Review of YTV's Open Heart

I watched the pilot of Open Heart with little expectations.

The series which, is produced by the people that brought you Degrassi, was much more intriguing than I thought it would be. I hate medical dramas. I find them annoying and I am scared of hospitals so they are not the show for me. The promos for the series did not help raise my expectations for the series either. They were cheesy and lacked information to what the series was even about.


The series opens with a bunch of misfit teens breaking into a fancy house (since the series is based in Toronto much like Degrassi, I'm just going to say this mansion is located on Bridle path). After successfully answering the password on a phone call from the security company, the misfits (including Dylan Everett as Teddy, a favourite amongst Degrassi fans) go on to wear sparkly clothing and dance around (apparently rich people only wear sequin clothing. I didn't know Paris Hilton lives on the Bridle Path).  Then one of the girls goes through a glass table and becomes unconscious. This causes the main character troublesome and rebellious Dylan Blake (a great trendy first name for girls today) to take her friend to the hospital with the person who's house she broke into's car! This caused Dylan to be arrested by the police however, she did not get charged instead she has to do community service at the local hospital.

Three months later Dylan is a volunteer at Open Heart Hospital, which her own grandfather paid for and where her mother and sister work. On her first day Dylan meets Mikayla and Wes played by Cristine Prosperi and the very handsome Justin Kelly both of Degrassi fame, respectively  Prosperi's character in OH seems dull compared to her lesbian and brightly dressed Degrassi character, Imogen. 

Both Wes and Mikayla decide to help Dylan find her father who disappeared mysteriously six months back. After the police decide to drop the case Dylan then takes it on to herself to help find him.  Dylan a true daddy's girl and truly believes that her father would never leave her and her family. Although Dylan seems very desperate at times and has become obsessed with her father's disappearance, this seems the only thing Dylan is truly passionate about and it has seemed to give her a purpose. Though defying her mother and sister who want to move on, which seems horribly premature since Mr. Blake only disappeared six moths ago. 

Dylan is played by new comer Karis Camerson. Karis holds her own in the role as the rebellious Dylan and has proven in the first two episodes aired that she communicates the true character of the passionate Dylan. However, in the scenes with Justin Kelly and Cristine Prosperi she seems to fade into the background due to the their scene stealing and expressive faced acting of the veteran young adult actors. This in addition to Mikayla's blinding bright outfits when compared to Dylan's monochromatic wardrobe.

After Dylan takes her new found friends to grandparents house for a swim uninvited, this becomes the first of many sneaky things the three-some do, making sneaking around their new hobby.

The three-some then breaks into the security camera room in hospital after they discover that Dylan's father was at the hospital the day he vanished. After trying to sneak into the room and failing, secuitry then asks Dylan's mother whether or not to press charges against Dylan. Her mother then says yes. Dylan's mother is ruthless and cold towards Dylan. The charges are unnecessary and who would jeopardize their child's life and career with trespassing charges?

Dylan ends up visiting the detective that was on her father's case and he shows her the video of her father at the hospital and in the video her father is with a lady in a tacky leopard coat.

The pilot ends with the Blake family eating dinner and the lady in a tacky coat standing on the property of the family's house. Maybe she should be charged with trespassing instead of Dylan.


Overall, Open Heart is moderately gripping, however does not hold a candle its category reveal Pretty Little Liars. You will keep tuning in to see what clues Dylan and the gang find that lead them to her father. My prediction her father is still alive, out there and left due to a family secret. In OH the hospital of the same name seems to be simply a backdrop to the mystery of Mr. Blake and just seems to be a playground for the three-some to play and just the mother and sister to work.

Next article: Saying farewell to the LVPD's finest, Nick Stokes. 

10 CSI FUN FACTS

Due to my extensive knowledge of Crime Scene Investigation I have decided to write a blog post on my favourite 10 CSI fun facts:

1. Holly Gribbs. In the plot, the new addition to the team, Holly Gribbs goes on her first crime scene investigation. However, after returning to the scene to collect more evidence and being left alone by Warrick Brown she gets shot and dies. The writers chose to do this, as when the pilot was viewed by a test audience they said that Gribbs was an awkward character. They also stated that she was not relatable causing actress Chandra West to be fired after the second episode. The character that filled the gap left by Gribbs was none other than my fav Sara Sidle. Sidle was written in as a love interest for Gil Grissom however, they did not enter into a relationship to audience knowledge until Season 7. 
2. Too complicated. The series was originally pitched to the network, ABC. However, ABC refused to air the drama due to the fact that they stated that the series was too complicated for the American audience to understand. CBS then picked up the series and since then it is one of the longest running drama series and has become a pop culture icon. 
3. Why Las Vegas? Las Vegas was chosen as the setting for the original CSI due to the fact that the Vegas crime lab is the second most active crime lab in the USA other than the FBI's. 
4. The machines. The machines in the labs are all real and do indeed work. 
5. Facts. All the scientific facts listed on CSI are true. The series has researchers and fact checkers to make sure that everything scientific that appears on the show is authentic. 
6. The CSI effect. The show created the term, "The CSI effect" which has multiple definitions. The first is "a boarder knowledge of crime forensics by the general public". The series has caused jurors to demand more forensic evidence in trials. The second use of the term is the wave of crime series that were inspired by CSI since its premiere in 2000 such as Without A Trace, NCIS, Bones and Criminal Minds. At the time when CSI premiered no other crime/ mystery series had aired that strictly focused on the science side of crimes through forensic evidence. 
7. Helped solve crimes. After the series premiered in 2000 that year 46.9% of all rapes were solved in the USA a significant jump from the year before. 
8. Catherine Willows. When Marg Helgenberger was cast in the series she went and witnessed a real autopsy. The character of Catherine Willows was actually inspired by a real forensic investigator in Vegas. 
9. Different Name. In real life CSIs are called CSAs and do not perform all the activities the characters do in the show including interviewing, working in the lab, do not make arrests or obtain search warrants. 
10. Sara Sidle. Due to a contract dispute with CBS and actress Jorja Fox the character of Sara Sidle was going to be killed off in season 8. However, the writers decided not to kill off Sidle for the possibility of her character returning. It was a good decision as Sidle was a guest character in Season 8 and 9 (although billed as a main character in season 8) and a recurring character in season 9. Sidle then was instated as a main character in season 11 and is still apart of the main cast to date. 

