'Corner Gas' gives thanks with premiere on Monday, Oct. 13

CTV

The final scene has been shot. Episode #107 is now in the can. The goodbyes have been said. And now it's time to give thanks for Canada's history-making comedy series, Corner Gas.

With production officially wrapped this past weekend, CTV announced today that the sixth and final season of Corner Gas will premiere Thanksgiving Monday, October 13 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

The 19 hilarious new episodes also air Saturdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The Comedy Network (beginning October 18), on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca and on the go at iTunes.ca.

CTV continues to give thanks to Corner Gas with a special Thanksgiving edition of eTalk at 7 p.m. on October 13.

The half-hour special provides a sneak peek at the all-new season and also takes a look back at the past five seasons.

"Thank heaven for Corner Gas," said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.

"This is the series that changed the game for Canadian television, and we are all thankful for that. In addition to entertaining millions, Corner Gas has inspired confidence in the industry, paving the way for so many other successful Canadian series that have followed. Congratulations -- and thank you -- to Brent Butt, the cast and crew as we embark on these final 19 episodes."

In Season 6, there's still not a lot going on 40 miles from nowhere. In the premiere episode (Oct. 13), Brent enters a reluctant Lacey into an eating contest, tarnishing his well-earned reputation. At the Leroy's, Emma's new mp3 player allows Oscar to get away with a bit too much. Also in Season 6:

• Brent competes with Lacey and Hank to prove he is Dog River's biggest Saskatchewan Roughriders fan
• Davis is sent on a sensitivity course after making too many blonde jokes at Karen's expense, and comes back worse off than before he left
• Oscar and Emma enjoy Lacey's company in their new hot tub a lot more than Lacey enjoys theirs
• Wanda's life changes when she inherits her uncle's motorcycle
• Karen tries to convince Dog River that she is not the crazy cat lady

Special guest stars featured in Season 6 include Michael Bublé, Gordon Pinsent and David Suzuki, among others.

Originally developed by Brent Butt for The Comedy Network and CTV, Corner Gas began production in the summer of 2003.

It premiered on January 22, 2004 on CTV with 1.15 million viewers - and has not delivered less than a million viewers for an original episode since.*

The series, which currently airs in over two dozen countries worldwide, went on to become a cultural phenomenon, spawning a chart-topping book, sold-out comedy tours, a successful line of clothing and merchandise, a top-selling series of DVDs and a thriving tourist industry in Rouleau, Saskatchewan, where Corner Gas is filmed.

By the time the series concludes in Spring 2009, 107 episodes of the half-hour series will have aired.

Viewers eager for more Corner Gas can watch episodes on demand on The CTV Video Player at CTV.ca and thecomedynetwork.ca. Full episodes are available for free at 9 a.m. ET the day following each television broadcast.

In addition to the Season 6 premiere, viewers can look forward to the release of the Corner Gas Season 5 DVD package from CTV and Video Service Corporation on October 7.

The bobble-head themed Season 5 DVD set features all 19 half-hour episodes in a three-disc DVD package, presented in 5.1 or stereo sound. Available in stores across Canada, with a suggested retail price of $39.98, each package also includes special Corner Gas character mash-ups, a music video for theme song "My Happy Place" and hilarious bloopers.

Each DVD will also contain a $15 coupon for a discount on a Corner Gas mechanic shirt in either black or blue at the Corner Gas web store at www.cornergas.com. The DVDs of the first four seasons have sold in excess of 400,000 units in Canada.

Season 6 promises more of the laughs that have made Dog River a favourite Canadian television destination for five seasons. The laughs come courtesy of a six-person writing team, led by Brent Butt, and also including Supervising Producer Kevin White (This Hour Has 22 Minutes) and Mark Farrell (This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made In Canada) as producer/writer; Emmy winner Norm Hiscock (Saturday Night Live, King Of The Hill, Kids In The Hall) as consulting producer/writer; Andrew Carr (Comics) as story editor/writer, and Dylan Wertz as story editor/writer.

The entire Corner Gas ensemble cast returns for Season 6, which was filmed at Regina's Canada/Saskatchewan Production Studios, and on location in neighbouring Rouleau. Brent Butt returns in his popular role as gas station proprietor Brent Leroy.

For the fourth year, Brent will add to his already impressive list of credits including star, writer and executive producer, and direct an episode of Corner Gas.

Also returning are Saskatchewan natives and Gemini Award winners Eric Peterson and Janet Wright as his parents Oscar and Emma; Gabrielle Miller as coffee shop owner Lacey Burrows; Fred Ewanuick as best friend Hank Yarbo; Lorne Cardinal and Tara Spencer-Nairn as police officers Davis Quinton and Karen Pelly; and Nancy Robertson as retail assistant Wanda Dollard. With their return, Corner Gas remains the only network comedy series to be based and shot entirely in Saskatchewan.

For five consecutive seasons Corner Gas has been Canada's No.1 comedy series (Canadian or American) and the most-watched Canadian scripted series. Season 5 finished its 19-episode run with an average audience of 1.3 million viewers out of simulcast, and often among Canada's Top 20 list of most watched programs.*

Corner Gas has been nominated almost 70 times for numerous awards, including an International Emmy Award, Gemini Awards, Leo Awards, Director's Guild of Canada Awards, Canadian Screenwriting Awards and Canadian Comedy Awards. The series has won six Gemini Awards, including Best Comedy Series.

The success of Season 5 was recently recognized with four Gemini Award nominations, including Best Comedy Program or Series, Best Direction in a Comedy Program or Series, Best Direction in a Comedy Program or Series and Best Photography in a Comedy, Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series. Season 5 of Corner Gas is also up for an impressive seven Canadian Comedy Awards, including Direction: Series, two for Direction: Special or Episode, Writing: Special or Episode, Writing: Series, Male Performance, and Female Performance. The series is also nominated for a 2008 Directors Guild of Canada Award for Team Television Series - Comedy.

Corner Gas is produced in association with CTV by Prairie Pants Productions, comprised of Virginia Thompson (Incredible Story Studio, renegadepress.com) of Vérité Films and 335 Productions, a partnership of Brent Butt and David Storey (Blackfly, The Seán Cullen Show). Michelle Daly is Director of Content for The Comedy Network. Ed Robinson is Executive Vice-President, Programming, CTV Inc. and President and General Manager, The Comedy Network and SPACE. Susanne Boyce is President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc.