Chaos Is the New Normal: Season 4 of CTV Original Comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING Premieres October 17

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TORONTO (September 18, 2024) – Parenting: it just gets weirder (and funnier) as kids grow up! CTV announced today that its original comedy CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING returns for its fourth season, airing Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, beginning Oct. 17. A comedic love letter to childrearing, CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING stars Meaghan Rath (BEING HUMAN) and Aaron Abrams (BLINDSPOT) and is created and executive produced by Emmy^® Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK). Set and filmed in Toronto and Hamilton, Ont., Season 4 consists of 16 half-hour episodes, with the first eight episodes airing this fall. In Season 4 of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, Astrid (Rath) faces the pressure of being the sole breadwinner while James (Abrams) struggles with being a stay-at-home dad. Parenting is more challenging and funnier than ever as the kids grow up and their exposure to the world expands. With more influences and experiences outside of Astrid and James’ watchful eyes, parenting becomes more complicated, involving more guesswork and investigations. This season also finds Felix (Logan Nicholson) asserting more independence and attitude, Viv (Mikayla SwamiNathan) dealing with friend drama at school, and Morris (played by Ryan and Tyler Hastings), well, being a toddler. While these new complications may pull Astrid and James in different directions, they always end up on the same page – even if that page is dog-eared and stained with jam. Also returning for Season 4 are: two-time Canadian Screen Award-winner Ennis Esmer (BLINDSPOT, SCHITT’S CREEK) as James’ best friend Ennis; Nazneen Contractor (RANSOM, HEROES REBORN) as Astrid’s sister Dawn; Dmitry Chepovetsky (KILLJOYS, DEPARTURE) as Bo, Dawn’s eccentric husband; Darius Rota as Dawn and Bo’s 13-year-old son Corey; Veena Sood (CORNER GAS ANIMATED, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE) as Astrid and Dawn’s over-sharing mother Nisha; and Lisa Codrington (LETTERKENNY, THE LAKE) as James’ ambitious former boss Marla. Bruce McCulloch (THE KIDS IN THE HALL) and Anna Hopkins (THE EXPANSE, SHADOWHUNTERS) reprise their roles as Councillor Leonard Flynn and Rachel a.k.a. “Disaster Mom”, respectively. Plus, Scott Thompson (KIDS IN THE HALL), Carolyn Taylor (BARONESS VON SKETCH SHOW), Colin Mochrie (MURDOCH MYSTERIES), and David Cronenberg (STAR TREK: DISCOVERY) are confirmed as new guest stars this season. On the Season 4 premiere of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, titled “Respect” (Thursday, Oct. 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app), Astrid and James realize they are at the dawning of a new era when Felix starts showing signs of pre-teen rebellion. As they struggle to manage his shifting moods, they learn this next phase of parenting might be the hardest one yet. Meanwhile, James tries to ease tensions after he rejects Bo’s job offer. Earlier this year, CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING earned three Canadian Screen Awards, including a first-ever win for Meaghan Rath for Best Lead Performer, Comedy, a second consecutive win for Ennis Esmer for Best Supporting Performer, Comedy, and a win for Best Writing, Comedy for series creator Kurt Smeaton. Season 3 of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING ranks as last fall’s most-watched Canadian comedy. New episodes of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING also stream Fridays on Crave, beginning Oct. 18. Past seasons of CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING are also currently available for streaming on CTV.ca and the CTV app with no subscription or sign-in required, and Crave. In the U.S., CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING airs on The CW. The first three seasons are also available on Netflix in Canada, the U.K., and German-speaking territories, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg. CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING is from award-winning comedy entertainment studio New Metric Media, and is created and executive produced by Emmy^®, Golden Globe^®, and Canadian Screen Award-winner Kurt Smeaton (SCHITT’S CREEK, KIM’S CONVENIENCE), and executive produced by Chuck Tatham (MODERN FAMILY, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT), multiple Canadian Screen Award-winner Mark Montefiore (LETTERKENNY, SHORESY, BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE, WHAT WOULD SAL DO?), Anita Kapila (STRAYS, SON OF A CRITCH), and Meaghan Rath. Kathleen Phillips (WORKIN’ MOMS, CRAWFORD) serves as executive producer, Andrew De Angelis (THE LAKE, KILLJOYS) as co-executive producer, with Alyson Richards (The Retreat) serving as producer and New Metric’s Max Wolfond (BRIA MACK GETS A LIFE) acting as supervising producer. Bell Media Distribution is the international rights holder for CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING, and New Metric Media is the series’ exclusive International Sales Agent. The series is produced by New Metric Media in association with CTV, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund and Bell Fund. For Bell Media, Rachel Goldstein-Couto is Head of Development, Original Programming; Kelsey-Ann Maria, Production Executive, Original Programming; Sarah Fowlie is Head of Production, Original Programming; Carlyn Klebuc is General Manager, Original Programming; Justin Stockman is Vice-President, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media; Stewart Johnston is Senior Vice-President, Content & Sales, Bell Media.