Saving Hope says goodbye with tears and triumphs

This is it Saving Hope fans. The last episode before the doors of Hope Zion close forever this Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV. It’s been one hell of a ride, hasn’t it? I distinctly recall watching the first episode of the show back when I was at TV Guide Canada. “Another medical drama?” I thought. Yes, Saving Hope is a medical drama, but with one heck of a twist: a doctor who can see dead people. In the wrong hands, the premise would be cheesy, over-the-top and unwatchable.

In the right hands, it became a bonafide ratings hit for CTV. Stellar writing from co-creators Morwyn Brebner and Malcolm MacRury and a whos-who of scribes like Fiona Highet, Waneta Storms, Adam Pettle, Patrick Tarr, Noelle Carbone, Amanda Fahey and Jennifer Kassabian established the characters. Actors Erica Durance, Michael Shanks, Wendy Crewson, Benjamin Ayres, Julia Chan, Huse Madhavji, Joseph Pierre, Michelle Nolden and Daniel Gillies breathed life into them and made us care. Thanks to them—and all those behind-the-scenes folks and dozens of additional actors—who put in the long hours to make a truly great Canadian television series.

Here’s what CTV revealed as the episode synopsis for Thursday’s last episode “Hope Never Dies,” written by Adam Pettle and directed by James Genn.

In the shocking series finale of Saving Hope, following a mass casualty accident involving a bus full of teenagers, Dr. Alex Reid and Dr. Charlie Harris rush to the scene to try and save the kids while waiting for backup to arrive. The Hope Zion Hospital family must band together to overcome the tragedy, and move on to the next chapter of their lives.

Are here are a few more tidbits to get you through to the broadcast.

So, do Alex and Charlie finally tie the knot?
They were on the verge of it last week, but an injured bride-to-be got in the way. Now, the road is clear for these two to make it official, right? It would be a major bummer if, after five seasons, they didn’t get married. But, this being Saving Hope, nothing is easy, is it?

A truly shocking moment
I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop on a series like Saving Hope. Even I gasped because of what occurred just minutes into the episode. It was unexpected and takes “Hope Never Dies” in a stunning place made even more effective with Pettle’s storytelling, Michael Shanks’ and Erica Durance’s performances and Genn’s direction.

Guest stars aplenty
Keep your eyes peeled for Alden Adair from Workin’ Moms, Lisa Codrington from Letterkenny, Paul Popowich (Cracked) and Dempsey Bryk, who appeared on Heartland earlier this year.

What happened to Jackson?
Last week’s liver surgery went south thanks to the longtime nurse having an allergic reaction to the anaesthetics. We find out Jackson’s fate.

Related: Here’s what writer-co-executive producer Patrick Tarr says about the series finale!

Want to send the folks at Saving Hope a message? Post in the comments section and I’ll pass it along!

Images courtesy of Bell Media.

 

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56 thoughts on “Saving Hope says goodbye with tears and triumphs”

  1. Thank you to all the actors, writers, and crew. Quite possibly my favorite show of all time, and the fact that it’s over will outweigh the heavy content of the finale for quite a while.

    1. I cried so much.
      I couldn’t sleep.
      I still tear up.
      I wasn’t ready for the show to end.

  2. I am going to miss saving hope so much seeing my favourite stars of my TV for the last 5 years has been such a joy I absolutely love Michael and Erica and all of the saving hope guys and girls I wish them all of the luck for the future and I hope to see them all again one day soon xx

  3. Man I love this show, the entire cast, the Canadian content, amazing acting and writing. Wendy Crewson especially blows me away. I will truly miss this show and characters (goes for guest stars, like Missy Peregrym and others). Michael and Erica rock! Looking forward to more from these actors and producers. One of my favourite shows EVER! You did your audience and country proud with this one!

  4. I’ve been trying to write this post for more than an hour, trying to say something 100% nice, but not succeeding. It kept sounding like an underhanded compliment. So I’m just going to be honest and tell you how I feel. I loved the show but I didn’t like season five quite as much–which I’ve seen in its entirety. And when I say I LOVED the show, I mean I was part of the fan videos made for the cast before the show began, and watched all seasons from the beginning, and sometimes had to go through a crazy international scramble to get copies of the show, and now I help run an 800-member Facebook group dedicated to Saving Hope. I’ve had that kind of commitment and love for this series, and a great deal of appreciation for all the heart cast & crew put into making this program. I often hear that is better not to say anything unless you are going to say something nice. Alas, I believe in honest feedback. I wish it weren’t so, but I feel let down.

  5. Thanks for five loving years. Haven’t miss a single episode, some we watched twice and really enjoyed everyone of them.. Almost cried when Joel get blown up, that was a bummer. Thanks to all the cast for their superlative acting.. I am not clear why Saving Hope was not renewed.. The cast and crew were great and Michael, Erica and Huse Madhavji, Wendy and all…Hope some where in the near future we could see
    more of SAVING HOPE!!!

