MovieChat Forums > Saving Hope (2012) Discussion > How good or bad is this show now?

How good or bad is this show now?

posted 8 years ago by o-lO-o-Ol-o
10 replies | jump to latest

I wrote a review for this show around the time 1st season aired, it was not exactly a positive review. I am curious, how good or bad is the show now?

I'm guessing there are more fans of it in here, so I'll probably get positive comments, but I'm curious also if anybody has any negative comments to share about the show.

Also, what's the status of life for the Dr. Charlie Harris character? Ghost or something else?

Has the show introduced more plot concepts beyond the mystical and medical?

Has it developed the mystical to a greater degree?

Or has it focused mostly on medical drama?

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[–] philbachelor2005 8 years ago

Saving Hope, is a fantastic show!.......Charlie, came out of his coma in Season one (Episode 12). Charlie is now a Doctor who just sees Ghosts/or Spirits. Which is what I like about Saving Hope it is not just about medical show, they have some mystical qualities like Charlie seeing & talking to ghosts. But, there is always a balance between both aspects of mystical & medical to the show......Season One is about Charlie & his life in a coma and about Alex trying to get Charlie out of his coma. Season one, I enjoy because of Charlie & Alex love and about Charlie talking to Spirits..........Season two, is about Charlie life as a Doctor and about his communication with Ghosts. Alex does not know about the ghosts until in Season two (Episode 10) is where her brother Luke dies and Charlie tells Alex about the ghosts that he sees. Alex does not believe him but tells Charlie that she fight for him but Charlie leaves Alex. Season 2 has a cliffhanger where Alex is stab buy one of Joel patients. Spirit Alex sees and talks to Charlie at the end of Season 2 Episode 18.......Season 3 Episode 1 takes place the same place it left off in the Cliffhanger of Season two, where Spirit Alex is talking to Charlie. That Episode is when Charlie saves Alex life and in the next Episode Spirit Alex talks with Charlie about having a baby! In the next Episode 3 is were Alex wakes up and forgets the memories of being a Spirit!.....The ark of Season three is a Alex remembering her time as a Spirit, about her giving birth to her son Luke, and about Alex love for Charlie! The cliffhanger for Season 3 (Episode 18) was mind blowing! Where Alex has giving birth to baby Luke and Alex saying that she loves Charlie & the death of Joel....Which, I did not mind. I did not like the three way love triangle.....Season 4, is about Alex and Charlie living together and raising their son Luke. Alex knows about Charlie Ghosts and about trouble that will cause. The cliffhanger of Season 4 (Episode 18) was awesome! The ending of Season 4 Episode 18 that things would turn out good....But, in the last minutes of the show somebody either Alex or Charlie got shot! Now, I have to wait to next year (2017) to find out in Season 5.....

[–] o-lO-o-Ol-o 8 years ago

Holy wall of text, Batman!

...OKAY, let me try to get through that.

Saving Hope, is a fantastic show!.......

I had the exact opposite impression from the first season, but am curious if it is better now.

Charlie, came out of his coma in Season one (Episode 12). Charlie is now a Doctor who just sees Ghosts/or Spirits.

It looks like he also has a tumor, or at least other threads on here say that.

Which is what I like about Saving Hope it is not just about medical show, they have some mystical qualities like Charlie seeing & talking to ghosts.

I would rather watch the show if it had more focus on mystical and less on medical drama. That it has "some mystical qualities" sounds like it's not enough for my liking.

Season 2 has a cliffhanger where Alex is stab buy one of Joel patients.

Sounds a bit too Grey's knockoff to me.

...talks with Charlie about having a baby!

Yeah, that is great and all, but I want more than a soap.

wakes up and forgets the memories of being a Spirit!.....

Of course. Predictable.

and about Alex love for Charlie! The cliffhanger for Season 3 (Episode 18) was mind blowing!

You're quite ecstatic about the show.

the death of Joel....

Someone has to die. The show is about that, at least in part.

and raising their son Luke.

I'm guessing Luke is really Joel's son and when Luke gets older he'll have a natural ability to communicate with the dead / spirits / ghosts / etc.

The cliffhanger of Season 4 (Episode 18) was awesome!

