From Bridget Liszewski of The TV Junkies:
Link: How Saving Hope lived up to the Lexa Pledge
“I’ll be honest, it was a bit tricky getting everyone on board with changing the story. We talked a lot in the room about whether or not writers have an obligation to the audience beyond giving them compelling and entertaining stories.” Continue reading.Â
I’ve had a couple of readers comment they don’t like the up and down between Alex and Charlie during this final season of Saving Hope. They’ve commented about Alex smooching with Manny and how Charlie is being left in the cold. Well, Charlie gets his smooch on this Sunday courtesy of guest star Kristen Lehman, who plays someone from Charlie’s past. She’s not the only guest on Sunday: What Would Sal Do? co-star Jennifer Dale drops by in a memorable role as Martha, Alex’s mother.
Here’s what CTV says about Sunday’s episode “Doctor Robot,” written by Adriana Maggs and directed by James Genn:
When Dr. Alex Reid (Erica Durance) gets a call that her alarm is going off, she arrives home to an unexpected surprise. Then, with one of the participants in her cancer trial with Dr. Maggie Lin (Julia Taylor Ross) not responding to medication, Alex and Maggie are forced to turn to Dr. Charlie Harris (Michael Shanks), the newly-appointed Chief of Surgery, for his opinion when they can’t agree on a method of treatment. Meanwhile, Dr. Zach Miller (Benjamin Ayres) is reluctantly transitioning the E.R. to an Urgent Care facility, until a patient who challenges societal conventions persuades Zach not to settle for second best.Â
And, as always, a few more hints from us.
We love Jennifer Dale
If you haven’t seen her in CraveTV’s hilarious What Would Sal Do?, check her out there before Saving Hope on Sunday. She makes an immediate impact on Alex’s life in a surprising and funny way—she has opinions about Charlie—before things get very serious.
Cassie and Dev are having troubles
He wanted to keep things casual between them, but now that’s he’s gotten his way he’s not happy with that either. Dev needs to seriously make up his mind. Meanwhile, Thomas has got big plans for Cassie, but is she interested?
A patient makes an impact on Charlie
A man who is acting very unlike himself causes Charlie to rethink his decisions of late.
Saving Hope airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.
Images courtesy of CTV.
More than a few of you were shocked by the end of last week’s episode of MasterChef Canada when Thea and Mai’s well-meaning coaching of Justine and Matt lead to both of the strong home cooks to be eliminated. But, Justine and Matt and Alice did have the opportunity to return to the kitchen, as producers presented those two with one slot in the competition.
Whether you think it’s fair that someone cut from a competition show is certainly up for debate—I personally don’t—it certainly makes for some good TV when those still in it see someone coming back. That was the case for the Top 6, who were gobsmacked when Alice returned. For those who missed it, Justine, Matt and Alice fought for a spot back on the show in Redemption, an online exclusive judged by Claudio Aprile. Alice outlasted the other two—head online to see what happened to Matt—and was back in the action.
However, “Egg Showdown,” wasn’t a love-in, as the Top 7 donned black aprons and were informed no one was safe from elimination this week. Again, mad props to MasterChef‘s producers, who have amped up the challenges and made it tough for the cooks to advance this year. Thursday’s instalment tasked everyone with escalating tests involving the most basic of ingredients: the egg. Cooks would win a Pressure Test and be sent up to the gallery with the final pair fighting to stay on the show.
First up was a Scotch egg, that hard-boiled, sausage and breading encased mouthful, purportedly eaten in pubs. Making the job even tougher? Just one egg was given to each cook, meaning it had to be perfect. I think Thea’s hands were seizing up because of the ice water bath her egg was sitting in, but I’m no expert. Regardless, she got her egg done and fried alongside her competitors. Barrie, who said he’d never prepared a hard-boiled egg before, produced the best Scotch egg and was whisked to safety along with Aaron and Thea.
The next test? Eggs Benedict. Hollandaise sauce can be a killer, though Miranda thought she had it nailed down. Of course, the most confident person had issues and Miranda’s Hollandaise started to split. Still, she got it done and her plate looked good. What about taste? Undercooked bacon and broken sauce threatened to send Miranda home. An overcooked yolk sent Alice into the final test with Miranda while Trevor and Mai were safe.
The two home cooks faced off to create a cheese soufflé, with just 30 minutes to do it. Miranda made all the right moves, getting firm peaks on her egg white and getting them in the oven on time. Alice contaminated her whites with some yolk and they refused to whip. Stunningly, and showing an incredible amount of class, Miranda helped Alice get her soufflé’s in the oven. Miranda could have stood back and watched Alice fall, but instead, she came to her aid. Miranda prepared three, so took the best-looking soufflé up for tasting and it wowed the judges, earning the chance to move on. For Alice, it was the end of the road, but she almost made it with help from Miranda.
Do you think Miranda should have helped Alice complete her dish? Let me know in the comments below.
MasterChef Canada airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.
Images courtesy of Bell Media.
We were excited to see what Greg Bryk’s character would bring to Saving Hope when Erica Durance gave us the scoop on his storyline earlier this year.
“It was a little bit of a departure because he brought a little more danger to the episode and to Alex,” she told us last month. “She has to track this guy down and he’s in the witness protection program, and she has to try and convince him to save his son. Again, danger, and some comedy and a heartrending story. Greg is such a lovely actor.”
