To celebrate the big QC, the Gemini Awards (a.k.a. the Emmys without any famous people—oh, come on, you know you were thinking it) has launched an on-line poll to let Canuck couch potatoes determine the most beloved homegrown TV show from the past 25 years. The good news: The Littlest Hobo, Dear Aunt Agnes, The Edison Twins and Just Like Mom all ended in ’85 and ’86, which makes them just eligible. The bad news: you’re old. Here, in no particular order, our top 10 picks and memorable moments from the shows, plus a whole whack of worthy runners-up. View the slide show now >>
A critical guide to TV, movies, theatre and music, with daily event roundups to max out your social calendar
The 10 best Canadian TV shows of the past 25 years
Popular
Most Commented
- Batch of Neilson milk recalled due to cleaning solution contamination (yikes!) 29
- La Palette brings back the horsemeat 26
- Top Chef Canada season two contestants announced; here are your six Toronto chefs 19
- Foie gras, surprise caviar orders and one tight ship: my 12-hour stage at Splendido 17
- Redemption Inc., episode 4: shirts and skins (and flip-flops) 17
40 Comments
Comment on this post
Neither the author nor Toronto Life necessarily agrees with the comments posted here. Editors will not correct spelling or grammar. Toronto Life reserves the right to edit or delete comments entirely. Read our full policy



great call on the smoggies!!
September 2, 2010 at 5:42 pm | by daph drealize these are all “production” orientated shows, but canada’s best tv export in a long time is no other than Mr. Les Stroud aka Survivorman. even Mantracker has been able to make it in europe along with the states, if its one thing Canucks are doing right, its the fact that we have real men on our shows
September 3, 2010 at 11:01 am | by Mr.OliverQueenAn awful lot of childrens shows on list – well they’ve always said we in Canadian TV do kids the best…erm, that came out wrong.
September 3, 2010 at 11:26 am | by wcdixonHere again, “Canadian” when applied to cultural products gets re-defined as “Anglo-Canadian”…
September 3, 2010 at 11:45 am | by RJodoinThey totally left out McElroy & LaFleur, eh. A tale of two mounties, one good, one slighly psychologically damaged, on their quest to foil would-be litter bugs and jay walkers.
September 3, 2010 at 1:18 pm | by HIMYMHmmm,
The kids shows were fine; but I’d leave them to a dedicated category for that type of product.
I would add North of 60; and Godivas to the list, the latter of which I preferred to Being Erica.
I would also bump something else their in favour of ‘Intelligence’. It may not have caught on, but it was undeniably good.
September 3, 2010 at 1:26 pm | by KevinWhat a tragedy… The Newsroom should have made this list!
September 3, 2010 at 2:19 pm | by MikeWhat? No King of Kensington? I know this is a best of the last 25 years list and this was on a bit before that, but this show is timeless. It should be number one in perpetuity.
I’m crestfallen that Train 48 didn’t make it either. There’s nothing I loved more after a day of taking the train to commute to work than to watch a daily show about people taking the train to commute to work. Oh, what a fantasy world of escapism.
September 3, 2010 at 3:27 pm | by Larry KingWow. What a pathetically lame list. And this after 25 years?? Despite the hours of crap produced south of the border, I still think most U.S. networks would have a stronger list than this based on a single season.
One notable, long-running omission. The Friendly Giant must be rolling over in his grave.
September 3, 2010 at 4:03 pm | by Buster BCanadian? You mean anglo-canadian.
September 3, 2010 at 4:09 pm | by Jon JayLooks like all my favs went into the runner-up category. Loved Traders (which a friend taped and sent to me, as I live in the States) and E.N.G.
September 3, 2010 at 4:45 pm | by ElyseI disagree with the inclusion of The Beachcombers only because ‘past 25 years’ would indicate its lingering post-Molly seasons. Nor have I seen any rebroadcasts of the first 13 or 14 seasons since probably around 1985. Chances are they might not even exist any more, otherwise…
September 4, 2010 at 9:57 am | by CQseriously… how can have Danger Bay/Littlest Hobo listed in the Runners Up yet completely miss “Rick Mercer”/”Corner Gas”. By itself, the Littlest Hobo parody on Corner Gas was arguably some of the best Canadian tv of last 25 years.
September 5, 2010 at 12:05 pm | by fiddlesticksThrilled to be part of a series that rated #2 on this list. Hard to believe since Slings and Arrows is a favourite of mine but… still – WOW! N.Keogh aka Muffy Mouse
September 6, 2010 at 6:21 pm | by Nina KeoghLove…love…love TRAILER PARK BOYS!! Can’t believe it didn’t make the list…
September 7, 2010 at 2:36 pm | by Girlie Girl