TVSquad

There was no surprise when SoapNet announced that it would be broadcasting another season of the late night spinoff of General Hospital Night Shift. The premiere season was a ratings blockbuster for the cable channel, a big hit with fans and well-received by the critics.

What was surprising was news that a new head writer, Sri Rao, would be taking over from Bob Guza, Jr., and that two major players from GH's history -- Tristan Rogers and Antonio Sabato, Jr. -- would be starring in this go-round.

I enjoyed Night Shift, year one, so I was inclined to check it out. I'm thrilled to report that after three episodes, I'm loving Night Shift 2008! Here's five reasons why:

1) Snappy storytelling
It's brisk and focused overall, and there have been some smart changes enacted by Sri Rao from the start. Last season, the SoapNet episodes seemed to be out of sync with the daytime General Hospital activities. It was out of whack and very disconcerting. How could Spinelli be shot in the foot in Night Shift and unharmed in GH daytime. It made no sense. That's not the case so far. Robin and Patrick's daytime stories are connected to the Night Shift stories.

2) Vibrant new characters
This summer's batch are better than those introduced last season. Azita Ghanizada as Dr. Saira Batra is refreshing with her holistic medicine ideas and spunky attitude. And in a really interesting move, Dr. Leo Julian is now being played by Ethan Rains, taking over for his look-alike brother, Dominic Rains. Guess what? Ethan's better. He may look like Robert Hegyes -- Welcome Back, Kotter's Juan Epstein -- but he's a dynamic actor. Leo and Saira make a hot couple -- fiery and combative. I'm also enjoying the Will & Grace couple, Kyle and Claire -- and how refreshing to have a gay character introduced without any fanfare or bother. He's just part of the story.

3) New and improved production
The look is classy and richer. Maybe they just slapped on a new coat of paint or bought some new furniture, but everything is popping. Robin and Patrick's apartment has a lived-in look, not like the typical showroom vibe you see on a lot of shows. Also, there's a new main hospital set which a friend suggested to me might be a carry-over from Port Charles. Whatever, it makes a statement. It says that this is a floor of General Hospital you're not seeing in daytime.

4) Medical staff only
I was concerned about the star power for Night Shift because unlike the first season, Jason (Steve Burton) and Spinelli (Bradford Anderson) would not be doing double-duty. They were sticking with GH and not appearing in Night Shift. They were both a big part of last season's episodes, even though they had to find a way to insert them into hospital plots.

Fortunately, they haven't been missed. The characters from daytime that are appearing regularly are all medical staff, including Epiphany and Robin and Patrick. They're a strong link to the mother show, and they belong in the hospital.

5) Star power
It's nice that Billy Dee Williams is back in a Special Guest Star role, picking up the Toussant storyline from last summer. However, the longtime GH fans are especially psyched by the return of Antonio Sabato, Jr. as Jagger Cates. So far, he's been underused in my opinion. He's on the edges of the plots. I'm waiting for him to get some action.

On the other hand, Tristan Rogers has made a smashing return as Robert Scorpio, WSB spy and errant father to Robin. His scenes last week were brilliant and he picked up the character like no time has passed (he did return briefly about a year ago for a short time, too). Anyway, now, because of a brain injury, he was confused and thought Kyle was Luke Spencer. As he started spouting off lines about Sean Donely and the WSB and Faison, it was like a flashback to GH when Gloria Monty was running the show. Then he learned that Robin is pregnant, right before the revelation that he has a serious medical condition. It's been great stuff and I can't wait to see what happens next.

So, overall, everything about the new Night Shift feels like a step forward. It's like they took the advice once ascribed to the golden age of MGM Studios -- "do it big, do it right and give it class." Last season was a great start; this season, it's even better.