Erin Karplunk as Sonya

We had several returns in tonight’s episode. First we get the return of the always wonderful Erin Karpluk as Joel’s ex-girlfriend Sonya and we also see Alex return to the dating world where her blind date gets himself in a little bind.

Alex and Joel

This blind date starts us off for the evening. Sonya has set up Alex with a childhood friend, Seth Rollins. After Seth goes to the washroom, Alex then realizes that she is being set up but Sonya insists that they would be perfect for each other. Before their conversation can go any further, we hear Seth scream in pain; he has caught his hand in a condom machine. Joel is unable to remove his hand at the bar so the head to Hope-Zion.

Zach is on hand to treat him and makes some off-colour jokes that Alex doesn’t appreciate. Seth is embarrassed but when our team of doctors remove the machine off his hand, it takes away three of fingers.

Joel will perform the surgery to reattach his fingers and Alex tells Seth that he is in good hands. When Seth tries to explain why he had his hand in the condom machine, Alex says that he doesn’t have to and walks away.

Alex then updates Sonya on Seth’s condition and tells her that he is in good hands with Joel. Sonya feels guilty that this has happened to her friend. She also apologies to Alex for setting her up. Alex says she isn’t ready to date yet and assures to Sonya that she and Joel are just friends. Sonya seems comforted by this news and goes home to relieve her baby sitter.

It seems that gossip has spread that the patient was Alex’s blind date and Mel wants the gossip. Alex says that it wasn’t a blind date and wishes the break up weren’t so complicated and gets Mel to promise not to tell Charlie.

Later, Alex is called to Seth’s bedside. He is complaining about pain in his abdomen. As Alex examines him, Seth apologies to her again and wants her to know that he didn’t assume that she would sleep with him. But he wanted to prepared just in case. Seth mentions that it has been awhile since he has been out. When Alex discovers the source of the pain and after some tests, we learn that Seth has an aorta aneurysm. Alex says that surgery on the fingers will have to wait but Joel says no has he doesn’t want to lose the fingers. So the two will perform both surgeries at the same time. However, we hit another snag. Seth is too high risk to be out under so they are going to have to perform the surgery in way were he will be awake and aware of the whole thing but not feel anything. Alex and Joel bring this to Dawn, the new chief of surgery.

When Dawn hers what they want to do, she first says no but after some talk from Joel saying that she has the balls to approve this surgery, Dawn relents.

In surgery, Seth can feel a thing and the surgery begins with Seth wide awake through it all. As Alex and Joel perform their surgeries they engage Seth in small talk to keep his mind off what is happening. It ranges from what Seth does for a living to what Alex and Joel were like as kids. Then Seth hopes that Joel will be good to Sonya. As Alex’s surgery is winding down but Joel’s still an hour away from completion, Seth is not feeling very well and is starting to crash.

The doctors are trying to figure out what is wrong with Seth and realize his long fingers might hold the key. The believe that he has Marfan syndrome and on that hunch, they manage to stabilize Seth and complete the surgery.

Afterwards, Charlie finds out that Alex went out on a date. The two have a talk about their broken engagement and she asks why are they broken up if they are miserable without each other. Charlie says that he doesn’t want to drag Alex down with all his crap. But Alex tells him that they are meant to be together and knows Charlie believes it too and will fight for them. Charlie doesn’t disagree with her. So it seems that a reconciliation might be in order by season’s end.

Side note: I need to mention something about this scene. I find it funny that this scene happened between Erica Durance and Michael Shanks because a similar one happened between the two in Smallville season 10 episode 2 “Shield”. In that episode, we had Lois telling Carter that she always knew that she and Clark were destined to be together. Anyways, when Alex told Charlie that they were meant to be. I thought about that scene in Smallville. End side note.

Seth is on the road to recovery and that he has Marfan syndrome but it is a condition that can be managed. Sonya comes in with breakfast and once again tries to convince that Seth is a catch but alas it looks like it is not meant to be.

Maggie and Gavin

We see that Gavin is becoming quite over protective of Maggie while pregnant like telling her to not drink coffee or if she has taken all of her vitamins and such. But Maggie has more pressing concerns as she was exposed to a patient that has meningitis that could harm the baby. When Maggie is about to tell Gavin this, his over protective mode cause Maggie to change her mind.

Maggie goes to Dr. Calfous (Eric Johnson) to get her blood tested to see if she has been exposed to CMD from her patient. Dr. Calfous tells her that her baby has a 30% chance of contracting CMD but if it did then the baby will have significant medical problems like vision loss and hearing damage. Maggie thinks that if that happens then one option is to terminate the pregnancy but Calfous says that is a conversation that can wait until they get the test results back.

Gavin eventually finds out that Maggie has undergone some tests and wonders why Maggie didn’t tell him as he would have gone with her. She replies that is why she didn’t tell him.

The two then have an honest conversation with each other about how Gavin treats her and Gavin says that Maggie thinks she is all alone in this world. Maggie mentions the death of her father and not being close to her mom and that she has no family. But Gavin tells her that she is wrong that he is her family.

In the morning, Maggie wonders where Calfous is with her test results. When finds him asleep in an exam room and taking codeine which he says he took to help him get through the night shift, Maggie realizes that he didn’t send the blood work down so she will do it herself. The sheen on the sexy doctor has warn off for Maggie. Later we see Zach examine her.

Charlie

Charlie is treating a Canadian military officer, a Corporal Francine Seymour. She has hurt both of her legs after a parachuting accident. Charlie needs to put casts on her legs that she will be in for 8 weeks. But that doesn’t work for Francine as she is going back to Afghanistan for one final mission. Charlie notices that Francine has some difficulty moving her feet so he gets some further testing done. Charlie then mentions that Francine’s friend can come in but Francine has no clue who he is talking about. In the doorway we see an African Canadian solider looking on (Charlie noticed him as he came into Francine’s room hence why he mentioned a friend to her).

Charlie tells Francine that the skydiving accident caused a spinal fracture that he can repair with surgery but she will be out 3 months. Francine wants to be back on her feet in 6 weeks. Charlie also shows some shrapnel in her back. Francine is not very forthcoming of how it got there. Then the ghost solider appears telling Charlie that he is reporting for duty. When Charlie and this ghost solider are alone, Charlie wants to know what he wants but this ghost soldier doesn’t know who he is despite the fact his uniform as McCreary on it. Charlie tells him to figure out what he wants to so he can help him cross over.

Meanwhile, Charlie ask Gavin to speak to Francine about what has traumatized her and has caused her reckless behaviour and letting herself get hurt. Once again, Francine refuses to talk about what happened to her. Gavin says that she will feel better if she lets it out and he is more than willing to listen. Gavin then tells Charlie that Francine needs to talk about this one incident out loud or she will keep on doing dangerous stuff and getting hurt in the process.

During Francine’s surgery. Shahir and Charlie discover not shrapnel in her back but a piece of bone, specifically it seems a piece of McCreary’s skull. We see his spirit clutch his hand and muttering that he can’t leave her. Charlie gets the idea to use McCreary’s bone instead of a rod to repair the spinal fracture.

Charlie explains to Francine about bone being in her spine and how they used it to act as a glue to repair her spinal fracture. Francine finally opens up about what happened. She feels incredibly guilty over the death of McCreary as it should have been her but because he let her drive, he got killed. Charlie tells Francine to speak to a shrink about this as it will help her heal. Later we see her talking to Gavin.

When Gavin returns to his office, Charlie is there. He wants to talk to Gavin and right there and then tells him that he allowed a ghost to help treat his patient. Gavin looks dumbfounded but Charlie has a very serious look on his face.

We will see next week how Gavin takes this and maybe Charlie having someone he can talk to about this can start to process of him dealing with it better. And hopefully this will get Alex and Charlie back together.

Next week’s Saving Hope takes a page from 24 and offers a real-time episode with all the action taking place within the show’s 43 minute time frame. The episode is appropriately enough called “43 Minutes”.

Here is CTV’s office synopsis of the episode:

Alex (Erica Durance) is looking forward to a night of relaxation after a stressful week, but as she leaves the hospital she becomes a witness to a near-fatal accident and is forced back into her role as a doctor. The Hope Zion Hospital team arrives on site to take over, but Alex is determined to stay with the Code Team to try and save the John Doe victim’s life. The team rushes him into surgery, but, with time running out, they face a litany of complications. It’s a race against the clock in this real-time episode as Alex and the team refuse to give up on their patient. Meanwhile, Gavin (Kristopher Turner) forces Charlie (Michael Shanks) into a walk-and-talk therapy session in an attempt to explore and understand his relationship to the Spirit World.

Check the images below and be sure to catch the episode airing January 30, 2014 on CTV at 9pm PT/ET.

Alex (Erica Durance) and Maggie (Julia Taylor-Ross) bring the John Doe into Hope-Zion

For this week’s recap of Saving Hope I am going eschew my normal practice of dividing it up according to character’s plot lines as most of our doctors of Hope-Zion were involved in tonight’s medical case with the exception of Charlie and Gavin (more on that later) and Joel because it looked like we hit a period were Daniel Gillies was filming The Originals and only appears at the beginning and end of the episode.

