‘Saving Hope’: Daniel Gillies’ non-‘Vampire Diaries’ show extended for season 2

If you love “Saving Hope” (or at least Daniel Gillies), you will probably be thrilled by this news. CTV has announced that season 2 of the Canadian medical drama has been extended to eighteen episodes. The show was a major success in its home country over the summer, with Erica Durance leading the cast as Alex Reid, a woman desperate to rescue her fiance from a coma while her job as a doctor starts to fall into turmoil.

However, what is a bit of a surprise here is that NBC actually canceled the show in America due to low ratings, but CTV had enough success here that they decided to push on. It’s possible that season 2 could find a new American home, but that is not altogether clear at the moment.

What may be especially interesting is seeing just how this work ultimately plays into Gillies’ schedule on “The Vampire Diaries” moving forward into season 4. The actor is not a series regular as Elijah, but has already made one appearance this season and is expected to make more. How many? The length of this order suggests that he is not going to be too major of a presence for the second half of the season, regardless of how much we would want him to. There is only so much an actor can do, and considering the fact that these two shows shoot in separate countries (especially since “The Vampire Diaries” has a 22-episode order), it is made all the more difficult. Our guess is that Elijah will probably pop up here and there, but it is too risky to kill the character off given that his death could trigger a chain events leading to some other vampires also losing their lives.

Are you happy for “Saving Hope,” even if it could lead to one very busy Daniel Gillies?