Posted on 08 July 2010. Tags: Anna Paquin, Emmys, Evangeline Lilly, Glee, Lost, True Blood, TV
Canadian of the Week is not typically a website that talks about itself in the third person, but Canadian of the Week has mixed feelings about today’s Emmy nominations.
There were certainly some highlights, and a solid group of Canadians earned themselves well deserved nominations. But there were a couple of snubs that Canadian of the Week cannot let stand.
Saskatchewan’s Evangeline Lilly, after six seasons of snubbery from the Emmy voters, ended her run on “Lost” unrecognized one last time despite a fabulous turn in the show’s final season. Always a central figure in the “Lost” narrative, Lilly’s Kate was full of twists and turns in the last season, both back on the island and in the “alternate timeline” as she tried to do right by Claire while still running from the law.
Perhaps we’re thinking more with our heart here than with our critical eye for television, but the overlooking of Winnipeg’s Anna Paquin on “True Blood” can’t be overlooked. The show was nominated for Best Drama, overcoming Emmy’s general distaste for vampires, but bubkis for Paquin and co-star Stephen Moyer. (Don’t worry, Anna. Once we get around to finishing our Top 10 Canadians of the TV season, you’ll be pleased).
Now to the good news.
The best story to come out of this year’s nominations, as far as COTW is concerned, is the record set by “Saturday Night Live.” The brainchild of Torontoan Lorne Michaels hauled in 13 nominations, giving it 126 over its 35-year history and making it the most nominated show in Emmy history, surpassing “ER.”
“We’ve been on a long time, and the nice part about being on a long time is you are going to break some records,” Michaels told The New York Times. When the reporter told him he didn’t have to be modest, Michaels said, “Well, it’s the Canadian part of me.”
That’s why we’re here, Lorne.
More Canadians were earned Emmy nods were:
- Martin Short for his eye-catching dramatic role on “Damages”
- Catherine O’Hara for her role in HBO’s “Temple Gradin”
- Director Jeremy Podeswa, who co-directed the eighth installment of “The Pacific”
- Funnyman Dave Foley, who landed a voiceover nomination for his role in Disney’s “Prep & Landing.”
- Choreographer Stacey Tookey, whose routine, “Fear,” on “So You Think You Can Dance,” was danced by Kathryn and Legacy to Patti LaBelle’s “2 Steps Away.” (Editor’s note: Canadian of the Week will always have a soft spot for Stacey Tookey, who was the first star to give us an interview).
- Finally, we’ll give Calgary’s Cory Monteith some love for his contribution to “Glee’s” astounding 19 Emmy nominations, including one for Best Comedy and another for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy
Posted in Featured, News
Posted on 14 January 2010. Tags: Alberta, Canadian Cuties, Evangeline Lilly, Lost, TV

Photo: Bob D'Amico/ABC
When the sixth season of “Lost” kicks off on ABC on Feb. 2, it will mark the beginning of the end of one of TV’s most ambitious and compelling series.
And Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, native Evangeline Lilly has been at the heart of it along the entire journey. It’s been a heck of a ride for Lilly, who started her career as a model and had just a handful of uncredited, non-speaking roles in movies and TV shows before she uttered her first on-screen words as Kate Austen.
In the six years, the 30-year-old actress has become one of the more recognizable faces on primetime television, and she talked this week about how emotional the end of the show will be at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif.
“Walking out here and watching that montage, I was saying to my castmates, ‘I am going to cry like a baby when this show ends,’ ” Lilly said, according to a report in the Edmonton Sun. “It has been so intense. For it to come to an end is going to be life-changing.”
If you want to give the show a chance, but worry you’ve already missed too much, check out this five-minute recap of the entire series:
Posted in Featured, News
Posted on 14 January 2010. Tags: Alberta, Canadian Cuties, Evangeline Lilly, Lost, TV

Photo: Bob D'Amico/ABC
When the sixth season of “Lost” kicks off on ABC on Feb. 2, it will mark the beginning of the end of one of TV’s most ambitious and compelling series.
And Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, native Evangeline Lilly has been at the heart of it along the entire journey. It’s been a heck of a ride for Lilly, who started her career as a model and had just a handful of uncredited, non-speaking roles in movies and TV shows before she uttered her first on-screen words as Kate Austen.
In the six years, the 30-year-old actress has become one of the more recognizable faces on primetime television, and she talked this week about how emotional the end of the show will be at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif.
“Walking out here and watching that montage, I was saying to my castmates, ‘I am going to cry like a baby when this show ends,’ ” Lilly said, according to a report in the Edmonton Sun. “It has been so intense. For it to come to an end is going to be life-changing.”
If you want to give the show a chance, but worry you’ve already missed too much, check out this five-minute recap of the entire series:
Posted in Featured, News
Posted on 27 February 2009. Tags: ABC, Canada, Canadians, Evangeline Lilly, Lost
It was just a matter of time before our favorite castaway earned the honor of “Canadian of the Week,” so why not the very first one?
Few people knew Evangeline Lilly — at least, if they didn’t stay up watching party-line commercials late at night (check out the video below) — before she landed her role on “Lost” five years ago. During five seasons, she’s amazed us as Kate Austen on “Lost,” a federal fugitive who’s as impressive with her ass-kicking abilities as she is rolling around on the beach with the likes of Jack and Sawyer.
She’s done her job well for five seasons and gets the “Canadian of the Week” honor for, well, continuing to do her job.
It was reported this week by
Zap2It.com that Lilly was leaving “Lost” early and auditioning for roles in TV pilots that would air this fall, for the 2009-10 season. “Lost” is in the middle of its fifth season and already has a deal set with ABC to end after the sixth, so there were concerns that the mystery of the island might be solved with Lilly around.
The report was quickly and roundly denied by ABC and Lilly’s rep, who told
E! Online it “absolutely false.”
So, here’s to Evangeline Lilly, eh! The show would definitely be lost without her.
Honorable mention:
Canadian Troy Ross won this season of the boxing reality show, “The Contender,” with a fourth-round technical knockout of Nigerian Enhinomen (Hino) Ehikamenor on Wednesday night. If you’re asking, “Is that show still on?” The answer is, obviously, yes. But it’s not easy to find. In its fourth season, “The Contender” has been bobbing and weaving all over the channel lineup after getting its start on NBC and airing Seasons 2 and 3 on ESPN. The fourth season was shown on Versus, somewhere between hockey and rodeo.
Posted in Canadian of the Week