Not only does Bryk guest-star in Sunday’s new episode, “Tested and Tried,” but so does Wynonna Earp‘s Kate Drummond (listen to our interview with her from last summer). Here’s CTV’s official synopsis about the episode:
With a patient in desperate need of a liver transplant and no other options, Dr. Alex Reid (Erica Durance) is forced to track down the boy’s father Danny (Greg Bryk, BITTEN) who is in witness protection. As the new CEO, Thomas Leffering (Joe Dinicol, BLINDSPOT), sets out to make his mark on Hope Zion Hospital, he puts a moratorium on expensive transplant surgeries which puts him at odds with a defiant Dr. Dawn Bell (Michelle Nolden). As the cuts from Thomas continue, Dr. Zach Miller (Benjamin Ayres) sets out to have a perfect day in the E.R. only to be faced with trials of biblical proportions.Â
And here are some non-spoilery facts we can reveal after watching a screener!
A new story angle
Durance wasn’t kidding when she said tonight’s story was a departure for Saving Hope. The writers have gone all-in for Season 5 and Bryk and Drummond are a huge part of it. Alex has been showing her more daring side of late—hello, motorcycle—and that continues on Sunday. Drummond is so unlike Agent Lucado—which makes sense, she is an actress after all—and fans are going to love seeing her sensitive side.
Dawn on the warpath
“Defiant” is the word the network used in their synopsis to describe Dawn this week. We prefer “mad as hell,” and Thomas is in her sights, especially after he recalls the downfall of civilization on Easter Island.
Charlie vs. Alex
Remember when I wrote about how nice it was to see Alex and Charlie getting along for Luke’s sake. Yeah, that goes to hell on Sunday. In a big way.
The ER goes to the dogs
Literally.
Saving Hope airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.
Images courtesy of Bell Media.
To say it was a huge get to have Jamie Oliver stop in on MasterChef Canada would be an understatement. The superstar celebrity chef has built himself an empire out of coming up with simple, accessible dishes that aren’t too frumpy when it comes to ingredients or plating. So to have him in the kitchen on Thursday night, supporting the remaining home cooks was not only brilliant guest-wise but coach-wise too. Oliver was supportive and inquisitive without being too critical and really pumped up the spirits of everyone.
“Jamie in the House” got right to the drama, as Oliver witnessed the Top 8 preparing a classic Italian appetizer plate using a range of fruits, vegetables and clams. The winning a dish will be featured in Jamie’s Italian restaurants (it wasn’t stated, but I’m assuming it’s only in his two Canadian eateries). The competitors were gaga over Oliver but had only 45 minutes to make something to impress the man. It was clear from the music edited in—and Oliver’s comment—that Barrie had way too much going on with his project and Aaron seemed to be on the right track. Thea, meanwhile, opted to make tortellini by hand and was worried she’d run out of time.
Despite Oliver’s concerns, he and the resident judges liked what they saw and requested Barrie bring his clams, sausage and greens appetizer up for tasting. Trevor’s warm fall vegetable salad and Thea’s pasta were chosen in the challenge; Thea’s appetizer was best of the bunch and will be on the menu at Oliver’s restaurant. It’s an impressive achievement and one that will fit on his menu nicely while giving Thea some instant cred in the process.
There was no time for Thea to enjoy her win, though, as Alvin, Michael and Claudio informed the eight their next test was imminent. An ultra-modern bento box was to be replicated, a tough enough challenge on its own. Throw in the fact it was a tag team and things went from bad to worse. Thea was allowed to choose the teams and wisely picked Mai as her partner, pretty much guaranteeing them a win for the week … until she was informed both she and Mai were safe and would not have to cook. Relieved, they sat and watched as Thea teamed Miranda with Aaron, Justine and Matt, and Barrie and Trevor and witnessed the hour-long craziness that ensued.
Trevor and Barrie started out strong, Miranda and Aaron seemed to be at odds and Justine and Matt were, surprisingly, falling apart. I expected two stronger competitors to be that way when they were paired, but that wasn’t the case. Matt was lost and unsure and most of the direction for Justine was coming from Mai and Thea in the gallery. As Michael said, rather than a help it was a distraction. Conversely, as the hour progressed it was Miranda and Aaron who got into a groove, tasting what the other was making and keeping each other focused; their only concern in the dying minutes was oil not hot enough for crispy tempura. Lotus root was left off the plates of both Miranda and Aaron and Trevor and Barrie; would taste save them from elimination?
Matt and Justine’s messy plate and exploded soba-wrapped shrimp left a bad first impression, as did uneven cuts, undercooked sushi rice and salmon with the skin left on. Miranda and Aaron were knocked for forgetting the lotus root, but their shrimp, sushi rice and beef were on point. Trevor and Barrie forgot the lotus root too but nailed the shrimp’s look and taste, faltered with their sushi rice and aced the beef. Everyone was pretty evenly matched, but Barrie and Trevor’s attention to detail saved them from elimination.
Unfortunately, Mai and Thea’s well-meaning help confused Justine and Matt and their lack of focus put them in the bottom for the week. Yes, two of the strongest home cooks were on the brink of elimination. And, because they shared in the blame for their plate coming up short, both were sent home. Yes, it was a shock but it also proves the judges aren’t playing nice when it comes to awarding the good food and punishing the bad.
MasterChef Canada airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.
Images courtesy of Bell Media.
