Canadian Originals Lead Global’s Summer Grid

TORONTO: The summer schedule of Global features a number of Canadian original productions, including Combat Hospital and Rookie Blue.

Combat Hospital (formerly known as The Hot Zone) looks at the lives of resident doctors and nurses at a hospital in Afghanistan in 2006. The show is currently filming on location in Toronto. Rookie Blue is back for a second season on Global, after premiering last year as the most-watched debut season of any scripted Canadian drama series in two decades. The series follows the personal and professional lives of a group of rookie cops.

Global’s summer lineup also features The Kennedys, which was a hit on History Television this past spring. The 8×1-hour run kicks off on July 4, providing a glimpse into the lives of the American political family, with Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes in the lead roles.

August sees the debut of Canada Sings, which features a competition between glee clubs comprised of co-workers. The teams will perform in front of a panel of judges that includes Jann Arden, Pierre Bouvier (Simple Plan) and Rob Van Winkle (AKA Vanilla Ice).

The 13th season of Big Brother gets under way on July 7. The reality series will air three times a week, and the Global Reality Channel will be providing exclusive access to Big Brother After Dark weeknights at midnight.

The hour-long romantic comedy anthology Love Bites debuts June 2. From writer-producer Cindy Chupack (Sex and the City), Love Bites follows three modern stories of love, sex, marriage and dating. The Talk is the latest addition to Global’s daytime schedule. The chat show features Leah Remini, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete and Julie Chen as they discuss family issues, current events, celebrity gossip and share personal stories.

The summer lineup also features the network premiere of The Dark Knight on May 29. The final rounds of the Wimbledon Tennis Championship air July 2 and 3. The annual Teen Choice Awards broadcast on August 7.