We see Joel wishing Alex a good night after a long and difficult shift. The only thing Alex wants to do is go home and have a glass of wine. However, when she reaches her car, she is approached by a creepy guy who looks sweaty and hitting on her while saying that he can’t find his car. Alex is creeped out by him and doesn’t really want to go with him to find his car but suggests that he use the car’s remote to find it. He goes off on his way to find his car but Alex ends being concerned about him and is erratic behaviour. As this John Doe steps into the middle of the parking garage, he is hit by a car.

The driver, Denise starts to panic and doesn’t want to get involved as we see Alex start to save his life. Alex manages to get Denise to call Zach instead of 911 as it would be quicker. 3 minutes later Zach arrives with Maggie and Jackson. All four of them work on saving his life and we see a countdown clock set as they have a certain time limit before their efforts prove futile. The first thing we notice about him is that he has a scar on his chest from heart surgery.

When this John Doe is stable enough, the team move him from the parking garage back to Hope-Zion while Alex gets Denise to call the cops about the accident.

On their way back to Hope-Zion, the elevator they use is occupied by a arguing couple with a young son. Unfortunately, they can’t get out and the witness as our Hope-Zion doctors try and save this John Doe. We see the little boy notice a tattoo of the solar system that this man has on his arm, which does prove important later on.

They manage to get the John Doe to the ER and they can truly start to work on him. The eventually get a pulse and a heart beat. One of the nurses or doctor (I can’t tell) wants to stop the countdown clock but Zach and Alex tell him know as the patient isn’t out of the woods yet.

Meanwhile, in the waiting area, Alex updates Denise on what is going on and Denise is very worried of getting in trouble for this accident not only from the police but from her father. Later, when Denise finds out what happened to John Doe, she does face her fears and does talk to the police.

While John Doe’s CT scan is being performed, he crashes again and Alex comes back. She and Maggie start to argue on what is wrong with the John Doe. Zach shuts them up and takes charge OR and Zach asks that Dawn be called into the case.

In the OR, Alex can’t figure out where he is bleeding from and when Dawn comes in, she gets updated on what is happening. John Doe codes again while in surgery and Dawn thinks that because he has only been having a pulse and heart beat for such a short time that they should stop. But Alex won’t give up and it seems either does John Doe. So Dawn undergoes another surgery that can help Alex figure out where John Doe is bleeding.

During this surgery, a police officer comes in wanting to know if John Doe will make it but Alex forcefully kicks him out. Dawn is impressed with Dr. Alex Reid but not the person Alex Reid, whom she sees as a passive person. Alex sees this as a dig with her situation with Charlie and she explains that she is giving Charlie some space. Dawn says she did the same thing but Charlie still left her. The two women manage to work together enough to find the bleeder and fix him.

Meanwhile, Jackson is trying to figure out who this John Doe is. With his car keys in hand, Jackson eventually finds it but there is nothing to indicate his ID except for an unmarked pill bottle. When Jackson returns to Hope-Zion, he manages to identify what the pills are for and combined with John Doe’s test results, we learn that John Doe has a kidney problem and is hypokalemic.

We see John Doe crash again and after learning his diagnosis, Alex starts barking orders on what he needs to save his life. However, Dawn now realizes that it is a lost cause and stops the countdown clock. But Alex doesn’t want to give up but eventually realizes that it is too late and John Doe is dead.

Later, Alex tells Zach that she should have known that he had a renal problem because his tattoo of the solar system was meant to hide his dialysis hole.

Speaking of Zach, remember the family in the elevator. The little boy has come to Hope-Zion to undergo leukemia testing and he wanted to know how the John Doe is doing as he believes he is an astronaut. Zach lies to the father and says that the man made it.

While all of this was happening, Gavin tried to get Charlie to come to his therapy session. But Charlie tells Gavin that the pills he gave him has stopped the hallucinations and that he hasn’t seen a spirit in 10 days. We believe this because we don’t see the signature light flares the show likes to use to indicate the spirit world.

But Gavin tells Charlie that the meds are only part of the therapy but talking is also integral. So the two roam the hallways of Hope-Zion talking about the significance of Charlie seeing the spirits. When Gavin asks do the spirits tell him anything important, Charlie doesn’t answer. Gavin then notices that they’ve been avoiding areas where death or near-death happens as that is usually when Charlie sees spirits. Their talk somehow turned to a point where Charlie said that he had to give up the woman he loves to deal with this. Later we see the two men watch Alex’s surgery.

We see the light flares show up again and lo and behold Charlie starts to see John Doe appear but he can’t hear her he tells the spirit. Gavin watches as this goes on. In the viewing gallery, Gavin closes their therapy session and tells Charlie that he hopes to see him next week but Charlie says that he is busy and he will see when he can see Gavin. Later, we see Charlie in the OR looking at John Doe’s body when we see the spirit behind him, Charlie sees him but doesn’t speak to him and as he exits the OR, he throws away his pills. I really hope that this isn’t the last therapy session. I think Charlie having someone to talk to about this without judgement is a good thing but I guess we will see.

After everything is over, Joel is surprised to see Alex still at the hospital. Remembering what Dawn thinks of her, Alex tries to explain herself and her decisions about Charlie to Joel and how it is breaking her heart not having him in her life.

We finally see Alex start to go home when the police officer who interrupted her surgery stops her to get her statement. Alex is willing to do so when the officer notices blood on her neck still and offers her a tissue to wipe it off. Looking at how exhausted Alex looks, the officer tells her that he will take her statement in the morning. When Alex gets back to her car (a Mini Coop by the way), she notices a flat tire, which doesn’t seem to surprise considering the day she was having and we end the episode with her changing the tire.

Next week looks like we have Liane Balaban guest starring and she seems to be the spirit of the week.

Right now CTV doesn’t have a synopsis for Episode 15 of Saving Hope entitled “Don’t Poke the Bear” but from the looks of the images below, it looks like Maggie (Julia Taylor-Ross) and Gavin (Kristopher Turner) go in for an ultrasound for their baby as the handsome Dr. Calfous (Eric Johnson) is their OBGYN. We also see guest star Liane Balaban grace the halls of Hope-Zion as most likely a spirit that Charlie (Michael Shanks) helps given the light flares that we see. And Joel (Daniel Gillies) looks to be back and performing a surgery with Shahir (Huse Madhavji). We also see that perhaps Charlie and Alex are on the road to getting back together? I mean after this week’s episode we will only have three episode till the season finale. But the picture of Alex and Joel makes me think that another reconciliation could be on hand and not the one we are I was hoping for.

Saving Hope’s “Don’t Poke the Bear” will air on CTV February 6, 2014 at 9pm PT/ET.

Check out the photos below:Click to view slideshow.

Alex (Erica Durance) sees Charlie (Michael Shanks)

For this week’s episode of Saving Hope, we get guest star Liane Balaban, the return of Joel and Maggie avoiding the handsome Dr. Calfous.

Alex and Charlie

Tonight’s episode begins with Alex getting into an elevator at Hope-Zion. But then it gets stuck and she starts to get a panic attack and starts pounding on the doors asking for help to get out. Eventually the elevator starts moving again and when the door opens she seems to have attracted a crowd that includes Charlie who had no clue that Alex was claustrophobic. This little elevator incident has made Alex the talk amongst the Hope-Zion staff that is seen throughout the episode.

Alex gets paged and starts to walk away from Charlie but he too gets paged and promises that he isn’t following her. They meet up with Dawn who tells the former couple that she needs both of them to help a couple that were attacked by a bear.

As they wait for the couple to arrive, we learn that Charlie is living in a hotel and Alex is having to switch over their bills to her name. When Alex learns that Charlie has paid her parking tickets, she insists on paying him back.

Liane Balaban with Michael Shanks (back to camera) as Charlie Harris

The couple arrive, Wayne and Abigail. Wayne is far better than his wife. Wayne only requires some shoulder surgery but Abigail has a lot of injuries like claw scratches and a bruised abdomen. Alex wheels her into surgery and as she is being wheeled away, Abigail’s spirit appears to Charlie. I could have sworn that Alex had the feeling that Charlie did see something but Charlie brushed that off.

In surgery, Alex manages to fix Abigail’s internal bleeding but notices a pretty bad hematoma that she won’t touch and hopes that it would take care of itself but the OR will be on standby should it burst. Abigail is brought back to the ICU.

Meanwhile, Charlie has tracked down Abigail’s spirit in an empty room and she is cowering in fear. But once Abigail learns that Charlie is the only one that can see her, she relaxes and asks not to be called Abigail so instead Charlie calls her Abbie. Another request that Abbie has is to watch some TV but not nature programs.

In the ICU, we see Wayne arrive to Abigail’s room whistling. He tells Alex that this was his sign to his wife that he was coming home. When Abigail’s machines start going off, Wayne reacts violently to this and is angry and Jackson. Alex gets Wayne to leave as she works on stabilizing Abigail, which she does.

Alex then goes over Abigail’s x-rays with Charlie and they notice a lot of fractures that haven’t healed properly. In fact they noticed a lot of injuries that haven’t been treated by a doctor. When the confront Wayne about his wife’s injuries, he explains the injuries like Abigail falling out of a kayak and that he has set her bones. WAyne says that Abigail is clumsy and has brittle bone disease. Later, Charlie and Alex get Abigail’s test results back that indicate that she doesn’t have brittle bone disease but has vitamin D deficiency meaning she hasn’t seen the sun in awhile. Alex thinks this is odd considering she lives in the woods.

