The 2016 Canadian Screen Awards nominations are found at academy.ca. Television, digital media, and film nominees have their own lists, as was the case last year. While Gloryosky understands why the consolidation is necessary – the Geminis and Genies weren’t big ratings draws – television drives the lion’s share of the attention. Canada is a television-friendly country.

Gloryosky takes the most interest in television nominations. Personally, I know almost nothing about the Canadian film industry, and the digital media categories are partially tied to television-derived “second screen” projects. It’s the way the industry runs in Canada. Eventually, digital media needs an expansion – “television” and “digital media” already blur into each other at this point. Gloryosky typed this last year, and it bears repeating.

At this point, Gloryosky isn’t sure what reverting the Canadian Screen Awards to the Genies and Geminis would accomplish. If people don’t care about the awards, it doesn’t matter which form they’re in. The main objective is to promote the national industry, and of late, Canadian Screen Week does a better job of promotion than the Canadian Screen Awards. People are always going to be most loyal to their favourite shows and films. It’s harder to be loyal to an awards ceremony that has always struggled to hit that populist sweet spot. The main objective is not for people to equate the Canadian Screen Awards with “amateur hour”. At least the broadcast gala airs live in the Eastern Time zone this year, as it should have been from the start.

Gloryosky is surprised not to see a Best Dramatic Series nomination for Orphan Black. Gloryosky thinks the race is between 19-2 and Blackstone. 19-2 has its excellent second-season debut, plus a solid cast and writing staff. Blackstone quietly built its reputation over a five-season run as a hard-edged drama about native issues. It would be nice to see Blackstone finally earn Best Dramatic Series, even if it comes across as a make-good for earlier seasons. X Company is a decent show, if somewhat formulaic at times in its first season. I personally don’t watch Saving Hope or Motive enough to comment about those shows.

Best Dramatic Series is one of the Canadian Screen Awards’ most competitive categories. Perhaps Murdoch Mysteries and/or Orphan Black deserved a Best Dramatic Series nomination this year, yet there are no obvious filler choices. Best Dramatic Series rarely suffers from filler. Don’t cry for Orphan Black, in any case – it leads all Canadian dramatic shows with thirteen CSA nominations. Both Tatiana Maslany and Ari Millen have a nomination. Orphan Black is usually a heavyweight at the CSAs.

Tiny Plastic Men has its third nomination for Best Comedy Series. Once a show from Super Channel is thrice nominated for Best Comedy Series, one has to think a second window is in order for those who don’t subscribe to Super Channel. TPM’s competition includes CBC/City’s Mr. D and Young Drunk Punk, CBC’s Schitt’s Creek, and APTN’s Mohawk Girls. Tiny Plastic Men is on Hulu, so it’s not as obscure as it could be.

Corner Gas: The Movie has a digital media nomination for Best Class-Platform Project – Fiction. The film version of a television series has a nomination in digital media, such are the quirks of the Canadian entertainment industries.

As for the Canadian Screen Awards broadcast gala (CBC: March 13, 2016, 8:00 PM ET/PT; 9:00 PM AT; 9:30 PM NT), the above commercial promises “people will be offended”. This can only mean one thing – Norm Macdonald hosts the broadcast gala completely without incident, such are the quirks of a foil to Mike Tyson.