The 20 greatest Canadian TV shows

Babar has been one of the most beloved and recognizable children’s characters. Thanks to Canada, he is also at the center of the television show that bears his name. The series toggles between Babar in the present and the past, and the show has a sweetness and innocence that has allowed it to stand the rest of time. It manages to stay true to the original novels while also making the most of the animation medium, and it remains popular even though it finished its run quite a long time ago.

The long run of Canada’s The Beachcombers — from 1972 to 1990, a truly remarkable run for a drama series — ensured that its various characters got to grow and change as the years went by. It is a story about Nick Adonidas, who salvages logs in British Columbia. In addition, it features several supporting characters that help to flesh out and add nuance and depth to this world. The Beachcombers is also highly regarded because it includes an Indigenous person in its cast.

While sketch series like Saturday Night Live might dominate what most people think about when they imagine the genre, Canada’s You Can’t Do That on Television has also had a remarkable impact. As it went on, it became particularly associated with the channel Nickelodeon, and anyone who came of age in the 1980s is no doubt aware of the show’s green slime. Among other things, the show was notable for helping a number of stars to get their start, including none other than singer Alanis Morrisette. 

Time travel is one of those phenomena that occurs again and again in the world of science fiction. The Canadian TV series Continuum focuses on a terrorist group from the future who travels to the present and wreaks havoc, all while a member of the police from their own time attempts to continue bringing about destruction. The premise of the show is a familiar one, but the series’ genius lies in its ability to tell a story that is remarkably entertaining despite (or perhaps because of) how familiar it feels to viewers. 

Not every notable Canadian TV export is a sitcom or a drama. The Nature of Things is a widely-beloved series that uses documentary to explore the world of science. The series is remarkable not just for the scope of what it covers — particularly nature — but also for its longevity. It has been on the air since 1960, and it shows no signs of going anywhere. It is one of those shows that really does try to raise awareness of science and educate its audience.

Beloved character actress Margo Martindale finally gets her chance to shine in The Sticky, a short-lived Canadian crime drama that was broadcast in the US by Amazon. In the series, she plays cantankerous syrup farmer Ruth Landry, who goes on a bit of a rampage after she loses her farm. It’s more than a little like Fargo in terms of its sense of humor and its blend of the absurd and the violent. Though it sadly only lasted one season, there’s still much to enjoy about this Canadian offering.

Broadcast in the US by Showtime, The Tudors focuses on Henry VIII, arguably one of England’s most notorious monarchs, and his various wives. During the course of its four seasons, viewers were treated to the amorous king's various disastrous marriages and other sexual encounters. While it became more famous for its racy plotlines and tendency to show a lot of skin, there was just enough history amidst all of the sex to make it an appealing watch for those who like to see the past brought to life on-screen.

A co-production between Canada, Hungary, and Ireland, The Borgias focuses on family patriarch Rodrigo Borgia (memorably played by Jeremy Irons) as he schemes to attain the Papacy and elevate the status of his various children. Like The Tudors before it, the series was heavy on sex, but there were also a number of political plotlines that held the interest of more historically-minded viewers. It might have ended before it should have, but it was still a strong series that still makes for compelling viewing.

When Calls the Heart has become one of Canada’s most popular exports, thanks largely to its broadcast in the US on The Hallmark Channel. Based on the Canadian West series by bestselling author Janette Oke, it focuses on several characters who contend with the perils of life on the Canadian frontier. It’s proven to be a remarkably long-lived show, and as of this writing, it has already been renewed for a twelfth season, and it so far shows no signs of slowing down.

Heartland has managed to be very popular in the ratings and also very successful in terms of longevity, given that it is now in its eighteenth season. It’s easy to see why it would be so beloved since it focuses on a family ranch and the trials and struggles that the members of the family endure as they try to keep it afloat. It manages to stay true to Lauren Brooke’s original novels while also expanding their scope.

