Hope back for Season 2
Dr. Charlie Harris, the trauma surgeon at the heart of Saving Hope, is out of his months-long coma when the second season opens Tuesday, but he still sees dead people. His fiancée, Dr. Alex Reid, worries about how the lingering effects of their forced separation may affect their relationship over the long term. It doesn’t help that they’re both suffering from post-traumatic stress: she’s given to wild, unexpected mood swings, and he’s having a hard time separating reality in this world from hallucinations in the next.
As played by Erica Durance and Michael Shanks, Drs. Reid and Harris have a warm, sympathetic vibe to them. The acting is one of the best reasons to see Saving Hope. True, Hope still suffers from mawkish music and contrived emergencies, but it’s more assured and confident in its sophomore season.
It no longer hovers uncertainly between a paranormal thriller about ghost whisperers and a hospital drama with a twist. The doctors are hard-working and committed to living a good, clean life, on the job and off, but there are early hints that their relationship will not play out as they might have hoped. (CTV — 8 p.m.) America’s Got Talent continues its audition parade of snake charmers, plate spinners, dog handlers, wouldbe cat trainers and other hopefuls who, judge Howie Mandel says, are “crazier” than ever. (NBC, Citytv — 10 p.m.) Blood and Oil follows the Cutter oil clan of Ohio, as they try to keep their small, family-run oil company afloat against a cutthroat takeover bid from big oil. (Discovery Channel — 10 p.m.) Catfish: The TV Show is back for a sophomore season of personal encounters with couples who’ve met online, but have never actually met in person. You’ve been warned. (MTV Canada — 11 p.m.)