Classic Canadian TV Compendium

Canadian TV is often the brunt of many jokes. While we do have a tendency to export a lot of our talent and also let Hollywood onto our streets to shoot their big budget blockbusters, there have been a number of homebrewed Canadian TV shows throughout my lifetime that I was glued to and enjoyed. Or one of my brothers or sisters "made me watch it".

Here's a tribute to my love for Canadian television - a look at some of the classics, all hosted on YouTube, and presented in approximate chronology.

It has taken me about 5hours to compile the following 43 video clips, which are either fully or partially Canadian-made and/or were originally aired on Canadian Networks (CBC, CTV, TVO, CityTV, etc). A list of wanted videos is also included.

HINTERLAND WHO'S WHO (1972)

Videos included here:

Just Like Mom, SCTV, Harriet's Magic Hats, Today's Special, The Edison Twins, Littlest Hobo, The Friendly Giant, W5, The Beachcombers, Toronto Rocks, You Can't Do That On Television, Fraggle Rock, Danger Bay, Kidstreet, Speaker's Corner, Degrassi Junior High, Blue Jay 1992 Champs, Kids in the Hall, Hockey Night in Canada (Coaches Corner), The Sunday Night Sex Show, and Electric Circus, The Raccoons, My Secret Identity, The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, Read All About It, Au Pays de l'Arc-en-ciel, Telefrancais, Video Hits wth Samantha Taylor, Mr. Dressup, CBC Promos (1982, 1989), Bizarre, Definition, Passe Partout, Hinterland Who's Who, OWL TV, The Log Driver's Waltz, Twitch City

The Mighty Hercules (1963)

Rocket Robin Hood (1966)

Au Pays de l'Arc-en-ciel (1971)

The Hilarious House of Frightenstein (1972)

Participation (1977)

FABLES OF THE GREEN FOREST (1978)

THE LOG DRIVER'S WALTZ (NFB, 1979)

SCTV (1979)

Bizarre (1980)

PASSE PARTOUT (1980)

HARRIET'S MAGIC HATS (1981)

JUST LIKE MOM (1982)

CBC Promos (1982)

TODAY'S SPECIAL (1982)

THE EDISON TWINS (1983)

Read All About It (1984)

LITTLEST HOBO (1984)

THE FRIENDLY GIANT (1984)

W5 (profiling a young John Candy) (1985)

Telefrancais (1985)

Video Hits with Samantha Taylor (1985)

THE BEACHCOMBERS (1985)

TORONTO ROCKS (1985)

OWL TV (1985)

THE RACCOONS (1985)

YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON TELEVISION (1986)

DEFINITION (1987)

FRAGGLE ROCK (1987)

DANGER BAY (1988)

KIDSTREET (1989)

MY SECRET IDENTITY (1989)

CBC Promos (1989)

SPEAKER'S CORNER (w/ Barenaked Ladies) (1990)

DEGRASSI JUNIOR HIGH (1990)

JAYS WIN THE WORLD SERIES (1992)

KIDS IN THE HALL (w/ Neve Campbell) (1992)

HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA: COACHES CORNER (1992)

Mr. Dressup (1995)

THE SUNDAY NIGHT SEX SHOW (1995)

ELECTRIC CIRCUS INTRO (1998)

TWITCH CITY (1998)

There were a few I couldn't find as well. If you can point me to any if the following, or have suggestions for other clips to add, please comment below. Thanks!

Videos wanted: The Polka Dot Door, Street Cents, Parlez-Moi (Sol the Hobo Clown), Supermarket Sweeps (Canadian version), Dear Aunt Agnes, Ready Or Not, Bumper Stumpers, King of Kensington, Wok with Yan, Tales of the Riverbank (Hammy the Hamster), ...