It’s rare to find a show that actually treats teenagers like they have a functioning brain. Most YA dramas lean so heavily into the romance that they forget to write a plot, but the Open Heart TV show was different. It felt more like a medical procedural wrapped in a noir mystery, set against the backdrop of the fictional Open Heart Memorial Hospital. Honestly, it was basically Grey's Anatomy meets Veronica Mars, and if you haven’t seen it, you missed out on one of the most underrated gems of the mid-2010s.
Dylan Blake wasn't your typical "rebellious" lead. She had a reason to be angry. Her father disappeared under suspicious circumstances, and while the police were ready to call it a cold case, she wasn't. This drive is what anchored the show. It premiered in 2015 as a collaboration between TeenNick and Canada’s YTV, produced by the same team behind the massive Degrassi franchise.
But here’s the thing. It vanished. One season. Twelve episodes.
What Actually Happened in Open Heart Memorial?
The setup was simple but effective. After a run-in with the law, Dylan is sentenced to community service at the hospital where her family practically reigns supreme. Her mother is a high-ranking doctor, her sister is a resident, and her grandfather is a board member. It’s messy. It’s awkward. And it’s the perfect cover for Dylan to steal patient files and track down what really happened to her dad, Richard Blake.
Karis Cameron played Dylan with this jagged, defensive energy that made you root for her even when she was being a total jerk to her friends. The supporting cast wasn't just window dressing either. You had London (played by Tori Anderson), the overachieving sister drowning under the weight of family expectations, and Wes (Justin Kelly), the witty lab assistant who became Dylan’s reluctant partner in crime.
The mystery wasn't just some background noise. It was dense. The show used an "Open Heart" app in real life—back when second-screen experiences were the big trend—to give viewers clues, texts, and "evidence" that Dylan was finding in real-time. It was immersive. It felt big.
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Why the Open Heart TV Show Failed to Get a Season 2
TV is a brutal business. Despite a dedicated cult following and the Degrassi pedigree, the Open Heart TV show didn't survive the transition of network priorities.
- The Network Shuffle: TeenNick was going through a massive identity shift in 2015. They were moving away from original scripted dramas and leaning harder into nostalgia and acquired content.
- Ratings vs. Engagement: While the show had high engagement on social media and through its dedicated app, the live Nielsen ratings didn't hit the targets required for a high-budget medical-mystery hybrid.
- The Cliffhanger Curse: The season ended on a massive reveal. We finally got answers about Richard Blake, but those answers opened up a dozen more questions about a larger conspiracy. Since the show was never renewed, fans were left staring at a permanent "To Be Continued" that never continued.
It’s frustrating. Truly. You spend twelve episodes building up the tension, getting invested in the slow-burn chemistry between Dylan and Wes, only for the lights to go out.
The Degrassi Connection
If you felt like the hospital looked familiar or the pacing felt like a soap opera, you weren't imagining things. Epitome Pictures produced this. They used the same studios in Toronto where Degrassi: The Next Generation was filmed. In fact, you’ll recognize several faces.
Justin Kelly, who played Wes, was a series regular on Degrassi as Jake Martin. Cristine Prosperi, who played the bright and bubbly Mikayla, was known to millions as Imogen Moreno. Seeing these actors play completely different archetypes—Prosperi specifically shedding the "quirky girl" persona for a more grounded, loyal best friend role—was a treat for Canadian TV buffs.
The writing reflected that Degrassi DNA too. It didn't talk down to kids. It dealt with grief, class tension within the medical system, and the ethics of breaking the law for the "right" reasons.
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The Mystery of Richard Blake
Let’s talk about the plot for a second. Most teen shows would have revealed the dad was just having an affair or ran away because of a midlife crisis. Not here. The Open Heart TV show went dark. It involved forged signatures, secret bank accounts, and the realization that the people Dylan trusted most—including her own mother—were keeping secrets that could dismantle their entire lives.
The "whodunnit" aspect was actually solvable. If you paid attention to the background details in the hospital scenes, the clues were there. That's the mark of a good mystery. It wasn't just pulling twists out of thin air to shock the audience.
Where Can You Watch It Now?
Finding the show today is a bit of a scavenger hunt, which is probably why it hasn't had a massive Suits-style resurgence on Netflix yet.
- YouTube: For a long time, the official "Open Heart" channel had episodes available, though regional locks apply.
- Prime Video: It pops up occasionally on various streaming "channels" like sensations or the Roku Channel.
- Physical Media: Good luck. It never got a wide DVD release, making it a "lost" piece of media for many.
The tragedy of the Open Heart TV show is that it was ahead of its time. If this show launched today on a platform like Netflix or Max, it would have been a top-ten hit. The binge-ability of a mystery where every episode ends on a hook is exactly what modern streaming audiences crave. In 2015, we still relied on weekly cable drops, and that killed the momentum.
The Legacy of a One-Season Wonder
Even though it’s been nearly a decade, the "Open Heart" fandom is still surprisingly active in niche corners of the internet. They write fanfiction that finishes the story. They track the careers of the actors.
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Karis Cameron went on to do various projects including Beverly Hills Ghost, while Tori Anderson became a staple of the Hallmark and CBS world, eventually starring in NCIS: Hawai'i. Seeing their growth makes you wonder what a Season 3 or 4 would have looked like for their characters. Dylan would have likely been a medical student by then, still breaking rules, still obsessed with the truth.
It wasn't perfect. Some of the dialogue was a bit "fellow kids," and the budget occasionally showed its seams during the more "action-heavy" hospital sequences. But it had heart. Pun intended. It had a specific point of view that focused on the anger of a teenage girl rather than just her romantic longing. That's still rare.
How to Approach a Re-watch
If you’re going to dive back into the Open Heart TV show, you have to go in knowing there is no resolution. Treat it like a limited series. Focus on the character dynamics rather than the overarching conspiracy, or you’ll just end up throwing your remote at the TV during the finale.
Actionable Insights for Fans of the Genre:
- Check out "Cruel Summer": If you loved the multi-timeline/heavy mystery vibe of Open Heart, this is the closest modern equivalent.
- Support the Creators: Look into the work of Sarah Glinski, who was a driving force behind the show. Her ability to write authentic teen voices is visible in much of the Degrassi revival work.
- Use the Wayback Machine: If you want to see the old digital clues from the Open Heart app, some of the original promotional websites are archived. It’s a trip.
- Petition for Streaming: Services like Tubi or Pluto TV are great at picking up "forgotten" shows. A few well-placed requests on social media can sometimes trigger a licensing deal.
The Open Heart TV show remains a masterclass in how to build a world that feels lived-in and dangerous within the constraints of teen television. It’s a reminder that sometimes the best stories aren't the ones that last for ten years, but the ones that burn bright and leave you wanting more.
Don't let the "cancelled" status scare you off. The journey through the halls of Open Heart Memorial is still worth the trip, even if the destination is a bit of a cliff.