‘Saving Hope’ Season 4 finale recap: Tempting Fate

WOW! “Let Me Go” kept us on edge throughout the whole episode. ‘Saving Hope’ writers messed with us by giving us intermittent moments of happiness, fear, relief, stress, sorrow and suspense. Just when we start to relax, we’re thrown another curve-ball! Take a deep breath, Hopefuls, we’ve got a lot to discuss and digest.

Living in limbo…again

Let’s start on a happy note. Alex’s pitch on making women’s health a priority at Hope Zion is a success. Dawn praises her work and they’re happy about the outcome, but their main concern is Charlie.

I really like the way Charlie re-enters limbo and resumes narrating the story as he did in Season 1. He states this is like déjà vu, meaning “already seen,” and observes that there’s a lot science can’t explain. Yeah, we’ve come to know that very well on this show. What I may love best about Charlie’s time in limbo is how he spends so much of it lovingly gazing upon Alex. The more he watches her, the deeper in love he falls with her. It gets me every time. 😊

Charlie says, “Purgatory is where you go to be cleansed,” but he doesn’t “buy what atheists are selling either.” He believes that in the moment of reckoning, everybody worships something. Charlie looks at Alex and romantically confesses, “I worship you, Alex…I will find my way back to you.” And I’m mush. Putty in Michael Shanks’ hands. Seriously…swoon!

When we check on Shahir in the OR, he’s made an unnerving discovery: Charlie’s brain is more unique than others (may explain his gift), the cancerous tumor is more aggressive than the imaging revealed. Uh-oh! They page Alex to the OR. Charlie narrates, “In an instant everything you think you know changes…you’re falling, hoping there’s someone there to catch you.” This is making me nervous! 

Alex and Shahir explore their options. The tumor is invading his sinuses, if they cut it out it could cause massive bleeding. On the other hand, if they leave tumor in and treat it with radiation, it may only buy Charlie a year. Alex wants time to think about it. Shahir gives her 20 minutes tops. Anyone else hyperventilating yet? My heart can’t take anymore ChAlex trauma, they’ve been through too much already!

Alex calls out for guidance, “Charlie, I don’t know what to do.” This is when I wish Alex came back with Charlie’s gift too. It would make times like this so much easier for her. At least she can still sense that he’s around. Meanwhile, Charlie wanders the halls. It’s like he’s being guided to other side, but he clarifies, “what’s over there, I have no intention of finding out.” That’s right, you keep on fighting for your life, Charlie!

Bishop comforts Alex as she tells him how she always goes to Charlie to make impossible decisions. She doesn’t care if it sounds crazy, she tells Bishop that she can still feel Charlie. Bishop tells her to talk to her go-to guy, so she goes to the chapel.

Alex has a tearful talk with her man. She can’t see or hear him, but she still feels and knows him. Charlie tells her, “I want to grow old with you, Alex. Take it all out.” As he speaks, she asks for a sign. Before her eyes, a petal falls off of a rose. She knows what to do.

Pass over the tissues, please! I’m a weepy mess. Erica Durance and Shanks are mesmerizing together. What heartfelt and moving performances. I’m sighing and crying…Please come back, Charlie!

Half an hour has passed and Shahir can’t wait any longer. Alex says she and Baby Luke need Charlie for the long haul, so she wants Shahir to make the cut. Charlie wanted Alex to be in the OR with Shahir, so she insists on being another set of hands when he starts bleeding during the operation.

Charlie continues to give her strength, saying, “You’re my compass, Alex. My North Star. I’ll find my way back to you.” Suddenly, he hears the code called over the PA, but he can’t go to the OR. Something is holding his spirit back from his body. He’s running, confused, and can’t get to where he wants to go. What is happening???

Charlie sees his body on a slab in the morgue, followed by the recurring vision of him on the beach with Alex and Baby Luke. He keeps yelling: “I’m not dead!” He desperately calls for Alex. In the OR, Alex and Shahir are trying to see through the excessive blood. Alex tells Charlie to stay with her.
Charlie stands alone in lobby and laments, “So this is what it feels like to die.” WHAT?! NO. I am seriously freaking out right now.

He feels the Death chill and sees a light. He wonders why he wouldn’t go into the water.
Charlie says, “I’m ready now, Alex.” Then he walks into the water. As he walks away, Alex says she can’t feel him anymore. She begs Shahir not to close. There must be something he missed. Shahir kicks her out of the OR and wraps-up the operation.

IS CHARLIE DYING???!!!

Alex sits next to Charlie. The tumor is gone, but she can’t shake this eerie and dreadful feeling. Shahir stops by and apologizes for kicking her out. He sweetly says, “We all love him” and gives her an awkward, but sincere hug. At least Alex is surround by understanding friends during this difficult time.

Dana is back at Hope Zion and rushes over to give Alex a tearful hug. As always, she confides in her friend and seeks guidance. Dana remains optimistic and gives Alex some much needed comfort and strength. She advises, “If you run into a wall, you kick it down.” That’s the way these two strong women are. They don’t lie down and let life kick them in the butt. They’re fighters! Speaking of which, Dana is anxious to be cleared for work, but she’s not there quite yet.

