Saving Hope - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

A thread to discuss Saving Hope.

 

[shapeshifter]

This was posted in the IMDb forums:

From Erica Durance's Twitter:

Retweeted by Erica Durance

Erica Durance TV @ericadurancetv · Jul 29

#SavingHope Season 3: Special Two part Fall Premiere

- Sept 22 @ 9pm: PART 1

- Sept 25 @ 9pm: PART 2 (Regular Timeslot) @ED_DURANCE

https://twitter.com/ED_DURANCE

Twitter is hiccuping right now, so I can't post the original link.

Thank you, @SilverStormm , for the creative thread titles!

[Meredith Quill]

@shapeshifter Not Guilty ;)

[shapeshifter]

I don't know how credible this is, but from Gate World http://www.gateworld.net/news/2014/08/exclusive-saving-hope-returning-to-u-s-television/

EXCLUSIVE: Saving Hope returning to U.S. television

Monday - August 18, 2014...

An industry source has confirmed with GateWorld exclusively that Shanks’ latest series, Saving Hope, will be returning to television screens in the United States very soon...

[anstar]

Hurray!  I'm so glad this is coming back. It'll probably be Syfy because every time a show I love ends I say I'm done with them "forever" and something lures me back. It's about time for them to lure me back.

[shapeshifter]

ION is picking up all 3 seasons: http://deadline.com/2014/09/saving-hope-picked-up-ion-827585/

[Bort]

ION is picking up all 3 seasons

Awesome! Now I can watch it and not have to go through so much... trouble.

[anstar]

Me too.   I should have guessed Ion.  We got to see all of Flashpoint thanks to them too. Canada has some really quality programs.  It's a shame the US networks have such a short attention span. They won't let anything that isn't an instant mega-hit have a chance.

[Lady Calypso]

After being stabbed in the heart in the Season 2 finale, Dr. Alex Reid (Erica Durance) has a profound experience in the liminal space, while a desperate Charlie Harris (Michael Shanks) and his ex – Dawn Bell (Michelle Nolden) race against the clock to save her life. Meanwhile, Dr. Joel Goran (Daniel Gillies) is pulled in to the ER to treat a suicidal patient that tests his duty as a doctor, and Maggie Lin (Julia Taylor-Ross) makes a bold decision that changes her relationship with Gavin Murphy (Kristopher Turner).

 

 

So, great season premiere. I really liked seeing Alex's memory while dying. I liked how ambiguous it was until her mother called her name to the little girl, because up to that point, I thought it was Alex thinking about her future and I totally thought the father was meant to be either Joel or Charlie. I think they even came up with different names for the little girl to be called. It was also nice seeing Luke, having him there to 'help' her and then realizing she wasn't dead, so he let her go. 

 

There was also more Charlie, which is always welcoming. Sometimes, I feel like we get too little of him so seeing him on the other side, so to speak, was good to see. I actually forgot he told Dawn about him seeing ghosts until he mentioned it. 

 

So, Maggie and Gavin's break up was a bit surprising. Poor Gavin; he's just not good enough for Maggie, apparently. Not that I blame Maggie for breaking up with him. Clearly she is looking for more and with everything that's going on, maybe she realizes she just needs a break. I actually didn't like the couple back in season one, or Maggie for that matter, but they've grown on me.

 

Everyone coming together with this was really great to see. Zach helping to distract Joel, especially, was a great and powerful scene. You can tell Joel is carrying a lot of guilt and he's not ready to face it. Which is understandable, seeing as he was supposed to be watching his sleep walking patient and now Alex's coma and his patient's death is haunting him. Actually, that last scene of Joel walking and his ghost patient following symbolizes that greatly. 

 

Even seeing Dawn lose her cool was fantastic, because it shows a different side to her, one that can make mistakes but can also own up to them. 

 

Really great first parter and I can't wait until Thursday for the second part. 

[Bort]

Did this air in the states or just Canada?

[Lady Calypso]

Did this air in the states or just Canada?

 

 

I think only Canada. 