Of course it was. Sorry, I just can't get on the same page with you, it sounds like the other seasons are pretty much the same quality and same type of stuff as the 1st.

somebody either Alex or Charlie got shot!

Again with the predictable stuff, Grey's knockoff, other medical dramas too.

I was hoping to hear that there would be more to the show now. Oh well.

Thanks for sharing anyway. I am glad to see that you enjoy it, and I'm sure many people do. I guess it's just not my type of show.

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[–] philbachelor2005 8 years ago

There are a few comments......1) Charlie, does have a tumor but we do not know this until Season 4. The tumor is taking out of Charlie but he still ghosts. Season 4 Episode 18, at the end, Charlie goes into surgery and has his tumor removed & after that Charlie & Alex goes to the fellowship awards and Charlie does see a ghost. Then Tom the gunman shots either Charlie or Alex. So, it is not the tumor that is making Charlie sees Ghosts.......2) I should not have put "some" into the phase "they have some mystical qualities". In almost all the Episodes, Charlie encounter Ghosts/ or Spirits. In Season 3 Episode 14, Charlie encounters a little boy named Henry (Spirit). Charlie, has find Henry body and we don't until the ending that Spirit Henry was killed and he donate his heart and his two kidneys!.......3) With Erica Durance becoming pregnant in real life, Saving Hope had to make Alex pregnant on the show during the third Season........4) If Baby Luke were Joel Biological Son, then Luke won't have the natural ability to communicate to the dead, Ghosts, or Spirits. Why would baby Luke have the ability to speak to ghosts? Could Joel speak to the dead! No!....If Baby Luke were Charlie Biological Son, then Luke would have the ability to communicate to the dead! Because, Charlie is able to communicate to Spirits. But, we still don't know who is the Biological Father a baby Luke. Maybe, in Season 5?..........6)Your loss, you are missing a terrific, and unique show with excellent Actors and Actress! Especially Michael Shanks & Erica Durance

[–] o-lO-o-Ol-o 8 years ago

The tumor is taking out of Charlie but he still ghosts.

Good decision from the writers/producers. It'd be weird if they took the mystical out of the mystical-medical-drama. Well, not weird, just more normal medical drama.

Then Tom the gunman

Makes me think of song "Janie's Got a Gun"... only "Tommy's Got a Gun".

I should not have put "some" into the phase "they have some mystical qualities". In almost all the Episodes, Charlie encounter Ghosts/ or Spirits.

Okay, I am glad to hear that! If there's a heavy dosage of mystic, then I might be more inclined to pick the show back up. I just can't stomach the intense medical drama side of it. Too soapish for my liking.

With Erica Durance becoming pregnant in real life

I didn't know that. That's great! I'm more interested in the real life story than the fictional. 

If Baby Luke were Joel Biological Son, then Luke won't have the natural ability to communicate to the dead, Ghosts, or Spirits.

{shrug} ...well, just a thought going along with the logic of soaps.

Why would baby Luke have the ability to speak to ghosts?

Same as above.

But, we still don't know who is the Biological Father a baby Luke.

I am not at all surprised about that.

Your loss, you are missing a terrific

If seasons 2+ are anything like season 1, then I can't resume watching it again. That's just too much drama.

[–] philbachelor2005 8 years ago

o-IO-o-OI-o......Erica Durance was pregnant at the time they time did Season 3. Erica and her husband David Paliffy (played on Stargate - "Sokar" in Season 3 and "Anubis" in Season 5,6, & 7))have had their son Lochlan William Paliffy on February 10, 2015. Erica just announce she is pregnant again with another boy on June 9, 2016......If you were going by logic of the soaps then baby Luke is Charlie son. Were Luke could see supernatural things when he gets older. Because if Charlie could see supernatural things why could not his son Luke.......I know HalPop told you to skip over Season 3, Don't...Because you will skip over some of Charlie (Michael Shanks) excellent acting & supernatural Episodes like in Season 3 Episode 14 & 15. If you like Stargate then Season 3 Episode 10- Currie Graham guest star, he plays Thor (reference to Stargate) Macleod & Michael Shanks wife Lexa Doig also guest star. Currie Graham also played on the Movie Stargate: "The Ark of Truth" which he play the IOA Agent James Marrick.....So, just skip over some Episodes of Season 3, if you feel like your are watching a soap. If you live in the USA, the ION Channel is carrying Saving Hope on Tuesdays (11:00 p.m.) & Wednesdays (12:00 a.m.) and on Fridays they repeat the Episodes at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. This Tuesday August 2, 2016 the ION Channel will show from Season 2 Episodes 17 & the cliffhanger 18........Give it another try and see if it like Season One...

