National Geographic channel is showing mega-series Megacities on Sunday, Sept. 18. Eight hour-long episodes will air back-to-back beginning at 12 p.m. with repeats beginning at 8 p.m. The series goes in-depth to examine the cities’ ‘vital organs’ such as power grids, transportation systems and water supply. Megacities will look at the urban centers of Las Vegas, Mexico City, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Sao Paulo, Mumbai and New York.

Toronto-based TV production company Chokolat is looking for a Canadian broadcaster to pick up four-part half-hour series Full Ride. The series was sponsored by Nike and produced for ESPN. Full Ride follows six American high school football seniors through the recruitment process, from a camp attended by more than 200 college coaches and scouts to the final decision as to who will get a ‘full ride’ scholarship.

‘This is real human drama,’ explains Jeff Spriet, president of Chokolat and executive producer of the series. ‘We followed these kids from their hometowns and met their families, parents, high school coaches.’ Spriet explains that in the U.S., Full Ride debuted this month, and is slated to re-air 10 more times.

The Food Network is attempting to whet the appetites of its current audience as well as draw new viewers to the table with a new look and attitude. The rebrand will be served up Tuesday, Sept. 6 and will include revamped on-air branding elements and a new logo. The new look was deemed a good idea in light of a programming shift from an instructional bent to an entertainment and lifestyle thrust.

The circular logo has a vibrant red (cherry tomato) inner circle. ‘Food’ appears in a white font within the circle. On-air versions of the new logo also appear in a light green (snow pea) and orange (pumpkin).

The saucier Food Net will be reflected in an on-air campaign that includes three new 30- and 15-second image spots. One has a female guest at an upscale dinner party fixing her broken dress strap with a piece of spaghetti.

There will also be an extensive print campaign debuting Sept. 5 in Toronto and Sept. 19 in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg. Sherida German, director of marketing at Food Network, says elements include radio, billboards, subway and GO train interiors as well as newspaper and such magazines as Chatelaine and Elle. While she can’t reveal the total spend, she says: ‘It’s definitely the biggest fall campaign we’ve done to date.’

The net’s Web site, Foodtv.ca, will re-launch in mid-October with new content to complement the new on-air look. On-air and online creative were created in-house while the rest was developed by FCB Toronto in conjunction with Food parentco Alliance Atlantis.

Specialty net Showcase is showcasing half-hour dramedy series Weeds Wednesdays at 10 p.m. beginning Oct. 12. This is the first time the acclaimed series starring Mary-Louise Parker and Elizabeth Perkins is coming to Canadian TV screens. In the U.S., the show premiered earlier this month, though ratings info is not available. According to spokesperson Pam Mollica, the net is ‘selling commercials with billboards and promos that are tagged with the advertiser and their positioning statement.’

W, Canada’s network for women, is introducing another entry to the crowded home improvement genre. Save Us From Our House! brings together a relationship strategist and a contractor with designers to rescue fighting families. The team negotiates peace between the family members while tackling the problems of the house itself as well. The show airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 13.

Gay and lesbian diginet OUTtv is expanding it footprint and announcing new shows for fall. Originally available on Rogers, recently Shaw Cable and Star choice have picked up OUTtv, with Bell ExpressVu in the final negotiations of carriage. When the deal is complete (scheduled for month’s end), the net will be available to all digital subscribers across Canada, increasing potential viewers from 20,000 to more than half a million.

A sampling of new series includes QueerEdge, airing weeknights beginning Monday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. and examining all that defines the word ‘queer.’

Next up is I Now Pronounce You… which follows the nuptials and catches up with the happy couple three months later. Airs Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 4.

Then in Chris and John’s Road Trip OUTtv personalities Chris and John show what they did on their summer vacation, hitting the road for six eps of crazy antics in various cities. The show begins Monday Oct. 17 at 9:30 p.m.

Of a decidedly different bent is Get Bent! a crash course in yoga with unlikely people taking up the pastime in unlikely places, from dykes on bikes to firefighters. The show airs Fridays at 8:30 p.m., beginning Nov 4 for 13 eps.

Discovery looks at the most complex and dangerous engineering projects around the world in Megabuilders. The original Canadian production airs in six parts and premiers Sunday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. (9 p.m. PT.) with two back-to-back episodes before settling into its regular slot on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9 p.m. (10 p.m. PT.) Megabuilders should be a good draw for the channel’s aud of adults 25-54 with a male skew.