Alex returns to her main concern: Charlie. She can’t feel him and she’s worried. Dana reassures her with the facts. Charlie is in stable condition, so he’ll be fine. She thinks Alex is just exhausted, that’s all. But Alex feels a difference from last time. She’s never felt cold like this before. She’s afraid they may have used up all of their luck. Cut to an alarming code blue in the ICU. Alex frantically runs to Charlie.

Charlie ponders, “Where does it all lead? It all leads to you and we will become ourselves.” Alex begs and pleads, “Charlie, come back to me.”

Alex goes to an empty room and falls on her knees. She reveals a feeling she’s been burying down deep inside. She bargains with the powers that be: “I get it now…My dad, Luke, Charlie…It’s me. I’m cursed, but Charlie is good. He needs to be okay. Let him live. I’ll stay away from him. I swear.” He has a pulse!

Okay, I really hope Alex doesn’t really believe she’s a curse upon the people she loves. It will be so frustrating to see Charlie pull through, using his love for her as his strongest motivation, and then watch Alex walk away from him. They’ve done this dance before, now all we want is a happy ending. 

On and Off and On Again

Let’s take a quick look at what is going on in the lives of our other Hope Zion favorites. Dawn keeps acting odd around Maggie and continues to be distant with Zach, despite his most charming efforts to apologize for whatever he did (including a Teddy Bear). Maggie confronts her and they finally talk about the kiss. Once Maggie explains everything to Dawn, she feels like a fool and rushes after the sweet man she defensively pushed away. You see, Zach’s family is moving to Vancouver and if Dawn doesn’t want to be with him, he’d be game for moving too. He’s on his way to the airport to look at real estate. Dawn fears she missed him, but when she returns to her office, Zach is sweetly sitting on the couch. Dawn apologizes for being an idiot and a mess. He quips, “Join the club.” She asks him to stay and says they’ll spend every spare minute seeing his kids. Awww…Yay! I love them together, so I’m very happy!

Bishop and Cassie hooked-up at the end of the last episode and they’re still having casual fun, much to Dev’s chagrin. He warns Bishop not to screw it up, so of course we know he’s going to. Bishop’s wife Natasha surprisingly turns up at Hope Zion and sees he’s been sleeping with young Cassie. Nonetheless, she misses her husband. She loves Bishop and wants him to come back home. Bishop always seemed to have mixed feelings and he did warn Cassie that his status is complicated. We’re not shocked to see him give his marriage another try. He was having a fling with Cassie, unlike Dev, who truly cares for her well-being. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, eh?

Three months later

Charlie wakes up in bed with Baby Luke. Sigh! What a relief. There’s no tumor and there are no more ghosts. He narrates, “I went through the fire…I was cleansed…found worthy…This is Heaven.” Can he be any more lovable?!

Alex is preparing to speak in front of everyone at the fellowship awards gala, which happens to take place on Valentine’s Day. As Charlie takes her in, he teases, “I owe you a couple…You brought me back to life twice.” Then he eases her (and our) fears: “Nothing bad is going to happen because I’ve got your back.” Swoon, again! 

Meanwhile, Crenshaw enters Hope Zion and asks if Charlie and Alex are working. The receptionist tells him they’re at the fellowship awards. Oh-no…he remembers!

The whole gang reunites at the gala and makes a toast. We learn that Alex and Maggie combined their women-centric cases, so they’ll continue working together on their fellowship.

Zach flew in from Vancouver with Dawn, who’s wearing sneakers because his kid puked on her shoes. They are so adorably happy together. Squee! Shahir makes a fool of himself doing the mic check. Classic Shahir! Bishop enters with his wife and tells Cassie that she looks nice. He also says he’s moving back to LA. No surprise there. He just wants one last chance to explain, but Cassie is still pissed and doesn’t want to hear it. He swears he didn’t realize he loved his wife until she showed up and he apologizes for hurting her. Cassie snaps at him and leaves. She’s not in a partying mood. Can’t blame her, but we’re still ready to party, so let’s get back to the gala.

Dawn and Dana deliver a beautiful speech introducing Alex and Maggie before they step-up to receive their award. As they speak, Crenshaw enters building and starts searching for ChAlex. How do they just let him in there? He looks like trouble, not like he’s meant to be at a gala! This is not good.

Charlie and Alex hug as she’s about to go accept the award. Crenshaw walks right up to them. He grumbles, “Time to pay up.” An old woman’s ghost appears to Charlie and warns, “You need to go.” But it is too late. Crenshaw fires…BANG!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

‘Saving Hope’ leaves us hanging in another phenomenal season finale. Once again, we were on the edge of our seats, fully invested in what happens to these fascinating characters. This can’t be the end for Charlie and Alex. We know, but it doesn’t change how we feel. We still cried, worried, cheered and gasped throughout this epic episode. 

Thank you to everyone at ‘Saving Hope,’ actors, writer, directors, crew, etc. for another remarkable season. Well done! We really can’t wait to see what happens in the final season. All we know is it will be bittersweet.