Globe and Mail Review on ZeD (CBC Television) - 2004

Toronto Rocks serves up more satisfaction this time
- By Andrew Ryan

... like this fit: CBC's smooth series ZeD drops into primetime for the special ZeD: Prime Cutz (CBC, 9 p.m.). This is a nice collection of the best amateur films from the unique visual arts program, and a good introduction for those too old or tired to stay up for it.

I'm both, but I've made tea to stay up for ZeD, which normally airs at 11:30 p.m. on weeknights. I like everything about ZeD, starting with the host, Sharon Lewis, the best face on Canadian TV today. Ms. Lewis is lovely, obviously, and also a very smart and sparkling presence. Sometimes there are musical acts on the show (which will be packaged into another primetime special the following Friday), along with readings, musings, whatever. Unlike other programming near the midnight hour, ZeD is artsy, not fartsy.

Like most fans I watch ZeD mostly for the weird, often unsettling little films, of which they seem to have a limitless supply. ZeD, which comes from the creative minds at CBC in Vancouver, is the only show in existence putting these gems on TV, where they belong.

The short films are sent in from amateur filmmakers from around the globe and some of the best are on tonight's show. A few of them are animated, like the droll Cannibalism and Your Teen, a stylish instructional quickie about a father-and-son talk. Other shorts involve camera tricks and tricky computer-generated graphics, such as the clever Pretty Big Dig, by Canadian filmmaker Anne Troake, which depicts a delicate pas de deux between bulldozers. Precious.

Many of the films on ZeD have a dark slant, though some are just funny. They arrive to the show via the ZeD website, which is a very fine site, by the way. You can even watch the films on-line. There aren't many better examples of true interactive TV.

ZeD is the hippest show produced by the CBC, by a long shot. In fact it wouldn't bother me one bit to see ZeD situated on CBC's primetime schedule more often, or maybe on a regular basis. It can't be that expensive to produce, and would at least bestow some cachet of coolness upon the people's network. And CBC's fall lineup could use a little ZeDing up.

The coming attractions of this CBC fall season: The denouement of their dreary The Greatest Canadian contest (surprise: Trudeau), one big-budget TV movie (surprise again: Trudeau) and the CBC version of reality TV in Making the Cut, focusing on young wannabe hockey stars (which may be the only hockey on TV this season). Pretty exciting, no?

CBC's schedule could only be improved by some West Coast cool. There must be room in there, somewhere, for a small weekly block of culture and cartoons. Give ZeD a chance.

John Doyle will return.