Charlie and Alex find his answers suspect and believes that Wayne is abusing her. But they can’t know for sure unless they talk to Abigail. They do know that once Abigail wakes up that Wayne will be out of Hope-Zion like a shot. So they turned to Gavin in hopes of keeping Abigail at the hospital by enacting a domestic abuse protocol. Gavin seems to agree with the duo.

When Charlie talks to Abigail again, he asks how she met Wayne. She tells him they met while she was hiking and she fell and broke her leg. Wayne set it for and they’ve been together ever since. Charlie presses her to see if she is being abused but Abigail insists that is not the case and that she needs Wayne. We then see Abigail hear Wayne’s whistle call and she starts to panic but Charlie doesn’t know how to help her.

Meanwhile. Abigail’s hematoma has burst and Alex and Maggie take her back into surgery where do manage to stop the bleeding and ensure that she will be okay.

Charlie goes to Gavin again and asks him if it is possible for a wife to become so dependent on a husband that she would end up defending him. Gavin says it is possible and when he says the word hostage, this clues Charlie in that perhaps Abigail is a kidnap victim. When Charlie finds Abigail again, he keeps on pressing Abigail to finally reveal her real name: Kyla Bradley.

Charlie then shows the missing poster of Kyla. She has been missing sine she was 12 years old, which was 15 years ago. When Alex asks how Charlie knew, he lies and says that he Googled missing people and someone who looked like Abigail came up.

When Wayne wakes up from surgery and asks about Abigail, Alex and Charlie are there and says she is fine. When Wayne asks to see her, Alex refuses and says she will never see her again and says that Wayne kidnapped her. Wayne thinks Alex is being ridiculous and goes to see his “wife” but the cops are there and they take him in. And Kyla’s spirit disappears.

When Abigail wakes up, Alex is there and she introduces herself as Kyla Brady.

Joel

Joel returns to more screen time and he looks awful lot like The Originals’ Elijiah. Joel’s patient is Kai, a caucasian buddhist who has a hunchback. Kai is reluctant to get the surgery to straighten is back but Joel insists that surgery needs to be done or he will choke to death while he is sleeping. Kai only agrees to the surgery if Joel will let him do something for him. Joel says yes and the surgery is on, which Joel seems excited to do.

Daniel Gillies as Joel Goren and Huse Madhavji as Shahir Hamza

I actually found Kai’s surgery interesting as we see Joel and Shahir work on his back. Some comedic moments happen hear as Shahir doesn’t quite comprehend some of the talk that surrounds him.

After the surgery, Kai is in pain but Joel tells him that straightening his back will cause other organs to try and adjust. Kai can’t be given drugs as he is a recovering drug addict but Reycraft says that it is possible that Kai could require more surgery. However, it seems that meditation is helping Kai cope with his pain and when Joel sees Kai admiring himself in the mirror (something he hasn’t done in a while), Kai says it is now time for him to help Joel. This help involves teaching Joel to meditate to which he fails miserably.

Maggie and Gavin

Gavin is waiting for Maggie to show up for their appointment with Dr. Calfous but she is a no show again. When Gavin wonders where Maggie was, she simply says she forgot. However, Gavin thinks Maggie is avoiding Calfous because of her crush on him. Maggie suggests that they get another doctor but Gavin doesn’t want to as Calfous is a good doctor.

Maggie (Julia Taylor Ross) and Gavin (Kristopher Turner) get an ultrasound of their baby under the care of Dr. Calfous (Eric Johnson)

Eventually, Gavin tricks Maggie into an appointment and when Calfous shows up, she doesn’t seem too pleased but goes through the appointment. The expectant parents hear their baby’s heartbeat for the first time puts smiles on their faces, But Maggie’s continued cold shoulder of Dr. Calfous puts a damper on the mood.

At the doctor’s lounge, Calfous wants to know what is Maggie’s beef and it is the fact that Maggie caught Calfous being hopped up on liquid codeine and doesn’t want a drug addict to her doctor. However, Calfous explained that the liquid codeine was for cough that he had and it just took him out. Maggie seems to believe this and the two make up. As they hug, Gavin comes in and looks almost jealous but Maggie pulls him away so they can go home. Something tells me that Maggie’s instinct was right and Calfous is a drug addict and something almost bad will happen to her and her baby.

Alex (Erica Durance) and Charlie (Michael Shanks -back to camera)

The episode ends with Charlie and Alex saying good night and parting ways. In the elevator, Alex steps in and as it closes Joel steps in. Joel tells her about him trying to meditate and she gets a good laugh out of that. Talk turns to Alex wanting to hide from the world and as Joel keeps on chatting away, Alex pushes him against the wall of the elevator and when it looks like they might kiss, she simply thanks him and walks out of the elevator.

Alex (Erica Durance) and Joel (Daniel Gillies) in the elevator hopefully not to make out

That elevator scene with Joel was kind of hot even though nothing happened and probably won’t considering that Alex told Joel in the last episode that she can’t imagine her life with out Charlie. This scenes just shows you that Erica Durance can have white hot chemistry with any leading man thrown at her. In Smallville, she had with Alan Ritchson, Justin Hartley and Tom Welling and now in Saving Hope with Michael Shanks and Daniel Gillies.

Anyways, we only have two more episodes left until the season 2 finale. Until next week

As near the season 2 finale of Saving Hope check out images of from episode 16 “Breathless”.

Here is CTV’s synopsis of the episode:

Alex (Erica Durance) is all set to perform a life-changing double lung transplant on a young Cystic Fibrosis patient when a traffic jam delays the arrival of his new lungs. Desperate, Alex reaches out to a former colleague and mentor who has developed an experimental piece of surgical equipment which could possibly save her patient’s life – if they can get it in time. Dawn (Michelle Nolden) has been growing suspicious of Charlie’s (Michael Shanks) erratic behaviour and decides to do some digging into his recent case files, while Charlie himself reaches a breaking point with a Spirit who won’t leave him alone, leading to a shocking development. Meanwhile, Joel (Daniel Gillies) tries his best to help a bickering couple who have each been injured while trying to renovating their house so they can sell it and finance their divorce, while Maggie (Julia Taylor Ross) questions him about his relationship with Alex. 

From some of these images, the one thing that hope doesn’t happen is that Charlie doesn’t OD on drugs and gets into a coma again and is walking around Hope-Zion as a spirit. Been there done that Saving Hope. 

“Breathless” will air February 13, 2014 on CTV at 9pn PT/ET. In the meantime, see our gallery of the episode’s images:

Joseph Pierre as Jackson, Alexander De Jordy as Connor, Erica Durance as Alex Reid and Glenda Braganza as Melanda Tolliver

Tonight’s episode opens with Joel taking Alex to a junkyard for a little aggression therapy but Alex doesn’t have time for it as she has an important surgery to perform. However, after some convincing from Joel, Alex takes a baseball bat to a car set for demolition she bashes it a few times to let out all the tension she has been filling. We then swoop into the medical cases of the week for our doctors of Hope=Zion.

Alex

Alex’s patient is 18-year old Connor (Alexander De Jordy) also dubbed the Miracle Orphan. Connor has cystic fibrosis and is awaiting a double lung transplant. But Mel delivers some bad news, the lungs are stuck in traffic because of a really bad accident. However, Reycraft literally rides to the rescue as procures a motorcycle and gets an escort to Hope-Zion.

However, once in surgery, Alex determines that the lungs are no longer viable. But Alex doesn’t want to give up any hope for Connor and try to see if there were any fatalities at the accident that could be lung donors and also asks Reycraft to call her mentor, Dr. Rakka (Paulino Nunes) at Memorial Hospital to see if he can help.

Connor is dying but he is considered a hero among the other kids in the CF Ward. While he is losing hope, Connor doesn’t want the other kids like Cade to lose hope.

While Reycraft and Alex try to see what they can do, their hope is also diminishing until Reycraft receives call that says that Dr. Rakka has arrive at Hope-Zion with some help, which includes the E.L.V.P. machine that actually helps make the original lungs viable again.

In surgery, Dr. Rakka lets Alex take the lead and she performs it admirably. Afterwards, Rakka tries to lure Alex to Memorial but she declines his offer. We later learn that Rakka and Alex were once an item after she had broken up with Joel.

Joel and Maggie

These two doctors get a bickering couple on the brink of divorce as their patients. The husband was brought in to Hope-Zion after falling off a ladder while painting his house in anticipation of an open house while he fell on the wife.

The wife, Bridget, checks out well but it is Louie that seems to have all the problems. He has a separated shoulder and a fracture of the tibia. When Louie accuses Bridget of trying to kill her, he gets up to confront her but proves to be a bad idea and what was the grossest part of the episode, we see the broken bone come out of his shin and Louie is rushed to emergency surgery. While they do that , Shahir announces that his head CT came back ok.

Joel manages to fix Louie leg however when he wakes up, Louie’s voice is all husky like actress Kathleen Turner. They only discover this only after another shouting match between Bridget and Louie. Joel separates the two and Bridget knows that she is a bad person but at least wants to make it up to Louis in some small way. Joel suggests getting him some soup. However, even that doesn’t go well and Louie thinks Bridget deliberately gave him some soup that has caused an allergic reaction as his throat started to clause. Epinephrine doesn’t work and after examining the CT scan again, Maggie discovers something.

