Saving Hope is a medical drama with a twist - one of the doctors sees ghosts. Season One saw Dr. Alex Reid balance the daily demands of saving her patients with her determination to save the life of her fiancé, Chief of Surgery Charlie Harris. The drama unfolds in Season Two as an already tense situation becomes even more complicated with the arrival of the hospital’s new surgeon - Alex’s ex-boyfriend Dr Joel Goran. Charlie is awake but things are far from normal for him as he is still seeing spirits and his secret connection to the afterlife threatens to destroy his relationship with Alex, his career - and his life...

The second season of Saving Hope shifts the basic premise of the show slightly. Charlie Harris is out of his coma (which in season one allowed his mind to leave his body and wander the hospital talking to others who were dead or in near death states) and back practicing medicine. However, now the dead and near dead are appearing to him in the hospital. Most have unresolved issues that need to be addressed before they can move on, while others need to give Harris information so that their lives can be saved and they can return to their bodies.

The slight shift in the show's focus allows the series to remain fresh by allowing the writers to tackle things from a different angle. If I were to use lazy journalism, I would describe this as ER crossed with The Sixth Sense.

The introduction of Dr Joel Goran, who had a relationship with Alex Reid in the past, also adds another level to the drama.

Highlights in this season include:

Defense: An infamous malpractice lawyer is brought into the ER after he is injured in a friendly game between lawyers and doctors. Charlie must work out what is wrong with him before he dies. In addition a psychic who claims to be able to see the dead (and claimed he could talk to Charlie when he was in a coma in season one) is brought in for tests and winds up leaving his body and talking to Charlie.

All Things Must Pass: When a Fireman/model dies at a hospital fundraiser, a Morbidity and Mortality Round is held between the doctors to try and work out who, if anyone, was responsible.

Vamonos: Charlie has to deal with a woman who is convinced she will die before midnight. He has to persuade her that just because all of the female members of her family passed away before they reached 30, it is very unlikely that she will also fall victim to the same fate.

43 Minutes: At the end of her shift, Alex leaves the hospital to be confronted by a man asking for help to find his car in the hospital car park. He wanders off and is hit by a car. Close to death, the man is rushed into the hospital and Alex returns to help save his life.

Don't Poke the Bear: When a couple are admitted to the hospital showing signs of being attacked by a bear, the ER team must work to save the life of the woman... but as they start to perform surgery something just doesn't add up.

The season finale is also noteworthy, but not for the main storyline. The cliffhanger leaves you wanting more.

Extras include Last Call Webisodes (34 min, 56 sec short sketches, each of which features two characters in the local bar. It's interesting in so much as it does give you a little more insight into their characters); and Cast Interviews (20 min, 27 sec - the highlight of which was Daniel Gillies revelation that he was keen for the show to go darker and have some of the ghosts to be evil ghosts who wanted Charlie to do bad things).

So, another enjoyable season of this show that mixes genres to give us something a little different.

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Darren Rea