Canada's CTV has just announced that it has renewed the police drama Flashpoint for yet another season.  The series, for those who are not familiar, is about an elite Canadian metropolitan police force called the Strategic Response Unit (SRU), who are tasked to resolve extreme situations that regular officers cannot handle including hostage taking, bomb threats and heavily armed criminals.

According to the press release, the network has ordered 13 episodes of Flashpoint, which stars Enrico Colantoni, Hugh Dillon and Amy Jo Johnson, to begin production in Toronto in early 2009.

"We're excited that Canadian audiences have responded with such enthusiasm to Flashpoint's stories of humanity and adrenaline," series executive producers Anne Marie La Traverse and Bill Mustos said in a statement.  "We're extremely proud to have this opportunity to bring more of our homegrown stories to viewers in Canada and around the world."

Meanwhile, there is no word yet on whether Flashpoint will be returning to American audiences for yet another run.  The police procedural premiered on July 11 at 10pm on CBS and was watched by 8.23 million viewers, earning the number 1 ranking for the hour.  It did well in its initial airings on Friday nights.  In fact, it drew more viewers on Friday nights than Swingtown did on the normally busier Thursday nights, which prompted CBS to move Flashpoint to Thursday nights in an attempt to further build its audience.  And based from its initial run on CBS, a second season renewal is not far from happening.

"Flashpoint has hit its mark with North American audiences and remained competitive –- even during the Olympics," Susanne Boyce, CTV's president for creative, content and channels, said in a statement.  "Viewers have embraced Flashpoint and we are answering their call for more.  The cast and creative team have delivered a series that not only entertains with high-intensity drama but with heart as well."


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: CTV
(Image courtesy of CTV)