Joel and Maggie tell Louie the bad news that he will require another surgery than involves reattaching something to do with his clavicle to his breast bone or something like that. Recovery time is 5-6 months. Louie is worried that he will be homeless since they are selling the house. But Bridget comes in and says that she has cancelled the open house and she will take care of him. So an tenuous peace is breached between the warring couple.

All of this is underscored with Maggie noting to Joel that he can’t be just friends with Alex because she was the one that got away.

Charlie

Charlie’s spirit of the week is Violet (Shelia McCarthy) who is in a common with a loyal husband by her side reading to her. When Charlie goes to look up a similar case to Violet, he notices that his files are missing. Mel tells him that Dawn took them as some sort of re-organizing kick. But Charlie knows better. He goes to Dawn’s office but Gavin is there. Charlie knowing something is up pulls Gavin aside. Gavin promises that he didn’t tell Dawn anything because of doctor-patient confidentiality. But Charlie is worried as Dawn asks to see him later. We see Charlie break into Gavin’s office and steal some meds, the same meds that he threw away a few episodes back.

When Violet’s spirit appears to him, Charlie wants her to listen in on Dawn’s and Gavin’s conversation in exchange for him helping her. What Violet hears is concern for Charlie. Dawn mentions that Charlie could lose his license if he were to be investigated. Dawn then asks Gavin if he would let Charlie operate on Maggie, Gavin doesn’t answer.

Michael Shanks as Charlie Harris

Knowing this, Charlie is worried about losing his job and refuses to help Violet in getting her husband ot move on. Throughout their conversations, we see Charlie popping pills to a point where Violet’s spirit is concerned on how many he did take. Charlie, not looking too hot, collapses on the floor. We see him have a seizure while out and when he wakes up, be briefly hears some spirits and then we see the light flares collapse on themselves and Charlie believes he might be ok.

When Charlie speaks to Dawn later, his job is safe as his files indicate that he has the lowest mortality rate of all her doctors.

Later at Gavin’s office, Charlie asks about theory behind electro therapy. When he learns that it involves seizures, this definitely confirms to Charlie that him seeing ghosts could be at an end.

We end the episode with Alex going to the doctor’s lounge to meet up with Joel. As they get ready to go, Alex wonders what is between the two. Them hanging out together is reminiscent of what happened before they got together and then hew screwed everything up. Alex asks if they are friends. Joel tells her no and plants quite the passionate kiss on her which she reciprocates. Joel then leaves Alex to contemplate what happened.

Here I feel for Sonja as her instincts were right. I feel for Charlie too as it seems next week the love triangle is officially on. I do hope that somehow Alex ends up with Charlie or none of the two because who says you need to be in a relationship to be happy. And that is quite the message to end on just before Valentine’s day 2014. See you next week for the penultimate episode of season 2.

CTV was a little late in releasing images to for tonight’s penultimate episode of Saving Hope but better late than never.

Here is CTV’s synposis of the episode:

Alex (Erica Durance) helps an older woman whose “mini-strokes” are causing changes in her personality, but the real challenge begins when she starts to believe the year is 1985. As Alex struggles to help her patient, long-hidden secrets begin to rise to the surface. Meanwhile, Joel (Daniel Gillies) and Charlie (Michael Shanks) treat two best friends with identical shoulder injuries – the result of a bet gone awry. As they pit Charlie and Joel against each other in a surgical showdown, the two doctors are forced to confront one of the long-standing issues between them: their affection for Alex. Maggie (Julia Taylor Ross) and Gavin (Kristopher Turner) are thrilled to see ultrasounds of their new baby, but complications arise when Maggie agrees to shadow Dr. Kalfas (guest star Eric Johnson).

“Twinned Lambs” airs tonight, February 20, 2014 at 9pm PT/ET on CTV.

Check out the image below:

Benjamin Ayers as Zach Miller and Erica Durance as Alex Reid

Tonight’s episode title of Saving Hope’s penultimate episode “Twinned Lambs” had the doctor’s patient cases reflecting the lives of the core Hope-Zion doctor.

At the start of the episode we see Charlie at the morgue making sure that he truly can’t see spirits. Once he confirms this, Charlie goes to Alex to say that he wants to meet up with her later to tell her something important. Alex agrees then goes off to her ER consult.

Alex

Alex’s case is Mimi, an older woman with stomach pains. Mimi comments on how beautiful Alex looks, which becomes important later on. When some other patients disturb Alex’s examination, Mimi seems to be suffering a panic attack.

When Zach goes to try and comfort Mimi, Zach gets a punch in the stomach for his troubles and also something he can’t live down.

Mimi is admitted and Alex has called in Gavin for a psych consult but he can’t determine anything mentally wrong with her. We learn that Mimi had recently lost her husband and her son died 10 years ago.

When Shahir is called in to see if Mimi had a stroke, this also turns out negative. When a neighbour of Mimi, Claire, visits her, Mimi has another attack. Dawn is called in and determines that Mimi needs a pace maker.

During the surgery, Dawn talks about the love triangle that Alex is in with Joel and Charlie. Alex insists that Joel and she are just friends. Dawn thinks that Alex should choose Joel to be with. This seems to be Dawn’s veiled attempt for Alex to give Charlie up so she can swoop in. During the surgery, Alex realizes that what could be wrong with Mimi could be with her adrenal gland but they can’t determine that until she has another attack.

Mimi’s pace maker surgery is a success but when she wakes up, she thinks it is 1985. Claire comes to visit Mimi and it is very clear that these two had some sort of romantic relationship. When Mimi asks for a kiss from Claire, she gets another attack. This allows Alex to do some blood work which confirms that Mimi has an adrenal tumor that Alex does remove successfully. Before the surgery, Mimi and Alex have a conversation about how you can’t help who you love, which sort of mirrors perhaps Alex’s feelings for Joel being reawakened.

After the surgery is complete, Alex warns Claire that Mimi is now back in the closet so to speak. Claire discusses their affair and how she still loves Mimi. When Alex goes to check on Mimi, she pretty tells Mimi that you can’t help who you love. Claire then comes to visit her and it seems to two are rekindling their romance.

Maggie

Maggie and Gavin get an ultrasound of their baby and the parents to be are delighted to see their baby. However, Maggie and Gavin are afraid to tell people especially Maggie fears telling Dawn as maternity leave may be an issue so close to her taking her boards. Dr. Kalfas mentions that Maggie should go into OBGYN as he is pretty lenient on maternity leave. Maggie agrees to shadow him for a day. And their patient is Ben and Sarah who, despite a difficult pregnancy, doesn’t want a C-section. However, Maggie thinks that is the best option for Sarah that won’t result in her death. But Dr. Kalfas wants to try something that will honour Sarah’s wishes. At first the delivery had some complications but Kalfas manages to deliver a healthy baby boy that Ben and Sarah name Sam.

In the glow of the success of the surgery, Kalfas kisses Maggie that confuses her but Kalfas tells her to forget what happens. He sends Maggie to deliver Sarah’s placenta while he does some paper work. When Maggie goes into deliver the placenta there are complications and Sarah is rushed to the OR but Kalfas cannot be reached.

Maggie finally finds Kalfas in the men’s bathroom shooting up heroine and she goes into the surgery solo and manages to save Sarah that doesn’t involve a hysterectomy.

Later Maggie goes to Dawn to report Kalfas’s drug use when Dawn comments how her scrubs are soiled with blood. Maggie then realizes that she is suffering a miscarriage. We later see Gavin come in to comfort his girlfriend.

Joel and Charlie

These two doctors treated a pair of actors, Marcel and Sandy, who are uber competitive with each other and like to bet each other to do crazy things. One of these crazy stunts landed them in Hope-Zion with a pair of dislocated shoulders. The pair then turn their competitiveness onto Charlie and Joel where they bet that they can set their patients’ shoulder faster than the other. The loser has to do one thing the winner wants within reason. Joel is the winner and the thing that Joel wants to Charlie to do is stay away from Alex as their relationship is over. Charlie thinks that Joel has slept with Alex and punches him in the face just as Alex walks into the doctor’s lounge.

So next week is the season finale and I am not quite sure how this show will end but the one thing that I don’t want is for Alex to fall into a coma and she walks that halls of Hope-Zion as a spirit. I rather have Charlie see spirits again and embrace it. And will we get a resolution to the Charlie-Alex-Joel love triangle? I hope so because I am not quite sure what is Daniel Gillies’ commitment to Saving Hope is now that the CW renewed The Originals for a second season. I guess we will see next week

From the images that CTV released for Saving Hope’s season 2 finale, it looks like Alex is not looking so good right now but on the bright side, she and Charlie look like they could be getting back together.

Here is CTV’s synopsis of “Broken Hearts”:

In the final must-see episode of the season, Dawn (Michelle Nolden) diagnoses Alex (Erica Durance) with an irregular heartbeat and she’s supposed to be resting – but before she gets the chance, The Great Randall (guest star Peter Keleghan, MURDOCH MYSTERIES) returns to Hope Zion Hospital after an experimental cancer treatment goes wrong. Meanwhile, Charlie (Michael Shanks) struggles with the implications of his fight with Joel (Daniel Gillies), who is trying to treat a troubled mathematician. Then, in a dramatic turn of events, one of Hope Zion’s staff is attacked and their life is left hanging in the balance.

