Even though she’s not the kindest person at Hope-Zion, Dana Kinney hasn’t had it easy since Charlie’s accident. And no one knows more than actress Wendy Crewson, who plays the acting chief of surgery.

“There’s all sorts of upheaval and we’ve seen her trying to find some sort of cohesion, trying to keep everyone in line and grab hold of the emotional reins of the place. It’s not about coddling, but about holding fast, keeping your head in the game and being professional,” Crewson says, standing in an E.R. room on a recent set visit.

But in Episode 10, we get a different glimpse into this tough, no-nonsense acting chief of surgery. “We see her in an emergency situation and we see her taking control of a field amputation. We see her experience and competence as a surgeon emerge and we also get to see the emotional undertones and how that does affect her.

“We see a break in the armour.”

But perhaps even more interesting to Crewson is that the episode confronts the idea of gender equality.
“In positions of power, women are often demonized – they’re immediately seen as a bitch. There’s something ferocious and fabulous about a man in power, but a woman is dangerous and I think we address that in this episode, which I think is significant.

“It’s okay for a woman to be strong and assertive and make a hard call and not be called down for it,” she says.

And this reality exists beyond the halls of Hope-Z, Crewson adds. “We’ve got a lot of really strong women working on this show and they really understand how important it is for our girls to see women in positions of power,” Crewson reflects.

“You can’t be what you can’t see. If young girls never see women in positions of power and authority, it doesn’t become part of their perception of what they could be. It’s really important in the film and television industry that we start showing our girls that there’s something to be other than a (socialite).”

And though Episode 10 highlights the disparity between men and women, Crewson notes that Kinney is stuck in a battle between being emotional as well as professional.

“Kinney’s grown up in years where being emotional has not been seen as a strength in women and it is hard for her to let that go, but it’s a huge part of her and something she’s learning to live (with). It’s something she still needs to continue to incorporate.”