Apple has given the green light to development of a sequel to 2020’s Greyhound. Star Tom Hanks and Playtone partner Gary Goetzman have signed a multi-year deal with Apple TV+.
Still in its infancy, Greyhound was a major boon for Apple TV+. In May 2020, Sony sold the streaming right of the film to Apple. The film rights sold for $70 million USD (roughly $94.8 million CAD).
The World War II action film gained a lot of traction for its star power and attachment to Hanks. The actor wrote the screenplay, inspired by the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester. Greyhound centres on Commander Ernest Krause of the US Navy and his assignment to command an escort group defending an Allied merchant ship convoy under attack by German subs.
The specific plot of the Greyhound sequel remains unknown.
The film was nominated for several prestigious awards, including the Critics Choice Movie Awards for ‘Best Visual Effects.’ Greyhound was recognized and awarded ‘Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing’ by the Golden Reel Awards.
Greyhound is not the only Apple TV+ project Hanks has worked on. More recently, the actor starred in the post-apocalyptic dystopian film Finch. While an established relationship has formed, there was a time when it appeared Hanks was a bit more hesitant about his film landing on digital platforms.
When Greyhound was sold and abandoned its theatrical release due to the pandemic, Hanks was very outspoken in expressing his “absolute heartbreak” that it wouldn’t be seen on the big screen. “I don’t mean to make angry my Apple overlords, but there is a difference in picture and sound quality,” Hanks said in an interview at the time.
Hanks may have swept those feelings under the rug since that time. Playtone, Hanks and Goetzman’s production company is now producing several series, unscripted projects, and documentaries for Apple TV+.
Aside from the projects featuring Hanks, Masters of the Air, a pseudo-follow-up to The Pacific and Band of Brothers, sees Apple and Playtone collaborating. Apple has not announced a specific release date for Masters of the Air. Though, it may release in late 2022.
The untitled Greyhound sequel does not have a release window currently.
Apple has revealed that For All Mankind is returning to the company’s Apple TV+ streaming service on Friday, June 10th, 2022.
It’s been nearly a year since the sophomore season of the alternative history series concluded. Now, Apple is preparing For All Mankind Season 3 to focus on the space race to Mars. “The global superpowers set their sights on the red planet in the newest leg of the space race,” the company announced in a tweet.
For All Mankind focuses on an alternative reality where the space race never ended. The series follows the Soviet Union successfully beating the US to the moon and the aftermath. We get a look at the lives of NASA astronauts, their families, and America’s bid to catch up.
Now, moving into the landscape of the mid-90s, the US and Soviet Union turned their attention to successfully landing on Mars. “The Red Planet becomes the new front in the Space Race not only for the U.S. and the Soviet Union but also an unexpected new entrant with a lot to prove and even more at stake,” according to the official synopsis.
For All Mankind’s third season will see the return of stars Joel Kinnaman, Wrenn Schmidt, Shantel VanSanten, Sonya Walger, Jodi Balfour, Cynthy Wu, Krys Marshall, Casey Johnson, and Coral Peña. The series was created by Emmy Award-winner Ronald D. Moore alongside Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert.
Last year, to coincide with the launch of the second season, Apple released an AR game to bridge its seasons. It’s unclear if Apple plans to develop additional ARG marketing or promos for the third season.
For All Mankind Season 3 is said to have a run of 10 episodes running weekly.
Every week, MobileSyrup outlines some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
Our ‘Streaming in Canada’ column typically focuses on new content from Amazon Prime Video, Crave and Netflix, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant. Premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms are also fair game as movies continue to come to digital early amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made by Canadian companies, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Amazon Prime Video
All The Old Knives [Amazon Original]
A veteran CIA operative is brought in to root out a mole with his old lover and colleague.
All The Old Lives was directed by Janus Metz Pederson (Borg vs McEnroe) and stars Chris Pine (Star Trek), Thandiwe Newton (Westworld), Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) and Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes).