Let’s hope that the cliffhanger is not Alex going into a coma and Charlie being able to see her spirit. If that happens the the show has jumped the shark in its young life.

The Saving Hope season 2 finale airs February 27, 2014 at a special time 10pm PT/ET after Grey’s Anatomy spring premiere.

Check out images from the episode in our gallery below:

Daniel Gillie as Joel Goren and Erica Durance as Alex Reid

It is the season finale of Saving Hope and a lot went down tonight with a cliffhanger that I called last week. But lets get started with our last recap of season 2.

Alex

We first see Alex looking a little bit out of breath at the lobby of Hope-Zion. Charlie notices her and takes her pulse and says she is in afib. A checkup from Dawn is a little bit inclusive so she hooks up a heart monitor to see what is causing her arryhytmia.

Alex is back to work and her patient is one we have seen before: The Great Randall, who apparently had returned from Mexico with not only tequila for Alex and a hernia but magnets in his stomach. Alex manages to remove the magnets and Randall seems to be okay but there is some bad news. But we really don’t hear it yet as Randall is all hopped up on pain meds and starts to confuse Alex for his daughter Leslie.

Alex tells Maggie that she is going to call Leslie to come, which she does. Father-daughter are meeting for the first time in in 10 years and Alex wants to discuss treatment options. Randall’s pancreatic cancer has spread and there are problems with the hernia so surgery is required. Randall asks his daughter to wait for him and be there when he comes out. Leslie agrees after Randall reminds her of something he used to do when he is a child.

Prior to going into surgery, Randall finds out that Alex and Charlie have split because of the fact that he can see spirits. Randall tells Alex that she should take Charlie back as it will be good for her health. Before the surgery, Alex takes off her heart monitor, which alerts Dawn but she lets Alex perform the surgery.

During the surgery, Alex and Maggie discover that Randall has a tumour in the colon and he never had pancreatic cancer and Randall might just end up being okay and not on death’s door as everyone thought.

When Alex tells Leslie this news, she doesn’t seem to happy as she only came to see her father before he died. Leslie can’t seem to forgive Randall but Alex tells that maybe she should as they could have a better relationship.

Erica Durance as Alex Reid and Michael Shanks as Charlie Harris

Alex then sees Charlie as asks about his conflict resolution class (see below more more details). Charlie tells Alex that it went find and he notices that she isn’t wearing her heart monitor. Charlie puts it back on and the two seem to share loving looks but Alex breaks the moment and leaves.

Back in Randall’s room, Alex and Maggie tell him that he has colon cancer and they can treat it. This news brings Randall closer with his daughter.

Later Charlie visits Randall where he tells the psychic that he no longer sees spirits. Randall tells him that he releases Charlie from his curse that even though he no longer sees dead people, he still has the guilt inside him.

Charlie

Because of Charlie punching Joel in the face in the last episode, Dawn has ordered him to take conflict resolution classes or she won’t let him work. After unsuccessfully trying to get Gavin to sign the form without attending conflict resolution, Charlie attends.

What we see in this class is Gavin impersonating Joel to get Charlie to say what their conflict was about. When talk turns to Alex, we see that it is the root cause of it. When Gavin and Charlie are alone, Charlie confesses that he blew it and he misses Alex and this doesn’t make him angry but sad. With that statement, Gavin signs off on the sheet.

Joel

Joel’s patient is an actuary named Ian (David Storch) who is in Hope-Zion with a pretty bad ankle that Joel repaired. However, Ian’ recovery is impeded with him sleeping walking and putting pressure on the ankle. While Ian sleep walks, he wanders around Hope-Zion scribbling mathematical equations on the walls or any surface he finds at Hope-Zion. Dawn hilariously calls these nerd graffiti.

Joel re-fixes Ian’s leg and goes to Shahir to wonder what could be causing the sleepwalking. Shahir believes it is some unresolved trauma that Ian needs to resolve. Shahir also mentions to Joel what came out of the conflict resolution class to him.

Joel takes Ian to the doctor’s lounge and asks what do the equations mean. Ian describes them and it all stems to him losing his son from being hit by a truck, his marriage crumbling and him losing his job.

Back in Ian’s room, he tells Joel that the odds are getting better for him to get back with Alex. Joel tells him to rest and he will be there to keep an eye on him. However, Joel has drifted asleep and when he wakes up Ian is gone.

Joel starts to track him down. And we see Alex go to the on call room to get some rest but there is Ian carving out equations with scissors. When Alex tries to get him to leave, Ian stabs her in the chest and Alex crumbles to the floor bleeding with scissors sticking out of her chest.

Alex is lying there bleeding out calling for help but no one hears. Dawn then notices her heart monitor go erratic and calls Alex but can’t really hear where Alex is. Dawn and Maggie search the halls of Hope-Zion for Alex and Alex manages to move her way to the room’s alarm to alert to her presence. Dawn and Maggie arrive and spring into action to save her life.

We see Joel look at Ian wake up with a really bloody hospital gown and Charlie receiving a text alerting to Alex’s situation.

Dawn and Maggie rush her into surgery while Charlie is there begging Alex to stay awake and stay with him. Charlie professes his love but Alex is slipping away. Dawn and Maggie take over and we see those light flares again. Alex starts to code and we end the season with Charlie seeing the spirit of Alex and her whispering his name.

And Saving Hope has gone there with Alex. This is what I wrote when I posted the preview images to the season finale: “Let’s hope that the cliffhanger is not Alex going into a coma and Charlie being able to see her spirit. If that happens the the show has jumped the shark in its young life.”

I am not happy with that but it seemed that episode was heading in that direction and we still don’t have a resolution to the Joel-Alex-Charlie love triangle. So I guess Daniel Gillies is going to be on two shows at once.

What I see happening in season 3 is of course Alex is going to pull through. I mean she has to because she is played by the sublime Erica Durance who is the freaking star of the show. I think season 3 will be about Charlie embracing that he can see dead people and Alex being supportive of this gift because she was part of it.

I don’t know when CTV will air season 3 of I’ve heard that the show won’t start filming again until June. Until next time…

Erica Durance as Alex Reid

Alex is still in the spirit world and is going over her own chart to see what is wrong with her and the reason why she is still in a coma. Charlie tells her to let her doctors take care of her and that they should get back to their game of strip poker. Alex wins her hand and gets Charlie to take off his top. This is when Shahir walks in to let Charlie know that Alex doesn’t have a brain injury.

In the elevator, Alex has doubts about her recovery but Charlie believes that she will be okay as she believed in his recovery.

As they walk towards a secret destination, Alex and Charlie comes across Maggie, where they briefly talk about Alex’s condition. Charlie tells Alex of break up with Gavin.

Their secret destination is Dawn’s office to see why she won’t see anyone at 8am. If Alex does that then Charlie will recommend that Alex be extubated, which Alex wants. What Alex sees is Dawn singing gently to her guinea pig about how mommy has to go to work. It is a sweet and funny scene at the same time.

At the ER, Zach finds a hung over Joel in a ER bed and wants him to look at a patient but he is not on duty. Joel is also in rough shape and people ask if he has been to see Alex, which he hasn’t yet.

An addict comes in calls himself the Mayor and Zach makes a Rob Ford joke. It seems the Mayor (whose real name is Roy) has an infected tibia from the metal rod in his leg.

Stacey Farber as Sydney Katz

Meanwhile, Maggie meets her new boss, Dr. Katz (Stacey Farber), youthful looking and very Jewish. Their first patient pregnant woman who fell while hanging a mobile and experiences headaches. Lara’s husband David arrives and when Maggie takes her for more tests, Lara collapses in the elevator. Alex is there to encourage Maggie as she treats Lara but she then sees Lara’s spirit but who can’t see her.

Shahir states to David that Lara had an aneurysm and she is now in a coma. As Lara hears this news, Alex comforts her.

Back to Joel’s case, he has taken a new doctor under his wings, Dr. Laroche to help with Roy’s surgery. At first it wasn’t going well where there was a possibility of amputating his leg but Joel decides another form of treatment to save Roy’s leg.

Daniel Gillies as Joel Goren

While Roy recovers, Joel outlines his treatment plan and the forbids any visitors as he fears that Roy’s drug dealer will come, which he does. Joel gives chase but is unable to catch him. So Joel decides to stay with Roy to ensure that his drug dealer won’t return and hinder his treatment. However, Roy starts to experience pain under his arm and it not good news and Roy needs more surgery. Before going into surgery, Joel manages to convince Roy to speak to his mom. Roy does but lies about why he is at the hospital.

Back to Maggie and Katz’s patient. Both check on Lara’s baby and we see that David is quite upset at what happened to his wife and punches a door in anger.

Alex wonders to Charlie why Lara can’t see her and wants Charlie to talk to her to offer her some comfort. Charlie gets a call to fix Lara’s husband’s hand.

Charlie treats David, who talks about blaming the baby for what happened to his wife when a code blue for Lara happens. Shahir comes in and tells David that Lara is brain dead as Lara, Alex and Charlie look on.

Maggie and Katz tells David that the baby is still alive and he needs to decide if he wants to keep Lara alive so the baby can be born. David doesnt know what to do. This story is ripped from the headlines from a case in BC.