[Shermie]

Yeah, the ambiguity of the flashbacks (dream sequences?) were interesting. I also thought it was Alex imaging her future and we'd get a big surprise reveal of her husband, but then I noticed the retro things, like her cassette radio, the decor of the house, the clothes... I realized the little girl was probably Alex.

So when she wakes up from her coma, she and Charlie can compare "I see dead people" notes.

[Dusty]

Guess what? I got a fever, and the only prescription is more lens flare!

[shapeshifter]

...So when she wakes up from her coma, she and Charlie can compare "I see dead people" notes.

Not so much, unless it's different for her than with every other "ghost" Charlie's communicated with except maybe that one psychic guy.

Dawn must be seriously wondering if sewing Alex's aorta shut was some kind of Freudian slip.

I agree, it was a well crafted episode. I usually don't care for doctor shows because of the soap opera relationships, but this one manages to go beyond that.

Erica Durance looks great--better than her Smallville days when she was 10 years younger. Whatever she's doing and whoever she's seeing for it is working.

[windsprints]

Erica Durance looks great--better than her Smallville days when she was 10 years younger. Whatever she's doing and whoever she's seeing for it is working.

 

She's pregnant. Congratulations to her!

 

I really liked the premiere. I loved how they revealed Alex's backstory. I also thought it was her imagining the future until the radio. Glad to see lots of story setup for all of them, should be a really good season.

[Lady Calypso]

With her body still in a coma, spirit form Alex (Erica Durance) shares an emotional journey with Charlie (Michael Shanks) in the spirit world as he ‘ghost-doctors’ a brain-dead mother-to-be. Meanwhile, Joel (Daniel Gillies) forms a tight bond with a lively drug addict while trying to treat his necrotic leg. Hope Zion Hospital also welcomes its new OB/GYN, Dr. Sydney Katz (Stacey Farber), who throws Maggie (Julia Taylor-Ross) off her game.

 

 

I really liked this episode. Lots of Alex and Charlie, which is great. It reminds me of the season 1 flashbacks with these two in a relationship.

 

"He's an addict." "Just like our current mayor." Hilarious. Also the 'strip poker' scene at the beginning with Shahir walking in was hilarious. Michael Shanks' body certainly does look amazing still. I was very happy they gave us that scene.

 

I'm not sure I believe in the new OB-GYN yet. Dr. Katz is definitely different, that's for sure, but I'm not sure if I'm warming up to her.

 

I knew Joel was going to lose his patient once he made the pact. The phone call to the mother just made it really clear.

 

I liked the pregnant couple. Their story was pretty heartwrenching and poor Charlie, having to split his time from Alex, but he seemed to be happy to do it anyway.

 

Of course, Joel kisses Alex like Sleeping Beauty. But I laughed at Alex kissing Charlie before waking up. I wonder if she'll remember anything from the ghost world, though. That confused look on her face at the end, though, worries me. I hope there's no memory loss of any kind. 

[shapeshifter]

Dr. Sharir's appreciation for Charlie's biceps made me LOL.

The love triangle served to remind me why I don't generally watch doctor shows.

I'm glad I got to see the previews for the next episode.

[Shermie]

The previews imply that Alex does not remember her ghost times.

The Prince Charming wake up kiss was a corny touch, but interesting that both guys think they're the Prince Charming who caused it.

I don't care for love triangles either, in real life I see very few of these but TV would make an alien think that all Earthlings are entangled in them.

Otherwise, SH is a solid medical drama and I like the toss-off Canadian references, like Cobourg.

[breeze2day]

I don't know why exactly, but I liked Charlie better when he was in a coma.

[Lady Calypso]

Alex (Erica Durance) is out of her coma, but struggles with her memory until a crisis at the hospital reminds her of who she truly is. Charlie (Michael Shanks) and Joel (Daniel Gillies) are forced to put their differences aside when a building collapse has them working on two fused-together patients. Plus, the doctors at Hope Zion try giving an over emotional Maggie (Julia Taylor Ross) sage advice.

