  providence is an american television drama series that aired on nbc starring melina kanakaredes. the show ran for five seasons from january 8, 1999 until december 20, 2002. ==synopsis== the show revolves around dr. sydney hansen (played by kanakaredes), who left 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 lives with her father jim, brother robbie, sister joanie, and sister's baby hannah in a large home in suburban providence that also houses her father's veterinary clinic. sydney's mother dies in the first episode but continued to appear to sydney as a spirit, and to offer advice. the show ends rather abruptly, with a two-part wedding episode. nbc called this providences "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 melina kanakaredes, opted out of producing a sixth season. reruns of the show are not currently running. ==characters== *'dr. sydney "syd" hansen (melina kanakaredes) â a high-profile plastic surgeon who returns home for her sister's wedding. unfortunately, her mother died before the ceremony begins. syd returns to los angeles, only to find her boyfriend cheating on her with another man. ultimately she decides to move back home to providence to help her family, and she takes a job at a free clinic that she later ends up running. while struggling with her new specialty of family medicine and helping her family, she also tries to rebuild her love life, without much luck until season 5. *joan "joanie" hansen (paula cale) â sydney's younger sister and single mother of young hannah. her mother's death interrupts her wedding and, after giving birth to hannah, she decides to not marry hannah's father, richie. an optimistic woman, joanie assists her father in his practice until she discovers that her cooking, while unpalatable for humans, is a delicacy for dogs, and she opens a delicatessen bakery for dogs. her love life, however, is as complicated as her older si
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