Sullivan's crossing

Doctors are Godlike. Surgeons are Zeus like neurosurgeons are more godlike than Zeus. Maggie is not showing the temperament or confidence of a neurosurgeon, and is too young to have been through the many rigorous years necessary to become a neurosurgeon. I'm on episode six, and I find that to be the biggest flaw.

A real neurosurgeon would have sloughed off all of the issues associated with the lawsuit, and left them to the lawyers. Neuro urges are probably sued 2 to 3 times a year. And the neurosurgeon would not likely be in the ER, and would not flip between patients. Still, as a soap opera, Maggie is attractive and lovable.

Based books by the same author as Virgin River, this has exactly the same template. Big city girl moves to a small town to escape her problems, drama ensues with some romantic tension between main character and handsome local. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Each episode. If you enjoy that formula, you'll probably really enjoy this show. It's campy and soapy, and generally a cute formulaic romance drama.

A note though, calling this "Canadian" is being generous. It's supposed to be set in a Canadian maritime town, yet most of the characters have obviously very American accents and don't sound like locals in Nova Scotia would sound at all. They also seem to have ignored the fact that culture and laws are markedly different in Canada than in the US, and consistently make references that aren't accurate for Canada. If you want something authentically Canadian, this won't do it for you.

If you're a fan of Hallmark series or other Canadian series like Virgin River, Chesapeake Shores and Cedar Cove, you'll definitely enjoy Sullivan's Crossing. As importantly, if you loved Gilmore Girls, this show stars Scott Peterson who played Luke Danes, the owner of Luke's Grill in the fictional town of Stars Hollow. Now, he plays "Sully," short for his surname, Sullivan, owner of a campground-style resort in Nova Scotia called Sullivan's Crossing. His daughter, Maggie, a young neurosurgeon, returns to help him after she was taken away abruptly by her mother when just a child after the marriage fell apart. Her character is the lead and her love interest is none other than Chad Michael Murray, best known for his role as Lucas Scott on One Tree Hill. He plays a lawyer who left his career behind and is staying at Sullivan's Crossing as he seeks a new path forward and a simpler life. He is as hunky and handsome as can be. The series features plenty of drama, ups and downs, and soul searching, but always with a family-friendly tone and sympathetic approach. It can be a bit sappy and hokey, but overall, it's like the comfort food of tv series.

I decided to give this show a try, on the strength of liking Scott Patterson and Chad Michael Murray. Im giving this show a 6 simply because of them. If they were not in the cast this show would be a solid 3. The character of Maggie is hugely unlikeable. So full of herself. Completely unapproachable as a person. The only reason any other characters interact with her is because its in the script. In real life they would tell her to F off. She has zero redeeming value and I found myself hoping she'd go to jail or be sued into oblivion on principle alone. The rest of the cast (except for Sydney) are engaging and enjoyable. But the stories are just so sad. Every episode is sad sad sad. The scenery is gorgeous and the music is more enjoyable than the LOUD background music of Sweet Magnolias. Maybe things will improve in Season 4? Fingers crossed!

I love the storyline of the show, I think it has great potential to grow and go far without a doubt. The first episode was a little slow (understandable while getting to know the characters), but my advice to anyone watching it is to keep going because there is a LOT of depth and background to all the characters and their storylines! I've been watching it every week as soon as it comes out. It gives me Virgin River vibes with the family history, love story, some suspenseful moments. The cast is great and I LOVE seeing Scott Patterson and Chad Michael Murray back on the screen, they absolutely blow these roles out of the park and I have been a huge fan of them for years! As a newer actress, Morgan does amazing at playing the role of Maggie and ensuring the audience feels and understands what she's feeling. As a Canadian I love that it's filmed in Canada and touches on Canadian history, not many shows have done that and done it so incredibly well. I think this show will be a really big hit with more seasons to come, and I look forward to continuing to watch!