As its title suggests, Vikings: Valhalla resumes the saga of the infamous Vikings. It takes place roughly a century after the events of the preceding series, focusing in particular on the conflicts between the English and the Vikings. It includes a number of noted historical figures, including Leif Erikson, King Canute the Great, and Earl Godwin. Moreover, it also includes a number of powerful female characters, including Queen Emma, who demonstrates during her time on the show that she was truly one of the most redoubtable women of the Middle Ages.

Degrassi is undoubtedly one of Canada’s most popular exports, and the fact that it is a teen drama shows that the country can be remarkably versatile in terms of its small-screen offerings. The various iterations of the franchise have endured its fair share of controversy, thanks in large part to its willingness to grapple with some pretty weighty issues. It’s also a good example of a successful franchise, sprawling across multiple TV series, TV films, and books. It’s safe to say that this remains one of Canada’s most notable and successful exports.

Tatiana Maslany gives one of the best performances of her career in the Canadian series Orphan Black. Her brilliance as a performer stems from the fact that she plays several different characters, all of whom are genetic clones struggling with what their discovery means for their sense of identity. It makes for a good binge since it has a narrative that holds the viewer on the edge of their seat and doesn’t let them go. 

Kim’s Convenience explores the Korean immigrant experience in Toronto, focusing in particular on the members of the family who own a convenience store. This rare series strikes the perfect balance between engaging with weighty political issues while never forgetting that its primary purpose is to make the audience laugh. It’s also a remarkably poignant series, and it always manages to be quite touching and hilariously funny. It’s thus easy to see why it remains one of Canada’s most beloved recent sitcoms.

As its title suggests, the series Alias Grace is based on the novel of the same name by acclaimed Canadian author Margaret Atwood. The heart of the story is Grace Marks, a woman convicted of murder, and Dr. Simon Gordon, who investigates her case and becomes obsessed with her. The medium of television gives Atwood’s story the chance to sing and, like The Handmaid’s Tale adaptation in the US, this Canadian series allows for all of the various nuances of Atwood’s story to come to light.

As its title implies, the series Vikings focuses on the famous warriors of the north, particularly Travis Fimmel’s Ragnar Lothbrok. It takes a gritty approach to the early Middle Ages and doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to depicting the brutality and violence of the Viking world. It might take some notable liberties with the known facts of history, but there’s no denying this show has a remarkable sense of scope and power. What’s more, it brings the past to life in a powerful way that is all too rare in prestige television.

The Kids in the Hall is one of Canada’s most notable sketch comedy series. It was written by and stars the members of the troupe The Kids in the Hall, and it’s safe to say that it has a decidedly offbeat sense of humor, not least because so many of the sketches involve the various male members dressing in drag. It also proved popular and influential, so much so that it was given a one-season revival in the 2020s.

Schitt’s Creek got off to a bit of a slow start, but once it hit its groove in the third season and earned distribution via Netflix, it became a true international sensation. Focusing on the Rose family, who have lost their wealth and are forced to live in the small town of the title, it starts as a fish out of water story but slowly grows into something much more emotionally mature, touching, and satisfying. It’s the kind of show that asks its audience to care deeply about its characters, and it remains one of the best feel-good shows of the 21st century.

The strange and offbeat Letterkenny is one of the most unusual exports to have come from Canada. It’s a curious blend of sitcom and mockumentary, and its offbeat comic sensibility is precisely what has endeared it to so many of its fans. It also has more than a bit of a subversive edge, mainly since it shows many of the residents of the titular town weighing in on a wide variety of issues. More important than anything else, though, it’s just a very funny show.

Running from 1991 to 2006, The Red Green Show was a brilliantly executed satire of men and masculinity. Set in the fictional Possum Lake, it features Steve Smith’s Red Green as the leader of the men’s club known as Possum Lodge. In addition to Red, the show featured a number of other odd and hilarious characters from Possum Lake, including Red’s awkward nephew Harold, slightly deranged Ranger Gord, and well-meaning but somewhat dim sewage specialist Winston Rothschild III. Even though it’s been off the air for nearly twenty years, it remains one of Canada’s most beloved imports.