Not much spirit for dead show

CBS

A Gifted Man is a drama starring Patrick Wilson as Michael Holt, a charismatic, ultra-motivated surgeon whose life changes forever when his deceased ex-wife Anna (Jennifer Ehle), begins teaching him the meaning of life from the "hereafter."

I DON’T know about the other Grey’s Anatomy addicts, but I know that, come tonight, I am going to be terribly restless on the couch.

The only show that will probably help stymie my withdrawal symptoms from spinning out of control is Private Practice.

And watching A Gifted Man, which fills the Grey’s Anatomy time slot, doesn’t really rouse much interest. This is especially the case after CBS canned A Gifted Man after 16 episodes – although some viewers felt the network was rather hasty in its decision.

Patrick Wilson, playing the role of Dr Michael Holt, is at the heart of the medical drama with a supernatural twist.

A narcissist surgeon, Holt finds himself re-evaluating his life and decisions with a little help from his deceased ex-wife, Anna (Jennifer Ehle).

Hey, it’s not entirely his fault he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Funnily enough, there was quite a bit of controversy when Wilson took to Twitter to share his feelings on the series being canned. He said something along the lines of: “Couldn’t be happier. As good as it was (sometimes) it was not what I signed on for.”

However, he was initially excited about the venture when he chatted to Collider.com.

Currently in Prometheus on the big screen, Wilson said: “It has always come down to the script for me. I’m an actor who wants to do great parts, and I’ve been very fortunate, for a long time, to get meaty roles, and sometimes, some of them are meatier than others. This was a role that just felt very complicated and a challenge.”

Expanding on the layers to his character, Wilson continues: “One thing that we’re trying to establish is that they are exes. So, it’s about, ‘Why did their marriage fall apart? Were they too young? Did they not see eye-to-eye?’

“You get the feeling that he wanted something much bigger and grander, and she didn’t. We’re figuring that out. I don’t want to have the ex-wife just appear. I keep having to remind myself that this is not the movie, Ghost, where her soulmate dies and it’s present.

“This is someone that was in his past. The most curious part is, ‘Why is this happening?’ It dredges up all these feelings that I think he thought he had dealt with. Very few people in the office even know he was married. That’s an interesting take.”

I am not sure whether viewers will be able to suspend their belief long enough to enjoy this series, but if you are in need of an entertainment fix, it might be worth a view.

• A Gifted Man is on M-Net at 7.30pm tonight.