I do not watch Gray’s Anatomy. I did not watch St. Elsewhere. So I did not ever plan to watch HawthoRNe, a new series on TNT. I like to watch people in action, people who show who they are not what they do for a living. I do not like the blood and guts, the technical dialogue, or the detailed minituea of medical problems. I have enough of them myself and enough doctors to advise me. That was up to the time I opted to review Jada Pinkett Smith’s new series. It’s not at all what I expected.
HawthoRNe is different than most previous medical dramas. Its lead character, Christine Hawthorne (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a Chief Nursing Officer at Richmond Trinity Hospital. She defies proper protocol at times but a suicidal cancer patient, a homeless new mother, and the mis-dosed diabetic all are the better for it. She is every patient’s hero.
Christine’s own personal life is complicated. Recently widowed, she still mourns her husband as she raises their teen daughter Camille (Hannah Hodson) and exists alongside hospital board member Amanda (Joanna Cassidy) AKA the mother-in-law. Her interactions with Oncologist Dr. Tom Wakefield (Michael Vartan), Nurse Ray Stein (David Julian Hirsh), and Nurse Candy Sullivan (Christina Moore) are multi-dimensional and show her as a dedicated professional. They also show how helping people has taken a toll on her own life.
Christine’s moments with true friend Bobbie Jackson (Suleka Mathew) are real and human. I hope Bobbie’s role as a disabled whole person breaks ground about and positively changes how many perceive handicap.
HawthoRNe launches Tuesday, June 16 at 9:00 P. M. EST on TNT. Tune it in and check it out. Its high quality scripting and excellent acting appealed to me enough that I’ll be returning to check it out again then hopefully again and again many times over.
Take a look for yourself.
on Jun 16th, 2009 at 2:17 am
I saw this advertised last night while I watched The Pursuit of Happyness. I think I will check this show out sometime. Thanks for the review!
on Jun 16th, 2009 at 10:09 am
LaVonne,
Jada Pinkett Smith is a real actress on her own.
Pat.
on Jun 17th, 2009 at 3:31 am
this is set up to record!
on Jun 17th, 2009 at 7:00 am
Sandy,
Hope you liked it.
Pat.
on Jun 17th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Yet another hospital show… *sigh* Seems like a good show but im sure i won’t follow it cause I’ve had enough of that kind of shows… Where is the creativity of script writers these days… They keep cancelling the good shows…
I’ll be looking forward to Cougar town, Flashforward and V.
on Jun 17th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Tom,
There are only a finite number of themes. How they are told is what makes them seem new and different.
Pat.
on Jun 17th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Thats true, even tho this is a good show I don’t want to settle into all the new characters cause the chances of it surviving the rating war in the states (i live in norway) I don’t want to get used to the characters and then get the news after one season or even worse, half a season that its been cancelled.
I don’t see much difference between Hawthorne and E.R to be honest… They are pretty similar as E.R also focus a lot on the nurses. Plus there are about 4 hospital shows coming out simultaniously… Three Rivers, Casualty 1909, Royal Pains and this one… Maybe three totally different hospital series but to me I can only take so many.
Someday I wish the shows with real quality survives and don’t faulter just because they don’t get promoted or the executive produceres keep rearranging the schedual of the series making it lose a lot of rating like they did with the best show to enter my tv screen, Life (on NBC).
on Jun 18th, 2009 at 5:51 am
Tom,
Your English is great–second language or American away from home?
Norway–does it import most or its shows or have its own original productions?
I think with the last name Smith this show will get advertising backing and money means better success. Furthermore, the cast is somewhat multi-racial something a lot of Americans tune into. The woman can act, a big given. In the USA a lot of it depends if it is the three major channels and primetime. Who the show is pitted against will affect its chances.
Pat.
on Jun 18th, 2009 at 8:04 am
I’m actually Norwegian Norwegian
So I’m at home and english is my 2nd language.
Norwegian channels import a lot of shows from the U.S,
If I like the TV series I buy them on DVD when they come out.
but I am faster than my channels and continues to browse the web for any premiere
Actually in some shows Norwegian TV is quite updated and almost send the same episode as it airs in the US… I guess the more popular shows get sold pretty fast to foreign countries cause of the demand
Tom
on Jun 18th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Tom,
I found 24 myself at the start of the last season. I liked it so much myself that I bought #1-6. I am mid-way through. Family usually gives gifts of series I like (or they think I like) as gifts. Funny thing though is that they actually buy what they favor. I’ve been buying some myself though–try to find them used at one of the big stores that sell entertainment if possible. I love my Tivo pplayer that records shows. We have it hooked up to a DVD recorder but usually don’t go that route.
I am impressed by your English (taught it for almost 35 years before I retired).
Pat.
on Jun 18th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Thank you very much for those kind words.
I’ve sorta grown up with the internet (well atleast the second half of my life) so english is more self-taught than learned at school. My last english teacher wasn’t to found of me (and I wasn’t of her, she had a dreadful oxford accent) so I always used to skip class ^.^ Anyways, being an internet nerd, speaking to people abroad all the time helped I guess. It’s like I speak english more often than norwegian these days
I have quite a wide interest when it comes to tv-series and shows. Lately I’ve been drawn more to the drama category ’cause there is so much good stuff out there.
Life is the show I really fell in love with already from episode one. I was shattered when I found out they canceled it… I just hope someday my favorite shows survive one day.
My shows that died off to early is : Life, Keen Eddie, Surface, Sinchronicity, Drive and Farscape (I’ll never forgive scifi channel that cancellation, best sci fi series ever).