Amazon Prime Video premiere date: April 8th, 2022 Genre: Thriller Runtime: 1 hour, 41 minutes
Based on Arthurian legend, The Green Knight follows Gawain, nephew of King Arthur, as he goes on a journey to confront the fearsome Green Knight.
The Green Knight was written and directed by David Lowery (A Ghost Story) and stars Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire), Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl), Joel Edgerton (Loving) and Sarita Choudhury (Mississippi Masala).
Original theatrical release date: July 30th, 2021
Amazon Prime Video premiere date: April 7th, 2022 Genre: Medieval fantasy Runtime: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Apple TV+ has an exclusive agreement with MLB to stream two exclusive baseball games on Friday nights during the new season.
This begins on April 8th with the New York Mets vs. the Washington Nationals at 7pm ET and the Houston Astros vs. the Los Angeles Angels at 9:30pm ET. On top of live games like these, Apple TV+ will offer 24/7 livestreams with replays, news and analysis, highlights, classic games and more.
The initial schedule can be found here. Note that the only Toronto Blue Jays game there is May 27th at 9:30pm ET against the Angels.
These MLB games will be free through the Apple TV app for a limited time before an Apple TV+ subscription is required, although a specific date for that shift has not yet been confirmed.
Pinecone and Pony [Apple Original]
Based on Toronto writer Kate Beaton’s The Princess and the Pony, Pinecone & Pony follows a young girl named Pinecone who teams up with her friend Pony to learn how to become a warrior.
It’s worth noting that Toronto-based First Generation Films worked on the series alongside Dreamworks Animation.
Apple TV+ Canada premiere date: April 8th, 2022 Genre: Animated Runtime: Eight episodes (23 minutes each)
In the late 1990s, American journalist Jake Adelstein travels to Japan to work at a major newspaper, where he begins to investigate the dangerous world of the yakuza.
Based on Jake Adelstein’s 2009 memoir of the same name, Tokyo Vice was created by J. T. Rogers (Oslo) and stars Ansel Elgort (West Side Story), Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai) and Rachel Keller (Legion).
Crave premiere date: April 7th, 2022 (first three episodes, two new episodes every Thursday, then finale on April 28th) Genre: Crime drama Runtime: Eight episodes (around one hour each)
Stream Tokyo Vice here.
Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off
Director Sam Jones (I Am Trying To Break Your Heart) takes a look at the life and career of skateboarding icon Tony Hawk, featuring new interviews with the man himself.
Crave/HBO Max premiere date: April 5th, 2022 Genre: Sports documentary Runtime: 2 hours, 8 minutes
A standard Crave subscription is priced at $19.99/month, with Starz costing an additional $5.99/month. A mobile-only subscription is also available for $9.99/month.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Crave this month can be found here.
Netflix
Better Call Saul (Season 5)
Jimmy drags Kim into more shady business after regaining his license, while Gus and Mike go to war with Lalo.
Better Call Saul was created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould (Breaking Bad) and stars Bob Odenkirk, Giancarlo Esposito and Jonathan Banks reprising their roles from Breaking Bad, as well as Rhea Seehorn (Whitney), Patrick Fabian (Special) and Montreal’s own Michael Mando (the Ubisoft Montreal video game Far Cry 3).
It’s worth noting that the fifth season has been added to Netflix right before Better Call Saul‘s final season, which premieres on April 18th.
Original TV broadcast run: February to April 2020 (AMC)
Netflix Canada premiere date: April 4th, 2022 Genre: Drama Runtime: 10 episodes (45 to 60 minutes each)
After her boyfriend is killed in an accident, a teenager begins to believe that he’s sending her signs from beyond the grave.
The In Between was directed by Arie Posin (The Face of Love) and stars Joey King (The Kissing Booth), Kyle Allan (The Path) and Kim Dickens (Fear The Walking Dead).