 

 

So, the dreaded triangle rears its ugly head once more. I love Daniel Gillies, but I am really, really annoyed by Joel at the moment. Him, and to a lesser extent Charlie, keeps acting like a teenage boy fighting over some girl. It's starting to interfere in their work and that is the last thing that should be happening. Joel's reluctance to even include Charlie in the operation with the patients was highly unprofessional. It's two lives at stake and just because he has a problem with Charlie because of Alex, that should not be why two people should die. I know Joel has some guilt over what happened with Alex, but a lot of it feels driven by his love for Alex and that is annoying. This is why I hate love triangles; somebody gets screwed and in this case, it's Charlie (at least for me). That's not to say Charlie isn't also acting immature, but I find him getting the most screwed with this love triangle. I understand Alex's point of view and maybe not feeling the same for Charlie at the moment and with everything that's happened, of course she needs some space. But it disappoints me that she'll clearly get together with Joel because of the 'two truths and almost lie' scene. This is why season 1 was much better. The triangle wasn't as prominent and shoved in our faces, just slightly. So, I'm guessing this is the season where it goes downhill for me.

 

Creepy dead psycho telling Charlie that Alex left something behind and she's not alright? Well, clearly. Maybe she left her love for Charlie behind. I can't stress this enough, but I feel like Charlie/Alex are endgame and this obstacle is only going to hurt Joel in the end too. I liked him when he was dating other women and was a friend to Alex. 

 

Maggie getting help from various people throughout the episode was nice. Zach, especially, was helpful. But then there's New Doctor Kantz, who was surprisingly helpful. Her character is still pretty meh for me at the moment, but I'm glad she helped. And I still feel bad for Gavin, who can't do anything right with Maggie. He's clearly still hurting and bitter over the breakup but I want to know how he feels about the miscarriage. We haven't gotten much on him yet. 

 

Dawn and Raycraft? I did not see that coming.

 

Case of the week was interesting enough. I knew the girl and the guy were lovers, but the engagement part was surprising. 

 

I have a feeling I'm not going to like this season as much as the previous ones. 

[shapeshifter]

So I guess the writers figured that if they had Maggie's patient has a sex toy up his butt (that looks like it would be excruciatingly painful, but I'm not a doctor and have never experienced that, so I guess it's funny????) then it would make it okay that she just behaved in such a way that she should be fired and have a law suit filed against her.

Anyway...

So, the dreaded triangle rears its ugly head once more....

I agree. Love triangles suck. Love triangles on doctor shows suck times a thousand.

ETA: Alex doesn't remember coma walking, right?

About the COTW: I was so afraid when they found something stuck to the guy patient that it was going to be a body part of the female patient, like a finger. I guess it being a ring wasn't too far off.

I guess the COTW was a metaphor for Alex feeling trapped, suffocated, and claustrophobic about Charlie and his wanting to marry her. But then is the COTW girl's "boyfriend" (who she doesn't want to see either) a representation of Joel?

Edited October 4, 2014 by shapeshifter

[shapeshifter]

Alex is introduced to her "buddy colleague" on her first day back to work since her stabbing. Joel finds himself involved in a deadly situation at a local street clinic, and Gavin has a euphoric experience with the help of an unlikely ally.

My elderly parents don't go anywhere separately anymore.

Gavin's accidental LSD overdose was too contrived and unrealistic. One cube would've been a better plot device.

Too much soap opera, but I guess that's what the show really is.

[Lady Calypso]

So, Gavin's storyline was overall not great. I wasn't interested in it and although it had its funny moments, I didn't like it much at all. The only moment I liked was when Gavin was talking to Hallucination!Maggie and he really was sharing his feelings to her. Gavin's been a pretty private person so it was nice to see how he really felt. Other than that, I hated him being doped up on LSD just go get more on him, and I hate how he decided to leave. I wonder if that means he's actually gone. On the other hand, Kristopher Turner did an excellent job this episode.

