TORONTO (Oct. 3, 2019) – CTV and Prairie Pants Distribution Inc. confirmed today that CORNER GAS ANIMATED Season 1 and 2 will become available for the first time in the U.S. as an IMDb Original. On October 15, all 24 episodes of CORNER GAS ANIMATED Season 1 and 2 will be joined exclusively in the U.S. on IMDb TV by Canada’s most-watched live-action comedy franchise of all time, CORNER GAS, including 107 episodes of the International Emmy Award-nominated, six-season live action sitcom, and the 90-minute feature film CORNER GAS: THE MOVIE. IMDb TV is the free American streaming video service offering thousands of premium movies and TV shows for everyday TV viewing.
In Canada, the CORNER GAS franchise is exclusively available on Bell Media platforms including CTV Comedy Channel, Crave, and CTV Throwback.
The announcement comes as CTV confirms a third season of CORNER GAS ANIMATED, building on the momentum of CTV Comedy Channel’s record-breaking year. Season 3 of CORNER GAS ANIMATED features 11, all-new episodes featuring the beloved ensemble cast starring Brent Butt, Gabrielle Miller, Eric Peterson, Fred Ewanuick, Lorne Cardinal, Tara Spencer-Nairn, Nancy Robertson, and Corrine Koslo. Season 3 will debut on CTV Comedy Channel in 2020.
“The renewal and acquisition of CORNER GAS ANIMATED are testimony to the growing success of this franchise, and we’re excited to be partners with IMDb TV in growing this series,” said Pat DiVittorio, Vice-President, Programming, CTV and Specialty. “It’s a privilege to continue to be in business with the CORNER GAS team, as we work together on another season of this smash-hit series for CTV Comedy Channel.”
“When we started producing the original sitcom CORNER GAS, we didn’t expect it to become a breakout hit with millions of viewers, multiple awards, spin-out movie and animated series, and run for over a decade,” said Creator, Showrunner, Executive Producer and star Brent Butt. “Sharing the CORNER GAS franchise with our U.S. fan base and getting a Season 3 pickup of the animated series in Canada is like a double-dip dream come true.”
“Americans have asked us to bring CORNER GAS ANIMATED to the U.S. since the series launched in Canada just over two years ago,” said Executive Producer Virginia Thompson. “We told our U.S. fans we were working on it, it was coming. Today, we delivered on our promise. Add to that a Season 3 pickup in Canada and this is pretty much the best day ever in the history of the brand.”
Debuting in April 2018, Season 1 of CORNER GAS ANIMATED was a ratings hit. The premiere episode was the most-watched series premiere in the history of CTV Comedy Channel, with the first season concluding as the most-watched series of the broadcast year for the channel among total viewers and all key demos. The second season of CORNER GAS ANIMATED continued to build on the success of its premiere season with audiences climbing 41%. Series Creator Brent Butt took home a 2019 Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing, Animation for the episode “Squatch Your Language.”
CORNER GAS ANIMATED is an inter-provincial co-production produced by Prairie Pantoons (BC), comprised of Brent Butt and David Storey from 335 Productions; and Moving Mountoons (ON), comprised of Virginia Thompson and Robert de Lint from Vérité Films, in association with Bell Media, Canada Media Fund, Bell Fund, Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit, Ontario Computer Animation and Special Effects Tax Credit, Film Incentive BC Tax Credit, Digital Animation, Visual Effects and Post Production Tax Credit, Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. Animation is produced by Prairie Pantoons, Moving Mountoons, and Smiley Guy Studios. Sarah Fowlie is Director, Original Programming, Comedy, Bell Media. Production Executive for Bell Media is Chris Kelley. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Original Programming, Bell Media. Mike Cosentino is President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media.