Netflix Canada premiere date: April 8th, 2022 Genre: Drama Runtime: 1 hour, 57 minutes
Oscar-winning directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (Free Solo) chronicle notorious edgelord and old man Elon Musk and Space X’s efforts to send NASA astronauts back to the International Space Station and revolutionize space travel.
Harrison Ford is making the leap to television as the acclaimed actor is set to join the Apple TV+ series Shrinking.
Shrinking was first announced late last year with Forgetting Sarah Marshall‘s Jason Segel set to star and write. Ford joins the cast in a leading role alongside Segal. It’s said thatFord has been cast to play Dr. Phil Rhodes, a sharp and down-to-earth shrink with a blue-collar edge to him.
Based on reports, Rhodes is a leader in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He has built a successful practice alongside two proteges Jimmy (Segel) and Gaby. However, Rhodes has been recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s. This diagnosis brings new challenges into the life of the doctor and his relationship with friends and family. Moreso, the series will also look at themes of one’s legacy.
Of course, Ford is best known for his theatrical roles in blockbuster films Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Blade Runner, and more. More recently, Ford can be seen in The Call of the Wild. In the near future, the actor will star in Indiana Jones 5.
However, aside from a short appearance during the Star Wars Holiday Special and various other TV projects, Ford has not ever been in a starring role on television.
Alongside Segel, Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence and star Brett Goldstein will write and produce the series. Being a fan of Ted Lasso, it’ll be interesting to see how some of that comedy can translate to Ford’s performance.
Shrinking is said to have a 10-episode run on Apple TV+, though release information is still up in the air. However, given that the production is still putting together casting, it may be likely that the series premieres sometime in 2023.
Apple TV+ is available in Canada for $5.99CAD/ month.
Every week, MobileSyrup outlines some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
Our ‘Streaming in Canada’ column typically focuses on new content from Amazon Prime Video, Crave and Netflix, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant. Premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms are also fair game as movies continue to come to digital early amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made by Canadian companies, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Amazon Prime Video
The Outlaws [Amazon Exclusive]
Seven strangers serve a community service sentence until they find a bag full of money, unaware that dangerous people are seeking it.
The Outlaws was created by Elgin James (Mayans M.C.) and Stephen Merchant (The Office) and stars Christopher Walken (Catch Me If You Can), Merchant, Rhianne Barreto (Honour), Gamba Cole (His House) and Darren Boyd (Spy).
Original TV broadcast run: October to November 2021
Amazon Prime Video premiere date: April 1st, 2022 Genre: Comedy, crime thriller Runtime: Six episodes (57 to 59 minutes each)
The full list of movies and shows that hit Amazon Prime Video in March can be here. A roundup of April’s new content is available here.
Apple TV+
Slow Horses [Apple Original]
Led by an obnoxious boss, a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents works to defend England from sinister forces.
Based on Mick Herron’s novel of the same name, Slow Horses stars Gary Oldman (The Darkest Hour), Olivia Cooke (Bates Motel), Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes), Kristin Scott Thomas (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and Jack Lowden (Dunkirk).
Apple TV+ Canada premiere date: April 1st, 2022 (first three episodes, new episodes every Friday) Genre: Spy thriller Runtime: 12 episodes (around 40 minutes each)
This drama is based on the life of the late television chef Julia Child.
Created by Daniel Goldfarb (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Julia stars Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley), David Hyde Pierce (Frazier), Bebe Neuwirth (Cheers), Brittany Bradford (Fear The Walking Dead) and Franz Kranz (The Cabin in the Woods).
Crave premiere date: March 31st, 2022 (first three episodes, new episodes every Thursday)
Genre: Biographical drama Runtime: Eight episodes (around 45 minutes each)
Starting in early 2020, director David France (Welcome to Chechnya) explores the global efforts to develop and roll out the COVID-19 vaccines over the course of the following 18 months.
In dystopian 2044 North America, a Cree woman joins a resistance movement fighting against the military government in an effort to save her daughter.