 

Alex doesn't love Charlie anymore. Huh. I do feel bad for Charlie, who's done nothing but trying to be there for Alex and getting rejected. I was wondering why Charlie was serving Alex breakfast at the beginning when they didn't leave off on a great note last episode, but I guess just to establish the fact that Alex doesn't love him. Arg, this triangle is going to be the death of me, I swear. But Charlie seeing ghosts really does make the episodes for me. I love how he got to witness the elderly couple reuniting in death and I love how that was the moment that Charlie knew he had to propose to Alex again. I just hate that she rejected him. 

 

Joel's storyline was alright. I liked how he was away from the hospital on his own 'case', so to speak. But that's about it. Clinic Girl could be back and hooking up with Joel soon.

[shapeshifter]

...Joel's storyline was alright. I liked how he was away from the hospital on his own 'case', so to speak. But that's about it. Clinic Girl could be back and hooking up with Joel soon.

Since Clinic Girl is real life Charlie's/Michael Shank's wife, it would give them a chance to spend time together while working. Ironically, it would mean that Joel was stealing both real life and fake life MS's wife/fiancee. Heh.

[Lady Calypso]

A car accident brings a mother and her son to the hospital. Alex (Erica Durance) and Joel (Daniel Gillies) discover the mother needs a transplant and her son is very adamant that he be involved in the surgery. Meanwhile, the mother’s spirit makes her own feelings known to Charlie (Michael Shanks), as new resident Rian (Danso Gordon) and Maggie (Julia Taylor Ross) get caught up in a hazardous situation.

 

 

All I can say is: fuck.

 

Fuck this stupid triangle, now love square and having Charlie hook up with Dawn. Seriously? I'm still on Charlie's side, despite his decision to sleep with Dawn. Not because he's not allowed to sleep with Dawn as he is broken up with Alex, but I am upset that he sleeps with his ex wife. That's just....urg. And Alex is going to be upset when she finds out and I feel like we're supposed to be cheering for Alex to sleep with Joel as revenge or something. 

 

I really hope Val, the Guinea Pig isn't dead and is still wandering around the hospital somewhere. I feel for Dawn in regards to losing a pet. It's actually kind of sweet how she was crying for Val. 

 

The COTW was actually really great. I loved Will and his insistence that he wanted to help his mother and could do it. I loved his relationship with Charlie and how Alex kept giving them side glances. Joel didn't do a whole lot, but he did help save Will's mom so that's a plus for him. 

[Shermie]

Of course the guinea pig is dead. Big lump in the snake + empty sweater = Val for dinner. Circle of life, and all that.

Didn't like Charlie sleeping with Dawn, but I guess he's a free agent.

[shapeshifter]

Of course the guinea pig is dead. Big lump in the snake + empty sweater = Val for dinner. Circle of life, and all that...

Yeah, but one, whole lump and an army of surgeons. Why couldn't they do a lumpectomy on the snake and save Valenween and the snake?

That would have been much better than a love quadrangle.

And I was briefly hoping Alex would hear that Charlie knew the song only because comatose Mom of Will sang it to him.

[Shermie]

You think Val would still be alive in there? It's not Jonah and the whale. Sharp teeth, constriction through the throat plus stomach acids? Yeah, she's dead.

If they had actually operated on the snake to extract a guinea pig, I would have stopped watching for the ridicuolity of it.

[shapeshifter]

You think Val would still be alive in there? It's not Jonah and the whale. Sharp teeth, constriction through the throat plus stomach acids? Yeah, she's dead.

If they had actually operated on the snake to extract a guinea pig, I would have stopped watching for the ridicuolity of it.

Yeah, but Jonah would have also experienced teeth (assuming it was a "large fish" and not a whale) and stomach acids. Plus, I tend to live in de Nile a lot of the time. Heh.

[lynny]

A 'blood moon' gives the ER its busiest night of the year and also delivers a medical mystery for Alex (Erica Durance) to solve.

 

 

 

I'm not loving this whole love quadrangle thing that's going on.

Also, the preview for next week said "returning soon". Does anyone know what that mean?

Edited October 24, 2014 by lynny

[metaphor]

Haven't seen the episode yet,  but I read elsewhere that this was the shovw mid-season finale.  It's coming back sometime in 2015.

