Providence (TV series)

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Providence

The Providence Collection DVD box set. Clockwise from top left: Tomei, Peterson, Farrell, Kanakaredes, and Cale.
Format Drama
Created by John Masius
Starring Melina Kanakaredes
Paula Cale
Seth Peterson
Mike Farrell
Concetta Tomei
Leslie Silva
Opening theme "In My Life" by
Chantal Kreviazuk
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 5
No. of episodes 96
Production
Running time 60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel NBC
Original run January 8, 1999 –
December 20, 2002

Providence was an NBC television series starring Melina Kanakaredes. The show ran from January 8, 1999, until December 20, 2002, for five seasons. The show revolved around Dr. Sydney Hansen (played by Kanakaredes), who wished to leave her glamorous job in Beverly Hills as a plastic surgeon for the rich, so she could return to her hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, and be with her family.

Sydney lived with her father, brother, sister and sister's baby in a large home in suburban Providence that was also her father's veterinary clinic. Sydney's mother died in the first episode but continued to appear to Sydney as a spirit, and to offer advice.

The show ended rather abruptly, with a two-parter wedding episode. NBC called this Providence's "winter finale," fully expecting to bring it back in the spring or autumn of 2003, but these plans were eventually scrapped when some cast members, including Kanakaredes, opted out of producing a sixth season. Reruns of the show are now shown on Lifetime Woman.

Contents

[edit] Characters

  • Dr. Sydney "Syd" Hansen (Melina Kanakaredes) - A high-profile plastic surgeon who returned home for her sister's wedding. Unfortunately, her mother died before the ceremony started. She returned to Los Angeles, only to find her boyfriend cheating on her with another man. In the end, she decided to move back home to Providence to help her family, and took a job at a free clinic that she'd later end up running. While struggling with her new speciality of family medicine and helping her family, she also tried to rebuild her love life, without much luck until season 5.
  • Joan "Joanie" Hansen (Paula Cale) - Sydney's younger sister and single mother of young Hannah. Her mother's death interrupted her wedding and, after giving birth to Hannah, she decides to not marry Hannah's father Richie. An optimistic woman, she assisted her father in the clinic until she found out her cooking, while unpalatable for humans, was a delicacy for dogs and she opened a delicatessen bakery for dogs. Her love life, however, was as complicated as her older sister's.
  • Robert "Robbie" Hansen (Seth Peterson) - Sydney's younger brother. A charming bad boy who managed a pub and was addicted to betting. After much trouble, he finally settled down when he married Tina, a divorced mother of one son, Pete.
  • Lynda Hansen (Concetta Tomei) - Sydney, Joanie and Robbie's overbearing mother. She dies before her pregnant daughter's wedding started, and afterwards appeared only to Sydney in dreams, giving her (often unsolicited) advice.
  • Dr. Jim Hansen (Mike Farrell) - Sydney, Joanie and Robbie's father. A warm-hearted veterinarian who ran a clinic in his house's basement and who sometimes related better to animals than to people.
  • Dr. Helen Reynolds (Leslie Silva) - Sydney's friend and head of the free clinic in the first season. Afterwards, she returned to her hometown, leaving the clinic in Sydney's hands.

[edit] Theme song

In the United States, the theme song was "In My Life", a cover of the Beatles song performed by Chantal Kreviazuk. Internationally, the theme song was "You Make Me Home", composed by Tim Truman and performed by Angelica Hayden.

[edit] International

Providence has been broadcast internationally by the following stations:

[edit] DVD release

To date, the only DVD release of the series is The Providence Collection (released 2004 by Lions Gate), a collection of the series best episodes from the show's 5 year run featuring 12 episodes on four discs:

  • Pilot, Home Again, Tying the Not, The Letter, Don't Go Changin', The Thanksgiving Story, Falling, Best Man, Act Naturally, A New Beginning, Eye of the Storm, The Eleventh Hour
  • Written introduction by creator John Masius
  • Commentaries by Melina Kanakaredes, Paula Cale, Mike Farrell, Michael Fresco, Seth Peterson, Concetta Tomei, Monica Wyatt, and creator John Masius on selected episodes
  • Gag reel with outtakes and bloopers
  • Retrospective documentary featuring new interviews with the cast, creators, and special guests

[edit] External links