Written and directed by La Ronge, Saskatchewan’s Danis Goulet (Wakening) in her feature directorial debut, Night Raiders stars Cardston, Alberta’s Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open), Surrey, B.C.’s Brooklyn Letexier-Hart (Burden of Truth) and Alex Tarrant (NCIS: Hawai’i).
In addition to the mostly Canadian cast and crew, it’s worth noting that the film was shot in and around Toronto.
Original release date: October 8th, 2021 Crave premiere date: April 1st, 2022
Genre: Sci-fi Runtime: 1 hour, 41 minutes
Filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt (Phantom Limb) revisits a bullying event from 50 years prior in an attempt to understand his complicity and the shared nature of such incidents.
A standard Crave subscription is priced at $19.99/month, with Starz costing an additional $5.99/month. A mobile-only subscription is also available for $9.99/month.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Crave in March can be found here. A roundup of April’s new content is available here.
Disney+
Better Nate Than Ever [Disney+ Original]
When 13-year-old Nate doesn’t land the school play, he and his best friend sneak off to New York to hit up Broadway.
Written and directed by Tim Federle, based on his 2013 novel of the same name, Better Nate Than Ever stars Rueby Wood (Broadway’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Aria Brooks (All That) and Lisa Kudrow (Friends).
Disney+ premiere date: April 1st, 2022
Genre: Musical, family comedy Runtime: 1 hour, 31 minutes
Detective Hercule Poirot investigates a murder on a riverboat during a vacation in Egypt.
Death on the Nile was directed by Kenneth Branagh (Murder on the Orient Express) and features an ensemble cast that includes Branagh, Tom Bateman (Murder on the Orient Express), Annette Bening (The Kids Are Alright), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) and Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones).
Original theatrical release date: February 11th, 2022
Disney+ premiere date: March 30th, 2022
Genre: Mystery Runtime: 2 hours, 7 minutes
Marc Spector, a mercenary with dissociative identity disorder, is drawn into a deadly mystery with the gods of Egypt.
Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, Moon Knight stars Oscar Isaac (Scenes From a Marriage), Ethan Hawke (First Reformed) and May Calamawy (Ramy).
Disney+ premiere date: March 30th, 2022 (first episode, new episodes every Wednesday)
Genre: Superhero Runtime: Six episodes (around 45 minutes each)
The full list of movies and shows that hit Disney+ in March can be found here. A roundup of April’s new content is available here.
Netflix
Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood [Netflix Original]
A man narrates his childhood fantasies during the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing.
Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood was written and directed by Richard Linklater (Boyhood) and stars newcomer Milo Coy, Glen Powell (Scream Queens), Zachary Levi (Shazam!), Josh Wiggins (Giant Little Ones) and Jack Black (School of Rock) as the narrator.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of actors travels to a closed set to film the latest entry in a massively popular dinosaur franchise.
The Bubble was co-written and directed by Judd Apatow (Knocked Up) and features an ensemble cast that includes Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy), Fred Armisen (Portlandia), Maria Bakalova (Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm), David Duchovny (The X-Files) and Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian).
Netflix Canada premiere date: March 30th, 2022 (first episode, new episodes every Wednesday)
Genre: Comedy Runtime: 2 hours, 6 minutes
As you’ve probably already heard, Netflix recently announced plans to begin charging users for password sharing as part of a test in three countries: Chile, Costa Rica and Peru.
The company has told MobileSyrup that it has no plans to expand that test to Canada, but people are nonetheless still apprehensive. After all, Netflix itself said in its original blog post announcing the test that “accounts are being shared between households — impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members.” Analysts have also estimated that Netflix could earn around $1.6 billion USD (about $2.01 billion CAD) in additional annual revenue were it to introduce the fees globally.
