Hawthorne
17 June 2009
by Tawnya Jonsek
Just when I think I could give up on TV and walk away forever, TNT creates a new medical drama, Hawthorne. I was skeptical. Grey’s lost its appeal once Isaiah Washington left and Izzie started sleeping with her ghost lover. ER lost me nearly a decade ago and Private Practice always has been a bit on the goofy side. Added to the mix is the fact that almost every great drama or comedy I became attached to in the last two years has been cancelled prematurely. I’ve not been willing to spend time caring about yet another new show, especially another medical drama.
But, Jada Pinkett Smith, as Christina Hawthorne, is a great, talented actress. Based on the pilot alone, I would say the show has strong promise. The characters and dialog feel real to me. Having grown up with a mom who spent her entire career in the operating room, I heard a lot about what goes on at a hospital. I know about the real struggles of nurses and surgical techs, the clashes between staff and doctors and power plays between other nurses. Many of my own friends were also nurses. What I can appreciate about Hawthorne is they accurately portray many of the gripes and joys I’ve heard from my own mom and friends. The dialog felt real and the characters believable.
Hawthorne also has plenty of drama. From dealing with the one year anniversary of her husbands death, trying to talk a suicidal patient, and friend, off the hospital ledge, to parenting her headstrong daughter all while struggling to keep the reins as Chief Nurse at Richmond Trinity Hospital, Christina has her hands full and struggles to find balance.
If I was disturbed by anything, I did feel they tried to throw too much drama into the show. What distracted me most was when police officers carry Christina away in handcuffs after she breaches hospital security and rather softly assaults a security guard in her attempt to keep a patient from jumping. Perhaps the guard would really call the cops. Perhaps they would really show up. But I couldn’t help but think she wouldn’t have been arrested in the real world in the middle of a trauma center as she just finished assisting with the efforts to save the jumper’s life. I didn’t buy that part. I kept wondering why no one was speaking up for her, why no one bothered to explain to the police officers the nature of the medical emergency behind her actions, why the guard didn’t just request backup. Surely he couldn’t be the lone guard on duty at a large hospital. Aside from that one scene, the show was very entertaining.
Joining Jada Pinkett Smith is Michael Vartan as Dr. Tom Wakefield, Chief of surgery, Suleka Mathew as Bobbie Jackson, fellow nurse and one of Christina’s best friends, David Julian Hirsh as Ray Stein, a male nurse struggling to be accepted in a female-dominated profession, Christina Moore as Candy Sullivan, and Hannah Hodson as Camille, Christina’s daughter. Joanna Cassidy from Six Feet Under, also makes a guest star appearance as Christina’s mother-in-law and hospital board member.
Hawthorne comes to TNT from Sony Pictures Television in association with Pinkett Smith’s 100% Womon Productions, John Masius Productions and Jamie Tarses’ FanFare productions. John Masius created the series and wrote the pilot, which was directed and executive produced by Mikael Salomon of TNT’s The Company.
Hawthorne premiered Tuesday, June 16th on TNT at 9 PM ET/PT.
Tags: Hawthorne, jada pinkett smith, tnt
posted by Tawnya Jonsek in → Reviews
June 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Wow, this is the first positive review of HawthoRNe that I've seen so far. I had basically counted the show out based on the 3 reviews I read, but now I'm wondering if it deserves a chance after all. I'd be interested in hearing if you have any specific responses to the primary criticisms leveled in them. The ones I've read include:
James Poniewozik at Time.com – http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2009/06/16/tv-tonig...
Maureen Ryan at the chicago tribune – http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertain...
Alan Sepinwall at the Star-Ledger – http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2009...
Thanks for posting!
June 17th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
I'll second that sentiment. I didn't even bother watching based on the scathing reviews I'd read, so it was a shock when I logged in this morning and saw Tawnya had posted a positive review.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Well I didn't bother reading any reviews at all when I watched the show. You're right – they are scathing. I don't know if the show deserves it. Perhaps it's the fact that I also didn't bother to watch Nurse Jackie though I did hear about it so I've nothing to compare it to other than itself. And perhaps it's my general underlying disgust with TV in general for me to have a positive take on it. I really became fed up with Grey's. Now THAT is an example of a tinny plot and crappy dialogue. Especially the last season or two.
I genuinely enjoyed the show. I didn't pay attention to the soundtrack because I was more or less paying attention to the action. But I'm also the kind who almost always disagrees with critics when it comes to movies and what not. But & maybe this is what was meant by paper-thin characters and Hawthorne's way-too-valiant attitude – I felt there were a few things I didn't care for. Too much drama, if that can be had – I also had a hard time believing the teenager would chain herself up to the vending machines. Yes, Hawthorne did seem a little too overly-righteous. However, if I can get pulled into a show & care what happens (was the diabetic patient storyline predictable? Maybe, but it is realistic.) then I am willing to give a show a few more tries to see if they can develop the characters further.
Plus – and granted I cannot compare to Nurse Jackie to know if it is the "better" nursing show- but it is a world I am familiar with and the gripes of the nurses, the attitudes of certain doctors, the protocol followed – all this is real. I've heard it many many times before. A character or two on the show felt like people I grew up knowing. I felt I could relate to what was going on vs. Grey's, a show that I didn't feel I could relate to, even though I enjoyed for a few years.
All I can say is I enjoyed it. I would watch it again at least a few more times. Perhaps they can even out the ultra-goodness effect of Pinkett Smith's character. Maybe we can see some true teenage angst & rebellion out of her daughter. I honestly don't think it was as bad as the reviews you shared would leave one to believe. Sometimes I think people can be overly cynical, especially professional critics. Or maybe, there has been such a general lack of actual quality television for some time that my standards are slipping.
Without picking apart every piece of it – I liked the show. I enjoyed it and didn't feel as though I had wasted my time. The characters are people I've met before. The issues are completely familiar. Can I say I'd feel this way in another few episodes? I don't know. But after watching it, I'm willing to find out.
June 17th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Thanks for the quick response! I tend to be a relatively easy-to-please viewer and am often surprised by critical bashing of stuff I totally enjoyed, so I definitely get where you're coming from with that. Additionally, most shows that I really like improve on the pilot – the pilot introduces everything and the characters are increasingly fleshed out in later episodes – I think that a lot of shows need some space to settle into a rhythm and figure out exactly where to go with various characters. I'll look forward to your future recaps/reviews.
June 17th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
You're welcome! I agree with you about pilot episodes. Sometimes they just cram what they can in to hook you. It really does take several shows to really see if it's worth becoming a regular.
Come back to tell me what you thought when you see it.
June 30th, 2009 at 6:36 am
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July 3rd, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Nurse Jackie Show is a great show really interested in seeing what happens next, do you know when they are airing the next episode?
December 6th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
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