[–] o-lO-o-Ol-o 8 years ago

I had no idea she married a Stargate actor, that's pretty cool.

Also cool about the SG guest appearances.

If I pick the show back up, I'll check it out online somehow, see if maybe it's on netflix or something.

[–] HalHopandPop 8 years ago

Because of Charlie's comatose state, Season 1 almost feels like a completely different show than the following seasons. All episodes except one have a ghost/spirit, with the nature of them varying. Sometimes they need petty things from Charlie, sometimes they help him solve their medical mystery, other times he must turn into a ghost psychiatrist in order for them to wake up or move on.

It's still a medical drama, just with a supernatural twist. Only Alex, Dawn, and the departed Gavin knew of Charlie's ability. The rest of the characters are normal TV doctors that deal with patients and personal drama. That said, I love almost every character on the show and the actors do a terrific job and seem to have great chemistry with one another.

If you're going to give the show another chance I might recommend skipping Season 3. It has good medical and ghost stories but a definite 'soap' feeling. The writers were dealing with Erica Durance's pregnancy and Daniel Gillies' request to leave the show, and things got a bit crazy in the relationship department. Season 4 is much more steady and Charlie delves a bit more into his ability when he meets a nurse who can also communicate with ghosts.

Filming Season 5 now, the writers and creators have said that the ghosts aren't going anywhere and will likely show up at an increased rate after Charlie's tumor removal. We may or may not find out Luke's father's identity, and honestly it doesn't matter to me (or Charlie). But even if he is Charlie's I highly doubt he will have the ability to talk with ghosts.

Long story short (too late) this is my favorite show at the moment and it seems to be gaining a new following since it started on ION. But no show is for everyone and this one may not be up your alley.

Milo, I've told you again and again - please, don't walk on the chickens!

[–] o-lO-o-Ol-o 8 years ago

Because of Charlie's comatose state, Season 1 almost feels like a completely different show than the following seasons.

Okay, now that makes a huge difference for me. That alone gives me reason to consider possibly watching the show again.

It's still a medical drama, just with a supernatural twist.

The supernatural twist, that's what draws me in... the medical drama, that's what pushes me away. I don't know. I had enough of the medical drama - an overdose, it burned me out to the extreme - when I used to watch Grey's Anatomy.

The rest of the characters are normal TV doctors

Because of that, I might not bother picking the show up back up.

If you're going to give the show another chance I might recommend skipping Season 3.

Wow, okay, so I painfully made it through season 1, which basically in hindsight means I should have just skipped it. So the best way to avoid the soap feel is to just watch seasons 2 and 4... I wonder if I'd be totally lost watching them at random places like that.

Season 4 is much more steady and Charlie delves a bit more into his ability when he meets a nurse who can also communicate with ghosts.

Okay, now that's what I'm talking about. Maybe I'll just skip 2 and jump right into 4. Or just watch key episodes from any of it.

the ghosts aren't going anywhere and will likely show up at an increased rate

Should've done that a long time ago.

But no show is for everyone and this one may not be up your alley.

Season 1 made it painfully clear to me that this is not up my alley. It sounds like the later seasons might be a neighboring alley that I can jump in and out of.

[–] HalHopandPop 8 years ago

I loved the first half of Season 2, as well as Season 4. It is pretty soapy in between. But the finale of Season 2 (which will re-air this week), and episodes 1, 2, and 18 of Season 3 are pretty important to the series storyline. I'd recommend watching those before watching Season 4.

Milo, I've told you again and again - please, don't walk on the chickens!

[–] o-lO-o-Ol-o 8 years ago

Having a list of specific key episodes like that is helpful, thank you.