[statsgirl]

I missed the "Returning soon" because I was done with it by then.  I was pretty sure I was done with Charlie and Dawn in the elevator, and Joes and Alex bumping uglies sealed the deal.

 

What got me into this series in the first season was the fierceness of how Alex and Charlie fought for each other.  That paled in s2 but at least there was the quirk of Charlie seeing dead people.  Now with Gavin gone on the wretched triangles/quadrangle, even that's not enough to keep me watching.  Is someone going to tell them this is not the CW?

 

Apparently

The hit original series returns this fall for Season 3 with an abridged, five-episode arc on Thursdays at 9 p.m. following "Greys Anatomy." Culminating with a cliffhanger finale this fall, 13 additional episodes will air mid-season, on Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

I'm pretty sure I won't be watching though.  Charlie sleeping with Dawn and Alex sleeping with Joel does not a cliffhanger make for me.

Edited October 24, 2014 by statsgirl

[Tigris Tv]

Since I enjoy Joel and Alex more than I do Alex and Charlie - This mid season ending was fine for me!  And didn't think I would like it, but I like Charlie and Dawn surprisingly.

 

But I also like the rest of the show outside of the relationship stuff - and the crazy stuff they show - including whatever that thing was (teeth! hair?!) - wow. 

 

I don't get the cliff hanger spin though.  Didn't really feel like a cliffhanger of an ending.  Which I am grateful for - but still.

[Misslindsey]

 

What got me into this series in the first season was the fierceness of how Alex and Charlie fought for each other.  That paled in s2 but at least there was the quirk of Charlie seeing dead people.

This. I enjoyed Charlie and Alex, but the Alex and Joel, Charlie and Dawn relationships do not make me want to watch when it returns. 

 

I did enjoy the snarky, sarcastic banter between Joel and Maggie this season. 

[shapeshifter]

Season 4: http://www.ctv.ca/SavingHope/Articles/Features/Saving_Hope_Season_4.aspx

[statsgirl]

Really, CTV?  You cancel The Listener and give this partner-switching soap opera another season?

[lynny]

I didn't realize that Saving Hope was so highly rated for CTV. If that's the case, I'd like to understand the reasons behind the dicking with the schedule. It changed time slots after the 2nd episode. Then goes on an undefined hiatus after 6 episodes and comes back in a new time slot. And I've not seen a single ad for it. If I hadn't checked in here I wouldn't even be looking for it.

This seems like how you treat a show you're trying to burn off. Not the highest rated original show they have

[shapeshifter]

From tvrage.com:

Shahir and Alex try and save a woman's memory, who is suffering from Alzheimer's with surgery. But another doctor requires life-saving surgery. Tom has to make a decision when he discovers a secret. Charlie is embroiled in Dawn's plan.

[Lady Calypso]

I really can't get into this season as much as the last two. I'm sorry, but Dawn wanting kids with Charlie? Asking him of it, of all people, and expecting he'll totally not want to co-parent or anything? Booking his appointment for that day, giving him no time to think? And then taking that away at the end? Of, granted she can't have kids so that sucks for her, but there are other options she could have and she shouldn't have forced Charlie into doing it. Wasn't this one of their problems when they first broke up, pre series? Didn't Charlie want kids and Dawn didn't or something? I can't remember. Dick move, Dawn. I remember why you were my least favourite in season 1. That's a shame because I've started liking Dawn up until now. Also, them breaking up as quickly as they got back together was ridiculous. What was the point?

 

Everyone seemed to be dealing with their own health issues this episode. Shahir with his heart attack (poor guy! That takes committment!), Alex with her hand issues (I'll bet that botox won't be a permanent solution) and Raycraft with his potential Hep-C diagnosis (what a shitty mentor, BTW. Well, his mentor his shitty). Also, Dana not telling Alex the side effects, just saying 'oh yeah, there are side effects to Botox. Have a good time deciding!' was stupid. 