Kristopher Turner as Gavin Murphy

Gavin talks to David about his choice and tells him to take his time making his choice.

At the maternity ward, Charlie asks how Lara is doing, Lara asks if Charlie has kids, which he replies he doesn’t. Lara then asks if Charlie wants kids and he says he does, much to Alex’ delight. Lara believes that her husband will make the right call to save their son.

Alex (Erica Durance) and Charlie (Michael Shanks

But Lara was wrong. David has decided to take his wife off life support. Katz thinks the decision is BS but Gavin, Malinda and Maggie wants to abide by his decision.

Later, Gavin and Maggie discuss their breakup and Maggie is going to move out of their apartment (we later see Maggie sleeping on the sofa of the doctor’s lounge). Gavin still professes his love to Maggie but this won’t change her mind.

At Alex’s extubation, Alex seems to be doing fine and is breathing on her own but Alex wonders why she isn’t waking up.

Lara wants Charlie’s help in convincing David to change his mind but he doesn’t want to leave Alex but sprit Alex says to go do his ghost doctor thing.

Charlie goes to talk to David about his decision and Lara is coaching him on what to say to convince him to change his mind. But alas, David is not convinced.

When the time does come for them to pull the plug, Lara tells her husband that she will still love him and when she says the same to her son, David takes a moment to say goodbye too but then he changes his mind. David states that Lara would have wanted him to save their son and he wants their son too. Later on David’s mother arrives to comfort her son.

Meanwhile, Roy didn’t make it and this prompts Joel to go visit Alex and tells her that even though he couldn’t save Roy, he refuses to lose her and that she belongs in the here anow now with him.

While this visit is going on, Charlie and Alex discuss what should happen if she should not wake up. Charlie quips that they could solve crimes together. In all seriousness, Charlie has enjoyed their one-on-one time. Alex then states that Charlie would make an amazing father and Charlie states that Alex would make a yummy mommy. Could this be a way to write in Erica Durance’s real-life pregnancy?

Side Note: I try not to talk anymore about Smallville as it relates to Saving Hope but I have to here. When Alex states that Charlie would make an amazing father. Erica Durance pretty much said that line almost exactly how she said it as Lois Lane to Clark Kent in season 10’s “Scion”. It was my favourite line of the episode and it was so sweet.

Anyways, Alex wonders why they waited to have kids and states that when she wakes up, they should have a baby. The two lean in to kiss and Alex disappears. Why does she disappear?

Well, Alex wakes up and how she wakes up is very fairly tale-esque as Joel gives her a kiss. Could that have been true love’s kiss? Who knows but when Alex does wake, she does look at Charlie, who has come running into the room.

So what happens next? From the previews, it looks like Alex won’t remember her trip to the spirit world and it seems that there is something still wrong with Alex according to the spirit of Ian, the man that stabbed her. And I am so glad that Alex isn’t in a coma for the whole season, as predicted.

According to CTV’s description of Saving Hope’s third episode of season 3, it seems that Alex is suffering from some memory loss but doesn’t sound like it lasts for long. Here is the episode description for “Awakenings”

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.

All of the preview images for this episode focuses on the two fused-together patients (it is kind of gross) but we also see the return of the always fabulous Wendy Crewson as Dr. Dana Kinny.

“Awakenings” will air on October 2, 2014 at 9pm ET/PT on CTV.

Check out the images in our gallery:

Alex is awake but unfortunately has some memory problems and is also quite confused as Charlie and Joel try and calm her.

Later, Alex is moved to her own room and Gavin is there to do an assessment. Unfortunately, Alex can’t remember Gavin either but he helps her fill in some blanks in particular that her frequent visitor is her ex-fiancee Charlie. Alex remembers what her medical condition is and means but wishes she could remember how she met Gavin. Gavin shares how they met as he leaves the room.

Gavin tells Dawn and Charlie that Alex just needs time and that her memory will return. Dawn suggests that Alex start to walk to prevent thrombosis Before any more ideas get Charlie gets called to an emergency. Charlie sees Ian’s spirit hovering over Alex’s bed.

Maggie is emotional over getting her first period since her miscarriage and Katz is there to be a hear for her. Maggie’s get further emotional when she is tasked by Zach to delivered some bad news to a patient but she breaks down and walks off. Zach offers some comfort like sharing how his ex-wife coped with her miscarriage and tries to offer some exercises to help but Maggie is having none of it. Maggie tries again with Carl but starts to laugh and takes off again. This time Gavin is there and wants to comfort Maggie but she gets pissy with him. I wonder how long Gavin is going to be on this show (and judging from next week’s previews, it seems that Gavin goes over the deep end) as he is no longer listed amongst the series regulars. Plus, I believe there is a new psych doctor joining the show.

Later, Maggie gets Zach to tell Carl the bad news that he has something that is battery operated stuck in his rectum.

Maggie then gets advice from Reycraft that is less than useful but finally receives some helpful advice from Dr. Katz. Katz tells Maggie that she should stop blaming her hormones but the fact that she went through something pretty emotional. Katz suggests that she write a letter to her unborn child about her hopes and dreams for him/her. We see Maggie do that and packs away in a box, the letter, the sonogram and some baby clothes and toys. And can you believe that Stacey Farber, who plays Dr. Katz is 27! I remember Farber was on Degrassi as a teen.

A condo explosion brings in tons of burn victims including a man and a woman fused together from some heated insulation. The man is the building’s electrician, Marshall, and the woman is the architect, Anna. It seems they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Charlie and Joel argue over the best course of treatment but Charlie is called away and Dana takes over and the same debate ensues. The situation

Dana (Wendy Crewson) and Joel (Daniel Gillies) have a consultation

becomes dire when Marshall can’t feel his legs anymore. Joel asks Charlie for some help but is more combative to him so he goes to Dana instead. Surgery is the next source of action. Anna wants to go first (but can’t) and starts to panic. Marshall comforts her and when he can’t feel his hands, the situation gets worse. So Joel goes to Dawn on who should take charge of the surgery, Dawn eventually sides with Charlie, pissing Joel off.

During the surgery, Anna is awake and before going under offers some words of encouragement to Marshall. It is also revealed that Anna and Marshall are a thing despite Anna saying she had a boyfriend. However, things go south as Anna starts bleeding out. The surgeons separate them with Joel’s help. After they separate Anna and Marshall, Charlie notices the good mood that Joel is in. Joel attributes it to his visit to Alex and tells Charlie that despite her memory loss, she will be okay. Affronted at what he hears, Charlie tells Joel that maybe he should give Alex some space. Joel then notices something protruding from Marshall’s back and they see it is an engagement ring. Apparently the question that Marshall asked was THE question and Anna said no. Later on, Anna and Marshall are okay and Charlie gives Anna the engagement ring. It is unknown whether or not this situation will bring her to say yes.

Dawn is checking up on Alex and suggests that Alex walks to the nurses station. We see Alex still frustrated at her memory loss. When Alex does go for a walk, she encounters a fellow patient, Marisol, who sees Alex struggle. It would have been cool that she was dead but alas people can see her asks charlie for some space. Later Jackson takes her on a tour of the hospital on the way to the ER and recaps her on all the gossip at Hope-Zion. They encounter Marisol who is up the wall and itching to get discharged but Dawn won’t let her go. Alex wonders what the gossip on her is and Jackson says that could take all day. Jackson makes a pit stop and when Alex tries to get up, we see Ian’s spirit reach out to Alex when she collapses and Charlie is there by her side. Alex once again wants Charlie to give her some space.

Joel visits Alex and this visit goes over better. Joel tells Alex three things about her. Two will be true and one not. Joel mentions two things that happened over season 1 and 2 and one falsehood. Alex doesn’t get it right but Joel still gives her the prize of writing her life on one piece of paper and places it at at the hospital cafe for her to walk to. It seems that Alex has taken a liking to Joel despite the fact knowing that they were once a couple. I think this is going to be bad news for Charlie for season 3.

Alex has made her way to the cafe to retrieve Joel’s note and see Marisol there who is finally discharged but not feeling well. Marisol collapses and Alex pulls out her IV and goes into Dr. Reid mode and remembers everything and gets the help Marisol needs. Dawn later checks on Alex and Alex tells her she remembers her and thanks her for saving her life. The two share a sweet moment together before parting ways.

We also learn in this episode that Dawn and Reycraft are a thing as we see the two make out in the elevator.

Later that night, we see a happy Joel with tons of balloons and a pinata go and visit Alex but is stopped short when he sees Charlie there sharing a tender moment with Alex. Joel hands off the gifts to a passerby and walks away.

In Alex’s room, Charlie explains to Alex how she was with him while she was in the coma and asks if she remembers any of that. Alex says no. But Alex says that while she remembers their life together, it seems that she isn’t ready to move on and asks Charlie to have this discussion the next day. Charlie agrees and tells Alex he loves her but Alex remains silent.

Outside of Alex’s room, Charlie sees the spirit of Ian who tells him that Alex is not alright.

So who do you want Alex to be with? Joel or Charlie? I personally want Alex to be with Charlie as the show’s initial premise hinged on their love story. And plus I don’t know how long Daniel Gillies can be lead characters on two shows that film at the same time. One show has to give and I think it is going to be Saving Hope. 

