Hailey Tran
Saving Hope is a Canadian supernatural medical drama television series that aired from 2012 to 2017. The show is set in the fictional Hope Zion Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The series follows the life of Dr. Charlie Harris, who is in a coma after a car accident, and his fiance Dr. Alex Reid, a surgeon who works to save Harris' life. The show explores themes of love, fate, destiny, death, and the afterlife, and has received mixed reviews from critics. The cast and crew of Saving Hope reflect on their time filming at the iconic Hope Zion Hospital set, with actress Erica Durance, who plays Dr. Alex Reid, describing her time on the show as an actor's dream come true.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the fictional hospital in the show | Hope Zion Hospital |
| Location of the fictional hospital in the show | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Location where the show was filmed | Toronto |
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What You'll Learn
Hope Zion Hospital is fictional
Hope Zion Hospital is a fictional hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that serves as the setting for the Canadian supernatural medical drama television series Saving Hope. The series follows the life of Dr. Charlie Harris, who is in a coma and wanders the hospital in spirit form, and his fiancé Dr. Alex Reid, a surgeon. The show also focuses on the fictional experiences of a person in a coma and explores weighty themes of love, fate, destiny, death, and the afterlife.
The fictional Hope Zion Hospital is brought to life through filming in Toronto, the same city in which the hospital is set. The show's premise was created by Malcolm MacRury and Morwyn Brebner, who are both credited as creators and executive producers. Saving Hope aired on CTV for five seasons from June 7, 2012, to August 3, 2017, with the first season also airing on NBC.
The cast of Saving Hope includes Erica Durance as Dr. Alex Reid, Michael Shanks as Dr. Charlie Harris, Daniel Gillies as Dr. Joel Goran, Julia Taylor Ross as Dr. Maggie Lin, and Stacey Farber as Dr. Sydney Katz. These actors portray the diverse group of charismatic heroes that roam the halls of the fictional Hope Zion Hospital, each with their own virtues, flaws, and heart.
The fictional Hope Zion Hospital serves as the backdrop for the show's exploration of medical dramas and supernatural elements. The hospital is described as a "frantic backdrop" where the doctors and nurses navigate complicated decisions in their profession while also dealing with the supernatural presence of Dr. Harris's spirit. The show also delves into the love story between Dr. Reid and Dr. Harris, as well as Dr. Reid's relationships with other male leads.
The fictional nature of Hope Zion Hospital allows the writers to take creative liberties in exploring themes and storylines that may not be possible in a purely realistic medical drama. The combination of medical drama and supernatural elements, along with the strong cast of characters, has contributed to the show's success and appeal to viewers.
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Set in Toronto, Canada
The series premiered on June 7, 2012, on both CTV in Canada and NBC in the United States. The show follows the life of Dr. Charlie Harris (played by Michael Shanks), who is in a coma and wanders the hospital in spirit form after being in a car accident. Surgeon Alex Reid (Erica Durance), Charlie's fiancee, tries to save his life with the help of a newly arrived surgeon.
The show explores weighty themes of love, fate, destiny, death, and the afterlife against the frantic backdrop of a Toronto hospital. The cast of the show discussed the conversations that happen in the "spirit world" and whether or not they believe in ghosts.
The show was created by Malcolm MacRury and Morwyn Brebner, who are both credited as creators and executive producers.
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![Saving Hope: The Complete First Season [DVD] [2012] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Mz8kQ+FDL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Pilot filmed in Toronto
Saving Hope is a Canadian supernatural medical drama television series set in the fictional Hope Zion Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. The pilot was filmed in Toronto, and the series aired from June 7, 2012, to August 3, 2017, on CTV and NBC for its first season. The show explores weighty themes of love, fate, destiny, death, and the afterlife against the frantic backdrop of a Toronto hospital.
The series stars Erica Durance as Dr. Alex Reid, a doctor whose fiancé, Dr. Charles "Charlie" Harris (Michael Shanks), is in a coma after a car accident on their way to their wedding. While Dr. Reid and the other doctors work to save Dr. Harris' life, he finds himself wandering the hospital in spirit form, pondering the true nature of his experience. The show follows the life of Charlie in his comatose state and Alex dealing with her patients, all while hoping that he will survive.
