How to Buy a Baby is a Canadian comedy web series, which premiered in November 2017 on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's web platform and on YouTube.[1] Created by Wendy Litner and based on her own experiences having to pursue fertility treatment to conceive a pregnancy,[2] the series stars Meghan Heffern and Marc Bendavid as Jane and Charlie, a couple going through the fertility treatment process.[3]
It was produced by LoCo Motion Pictures, and debuted on the CBC Comedy YouTube channel on November 13, 2017.[4] It was transferred to CBC Gem when that platform launched in 2018.[5] Season one was directed by Molly McGlynn and season two was directed by Adriana Maggs.[6] The series is executive produced by Lauren Corber and Wendy Litner. It has won several accolades, including Best Comedy Series at the 9th annual Indie Series Awards.[7] At the 46th International Emmy Awards, the show was a finalist for Best Short Form Series.[8]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Fertiliflinch" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| 2 | 2 | "Fertilifamily" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| 3 | 3 | "Fertilifucked" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| 4 | 4 | "Fertilifight" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| 5 | 5 | "Fertilifeelings" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| 6 | 6 | "Fertilifunk" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| 7 | 7 | "Fertilifentanyl" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| 8 | 8 | "Fertilifinances" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| 9 | 9 | "Fertilifear" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| 10 | 10 | "Fertilifinally" | Molly McGlynn | Unknown | November 13, 2017 |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Adopt-an-Inspection" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
| 12 | 2 | "Adopt-a-Class" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
| 13 | 3 | "Adopt-a-Profile" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
| 14 | 4 | "Adopt-a-Party" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
| 15 | 5 | "Adopt-a-Date" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
| 16 | 6 | "Adopt-a-Feminist" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
| 17 | 7 | "Adopt-an-Orientation" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
| 18 | 8 | "Adopt-a-Thon" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
| 19 | 9 | "Adopt-an-Arguement" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
| 20 | 10 | "Adopt-a-Future" | Adriana Maggs | Unknown | August 23, 2019 |
At the 9th annual Indie Series Awards, the series won the award for Best Comedy and McGlynn won the award for Best Direction.[9] At the 46th International Emmy Awards, the show was a finalist for Best Short Form Series.[8]
At the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019, the series won the award for Best Original Digital Series, Fiction,[5] and Litner was nominated for Best Writing in a Web Program or Series. How to Buy a Baby Season 2 was nominated for 6 Canadian Screen Awards in 2020.[10] Litner won the award for Best Writing, Web Program or Series and Emma Hunter won Best Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series.[11]
The series won Best Comedy Writing and Best Lead Female Performance at the IAWTV Awards,[12] Best Actress and Best Screenplay at the Rolda Web Fest, and Best Editing at the T.O. Webfest.[13]
The series was nominated for Best Fiction Series at The Rockie Awards and was an Honoree Comedy: Long Form or Series at The Webby Awards.[14]
How to Buy a Baby won the Stand Up 'N Pitch competition at Just for Laughs in 2016.[15]
The second season was nominated for six awards at the 8th Canadian Screen Awards in 2020; Litner won Best Writing and Emma Hunter won Best Supporting Performance in a Web Program or Series.[16]
It was nominated for six awards at the T.O Webfest and won Best Canadian Series. Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll won Best Supporting Performance.[17]