 

I wasn't really happy with anyone this episode. The cases of the week were alright. I did like Malcolm and his wife's storyline a lot, but that's all that I liked. Charlie's dead patient was super annoying and I get that part of the reason for this kids storyline was so Charlie could have some unexpected ghosts popping up for comedic effect. But yeah, not a good episode at all, even sans Joel. Speaking of, Daniel Gillies must be having a ball traveling from Canada to Atlanta to film two different shows at the same time. And when I say a ball, I mean probably not that much fun. I bet it's stressful for him. The timing of the filming of the shows is not working out this time around.

[shapeshifter]

While there was an abundance of medical plot contrivances this episode--even for this show and for medical dramas in general--I thought the stories flowed and meshed well.

Dawn needs a new Guinea pig. She was better with Valenween.

[statsgirl]

The first set of episodes with the flashing neon triangles lost a lot of my love for this show, and now, even though this episode was better, I still don't really care any more.

 

I thought the Dawn/sperm plot was awful, even if I did end up feeling sorry for Dawn. (Note:  yes, get an egg donation. It will be in better shape than yours.)  Other than that, the plots were interesting, except for the guy who kept interrupting Charlie, but I don't care about these people any more.  The new shrink is super annoying, and Maggie is even more annoying around him.  Nice to see Robert Joy though.

[shapeshifter]

Alex and Charlie perform a double surgery on a teenage girl; Joel works at the clinic; Maggie must pull through when she is reunited with the Zarb family.

I know it's a Canadian show written by eternally nice Canadians, so all is forgiven, but it seemed like a lot of the characters should have been a lot more annoyed than they were. Edited December 4, 2014 by shapeshifter

[Shermie]

Annoyed?

"No, no, no! Get back into your body! Go!" Heh, Charlie looks like an idiot yelling at, uh, nothing.

Ezra Zarb does not role off the tongue, and it's a big name for such a wee boy.

[shapeshifter]

This description from thetvdb.com is pretty vague...

Alex and Joel are challenged with a marathon surgery. Charlie has a day off that's full of surprises. Dana, Zach and James are tested.

...and IMDb doesn't have one yet, but they do have these relevant Plot Keywords: crepe, pregnancy test, breast implant, miscarriage, and car crash

So it looks like art is going to imitate life for Alex on this show just like it will be on Bones.

Anyway, I liked the switcheroo with Charlie's unconscious person remembering their convo.

ETA: I don't get how the title of the episode tied in with the plot, and I don't know what the crepes were supposed to represent.

Edited December 15, 2014 by shapeshifter

[mybabyaidan]

I don't recall the last time Alex and Charlie were intimate...Before her stabbing?  So is it definitely Joel's baby?

 

I figured they would tie her pregnancy in.  Not sure how I feel about it,  and I LIKE Joel and Alex together. 

[shapeshifter]

I don't recall the last time Alex and Charlie were intimate...Before her stabbing?...

I thought we saw some bedroom scenes with them after that. No?

[mybabyaidan]

I thought we saw some bedroom scenes with them after that. No?

 

I went back and double checked, yeah they were sleeping in the same bed it seems..But she was recovering, and was already acting awkwardly around him.  It was never explicitly said that they were having sex.  So I guess they could go either way.  Joel or Charlie.  Guess we shall see.

[shapeshifter]

From thetvdb.com:

Celebrated neurosurgeon Thor MacLeod [Currie Graham] gives Alex an offer; Charlie deals with a fatigued spirit.

And Plot Keywords from IMDb:

attempted suicide, power drill, book signing, oxytocin, prescription drug abuse, jealous husband, broken wrist, abusive spouse, insomnia, and sleep deprivation

So, of course, Currie Graham was an evil, womanizing-and-now-also-mad-scientist doctor, but the other bad guys of the week paid the price for their karma.

[shapeshifter]

Charlie tries to treat two female MMA fighters; a fight between Dana and Molly ends up in the hospital; Dawn must save a woman's heart.

Not to mention that Alex is pg.

[shapeshifter]

Two patients need the same heart; a patient has never-before-seen orthopaedic hardware; Dr. Maggie Lin feels the pressure of the upcoming boards.

And Alex is still pg.