samba53211 Review of Saving Hope

Saving Hope (2012–2017)

Shallow characters, meh script

[4/10 · 2 July 2017]

I usually like medical shows, but this one has some serious flaws . . . Aside from the fact that it's no "Gray's Anatomy" or even "ER." I started watching it because I was a big fan of Stargate. Michael Shanks played a likable enough character on that show, but that was 10 years ago, so I rather expected him to have more depth as an actor by now. Unfortunately he's quite flat as Charlie Harris. Then there are all the unlikeable characters on the show: Alex, who falls in and out of love like a 12-year-old (compare her to Dawn Bell, who has real depth); Dr. Murphy, who's a clone of Sweets from the show "Bones"and just as naive and vulnerable; Charlie Harris, an overbearing, self-important control freak; Joel Goran, who has no impulse control whatsoever; Dr. Lin, a real throw-away character in this ensemble. The saving graces in this show are the performances of Michelle Nolden as Dr. Bell, and Huse Madhavji as Dr. Hamza.

The only thing different about this show is the supernatural element: Dr. Harris sees and talks to ghosts. That does nothing for me, but with the current emphasis on the supernatural and superheroes, I get why did it. However, what in the world is up with the glowing blue light that invades almost every scene?!! It is just so annoying; I can't understand why anyone would introduce such a distracting element.

And why don't these doctors know how to use birth control?!!

I'll probably continue binge-watching to the bitter end, if only to see the characters get what's coming to them.