Third Watch TV collection: Just Plain Great

The first time I watched an episode of Third Watch, I thought that it had all the makings of a television flop. The story lines were transparent, the characters lacked any real depth and there was no true progression in the story. I suppose it's akin to watching the 123rd episode of The Young and the Restless, you wouldn't know who was who or what was what.

The first episode I watched was somewhere in the middle of the series, I couldn't have said where for sure (episode 10 "Demolition Derby"). I didn't really see the point. The action was very fast paced, with the camera running down the street after Jimmy Doherty as he put out a whole series of blazing cars. I was taken back to the dreadful camera work in The Blair Witch. It's as if the camera crew didn't understand how to film without making the audience sick.

Like all good television shows, Third Watch leaves you needing more story. I only watched a second episode to fill in the holes made by the first. I consulted fan sites to determine which episode would have the richest story content. The overwhelming recommendation was "Welcome to Camelot", the pilot. I, literally, watched the entire pilot glued to the TV. The absence of story was replaced with a rich tapestry of adventure. The one dimensional characters grew into full human beings right before my eyes. Suddenly, it all made sense. The camera work wasn't poor, it was real. The rough feel of Third Watch contributed to its intense appeal. I went on to watch the complete Third Watch TV collection.

I'm not ashamed to admit, I'm a fan. It takes some warming up, but once you start watching Third Watch you can't stop. The only comparable show is 24. The plot holds you in suspense for the entire program. If you start watching Third Watch, start with the pilot. If you enter the gritty world of the 55th from the beginning then you'll have no trouble enjoying all 132 episodes. It's just more logical to start a story at the beginning, and stop at the end. The plot doesn't flow in any meaningful way but forward.