The medical-drama with a supernatural bent already has a 13 episode order from Canadian broadcaster CTV but now, according to Deadline, NBC is looking to acquire it for a summer run. Durance plays a surgeon named Alex Reid who works in the same fictional Toronto hospital where her husband lies in a coma. This husband is Dr. Harris (played by Michael Shanks, another Smallville regular) who happened to be the chief of surgery before the coma, but don’t worry, his spirit still roams the hallways of the hospital, checking in on his attractive wife and a hot-shot new surgeon (Daniel Gillies). The series also features Scre4m’s Erik Knudsen and Kristopher Turner in supporting roles.

Saving Hope was co-created by Malcolm MacRury and Morwyn Brebner who also do most of the writing for series. The show is another Canadian series that crossed the border from executive producer Ilana Frank – the person responsible for ABC’s Rookie Blue. First Flashpoint, then Rookie Blue and just today The CW announced interest in acquiring The L.A. Complex (which also features Kristopher Turner, not a bad day for him) for a summer run. And now Erica Durance and Saving Grace at NBC. “O Canada” indeed.

So, if all goes well, look for Saving Hope to debut on NBC this summer. Erica Durance guest stars in the Harry’s Law episode on Wednesday, January 11 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. (source)

In SAVING HOPE, when charismatic Chief of Surgery Charlie Harris (Shanks) at Toronto’s Hope-Zion Hospital ends up in a coma, he leaves the hospital in chaos – and his fiancée and fellow surgeon, Alex Reid (Durance), in a state of shock. Along with newly-arrived star surgeon, Joel Goran (Daniel Gillies, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES), Alex races to save Harris’ life. As the action unfolds, comatose Dr. Harris wanders the halls of Hope-Zee in “spirit” form, not sure if he’s a ghost or a figment of his own imagination. Reid, along with her fellow doctors, press on to save his life and those of their other patients, as they deal with the complicated and courageous decisions that are made in their daily struggle to keep hope alive.

“Tapping into the frenetic lives of medical professionals entrusted to make life and death decisions every single day, SAVING HOPE is a sexy, heart-pumping hospital drama with captivating storylines,” said Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports. “We look forward to working with the talented actors and creative team behind this compelling new series.” (source)

- Charlie’s Angels 1.04 Angels in Chains – Screencaps

TVLINE | You told me that once Smallville wrapped, you wanted to “kick ass and take numbers.” So, do you get to kick a little ass on Charlie’s Angels?
In kind of a different way. She’s got the gun, she has a little physicality, and there’s definitely potential for her to really be tough, but in this particular situation there’s only a bit of that. They’re just establishing who she is, and we’ll see where they go with it. But I am a “gun-toting CIA agent”! [Laughs]

TVLINE | Specifically, a “Glock-toting CIA agent.” Tell us more about Samantha Masters.
Oh, Samantha Masters…. She’s a woman who is very career-driven, and she has a little bit of a history with Bosley (played by Ramon Rodriguez). He’s part of the reason she’s had a falling out with the CIA, so there’s a lot of tension they get to play with. She’s very self-reliant, and independent….

TVLINE | She knows a few of Bosley’s own secrets….
Yeah, you’ll see that she has a lot more on him than he has on her, though she plays it close to the vest. She’s very hard-nosed — I really like her.

TVLINE | What’s going on in the photos I’ve seen, with you and Ramon sneaking a field?
It’s kind of a reconnaissance mission where we are there to back up the Angels. [Samantha] was initially quite an obstacle, but I end up coming along for the ride, so we’re checking out how we can best help the Angels — and bickering as well! And then we all get in a lot of trouble.

TVLINE | Is there sexual tension between her and Boz?
I wouldn’t necessarily call it a sexual tension, but there’s definitely a tension from them having had a relationship before that is not quite finished yet.

TVLINE | Is Charlie’s Angels a pilot you went up for in the spring?
I did not. I was busy filming Smallville, but I was well aware of it, because of course it was [original Smallville EPs Al Hough and Miles Millar's] next venture. So I knew it was casting, but I knew that I wouldn’t be unavailable to work on it. I was very happily surprised when Al and Miles, who were really good to me with Smallville, called to see if I wanted to come down and do this.

TVLINE | What was it like working with them again?
I was only able to chat with Al, and it was really, really great. I also saw a couple of alums from the Smallville crew when I was down in Miami, so that was like a little reunion!

TVLINE | Al said that when they were casting the voice of Charlie, Michael Rosenbaum lobbied for the gig — and even sent tapes.
[Laughs] Yeah, I bet he did! It’d be the perfect thing for Michael. He’s very animated and fun, plus he’d get to stay in L.A.

TVLINE | Are you locked in for just the one Angels episode? Or have you booked a second?
I have not. There was the thought that it could recur, and if all of that works out with the timing of whatever project I’m working on, I’d be open to seeing where they go with the character.

TVLINE | Where do things stand with Saving Hope, the Canadian medical drama on which you star and also serve as a producer? [Durance plays Dr. Alice Joy, the idealistic Chief Surgical Resident at a hospital whose happenings are narrated by its comatose Chief of Surgery.]
I’m still waiting to hear. We had some really positive feedback from some of the people we approached… so we’ll see what happens. That was a wonderful experience and a project I’m really proud of.

