Saving Hope

So, I'm 59 years old. I have seen just about every medical drama ever on TV, going back to Medical Center with hunky Chad Everette. What a wonderful medical drama with a twist this is! Full of real life feelings and doubts and every gender or racial concern under the sun this series touches on. And then something extra...

Michael Shanks, so good to see him again doing a wonderful job post Stargate. In fact I love the entire cast and all the extras and side characters. If you haven't found this series yet watch it from the episode one. You won't be sorry.

I found this series by accident on-line and am very happy I did. I love this show! Thank you creators. Joyous journey to you all!

Considering that I love to spend my free time watching medical dramas with a twist of supernatural, I really can't comprehend how I've missed Saving Hope so far. Being a moderate Stargate SG-1 fan, it's quite natural that Michael Shanks brought me here, but while I was expecting another fairly drama-packed, standardised medical show, I was quite surprised to see a really good character development. And while I resisted in the beginning, I'm really enjoying the dedication of Alex, the reserved but caring demeanor of Joel, the quirkiness of D-r Hamza and the amusing yet adorable way that Charlie deals with his gift/curse.

There are a few things that actually remind me of Grey's Anatomy (the high school-like relationships and dramas around the hospital, the constant endangerment of the hospital staff etc.), but unlike the other show Saving Hope is quite realistic when it's portraying the personal issues and musings of the staff when it's challenged with seemingly unbearable situation. Throughout the three seasons I've watched so far, I was amused, shocked, saddened and caught hoping and coping side by side with the characters - a thing I never do when the spirit of a show just isn't there.

Having watched this entire series from start to end (only a few episodes left), I am impressed with the writing and acting, particularly the roles played by Erica Durance and Michael Shanks.

The first season was a great introduction to the characters and the premise of the show. I will admit, I had my doubts this would work, but it did, and in excellent fashion. As the seasons progressed, they became very much more appealing.

My two complaints are that in the last season, it seems the writing got lazy and repetitive. Maybe it's because the episodes were cut short and everyone knew the end was near, but I wished it had maintained the pace and drama from the previous seasons. My second complaint is the fact the show did not get renewed. It's a shame as it has much more potential to keep going on.

Nevertheless, it's a fantastic Canadian production, and it will be sadly missed.

A well deserved 9/10 from me!

I will admit, I came from a Stargate SG-1 background, so naturally I already fell in love with Michael Shanks. His performance is no less than flawless, as it has been in past shows and even low budget movies. His presence is great and just makes the show for me. It is sort of a mix of the "Grey's Anatomy"'s medical problems and a hint of "Awake". The only thing that does not remind me of another show, is that this show is AMAZING. I have cried for good and bad in every episode so far, and I believe that will continue but I don't mind. It is a tear-jerker for sure, but again I don't mind. The other great aspects of the show, are the excellent cast. Erica Durance and Daniel Gillies are the other main characters and their performance is no less than stunning either. Personally, there is not a single part of "Saving Hope" that I do not enjoy week after week, even five shows in. I have the want after every episode, to watch the next, then the next day, I watch the episode again on Hulu. No negative comments. I will be severely hurt if this show doesn't last a while.

I am totally hooked on Saving Hope. This is not an easy thing to achieve by a TV show, mind you. It has been years since I regularly followed anything on the tube. But finally I found a show that has really good actors, it is well made, has entertaining stories, and features compelling characters. In other words, it is a high quality program that can be heart-wrenchingly dramatic, wittingly ironic, and yes, sappy and emotional too when necessary. While the set up of the show is not all together original--what medical show can be so by now?--each episode avoids being predictable. The subtle turns, the character growth, and the interesting challenges all make me care for what happens to the diverse characters in Saving Hope. As an extra element, many of the members of the cast are often on twitter and freely interact with their fans. The fandom of this show is amazing, so one can watch the show and be part of a very dynamic online community.