Special thanks to IMDB for the information :-) 

Hill's TV WEEKLY PICKS

If you have ever talked to me you know that I love current television. You would also know about my love for CSI--Sorry my obsession--for what I consider the best television series on tv right now.
I personally am opposed to Netflix. I like watching current television series and on Netflix the options are what I consider "old" and not current. I like watching live television aka tuning into a certain station at a certain time to watch a show when it originally airs.  Okay with the exception for my marathon CSI DVD watching. Yes, the episodes are old and the first season is from Fall 2000 but I get a free pass right? So yes I binge watch CSI, my current watching schedule is Season 1, then a jump to season 9, next season 7, then 8, then 2 and 3. I skipped to season 9 because I wanted to see the last episode with Grissom and also I didn't have season 2 and 3 at the time...so it all makes sense now. I really like the Grissom and Sara Romance (GSR). I think they were made for each other. Fun fact the character of Sara Sidle was written to be a love interest for Grissom however, they didn't actually enter in a relationship until season 7.  Anyways I could talk about CSI all day but the article is about my tv picks so let's get back to that...

I think I have great taste in my television watching choices so here is my current television picks

Monday night (the night that I consider the WORST night for television)

• Celebrity Apprentice at 8pm on Global--this is the first time I've watched it and it's entertaining. However, it drags on and on. It should be 1.5 hours because they are in the boardroom for an hour and the apprentices bashing each other should be restricted to half an hour. 
• That's it for Monday. I didn't like Gotham I found it boring, too graphic and confusing.

Tuesday 

• Pretty Little Liars 8pm on M3--scary, breathtaking and this season really creepy and morbid. But I am a super fan having read all 18 books and I have never missed an episode. The liars fashion is on point too. 
• Degrassi 9 pm on MTV--the Canadian cult classic is a must watch for me. Although with the new actors and their HORRIBLE acting I just want to see the characters that were in Grade 9 when I started watching graduate then I'm not sure I'll tune in anymore. However, the show is the best at representing CURRENT teen issues including this season's sexting scandal. Issues also seen in this season include: date rape, suicide, drug use and teen pregnancy.
• Real housewives of Beverly Hills--Very entertaining and I used to watch RHW of Vancouver. I love realty tv its entertaining and hilarious. I also find it interesting how other people live their lives. With the new additions to the cast its going to be great season. This is a show I wish was two hours because it feels like an hour isn't enough.
• See my review of YTV's Open heart.  

Wednesday 

• Dragon's Den 8pm on CBC--Love this show. My mom introduced me to it to teach me how to value a business since I was in fashion design and I told her I was scared of going bankrupt. The new cast member Wek is hilarious however, the show has lost some spark with the departure of the infamous Mr. Wonderful aka Kevin O'Leary. The show is still very entertaining and keeps my attention through the hour. 
• The Middle 8pm on City TV--This show was discovered by my family eavesdropping on a guy recommend the series to a friend on a bus at Disney World. This show is so relatable to my family from the teenage boy Axl, the teenage girl Sue and the try-really hard mother, Frankie. It's hilarious and the only series my family all watches together. 
• Law and Order: SVU 9 pm on CTV 2--I love this show, even after 16 seasons the writers still have original and gripping storylines. It keeps my attention the whole hour and I look forward to it every week. 
• Say Yes to the Dress Canada 10pm on W--Cheesy and amateur but I cannot stop watching. 

Thursday 

• How to get away with murder 10pm on CTV--see the past review on my blog!
• other than that...nothing 

Friday 

• Shark Tank 9pm on CTV2--I learn a lot from it and the hour goes by so fast. I love it. Also I tune in just to see what Mr. Wonderful is going to say. Also it's interesting what people have come up with as inventions.
• Blue Bloods 10 pm on CTV--I have been watching it since it returned and I really like the plot involving the view of a law practicers including the DA sister, the two brothers that are cops and the father who is the police chief. The plots are also gripping. 

Sunday

• CSI 10pm on CTV--the writers always out done themselves and after 15 seasons still keep me at the edge of my seat with each episode. Additionally,  with the departure of Nick Stokes at the end of the season every episode this season counts. 
• Girls 10pm on HBO--always both entertaining and cringe-worthy. My mom hates but I like it. I consider it very educational about sex and relationships even more so than sex ed. Although they say the characters represent our generation I don't feel that. Sexy Adam Driver doesn't hurt either. 

Every week day: Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy 7pm and 7:30pm--I have a gift of answering puzzles and I know a lot of random stuff...

Next article: 10 CSI FUN FACTS