I realize that i’m a few weeks behind the times with this. The show premiered on June 16, but i’ve only just gotten around to watching the first episode.
Before i give my opinion, i should note that i like TNT’s other female-led dramas, The Closer (Kyra Sedgwick) and Saving Grace (Holly Hunter). The lead in each of those shows is very compelling, and the writing and the supporting cast for both are also very good, for the most part. Even in the weaker episodes, i think the leads and the cast and the humor can carry the show.
But HawthoRNe? Jesus H. Christ that was fucking awful.
Possibly the most cliche-ridden, poorly-written piece of crap i’ve had the displeasure of witnessing in some time. From the rebellious rule-breaker lead character to the sex-obsessed male nurse, the nice-but-weak head doctor, the simpering novice nurse, the self-righteous asshole doctor, and the plucky best friend with a prosthetic leg, this show trundles out a goddamn plethora of two-dimensional, cardboard-cutout characters. I was embarrassed for them all just watching it.
And even apart from the characters themselves, the writing is just dire. The show starts on the first anniversary of death of the lead character’s husband. Not only that, but he died in the same hospital where she works, and where his mother (her mother-in-law) is also a member of the Board. And in that first episode, the deceased husbands best friend, who also has cancer, tries to commit suicide by throwing himself off a roof, but of course survives and decides that he now wants to live. In between all this is a whole bunch of over-the-top doctor-nurse battles that have no object except to reinforce how it’s only the selfless, brilliant, hardworking nurses who prevent every patient from dying at the hands of the malicious, incompetent, golf-playing doctors.
I’m all for a show that gives some kudos to the hard work and competence that forms the core of the nursing profession, but the attempt to do this in HawthoRNe is about as subtle as a sledgehammer.
Jada Pinkett-Smith is fine in the lead role, but she’s given nothing to work with, and in the end the awful lines and the incredibly self-righteous character they dump on her just overwhelm any possibility that she can salvage this piece of dreck.
Jesus, is this show terrible. I’ll often give a show a second chance, even if the first installment doesn’t look promising, but i’m not even going to bother with episode 2 of this one.
Anyway, that my humble opinion. Anyone else seen it?