9 Hidden Canadian TV Gems (In Case U.S. Networks Have More Slots To Fill!)

As U.S. broadcast-TV networks scramble to "stock their shelves" for the fall, they seem to be importing more and more goods from the Great White North. Are there even more hidden Canadian gems left for NBC, The CW et al left to mine?

Canadian television is becoming quite the viable option for networks looking to bolster their content in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. NBC, for example, recently decided to scrub in with the medical refugee drama Transplant, which debuted its freshman run on CTV in February.

The CW, meanwhile — already the Stateside home to CBC's Burden of Truth — is aiming to breathe new life into the Canadian outlet's Coroner, by hosting the Serinda Swan-led detective series' first two seasons (starting this fall, where it will air on Wednesday nights). And CBC's Diggstown was recently acquired by BET+.

Of course, no one yet has a firm grasp on exactly when the production of TV dramas and comedies will be able to safely ramp back up, or at how quickly a pace. And the Big 4's ABC (which in the past successfully recruited Global's Rookie Blue) and NBC have yet to offer even a glimpse of what their fall slates will look like.

All of which is our way of saying: If those networks or any others are still foraging for new-to-U.S. viewers fare, here are nine more Canadian offerings worth their weight in maple syrup.

This English-language remake of a dark, French-Canadian serialized cop drama snagged plenty of critical praise over its four-season run, earning its place as one of the most lauded Canadian dramas of all-time. Acorn TV originally aired the series in the States, but with its gripping themes, stellar performances by leads Jared Keeso (yes, Letterkenny) and Adrian Holmes (V-Wars, Continuum) and an intense 13-minute tracking shot of a school shooting in Season 2 that easily rivals the famed six-minute one from True Detective, this series definitely deserves another look.

This six-part limited series has yet to debut in Canada, but buzz for the drama is already sky-high. The conspiracy thriller follows the mysterious disappearance of Flight 716 during a routine hop from JFK to Heathrow, and the subsequent race to locate the passenger plane — along with any survivors. The sweeping show is a co-production between Canada and the UK and features plenty of global appeal, not to mention a star studded cast. Emmy winner Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), Academy Award winner Christopher Plummer and Kris Holden-Ried (Vikings) star.

Nothing against buddy cop dramas, but everyone knows it's dogs that are a man's best friend. Case in point is this police procedural starring John Reardon (Continuum) and his adorable K-9 partner, played by three-year-old German shepherd Diesel vom Burgimwald (yup, that's his name). Each week the duo solves crimes from the sweeping backdrop of Newfoundland, sniffing out criminals while living their best doggoned lives. Season two wrapped earlier this year, and rabid fans across the country already begging for more.

Jann Arden is quintessentially Canadian, but the fictionalized comedy of her life is universally relatable... and not at all "Insensitive." The musician is all-in for the physical and self-deprecating comedy that comes with recounting the story of a singer-songwriter "of a certain age" whose career is on the downslope, all while dealing with her wacky family, a bad breakup and a never-ending rival with her nemesis, Sarah McLachlan. After launching as the most-watched Canadian comedy in 2019, Season 2 began filming in Calgary last fall.

This mockumentary revolving around the accidental creators of an all-female cult in the late '70s isn't just a play on misanthropic tropes — writers and stars Kayla Lorette and Evany Rosen also tackle the very nature of true-crime television and its slanted narratives. The eight-part comedy takes place in rural British Columbia where it strikes that balance between social commentary and downright hilarity (the leads also happen to be seasoned improv artists), but really this could take place on any rural compound in North America.

The creative team behind Rookie Blue and Saving Hope scrub in for this newly released Canadian medical series, which tracks five rookie nurses and the overworked staff at a fictional Toronto hospital. The coming-of-age, character-driven drama comes with a good side of personal relationships and romantic trysts, all while digging into the emotional, pressure-cooker experiences of modern nursing. In other words, it's the celebratory frontline-worker series the world needs right now.

Serial and Making a Murderer have nothing on this four-part true crime documentary that delivers exactly what it promises: a grisly murder, a sense of injustice, riches, public opinion and unprecedented access. When the son of a beer empire was convicted in the brutal 2011 murder of his father, the verdict was overturned 10 months later. This narrative traces his retrial and the passionate defense that followed, despite the man being skewered as another rich killer on social media.

It doesn't get more Canadian than a hockey player turned private dick, unless of course the guy headlining that drama is Jason Priestley. ION has invested in the first two seasons of this procedural series starring the former Beverly Hills, 90210 resident and Supernatural alum Cindy Sampson, but in the Great White North Season 4 is tentatively scheduled to bow this summer. Come for the self-deprecating Priestley humor, but stay for his on-screen chemistry with Sampson and the always-entertaining cases.

This web series from creator, writer, director and star Fab Filippo isn't just a hidden Canadian gem; it also happens to stream on CBC Gem — the public broadcaster's streaming service. The timely anthology series' first two seasons revolve around a recurring group of EMS workers, but at its core is the premise that life is short. Each episode beautifully tackles the moments leading up to when a person's life is irrevocably changed forever, all while exploring the mental toll the job can take on first responders.

Which of these "hidden" Canadian gems would you most like to see on U.S. TV? Tell us in Comments, or offer some picks of your own, eh!