Third Watch TV series: Real Life

Third Watch TV series highly successful 6 seasons run was built on a powerfully dynamic cast of characters. Without the firefighters, paramedics, and police officers Third Watch wouldn't have lasted one season. The characters of Third Watch had a large fan base due to their average seeming nature. There are two characters that are dramatically similar in Third Watch.

Of all the characters in Third Watch, Bosco (Jason Wiles) was by far the most understandable individual. As an officer, he tends to be the stereotypical 'renegade', constantly disregarding common calls in favor of high stake jobs to realize his inner action star. This, at times, involves deliberately staking out dangerously high crime areas; for example, he might watch a suspect with a crowbar scan for unsecured cars, waiting for a criminal to act, so he could heroically charge in and make the collar.

Bosco wasn't the only character than found himself presenting a stereotypical (though true) portrayal. Jimmy Doherty (Eddie Cibrian) was a character created to be the firefighting version of Bosco. He too was brash, action hungry, and immature. In several episodes there are parallels drawn between the two characters that beg the question "Are they the same guy?". The similarity is intentional.

When Eddie Cibrian tried out for Third Watch he wanted to be Bosco. He was finally beat out for the role by Jason Wiles. Producers were greatly impressed with Cibrian's performance of Bosco and finally decided to create a new character specifically for him to play. Doherty was created shortly thereafter. Because Cibrian had done such a fantastic job as Bosco, the role of Doherty needed to be remarkably similar. Personal history changed, but the attitudes and mannerisms of Bosco and Doherty are almost exactly the same.

The similarity between the two characters doesn't detract from the quality of the story, it adds to it. Without the two similar characters, there could never have win/lose story lines. Sometimes Doherty will come out ahead by being ruthless, and sometimes Bosco will grow as a person because he realizes that being a cop is the most important thing (regardless of action).