  6. Bawwwwwww…dont quit this show..why ..why …always the good programs .always ousted

  7. I wish saving hope would continue! The good one always leave to soon. Hopefully they get married and not one or both killed off! Love Charlie and alex!

  8. I have just found this show and have been benge watching it for 5 days now to only find out that this season, season 5 is the end of the show!! Every time I find a show I truly love it goes off air. I wish you were going to continue this show, I love it! Thank you though for what I have gotten to watch, the actors are great and I will greatly miss it!

  9. Why do all the endings have to be like this now? Why can’t we have a happy ending to a great show. You just ruined 5 years of Saving Hope. This is why I don’t watch series. I made an exception and now I’m sad. I will stick to Science fiction from now on. Very dissatisfied and disappointed.

  10. I cried and cried……! Wonderful show. Thank you and I am really sad thats it really over. There are hardly any normal shows that keeps us entertained of how good people can actually be.

  11. Well it was a tear jerker and I am kind of glad it is over because I could not gave watched once Charley died!!! It was a great show and will be missed but a job well done!!! Will miss seeing the charactors each week but it made most of my summer bearable with something good to watch! Thanks everyone for an amazing run! Hope to see many of you on future shows!!

  12. I did not like the ending at first but overnight I realize that it makes sense actually. It ended as it began. Charlie should have died in the first accident. The 5 years that he lived partly in both realms was a gift. A time for them to grow and have two children as the legacy of their love

  13. As a Canadian I couldn’t be more proud of this show. I am so very sad it’s really over. I certainly was disappointed and overwhelmed with emotions seeing Charlie’s death, but then very relieved that the very end brought him and Alex together again. It was a thing of beauty after all. I will miss it terribly.

  14. Love medical shows and this one kept me interested. Absolutely adore all the hardworking people who provided Saving Hope. Sure am going to miss my weekly visits with you all <3 maybe I'll see you down the road in other shows. <3

  15. Hated this ending, absolutely hated it. Stopped watching Greys for these same stupid episodes. Great way to ruin a great series🙁

  16. This show was one of my favourite and I always made sure I PVRed it so I wouldn’t miss any episodes. It was a great Canadian series that I found just as thrilling as it’s US counterparts Greys Anatomy which probably has higher priced actors and sets but fulfilling high expectation of their audience with the highest standards and I never found it to be “cheesy” in any way. My most biggest disappointment was when I found out it was the last season, that just bad. When they finally had such a good
    running show and obviously kept it’s viewers continuously intrigued so they end it. How devestating for us viewers. The actors/actresses were awesome. Hope you decide to bring it back…some how!!

  17. How old were the two kids at the end???????????? 50years old for their daughter and 52 for tier son??????

    1. That was my thought also, they looked to be in their 30s not 50s at the end. The son was just getting married.

  18. I am going to miss this series. Best of luck to all the actors. This show is one of the few series I watch. I got bored with TV and watch pretty much only hockey. Will so miss all of you, thank you for making me laugh, cry and hope for the past seasons.

  19. Loved this show! It was great to hAve the double airings. I am a nurse and not always off the same evenings every week. All the actors are great!

    Martha, Boston

  20. I will miss this show very much, but I am glad that Charlie and Alex finally got married and I pray we will see more of all these actor’s and actresses!
    Blessings and Favor over your careers!

  21. i feel numb, did not know the end was coming so soon. could not believe Charlie & Alex’s last kiss which left her alone.
    Charlotte was a perfect message of hope, resembling both parents

    Really got into the show and its premises. It had and has important spiritual messages.

    can’t believe it’s a closed book. will be partly comforted by binge watching but that is not the same as when a show is evolving and you get to follow twists and turns of events.

    Everyone involved, heartfelt wow! hope those making the show, despite the stress and tedium of mounting new episodes weekly, were as moved by the message of hope as i was.

  22. I didn’t think I’d like saving hope when it first came on. But I saw the first episode again after I saw the second episode and I’ve been hooked for all five seasons. It was good when they came on in back to back episodes. The ending was great. Great show. I hope all the actors come back on TV some time in the future.

  23. Every time I find something good to watch and get really interested in then it gets cancelled. Why? Please find a way for it to stay on. I look forward to watching saving hope.

  24. I loved this show but I was very upset when I realize Charlie would not survive. I wanted that so badly. With all they went through I was so hoping they would get their happy ever after.

