Geminis Make Flashpoint But Flunk Testees

I hate the Geminis. Every year without fail they nominate something so howlingly lame Canada is exposed as a nation that salutes every damn thing it produces.
This year it is Testees, nominated as Canada’s Best TV Comedy. Wow. “Canada Nuts For Testees.” Be proud, eh?
Maybe it is the duel nature of the Geminis to combine the Oscars with the Raspberries all in one category. Go figure.
Apparently Season One of Testees was better than the final season of Corner Gas, Canada’s most successful sitcom ever, which was not even nominated in this category. Also passed over was Little Mosque, Rent-A-Goalie and Da Kink. Shut out for the final time was the last season of Air Farce. WTF??
Testees was dismissed at the recent TCA press tour, where it has been dropped by FX after one horrible season. It will never air there again, vowed the network president, who looked like he stepped in something at the mere mention of the thing. “FX Detestees Testees.”
Yet there it is, among the best Canada has to offer, right next to The Rick Mercer Report, 22 Minutes, Less Than Kind and something I had to look up called Three Chords from the Truth; that one airs on CMT Canada.
Maybe Three Chords is fabulous. But bloody hell Geminis, cut the nominations down to three per category if there just aren’t enough award-worthy shows. Don’t nominate everything in sight just so every damn content provider in Canada can rush out releases like this and this and this.
I mean, 99 Gemini categories? Really? When everything these stations really care about is imported? Are we over compensating here just a little bit people??
Even the record 19 Gemini nominations for Flashpoint seems a bit needy. It is a well made action hour, produced by talented people who deserve recognition and applause, but its not The Sopranos or Mad Men and right now its future is very much up in the air, especially on CBS. Getting a whole bunch of Canadian TV nominations will not save it, especially when CBS finds out we’re also honoring Testees.
Nice to see some of the folks on The Line get some recognition today, particularly leads Daniel Kash and Ron White. Kudos to Flashpoint snipers Rico Colantoni and Hugh Dillon, too. For a full list of Gemini noms, go here. The statues will be handed out November 14 in Calgary at a gala Global and Showcase are still threatening to televise. Now that takes testees.