stakes are just as high, but the judges are far more likely to step in and offer the home cooks helpful suggestions when the pressure is on than they are to berate them for inept- itude. And that's what makes "MasterChef Canada" so distinct- ly Canadian. This isn't just the American show with a coat of red and white paint, it's its own show with its own distinct feel. A new episode of the show's third sea- son airs Tuesday, Oct. 11, on Cook- ing Channel. Michael Bonacini, Alvin Leung and Claudio Aprile as seen in "MasterChef Canada" 'MasterChef' of the North returns to America 10 | Cooking this week Friendship Haven 2 x 2.5" Noah's Ark 2 x 2" 2nd Shift Plumbing 2 x 1.5" 24/7 Complete Sewer & Plumbing Service Call Someone Who Gives a Shift! callsomeonewhogivesashift.com PC#10500764 (765) 863-8522 ! NO EMERGENCY FEES!

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