  25. I wasn’t surprised you decided to end the show as you did, but I would have been happier for Charlie and Alex to just ride off in to the sunset. I thought that they had put the 2 characters through enough and that once they finally got married they/and their love would have finally come full circle. Maybe have a remake and change the ending to Charlie not dying. Those of us who have experienced so much of it in their lifetime it really is hard. Thank you for the 5 years!!!!

  26. Loved watching this show on ION here in Pennsylvania USA…..tears flowed last night at the finale, will miss my Tuesday nights watching it ….Had the perfect ending though I must say sad but then the happy moment at the end!

  27. HATED the finale. This entire season was not right. But that finale was just such a let down. There was no reason to go out like that.

  28. With all of the trouble, doubt and evil in today’s world , the ending in Saving Hope was a diamond in the rough and lived up to its name Saving Hope with the beautiful portrayal of a life hereafter. As much as I hated to see the series end, thank you for renewing faith in a life in the hereafter.
    Nancy from Texas

  29. I know it sounds like a eulogy but I will greatly miss this show. As far as plot lines go this was an over the top soap opera plain and simple but unlike soap operas this one had me and my wife hooked from the first show all the way to the last episode. It was especially powerful yetshocking watching the last episode not aware that it was the last one. What a finish! I really liked how it ended with Alex meeting Charlie before he left, with him not aware 50 years had passed since he died. My favorite part? When Charlie meets his daughter “Dr. Charlotte Harris” asking for fatherly advice. That was the first clue that the series was over. We will miss all the characters including Alex’s sometimes obsessive behavior. I wonder if the beach they were on was their long delayed trip to Bali?

  30. Great show…i will miss it. Very sad ending. Maybe it might come back with the child having the gift after the accident???

  31. Having to get up at 5 am for work after watching Saving Hope til wee hours of the morning was tough but I couldn’t miss an episode . I was hoping that Charlie’s death was a dream and that he really didn’t die. I truly hope that the show’s creators come up with another show of this stellar quality. I am so sad that it had to end this way . Thanks to all for keeping us entertained. There is no other show out there that can touch it.

  32. This show had great potential, but took some ridiculous / illogical (unrealistic) plot twists. The final episode – killing off Charlie – ruined the whole show and made everything that came before it hollow and a waste of time. This is not Shakespeare- Movies / Television of this type are escapism, and the last thing people want in a show like this is the permanent sense of disappointment associated with the show by ruining all the time and emotion invested in the previous episodes with a final, dreadful, tragic, unhappy ending, like in the show “The Wonder Years” -people deserve the happy ending in entertainment that they seldom get in life – and when they don’t get it, it is a betrayal. I did not see every episode and was fully prepared to buy the series on dvd. I won’t waste my time and money – if I want to experience the pain and disappointment every episode will be tainted with from now on by knowing the final outcome of the series, I can just experience it everyday in real life.

  33. I hate when they end shows with the main character dying. Why do they do that?!!! They deserved happily ever after right away, not 50 years later.
    I loved this show but hated the last episode. I’m crying and disappointed right now.
    I will say thanks for great years. The actors and crew were superb

  34. I did not like the abrupt ending, first I said good bye to Rookie Blue and now Saving Hope🤕

  35. I can’t believe this is over. I lived for Tuesday night to watch it. I feel like I am actually morning a death. I truly loved this show and all the actors. Please find a way to keep this show and going ob

  36. I truly loved this show and it breaks my heart that it’s over. Every single time there is a great show that becomes really popular it seems like someone or something has to either leave the show or the show is ended. I’m just going to stop watching tv altogether so I’m not disappointed all the time.

  37. Very Isa pointing to watch the last episode tonight. I cried not only for the way the show ended but I watched it on my wedding anniversary. I lost my husband almost 4 years ago and I also have a son and daughter. Hits so close to home.

  38. Only saw several episodes, but I was captured by Saving Hope and the fantastic acting. Terribly sad the final episode Charlie had to die. Why couldn’t it have been a happy ending? So saddened by this! Myself and tons of others wanted wanted a happy ending. Geez!

  39. I was finally able to see the 5th and last season. I am still kind of a trainwreck after that ending. It really is so damn bittersweet. It is so sad that Charlie had to die but at the same time it is really sweet how he waited 50 years at that beach (aka Heaven) and then they could finally be together in the afterlife…
    I only started to watch the show because of Michael Shanks who I adore since Stargate-SG1. Usually I don’t watch “hospital shows” but this one got me hooked so darn quick because of Charlies character and the fact that he can see and communicate with people in comas or people who died. This show ends too soon goddamn, it hurts and I will miss the cast and this show so very much. :(

  40. So sad my favorite show of all time is over! Could hardly wait for Tuesday to come so I could watch two episodes. She’d lots of tears especially on the last show when Charlie died! Kept screaming no it can’t be true. I am a retired ER nurse so loved every minute of your show!So sad it’s over. Please bring it back!

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