In any event, we’ll have to wait and see how Netflix responds to the initial test. That said, one thing that Netflix pointed out in its original blog post is that there’s been “confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared.” There’s certainly some merit to that — while sharing is listed as being against the company’s terms of service, it’s never actually cracked down on that before. Other companies have taken largely hands-off approaches, despite what their respective rules might state.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up what each major streamer’s official stance is on password sharing. We’ve also reached out to each for comment on possible adjustments of these policies in the wake of Netflix’s password sharing paywall test. Read on for a full breakdown.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is included with a $79 CAD/year Amazon Prime subscription. Per the service’s terms, there aren’t any specific limits on password sharing. Instead, users “are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password and for restricting access to your account, and you agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account or password.”
Amazon did not respond when asked for comment on whether it may change its policies on password sharing in response to Netflix.
Full Amazon Prime Video terms and conditions here.
Apple actually actively promotes password sharing through its ‘Family Sharing’ feature. Once set up, this will allow you and five other people to share the same Apple services including, but not limited to, Apple TV+.
The Bell-owned service allows your account to be registered on up to five devices at a time. This is only for the main $19.99/month Crave Total membership; the $9.99/month Mobile plan only allows streams on mobile and the web.
A Bell spokesperson told MobileSyrup the company currently has “no plans” to update these policies.
Disney costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year and currently doesn’t have any explicit restrictions on password sharing. In fact, the service’s subscriber agreement acknowledges that users may share their passwords, but they’re solely responsible for maintaining the “confidentiality and security” of their accounts.
The company has previously said it plans to continue to allow password sharing, but that statement was, admittedly, made a couple of years.
As mentioned, Netflix’s terms of use do actually explicitly state that passwords cannot be shared. “The Netflix service and any content accessed through the service are for your personal and non-commercial use only and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household,” writes the company.
Of course, the streamer hasn’t actively cracked down on this; instead, it’s only tested an in-app message that reminded users that password sharing isn’t allowed. In 2019, the company said it was exploring a “consumer-friendly” way to limit password sharing, although the response to the paywall tests has been less than positive overall. For context, the company is planning to charge around $2 to 3 USD (about $2.50 to $3.75 CAD) to share accounts with two other users in these test countries. It remains to be seen how pricing might be altered in different markets should the test be expanded.
Apple TV+ Original film CODA has won the Oscar for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards.
Notably, this is the first time that a film from a streamer has taken home the Oscars’ top honour. CODA also won Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur (the first Deaf actor to win the award) and Best Adapted Screenplay for Sian Heder (who also directed the film).
These are particularly significant wins considering Apple, best known for its tech products, has only been in the world of film production for a few years. Apple TV+ originally debuted in November 2019.
CODA has won over the hearts of many for its touching story about a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA) who balances her pursuit of a music career with supporting her disabled family. The film stars Emilia Jones, Kotsur, Marlee Matlin (the only other Deaf actor to win an Oscar) and Daniel Durant.
Outside of CODA, Netflix’s The Power of the Dog (which was regarded to be CODA‘s biggest rival for Best Picture) and Don’t Look Up were the other two Best Picture nominees from a streamer.
Every week, MobileSyrup outlines some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
Our ‘Streaming in Canada’ column typically focuses on new content from Amazon Prime Video, Crave and Netflix, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant. Premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms are also fair game as movies continue to come to digital early amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made by Canadian companies, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Amazon Prime Video
C’mon C’mon
A softspoken radio journalist goes on a cross-country trip with his energetic nephew.
C’mon C’mon was written and directed by Mike Mills (20th Century Women) and stars Joaquin Phoenix (Joker) and Woody Norman (Poldark).
Original Canadian theatrical release date: November 26th, 2021
Amazon Prime Video premiere date: March 24th, 2022 Genre: Black-and-white drama Runtime: 1 hour, 48 minutes
The full list of movies and shows hitting Amazon Prime Video in March can be here.
Apple TV+
Pachinko [Apple Original]
Follow a Korean immigrant family across four generations as they leave their homeland for a better life.
Based on Min Jin Lee’s 2017 novel of the same name, Pachinko was created by Soo Hugh (The Whispers) and stars Youn Yuh-jung (Minari), Minha Kim (Main Street), Jin Ha (Devs) and Lee Min-ho (Boys Over Flowers).