Right now I’m just praying that The Unusuals and Castle survives… but then again I seem to have red something somewhere about those two being canceled as well *sigh*
So I set my hopes up for the series V, Flash forward and Cougar Town for this fall… plus I look forward to NCIS: L.A since I’m already a fan of NCIS
I’m kinda pondering changing my blog from Norwegian to English language but I’m still not sure… I just blog about stuff I watch since I don’t really have a real life.
on Jun 18th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Tom,
There isn’t much new sci-fi these days. The trend here comes in waves either police or comedy a but loads of reality. I love NCIS and am curious as to how NCIS:LA will fair. I loved Jag as well. I usually try to tune in Criminal Minds, Numbers, and and the CIS’s. I hope there will be another year of 24, but Sutherland’s problems with the law here may well come into play. I bet you are more interesting than the things you write about. I’m new to the internet myself–it was forced on me when I ran for an office and won. I lost the next year but saw that the web is today’s world’s communication.
Pat.
on Jun 18th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
I’m happy to tell you that even tho season 7 of the series 24 was supposed to be the last, they actually decided to make one more season. It premieres the 17th of January so there is something to look forward to at 2010 as well
Some familiar faces in that one.. I’m looking forward to see Katee Sackhoff (from Battlestar Galactica) i season 8
Right now I’m enjoying anime series (japanese animated series) while I try to decide on what to watch next… I spend a lot of time infront of my computer watching series and such. Blogging about it just to give some pointers to readers that isn’t so familiar with whats out there.
I think I’m more familiar with american politics and way of life than what happens in my own country (laughs). I watch Leno, Stewart and Maher every week… I guess if I were an american I’d probably be a independent liberal because I don’t find eighter democrats or republicans interesting enough to vote for them… They’re to narrow minded
on Jun 18th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I missed this, but ‘Dvr’d’ it. As a Nurse that has worked in Intensive care, Cardiac care, a’Step-down’ unit and a Psych unit (NOT all @ the same time!) I am curious to see how this will unfold. Usually in these shows they have the central character (Nurse, etc.) working in every dept imaginable, and even running their own labs, MRI’s, X-Rays and what have you (Like the Dr.s on ‘House’). Even in a teaching hospital, the Interns & RESIDENTS don’t do all that!!!! So – we’ll see – I reserve my opinion until I see how this goes…..
on Jun 18th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
1955Nurse,
TV is known for its escapism not realism. Let me know as I find your comments most interesting.
Pat.
on Jun 18th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Tom,
Most people are narrow-minded about things out of their own personal spheres.
I just don’t trust politicians. I vote usually against more than for and that is sad. I believe in freedom.
I wish I could get an authentic Disney copy of Song of the South–I know it is oout there but not here. Oh, well…at least my daughter got me a copy. I love Brer Rabbit and Splash Moountain….
I bought some of the comics reminiscent of anime. My grandson couldn’t get over how they were printed backwards.
NYC is supposed to be the location of 24. Sutherland had problems with the law recently a probation violation. Hope it does not interrupt #8. I actually reviewed this one.
I hate yellow journalism wherever.
Pat.
Pat.
on Jun 19th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Well I’m not most people (laughs), kinda have opinions on most things and still aren’t into politics at all…
I can’t stand the media and I’m glad I’m not a celeb to be honest. But can we really blame the news for the radical change in stories the last 20 years. It’s us the readers that change the outline of the news after all… I can’t say I’m that interested in hearing about celebs datinglife and that they have been drinking or whatever… it’s just not news… but still people seem to be more interested in that kind of news to real stories about war, hunger and stuff that happens in a far away country.
American people are really interesting to me and I find your culture awesome. I guess I my life and opinions get influenced by you americans since my life is in the world of american movies and television (laughs).
I find it hilarious that your goverment officials has to leave office or go to court just because they had a office fling or whatever… To me that isn’t news at all. What does a persons sexlife have to do with politics. If a president, senator or governor do their job should their personal life be broadcast in the media… Well, I guess the reality wave is more interesting than politics so the media focus on shit stories over whats important… I blame the networks that started the big brother reality trend. I stopped reading newspapers cause I rather find the news free online. A newspaper these days is 5% news and 95% trashtalk about some poor fellow making a mistake or the president killing a fly on tv…
So yeah I hate yellow journalism too.
I guess it’s hard to trust politicians ’cause they are all getting “paid” by the Corporations and big companies that is the reason of the economic downfall of US and Europe.
Wow, you really get me going
I haven’t written this much since I was in school (laughs).
on Jun 19th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Tom,
I do not like the power of media but understand it. Then IF people did not tune in and buy, the market would change. A lot of it revolves on advertising and point share of audience. I personally hate it that sports gets more pages and bigger write ups than things like the war America is in. If people had different values then maybe the pursuit of bin Laden would be over.
Integrity and honesty should be what we look for in everyone including ppoliticians; however, let he who is without sin cast the first stone. I am glad I am not a celeb–real or phoney–and can enjoy my own life without having to hide from the papparatzi. I would like the big bucks though. Oh, well….
Several years ago when the writers went on strike, the reality trend gained its impetus. It will be there as long as people dial in. Furthermore, its cast is cheaper than a superstar’s contract and perks. America should look within itself before it does anything. I suppose that is Monroe Doctrine thought.
I was an English teacher for years. I love to write.
Pat.
P. S. Everyone is still in school–the school of life. Some learn easy while others just don’t.
on May 15th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
hawthorne sucked. jada pinkett is an overrated actress.
on Jun 30th, 2010 at 9:52 am
I just thought that NCIS is a copy cat of CSI.:”:
on Jul 27th, 2010 at 1:34 am
i think NCIS is much better than CSI because they solve much harder cases.:~*
on Sep 12th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
NCIS is much better than CSI in my own opinion, it has more drama and twists on the story;”‘