Toronto, with its diverse and vibrant locations, provided the perfect backdrop for the pilot episode of Saving Hope. The city's unique blend of modern skyscrapers and historic architecture offered a range of filming locations that captured the fast-paced and intense nature of the medical drama. From the bustling streets of the financial district to the quiet charm of the older neighbourhoods, Toronto provided a rich and dynamic setting for the show.
The production team likely chose Toronto as the filming location for the pilot to take advantage of the city's thriving film industry and talented local crew. Toronto has established itself as a prominent filming destination, offering various production services and facilities. Additionally, the city's diverse cultural landscape and talented pool of local actors provided a wealth of opportunities for authentic and compelling storytelling.
Filming the pilot in Toronto also allowed the show to showcase the city's renowned medical institutions and healthcare infrastructure. By capturing the essence of Toronto's medical community, the pilot episode set the tone and atmosphere for the rest of the series, emphasizing the hectic and challenging environment in which the show's doctors and nurses operate.
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Erica Durance as Dr Alex Reid
The Canadian supernatural medical drama television series Saving Hope is set in the fictional Hope Zion Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. The show follows the life of Dr. Charlie Harris, who is in a coma after a car accident and exists in a parallel universe of sorts, wandering the hospital in spirit form. It also centres on the lives of the other doctors and nurses at the hospital, including Dr. Alex Reid, played by Erica Durance.
Erica Durance's Dr. Alex Reid is a surgeon and the Chief Surgical Resident at Hope Zion Hospital. She is also the fiancée of Dr. Charlie Harris, the Chief of Surgery. At the start of the series, Dr. Harris is in a coma, and Dr. Reid is shocked and devastated, hoping that he will survive. In addition to dealing with her patients and the complex decisions that come with her profession, Dr. Reid also has to navigate the emotional turmoil of her fiancé's condition.
As the series progresses, Dr. Reid finds herself in several challenging situations. At the end of Season 2, she is stabbed in the heart and left at death's door. In Season 4, the season ends with gunfire, leaving the audience wondering about Dr. Reid's fate. Throughout the show's five seasons, Dr. Reid's character explores weighty themes of love, fate, destiny, death, and the afterlife.
Erica Durance, a Calgary native, reflected on her five years on the show, stating that it was an "actor's dream come true" to play a character for 85 episodes and see her evolve through different situations. Durance also served as a producer on the series, and her portrayal of Dr. Alex Reid showcased her excellent acting skills and contributed to the show's success.
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Michael Shanks as Dr Charlie Harris
Michael Garrett Shanks, born on December 15, 1970, in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a Canadian actor who played the role of Dr Charlie Harris in Saving Hope. Shanks is best known for his role as Daniel Jackson in the long-running military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. He also starred in the Fox comedy The Good Guys and the film Arctic Blast. Shanks grew up in Kamloops, British Columbia, and attended the University of British Columbia's fine arts program until 1994. He then appeared in several stage productions while serving a two-year apprenticeship with the prestigious Stratford Festival in Ontario.
Shanks' career in television began with guest appearances on shows including Highlander and The Commish. He also had parts in the television movies A Family Divided and The Call of the Wild before landing his breakthrough role in Stargate SG-1. In 2007, Shanks joined the cast of the Fox Network series 24, guest-starring as lobbyist Mark Bishop in a three-episode arc. In 2008, he had a recurring role on the second season of the USA Network spy series Burn Notice, playing a fellow burned spy named Victor Stecker-Epps. Shanks has also made guest appearances in shows such as Eureka, Sanctuary, and Smallville, where he played the role of Carter Hall, DC Comics' superhero Hawkman.
In 2012, Shanks returned to primetime television as Dr Charles "Charlie" Harris on Saving Hope, reuniting with his Stargate SG-1 and Smallville co-star Erica Durance. The show Saving Hope is a Canadian supernatural medical drama set in the fictional Hope Zion Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. The series follows the life of Dr Charlie Harris, who is in a coma after a car accident on his way to his wedding with Dr Alex Reid. Dr Reid, played by Erica Durance, is the Chief Surgical Resident, while Dr Harris is the Chief of Surgery. In the show, Dr Harris recovers at the end of season 1 but continues to see the spirits of comatose and dead patients in later seasons.
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Frequently asked questions
Saving Hope is filmed in the fictional Hope Zion Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
No, Hope Zion Hospital is fictional.
Saving Hope is filmed in Toronto, Canada.
No, Saving Hope is a Canadian supernatural medical drama television series.