It’s worth noting that the series was filmed in Vancouver.
Apple TV+ Prime Video premiere date: March 25th, 2022 (first three episodes, new episodes every Friday) Genre: Drama Runtime: Eight episodes (around one hour each)
Une Affaire Criminelle (A Criminal Affair) [Crave Original]
A woman named Catherine fights to clear her son of murder as the major crimes investigator seems to be protecting someone else involved.
The series was directed by Quebec City’s Stéphane Lapointe (The Secret Life of Happy People) and stars Levis, Quebec’s Céline Bonnier (Far Side of the Moon) and Sherbrooke, Quebec’s Louis-Philipe Dandeneault (The Great Seduction).
Crave premiere date: March 23rd, 2022 Genre: Drama Runtime: Four episodes (43 minutes each)
Based on a true story, King Richard explores Richard Williams’ efforts to help his daughters Venus and Serena become pro tennis players.
King Richard was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men) and stars Will Smith (Ali), Aunjanue Ellis (When They See Us), Saniyya Sidney (American Horror Story) and Demi Singleton (Godfather of Harlem).
Original theatrical release date: November 19th, 2021
Crave premiere date: March 25th, 2022 Genre: Biographical drama Runtime: 2 hours, 25 minutes
Inspired by the popular Twitter account of the same name, filmmaker Ava DuVernay (Selma) hosts this series in which fellow directors like Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman), Aaron Sorkin (Molly’s Game) and Jon M. Chu (In The Heights) break down the iconic imagery of their films.
Crave premiere date: March 24th, 2022 Genre: Documentary Runtime: Six episodes (22 to 26 minutes each)
A standard Crave subscription is priced at $19.99/month, with Starz costing an additional $5.99/month. A mobile-only subscription is also available for $9.99/month.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Crave this month can be found here.
Disney+
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Based on a true story, The Eyes of Tammy Faye chronicles the rise and fall of singer Tammy Faye’s televangelism career and marriage to Jim Baker.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye was directed by Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) and stars Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) and Andrew Garfield (Tick,Tick…Boom!).
Original theatrical release date: September 17th, 2022 Disney+ Canada release date: March 23rd, 2022 Genre: Biographical drama Runtime: 2 hours, 6 minutes
Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u [Disney+ Original]
Directed by Stacey Lee (Live Fast, Draw Yung), this documentary profiles singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo as she goes on a road trip and recounts her experiences writing her debut album, Sour.
Disney+ Canada premiere date: March 25th, 2022 Genre: Biographical drama Runtime: 1 hour, 16 minutes
The full list of movies and shows hitting Disney+ this month can be found here.
Netflix
Bridgerton (Season 2) [Netflix Original]
Viscount Anthony Bridgerton’s decision to marry puts him into conflict with his intended bride’s headstrong older sister.
Based on Julia Quinn’snovels series of the same name, Bridgerton was created by Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy) and stars Jonathan Bailey (Broadchurch), Simone Ashley (Sex Education) and Charithra Chandran (Alex Rider).
Netflix Canada premiere date: March 25th, 2022 Genre: Period drama Runtime: Eight episodes (54 to 72 minutes each)
Comedian Michelle Buteau (The Circle) narrates this docuseries that explores the complexities of women’s pleasure, featuring interviews with scientists, sex educators, therapists and more.
Netflix Canada premiere date: March 22nd, 2022 Genre: Documentary Runtime: Three episodes (48 to 55 minutes each)
The full list of movies and shows hitting Netflix Canada this month can be found here.
Paramount+
Halo [Paramount+ Original]
While the catalogue of the Canadian version of Paramount+ is missing many of the titles found on its American counterpart, one high-profile original has debuted on both: Halo.
That’s right — after years of development hell, the live-action TV series adaptation of Microsoft’s massively popular video game franchise is finally here.
