Ep 5. Tested and Tried

As a medical drama, Saving Hope has always focused on the personal and professional lives of the doctors and nurses who work at Hope Zion Hospital. However, in season 5, the show has taken on a more introspective tone as its characters face some of their deepest fears and insecurities. In episode 5, titled “Tested and Tried,” these themes come to the forefront as the characters grapple with the consequences of their actions and the uncertainty of their futures.

At the center of the episode is Dr. Alex Reid (Erica Durance), the chief surgical resident at Hope Zion. Alex is one of the strongest and most competent doctors at the hospital, but she’s also had to deal with some of the toughest challenges. In past seasons, she’s lost her husband in a car accident and gave birth to a premature baby who struggled to survive. However, as “Tested and Tried” begins, Alex is dealing with a different kind of challenge.

Earlier in the season, Alex started a relationship with Dr. Charlie Harris (Michael Shanks), the hospital’s chief of surgery, who’s been in a coma since the beginning of the series. Throughout the show, Charlie has been able to communicate with Alex in a metaphysical world that exists inside his own mind. It’s an unusual plot device, but it’s one that has allowed the show to explore some of its most interesting and transcendent themes.

In “Tested and Tried,” Alex must confront the fact that her relationship with Charlie may be changing. In the previous episode, Charlie’s son Luke (Patrick Salvagna) arrived at the hospital and revealed that Charlie had woken up from his coma and was on his way to a specialized care facility. Alex is overjoyed at the news but soon realizes that she may have to let go of Charlie for good.

Meanwhile, Hope Zion is dealing with another crisis of its own. Dr. Dev Sekara (Dejan Loyola), one of the hospital’s top neurosurgeons, is accused of making a fatal mistake during a surgery. Dev is convinced of his own innocence, but the evidence against him is mounting, and he soon finds himself facing disciplinary action from the hospital’s board.

As the episode progresses, the tensions between Alex and Dev begin to mount. Alex, who has always held herself to the highest standards, is disturbed by the fact that a fellow doctor could make such a serious mistake. Dev, on the other hand, feels that he’s being unfairly targeted and that the hospital is looking for someone to blame.

The showdown between Alex and Dev comes to a head as they find themselves at odds over a critical case. Alex is convinced that a patient with a rare brain disorder needs surgery, but Dev is equally convinced that surgery will do more harm than good. Both doctors are tested in ways they’ve never been before as they try to balance their own beliefs with the needs of their patients.

Throughout “Tested and Tried,” Saving Hope explores some of its most complex themes yet. The show has always been concerned with the intersection of science and spirituality, but in this episode, it delves even deeper into questions of ethics, morality, and the limits of human knowledge. At the same time, the characters themselves are being tested in ways they’ve never been before. Alex, Dev, and the rest of the hospital staff must confront their own fears and vulnerabilities if they hope to make the right choices for themselves and their patients.

Ultimately, “Tested and Tried” is a powerful reminder of why Saving Hope has become such a beloved show over the years. It’s a series that’s always been willing to take risks and tackle big questions, and this episode is no exception. Even as it grapples with some of its most challenging themes, though, it never loses sight of the deeply human stories at its core. As Alex and Dev face their greatest challenges yet, viewers are sure to be swept up in the powerful emotions and intangible magic that have made Saving Hope such a special show.