Share with me your thoughts on this love triangle.

Saving Hope’s fourth episode of its third season features a very special guest star for one of its stars as Lexa Doig aka Mrs. Michael Shanks will be guest starring. Of course we also know Lexa as Andromeda from Andromeda and as Sonya Valentine in Continuum. Here Lexa plays a doctor at a clinic that Joel is attending.

Here is how CTV describes “Stand by Me”:

Alex (Erica Durance) is introduced to her “buddy colleague” on her first day back to work since her stabbing. Joel (Daniel Gillies) finds himself involved in a deadly situation at a local street clinic, and Gavin (Kristopher Turner) has a euphoric experience with the help of an unlikely ally. The episode is directed by series star Michael Shanks and features his wife/actress Lexa Doig in a guest starring role.

“Stand by Me” will air on CTV October 9, 2014 at 9pm ET/PT. Before then, check out the images released by CTV that features Lexa Doig and Daniel Gillies at this local street clinic.

Lexa Doig treating a patient at the clinic

In an episode directed by series star Michael Shanks, we get an episode that guest stars his real-life wife, Lexa Doig as Selina, a doctor at a city clinic.

We also get Alex’s first day back at Hope-Zion after being stabbed in the chest.

What surprised me most is we open up with Alex at home with Charlie also there happily taking care of her. It seems that the two might be living together again. So there is hope for those two.

At Hope-Zion, Dawn has assigned Alex a rotation in the ER with her watching over her. Alex’s first patient is a man with garden shears in his abdomen that Alex manages to treat.

Daniel Gillies as Joel Goren

Joel is at this clinic to hand some paper work to Selina but ends up treating a man, Gabriel, with a gunshot wound but his brother, Paul, won’t let them go to a hospital as it seems the two are in the country illegally. Paul threatens Joel and Selina by knife-point. Some quick thinking by Selina allows her to subdue Paul with the knife. When Paul gets defeated he wants to take Gabriel away as he is afraid they will be sent back to their country and it would not be good as Gabriel is gay. Joel promises to remove the bullet out of the man’s arm, which he does but it also causes major bleeding in his artery. Selina gets some drugs to help with Gabriel’s pain and she and Joel work to stop the bleeding. Joel and Selina manage to patch Gabriel up and we learn that Gabriel had to leave his boyfriend behind as their lives became in danger.

After the ordeal is over, Joel finally gives the envelope to Selina. Apparently they have a patient in common and this patient owed Selina some money. Selina asks Joel to give the money to Paul and Gabriel and she also offers Joel a job at her clinic.

And Charlie meets an elderly woman’s spirit hanging around Hope-Zion for her husband to die and join her. Charlie then goes to Gavin for his session but Gavin isn’t in any shape for any patients as he is in a hoodie and a T-shirt. Charlie goes to Gavin’s supervisor, Stu, with his concerns and he promises to look into it.

Gavin has a new office mate, a Dr. Day who is moving his stuff in. Gavin sweetens his coffee with some sugar cubes he finds in one of Dr. Day’s boxes and has three sugar cubes. When Dr. Day notices this, he tells Gavin those sugar cubes were laced with LSD for a experiment he is conducting. Gavin soon gets all trippy and refusing to talk about his failed relationship with Maggie but just that he wasn’t passionate enough for her. Gavin then goes through a trippy walk through the hospital. When Gavin returns to his office, he sees Maggie with their baby and he talks about how he tried to be what she wanted and “Maggie” talks about how his mother left him at 7 to find herself and that Gavin shouldn’t be afraid to the same. Gavin tells Dr. Day that he was feeling hate but now is starting to feel love.

When Gavin comes off his high, Charlie visits to see if he is okay. Gavin says that he imagined his life would involve him and Maggie starting a family but then things changed and that he is going to change too. Gavin announces he is leaving Hope-Zion and Charlie wishes him good luck. Gavin then says goodbye to Maggie and we see him walk out the doors of Hope-Zion with new found confidence. Goodbye Kristopher Turner. I am going to miss you goofiness.

That elderly woman is watching her grandkids singing to her husband and eventually she gets reunited with him. Charlie seems inspired by this couple’s love story.

Alex’s next patient is Glen who is being admitted for respiratory problems and Glen tells her that he’s never been to the hospital. Later, Alex’s stitched rip open and Maggie patches her up and promises not to say anything.

We learn that Glen has all of organs on the opposite side they normally are and that he has had a heart attack. Glen gets worse and he requires surgery. Alex is going to be in on the surgery with Dawn. Before Alex goes into surgery, she makes plans with Charlie that night.

While Alex is scrubbing up, she starts to remember her time in the OR and a bit of her out of body experience and panics. Alex drops out of the surgery and Dawn orders her to go home and for Reycraft to scrub in. However, even with Reycraft there, Dawn can’t figure out what is wrong with Glen. So Dawn finds Alex outside Hope-Zion and needs Alex because she is left-handed and knows how to think the opposite way. Alex is afraid to go back but Dawn convinces her otherwise.

Alex is successful in the surgery and when Dawn says they have to shake Glen to prevent a stroke, this gets Alex laughing, just what she needed.

In Glen’s recovery room, Dawn tells him that the video of surgery is only going to be for teaching purposes only and that he should consider being an organ donor so he can help others like him. When Dawn leaves, Glen tells Alex he is unsure that he likes his life how it was and that it feels weird to be the same on the outside but different on the inside. Of course this is like a metaphor for Alex. Regardless, it seems that Glen does relent as we see medical students in his room examining him as he tries to have a visit with his wife Rita.

After Dawn removes Alex’s stitches, Alex returns home and their is Charlie with red wine waiting for her. Charlie tells Alex he was inspired by something he saw today and he proposes to Alex saying he doesn’t want to spend the next 70 years without her. Alex however has a very different answer for Charlie. Alex tells him that she is not the same person since she woke up from her trauma. So different that Alex tells Charlie flat out that she no longer loves him. And my heart broke a bit for Charlie.

I really hope that Charlie doesn’t give up but woos Alex and gets her to fall in love with him again. Their love story is the heart of the show and why the show exists in the first place. I see Charlie and Alex as end game. So we may get Joel and Alex together for a bit but we know it can’t last long as I keep on saying Daniel Gillies cannot be a major character on two shows, he has to give one up and I feel that Saving Hope will be that one so I am not investing in that relationship.

I am Team Charlie. What team are you on?

CTV has made available images for Saving Hope’s fifth episode of its third season.

The episode, entitled “Breaking Away” is described thusly:

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.

“Breaking Away” airs on October 16, 2014 on CTV at 9pm ET/PT.

Check out the images, which for some reason that I hope the episode explains is a dog in a carrier.

After Alex declared that she no longer loves Charlie, Maggie has moved in and so has Dawn’s guinea pig (temporarily).

At Hope-Zion, Mal is offering words of wisdom to Charlie about his breakup with Alex when Alex appears behind him Charlie wants to give his keys to Alex and when their hands touch, Alex gets a romantic memory of (we assume) Charlie writing a heart in the sand, most likely from their Costa Rica vacation. Alex mentions finding some stuff of Charlie’s.

Michael Shanks as Charlie Harris and Danso Gordon as Rian

In the ER, Zach, Rian and Charlie are dealing with a man bitten by a Misssauga rattler who gets worse when he starts to bleed from the eyes and is getting an allergic reaction. And the anti-venom is not working. The doctors believe another snake may have bitten him and Jackson is on the case. The make matters worse, Rian has lost the snake and Zach, who is afraid of them, is freaking out and demands for it to be found.

Erica Durance as Alex Reid

While Alex’s patient is a man, Will, with Downs Syndrome involved in a car crash where he was the drive. During her examination, Alex’s left hand starts to seize. His mom is brought in soon after and starts to crash but Joel gets her stabilized. Charlie sees her spirit and with her help gets Will to calm down. Will’s mom, Katie, is quite the high maintenance spirit and refuses to die as she needs to be there for her son. As Will starts to panic and blame himself, Katie says it is best that Charlie do what she says to keep Will calm.

Daniel Gillies as Joel Goren

In surgery, things aren’t going well for Katie and in fact she needs a liver transplant. Alex worries what to say to Will and Joel says he will be there with her to help. Will is by his mom’s bedside and Joel and Alex tell him of the situation. Joel suggests as a close relative, Will could be a living donor. Will is totally on board but Alex is not. However, after getting the blood work done and seeing that Will is a match, she too wants will to help. But Dawn tells them that has someone with Downs, Will may not have the understanding of the situation to give proper consent. So Will has to talk to Dr. Day who presents his findings to a tribunal to see if Will can be a donor. Day says that Will doesn’t have the understanding of risk to give consent but Joel and Alex think that since Will is willing that he should.

Back to the snake case, the man, Colin, apparently has been hoarding and selling exotic snakes. While in surgery, he passes away and Will’s mom sees that and yells at Charlie so that doesn’t happen to her.

At the tribunal, Will wants to have a say and Charlie is there to support him. Charlie notes that head of the tribunal is the same man that decided his fate in season 1. Alex notes how close Will and Charlie has become. When Charlie begins to have his say, Will speaks up and gives an impassioned speech as to why he wants to be a donor. The head of the tribunal allows Will to be a donor and Day wants his objection noted. Earlier Alex says she misses Gavin and so do we.

