A Canadian drama from writer-producer Malcolm MacRury (“Earth: Final Conflict,” “Deadwood”) and Morwyn Brebner (“Rookie Blue”) about a comatose chief of surgery enduring a lengthy out-of-body experience that allows him to see (and speak to) dead people, “Saving Hope” stars Canadians Michael Shanks (“Stargate SG-1”) and Erica Durance (“Harry’s Law”), who played Hawkman and Lois on “Smallville.”
It’s not as bad as “Grey’s Anatomy” and not as good as “Chicago Hope” either. I dare say I enjoyed the first two episodes of “Saving Hope” more than most of the “ER” episodes NBC aired over the last five years. The most innovative thing about “Saving Hope” though, might be the omnipresent “Star Trek”-style lens flares its photography employs.
One reason to tune is a relative newcomer named Julia Taylor Ross ("Silent House"), who is hot as fire and is good enough to strip down to her bra in the second episode.
... With Shanks off on the margins, Durance is the de facto series lead. She's pleasant, and no more or less believable as a doctor than half the docs on "Grey's," "House" or even "Scrubs," but Alex as a character isn't compelling.…
... the life of the hospital goes on in ways that weren’t that interesting the first 10 times we saw them: crash carts roll past in slow motion, doctors have sex in the break room, a woman refuses treatment for religious reasons. These medical scenes are competent but forgettable, while the scenes of Charlie’s peregrinations are sometimes interesting and funny but surprisingly infrequent. …
... not the worst show to debut during the summer months — there is a natural curiosity factor built in to the main plot line and both Shanks and Durance are certainly engaging performers. But as "Grey's Anatomy" proved several seasons ago when its lead wandered in death's oddly lit foyer, though there may indeed be more things in heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy, a soapy medical drama is probably not the best venue in which to discuss them. …
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
... lukewarm stew of ideas from other shows ("Grey's Anatomy," "Touched by an Angel," the finally out of its misery "A Gifted Man") and films ("Ghost," "The Sixth Sense") with stock characters and situations that occasionally jerk a demi-tear or two, but with absolutely no authenticity. The sloppy sentimentality is cheap and unearned …
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
... there’s not much in “Saving Hope” viewers haven’t seen before (and better) elsewhere …
... supremely dreary … One way or another, “Saving- Hope” will flatline.
... wins no points for originality, but boasts a winning lead in Erica Durance. …
9 p.m. Thursday. NBC.