TVLINE | Alice is smart doctor, but…? What’s her foible?
What’s her foible? [Laughs] Maybe her foible is she doesn’t know what her foible is yet. That’s something that I’m still working on developing. I was very interested in playing doctor who has to deal with all kinds of drama on a day-in, day-out basis, and being part of a project that talks about not just the surgeries but that whole life. She’s a great character, but there’s a quality to her that is quite detached. Plus, it was nice to be a part of something where I can be a producer as well. One of my goals is to educate myself more as a woman in this business.

TVLINE | Cassidy Freeman booked a new A&E series and a recurring role on [the since-canceled] Playboy Club, Justin Hartley is going to be on Chuck, you’ve got Saving Hope and this Angels appearance… Is it a weight off your shoulders to see several Smallville vets book new gigs right away, and not left in some sci-fi cubbyhole?
I think that all actors just want to continue acting, so if you get the opportunity to go out and do something again, you feel very lucky. Speaking for myself, I felt so lucky to get seven years [on Smallville], so I never took for granted that I’d be able to go out and get another job. And I’m still not taking for granted that I’m going to [stay busy]. I just keep looking for things that are interesting and keep calm as possible about it all, not worrying about being in a “box.” That’s why I went off and did a film in Italy – I wanted to stretch my wings and see what it’s like to make film with Italians and see what that market is like, and that role was very challenging. [Twins, in which Durance plays dual roles, screened this month at the Rome Film Festival to a standing-room-only crowd.] I’m really happy for my fellow colleagues, because I know they wouldn’t be doing these roles unless they thought it was something really interesting and fun for them.

TVLINE | Lastly, I’m curious: Even at two hours, the Smallville series finale had a lot to get done. Was there anything left on the cutting room floor that we should watch for on the DVDs?
I don’t know if our outtakes will wind up on the DVD, but yeah, we had to shave a lot of it. So we’ll see what happens. I hope that they leave in some of the scenes they had to cut around.

TVLINE | What kind of stuff was cut?
[Pauses to think] You know what? It’s all a blur to me…. I don’t have any good scoop for you, Matt — sorry!

TVLINE | But it wasn’t, like, Lois flying with Clark… right?
Nooooo, nothing as exciting as that. Are you kidding me?! (source)

CHARLIE’S ANGELS – “Angels in Chains” – Based on a teleplay from the original “Charlie’s Angels” series, the girls must break out of jail in their quest to crack a case. This time, they pose as unsuspecting American tourists to crack a kidnapping ring in Cuba. Upon arrival at the hotel, they are framed and thrown into a women’s prison, where their key victim, Tess, is also incarcerated. Bosley joins forces with his ex-girlfriend, CIA operative Samantha Masters (Erica Durance), but is this partnership something more? Find out on “Charlie’s Angels,” THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Charlie’s Angels executive producer Al Gough wasn’t kidding when he said the other day, “We’d obviously love to have any [Smallville alumni] come on the show.” In fact, it now seems he may have been holding out when he said that.

A studio source tells TVLine that Erica Durance — whom Gough cast as Lois Lane during his and Miles Millar’s lordship over Smallville — will guest on ABC’s new Angels as Samantha Masters, a tough-as-nails, Glock-toting CIA operative who has a bit of a romantic history with Bosley (aka “the fourth angel” in this new take, played by Ramon Rodriguez).

In fact, their unexpected (and at times intense) crossing of paths while each on assignment in Cuba lets slip a bit of Boz’s checkered past, including a few of his aliases and a hint at what bad-boy behavior ultimately led him to Charlie Townsend’s redemption-by-private-investigation program.

As Smallville entered its final stretch, Durance told me of her future acting plans — after I specifically suggested she be one of the new Charlie’s Angels! — “I just want to kick ass and take numbers! We’ll see if I get the chance.” Well, that chance is now on the horizon. Charlie’s Angels premieres Thursday, Sept. 22, at 8/7c, with Durance’s episode tentatively set to air in mid- to late October.

Durance recently shot a pilot for Canada’s CTV, Saving Hope, where she stars as the Chief Surgical Resident of a hospital. (source)

Erica Durance, who played Lois Lane on seven seasons of “Smallville,” has booked a new pilot. The Alberta native is sticking with her Canadian roots to work on “Saving Hope,” a CTV pilot.

Scheduled to begin production June 22, “Saving Hope” comes from executive producer Ilana Frank, who is at the helm of “Rookie Blue,” a Toronto-based cop drama that has crossed over to American audiences on ABC.

CTV’s official description is below.

“SAVING HOPE centers on young, idealistic neonatal doctor Alyse Joy and her rival and one-time lover, flashy cancer surgeon Joel Gottlieb, as they take on the fundamental questions that define medicine today. Who gets to live, who gets to die, and why? The story goes into uncharted territory when the charismatic, inspiring and golden-tongued Chief of Surgery, Harris Coles, becomes a patient. Comatose, locked-in and unable to communicate that he’s aware of everything around him, Coles is the voice and the eyes that guide viewers through the world of SAVING HOPE.

“The drama, which is inspired by Ian Brown’s The Globe and Mail “Mount Hope” series based on stories from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, is written and created by Morwyn Brebner (ROOKIE BLUE) and Malcolm MacRury (DEADWOOD, CRASH & BURN) and executive produced by Ilana Frank of Thump Inc. (THE ELEVENTH HOUR, Of Murder and Memory, ROOKIE BLUE) and Lesley Harrison in association with CTV.” (source)

A wonderful new Smallville-related interview by TheFutonCritic.com has surfaced. Be sure to watch as Erica thanks the fans and proves once more what a wonderful human being she is.