TNT’s new drama, “Saved,” stars Tom Everett Scott (best known as the drummer in “That Thing You Do!”) as Wyatt Cole, a troubled paramedic with daddy issues. The character is not dissimilar to Meredith Grey of “Grey’s Anatomy.” Both have parents that are/were successful surgeons and both are coming to grips with the legacy they’ll leave in the medical world. Wyatt went to medical school for two years and his father insists that he return to finish, while it seems that Wyatt has decided the last thing he wants to do is please his father. Much like Meredith, Wyatt has a complicated history with a doctor, Alice Alden (played by Elizabeth Reaser), who is on the verge of committing to a relationship with another ER doc, but her attraction to Wyatt is holding things up.
Unlike “Grey’s,” “Saved” doesn’t have the tedious voice-overs and the “what lesson did we learn this week?” moments. Wyatt is a compulsive gambler, and while his dealings with the gay mafia are a bit odd, the show is grittier than its counterpart. Scott has good chemistry with Omari Hardwick, who plays his partner, John Hallon. Hallon has his own problems – he’s a recovering alcoholic who is just starting to become a father to his 8 year-old son, after being absent for most of his life.
Wyatt’s whimsical nature carries the show, and the rest of the characters play off of it well. It’s clear that the attraction between he and Alice is going to continue for the duration of the season, while he and his father continue to battle over Wyatt’s future. “Saved” isn’t must-see TV, but it’s solid viewing, especially for the summer. Along with “The Closer,” TNT has found a niche and is filling it well.