As Alex preps for the surgery, Joel notes her rubbing her hand and gives her a pep talk to get through the surgery and gives a peck on the cheek that I am not quite sure she enjoyed or not.

Katie and Charlie is watching the surgery and Katie is quite harsh at the doctors. Charlie wonders why and Katie says a lot of doctors she encountered during Will’s life never believed in him but she does. The two observe that Will’s surgery is a success.

Katie’s too is a success and her spirit does disappear from Charlie because Joel wakes her up to let her know that her spine has a bruise but she is going to be okay. Later, we see Charlie wheel Will to Katie’s bedside, of course Katie has no recollection about her time with Charlie but Will tells his mom that Charlie helped talk to her for him. Joel and Alex tells mother and son that they will both be okay. When Joel mentions giving Alex a lift home, Charlie is crestfallen.

And that escaped snake? Unfortunately for Dawn’s guinea pig, she has fallen victim. The big clue is the remnants of a sweater that Dawn made Maggie put on her. When Jackson and Zach tell Dawn the bad news, she breaks down and cries. Reycraft goes to comfort his girlfriend but when he laughs when he finds out Dawn is crying over her guinea pig, Reycraft laughts and that act pretty much breaks them up as Dawn pushes him away. Charlie finds her in the on-call room sobbing. Dawn wonders if she is a bad person because she had no reaction over a patient’s death but is a wreck over her guinea pig dying. Charlie is there to comfort her and leans down to kiss her. The two then start to passionately make out and Dawn wants to know if Charlie is sure that they go all the way. Charlie simply doesn’t want to answer the question.

There is a fun subplot involving the surgical board study group that Maggie is forming, Rian wants in and manage to get in the fully booked group with the promise of detailed notes and a karaoke machine. It should be noted that one of the members is a doctor knowns as Lazy Lana and it was interesting to hear Erica Durance utter that name again. But back to the study group. All of them are meeting at Maggie and Alex’s apartment. When Joel is seeing Alex to her door, you see the chemistry they have and they also hear Reycraft rapping as he has joined to group to relive his younger days. Alex is then persuaded to sing a song and gets Joel to join her. The two seem to be getting closer and for now it looks like Team Joel is winning.

But what does the flashes that Alex is having mean? Is Alex remembering the romantic times she shared with Charlie? And what will Alex think when she learns that Charlie and Dawn hooked up? Share your thoughts in the comments.

From the images below, it looks like Joel and Alex are getting cosy as we see Joel lean in for a kiss. But if you saw the promos for the episode, the kiss gets interrupted. Episode 6, entitled “Joel 2:31″ might has well be Saving Hope’s Halloween episode as the episode description and promo sound like a lot of mysterious things are happening at Hope Z.

A ‘blood moon’ gives the ER its busiest night of the year and also delivers a medical mystery for Alex (Erica Durance), Maggie (Julia Taylor Ross), and Joel (Daniel Gillies) to solve. Charlie (Michael Shanks) meets a patient with an unusual link to life and death, and Zach (Benjamin Ayres) gets an unexpected visit at the hospital that has him questioning his abilities as a dad.

“Joel 2:31″ airs on CTV Oct 23, 2014 at 9pm ET/PT.

Check out the images:

Daniel Gillies as Joel Goren

Strange things are happening at Hope-Zion that Zach attributes to the Blood Moon and the prophecy Joel 2:31 also foretells the end of days. Three separate and distinct stories happened tonight so lets get started:

Zach

During a very busy night in the ER, Zach’s son Jacob has come wheeling into the ER on his skateboard looking for his dad. Zach is surprised that his son would skateboard all the way from his ex-wife’s place in the middle of the night just to see him. Zach doesn’t quite understand why Jacob wanted to see him but a Jesus-looking patient by the name of Guy gives some sage advice to him. When Zach visits Jacob in the on-call room, Jacob tells his father that he wants to live with him Zach says that while he wants that more than anything, his new lifestyle and living situation doesn’t quite accommodate that. We later see Jacob and Zach do some father-son bonding in the doctor’s lounge with them setting a makeshift campsite and eating s’mores

Charlie

Michael Shanks as Charlie Harris

Charlie is doing his best to avoid Dawn after their booty call in the on-call room. Charlie meets a woman, Vita, looking for the morgue. At first I thought that she was a spirit and Charlie probably thought so too as he gave directions to Vita in hushed tones. Eventually Charlie can’t avoid Dawn as the two share a fairly uncomfortable elevator ride but the tension is broken when the elevator suddenly stops and blood is dripping from the ceiling. When the elevator doors open, we see that it is Vita that jumped into the elevator shaft. Vita is a patient of Dr. Day’s that hasn’t spoken a word to him so he is surprised to learn that Charlie has spoken to her.

When Rian and Charlie do a more in-depth scan of Vita we learn that she has internal decapitation. In surgery, as Charlie is working on repairing the damage done to Vita’s neck, her spirit appears where she believes she has confirmation that she is dead and starts to distract Charlie by pretending to throw a rock at him.

Michael Shanks as Charlie Harris

In recovery, Charlie informs Vita that the surgery was successful but she is still believes that she is dead. Charlie mentions that he can see dead people and asks her about the rock she was holding when he saw her spirit. Vita at first is mum on the subject until Charlie opens up about seeing his parents die and how he was mute for one whole year afterwards. Vita talks about the stone was when she and her sister liked to skip rocks at the beach but the left early doing that because she was bored and they were involved in a car accident where her twin sister, Val, was killed. When Charlie shares this story to Dr. Day, he diagnoses Vita with Walking Dead syndrome and the only way to help is electro-shock therapy. As Charlie is wheeling Vita to her treatment, she still believes she is dead so Charlie asks to meet her in the morgue. Dr. Day performs the surgery and Vita starts to convulse. Vita’s spirit meets Charlie at the morgue who asks her what made Val feel alive and happy. Vita said it is when she rode a roller coaster and screamed like a mad woman. So Charlie gets her to scream and when Vita puts her whole heart into it, she starts to feel a good different and emerges unscathed from the electro-shock therapy. When Charlie visits Vita, he gives her a stethoscope so she can hear her own heartbeat, which we see her do later.

Charlie and Dawn meet again in the elevator. Charlie apologizes for this behaviour earlier and Dawn says that she doesn’t want to be his rebound. Charlie mentions that he is no longer in a coma but is alive and starts to get closer to Dawn and when she mentions wanting to have a baby, the two start to passionately kiss. So we get this pair of exes back together. What I really want to know is what broke them apart in the first place and how Charlie and Alex got together? Let’s hope we do see that eventually.

Joel and Alex

Alex’s blood moon patient is Roberto, a teen groom, who jumped over a fence to chase after his bride, Alissa, who wanted to go skinny dipping, and now has a broken foot.

Erica Durance as Alex Reid and Daniel Gillies as Joel Goren

Alex seeks Joel’s help with Roberto and finds him the morgue harvesting bones. When Alex mentions how Zach thinks it is the end of days, they each ask what would they do on their last night on Earth. Alex mentions spending time with family and friends or eating cheese, Joel makes his way to kiss Alex but are interrupted by an earthquake that apparently no one else in Hope-Zion felt. In fact, Alex takes the earthquake as a sign that she shouldn’t be with Joel.

Meanwhile, Maggie, Alex and Joel are trying to figure what is wrong with Alissa as she seems to be having erratically. Alex at first tells her she is pregnant but Alissa says that can’t be as she is a virgin, a fact that Maggie confirms. The doctors perform a lumbar something (hey, I am not a doctor), a procedure to extract spinal fluid to perhaps role out rabies and meningitis. Alissa then starts to suffer seizures and Roberto starts to think that what is happening to Alissa is a sign that they shouldn’t have gotten married. But Alex then realizes what could be wrong with Alissa.

As Joel is waiting on word about Alissa and Roberto, he is having a Skype call with a buxomy Australian blonde about packing thongs for his trip. Maggie learns that Joel is going to New Zealand for a wedding.

Erica Durance as Alex Reid and Huse Madhavjis as Shahir Hamza

Back to Alissa, the doctors discover that she has on the base of her spine a teratoma, a tumor that contains tissue of full formed components like teeth. During the surgery to remove it, Maggie mentions Joel’s trip and his blonde date for the wedding. Alex looks a bit jealous but we learn that the date is actually Joel’s soon to be step-mother as it is father’s wedding he is going to.

The teratoma was removed successfully and the doctors are excited to see what is inside it as side from smelly puss. Before Alex cuts into it, we see her left hand get shaky again but Joel helps her through it that has an air of sexual tension. Inside the teratoma we find hair and an eye that Shahir finds extremely fascinating and for some reason I find do too.

This is why I left Joel and Alex for last because Joel doesn’t go on his trip. Instead he goes to Alex’s place to first let her know that there indeed was a 5.1 earthquake so they weren’t crazy. When Alex mentions that they could make the earth move bigger than that, it pretty much is a green light for her and Joel to hook up, which they do. So we get our second pair of exes getting back together. And yes they were quite hot. And I’ve said this in my Smallville recaps that Erica Durance can have chemistry with anybody. But I am still Team Charlie.

So this is where we leave Saving Hope as we don’t quite know when the show will return in November and on what day of the week.