| Showcase | |
| Picture Format: | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed) |
| Owner: | Corus Entertainment |
| Parent: | Showcase Television Inc. |
| Country: | Canada |
| Area: | Nationwide |
| Sister Channels: | W Network MovieTime Lifetime Adult Swim |
| Online Serv 1: | StackTV |
| Online Chan 1: | Internet Protocol television |
Showcase is a Canadian English-language specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. Launched in 1995, the network primarily airs general entertainment programming, particularly action and drama series and films.
Licensed in 1994, Showcase was a venture between Alliance Communications (prior to its merger with Atlantis), the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and a number of smaller independent Canadian producers, and was intended to be a showcase for "the best of independently-produced movies, drama, comedy and mini-series from Canada and around the world", with limited content from the United States.[1] It launched at midnight on January 1, 1995, with a short introductory montage and its first program, Monty Python's Life of Brian, shown as part of its program The Showcase Revue.[2]
Showcase later spawned two digital television services, the male-oriented Action (formerly Showcase Action, which rebranded and relaunched as a Canadian version of Adult Swim in April 2019[3]) and the more female-oriented Showcase Diva (which rebranded to a Canadian version of Lifetime in 2012). On December 19, 2006, Alliance Atlantis launched a high definition simulcast of Showcase, available through all major television providers in Canada.[4]
Showcase was formerly subject to a condition of licence obligating it to air 100% Canadian content between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. in the time zone of the originating feed.[5] While some foreign programming did air in the late afternoon prior to this window, any foreign programming subject to watershed restrictions was required to air at 10:00 p.m. ET or later per the Code of Ethics agreed upon by the industry.[6] For a few years beginning in fall 2005, when the channel was drawing most of its highest ratings for programming acquired from U.S. cable networks, Showcase promoted 10:00 p.m. as its flagship timeslot; in one marketing campaign, the network hired branded taxis in major markets to drive people home for free by 10:00 p.m.[7]
After several acquisitions over the years, Alliance Atlantis gained full control of Showcase. On January 18, 2008, a joint venture between Canwest and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners known as CW Media bought Alliance Atlantis and gained AAC's interest in Showcase. Following its acquisition by Canwest, the channel's new management felt that Showcase's adult programming was alienating viewers and advertisers. On August 31, 2009, Showcase underwent a major rebranding, introducing a new programming lineup with a greater focus on hit dramas and films. At the same time, Showcase Diva was given a new look and Showcase Action was rebranded as simply Action. Canwest executives hoped that the new lineup would make the channel more attractive to viewers and advertisers.[8]
On October 27, 2010, ownership changed again as Shaw Communications gained control of Showcase as a result of its acquisition of Canwest and Goldman Sachs' interest in CW Media.[9] [10]
For the Fall 2013 season, Showcase unveiled a new tagline and branding campaign: "Character is Everything".[11] The four-week marketing campaign was highlighted by promos narrated by characters from Showcase's series in first-person. An interactive website was created by Stitch Media. On it, viewers can create their own trailers for Showcase programming based on their own character.[12] [13] [14]
On March 30, 2015, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the network's launch, Showcase underwent a brand refresh, including a new logo — a variation of the network's first logo from 1995 — and a new slogan: "Beyond Ordinary".[15] [16] [17]
In April 2016, as part of a reorganization of Shaw's assets, Showcase was acquired by Corus Entertainment.[18]
Showcase primarily airs syndicated reruns of current and former network drama series (in particular, series that had been acquired or commissioned by sister network Global), including NCIS, FBI, and their spin-offs among others. The network also airs mainstream feature films, particularly on weekends. Since June 2020, the network has jointly held Canadian linear television rights to Sky Studios and Peacock original series (excluding DreamWorks Animation television series, whose library rights are held by WildBrain)[19] with sister network W Network.[20] [21]
In the 2000s, Showcase became known for its original productions, including Paradise Falls, KinK, and Naked Josh. Another of these shows—the low-budget Trailer Park Boys—became a bona fide national phenomenon, spawning DVDs, merchandising tie-ins, and three feature films (, , and ). The success of Trailer Park Boys led to the increasing prominence of edgy and risqué programming on Showcase (which at the time used the tagline "Television Without Borders"), including a block consisting entirely of its eroticism-themed shows known as Fridays Without Borders.
In the 2010s, the network's original programming shifted towards science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as co-productions. In 2010, a new original series, the supernatural crime drama Lost Girl, brought Showcase its highest-rated series premiere ever with around 400,000 viewers.[22] This was bested less than two years later by the debut of another original sci-fi series, Continuum, which had an average audience of 900,000 viewers.[23] Copper premiered in 2012 as a co-production with BBC America.[24] In 2016, Showcase and Netflix co-commissioned the sci-fi series Travelers from Stargate SG-1 co-creator Brad Wright; Showcase and Netflix renewed the series for a second season, but Showcase dropped the series afterward (with season 3 being commissioned solely by Netflix).[25] [26]
Includes programs co-commissioned with international broadcasters.