Inspired but not directly adapted from the games, Halo follows the 26th-century war between United Nations Space Command and an alliance of advanced alien races known as the Covenant.
Halo stars B.C.’s own Pablo Schreiber (The Wire), Shabana Azmi (Khandar), Olive Gray (Half-Moon Investigations), Natasha McElhone (Californication) and Jen Taylor reprising her role as the voice of Cortana from the Halo games.
Paramount+ Canada premiere date: March 24th, 2022 (first episode, new episodes every week) Genre: Sci-fi Runtime: Nine episodes (around one hour each)
Apple TV+’s science fiction thriller Severance tells the interesting story of Lumon Industries where the employees of the company sever their work lives from their personal lives. Now, Severance‘smarketing team has given Lumon Industries its own LinkedIn page.
The LinkedIn page is pretty creepy with terms like “Giving employees the best work environment they’ll never know with our patented and extremely safe Severance procedure.” It gives off “There is no war in Ba Sing Se” vibes from Avatar: The Last Airbender. The page also shows the founder’s nine core principles and introduces Innies that work with the Severed floor.
The LinkedIn page also has a series of videos that are called “Tour Lumon with Dylan G” giving a look at the Severed floor.
The Apple TV+ show stars Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, Zach Cherry and Christopher Walken.
“What is Severance? Imagine being able to come into work completely uninhibited by your home problems. Or imagine being able to go home and never think about work. Using a minimally invasive surgical technique, we are able to ‘sever’ your brain so that, essentially, you’ve got a part of you that works and a part of you that plays,” reads the LinkedIn page.
If you live between two ecosystems (like a lot people), you’ll be shocked to know that Apple is no longer letting users rent or buy content from the Apple TV app on Google and Android TV-powered televisions.
In fact, as of right now Apple TV app isn’t working at all on my Chromecast with Google TV.
On March 16th, a user on Reddit posted that the Apple TV app on their Android TV (Nvidia Shield) is not allowing them to buy or rent movies. Many other users in the comments have experienced the same issue.
You can still access the Apple TV app on Google and Android TVs, but you can only view content you’ve already bought or subscribed to. If you want to rent or download shows from Apple, you need to purchase the TV show or movie on another device before you can watch it on a Google TV.
The Apple TV app on Roku and LG smart TVs still allows users to browse the content stores and buy movies.
There’s speculation that Apple pulled the functionality from its app on Google’s platform due to issues stemming from the tech giant taking a 30 percent cut of revenue of sales in its app stores. However, there has been no official confirmation from Apple regarding this change. MobileSyrup has reached out to Apple for more information.
I could speculate all day why Apple might have done this, but the possibility that seems the most likely to me is that the company and Google had some sort of pricing agreement, and now that deal is over. In an effort to strong-arm Google to renew on Apple’s terms, the company has made its app less functional for Google’s customers.
Apple is in a unique position where it’s possible this move might work in its favour. I’d guess that since there are likely few Apple TV users on Google-based devices the blowback will be minimal. If the roles were reversed and Google was limiting YouTube on Apple TVs, I suspect people would be gathering their pitchforks.
The funniest part to me is that when you try to buy something through the Apple TV app on Google’s system, a notification appears that says, “You can subscribe on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad and other streaming devices. Or subscribe to Apple TV+ on tv.apple.com.”
This is amusing since Apple’s own app App Store has a rule prohibiting developers from asking users to go to a different location to sign up. For instance, Spotify doesn’t want to pay Apple a cut of its profits when new subscribers join its service on Apple devices. Therefore there’s no way to sign up for Spotify Premium in the iOS app. There isn’t even a line that pushes people to sign up on Spotify’s website. Instead, it says, “You can’t upgrade to Premium in the app. We know it’s not ideal.” This situation could change in the future though.
If you only had a Google TV and you really liked renting from Apple you’re likely screwed, but I suspect that almost all users will be able to find a way to rent content via YouTube, on an old Apple device or via the web.
