Three Rivers - news, links, discussion - part 11 *SPOILERS*

[allegrita]

I liked a lot of this episode, but the firefighter storyline just reinforced what I don't like about Carol Barbee's style. She can't make a subtle point to save her life! No, she has to hammer it home, and then stomp on it a few times, and then shout it in our ears, and then she hires skywriters, just in case we missed the point.

On the other hand, I really liked the deeper look into Andy's background, and the scene between Miranda and the female firefighter (was that Gwen?) was actually really good. The acting was good. It was the writing and editing that I found lacking.

I also wonder what the heck happened to Alfre Woodard in these two episodes. Did she quit after the show was canceled?! I know she got another job very quickly...

Anyway, the subplot between Andy and Lisa is interesting, and it's hard to know how they'll leave it. And the new and painful wrinkle in the Kuol story is making me feel a little like

[redwinter101]

I liked a lot of this episode, but the firefighter storyline just reinforced what I don't like about Carol Barbee's style. She can't make a subtle point to save her life! No, she has to hammer it home, and then stomp on it a few times, and then shout it in our ears, and then she hires skywriters, just in case we missed the point.

Subtlety is a foreign land. And WHY make the captain AB-, just about the rarest blood group there is and then have 3 out of the small group of firefighters match? Totally unrealistic (and unnecessary - there was no reason the guy couldn't have been O-).

Having said that, the fact that the donor, recipient and "third victim" storylines all related to the same incident, made it all hang together better for me.

This was the first episode that actually needed a "previously on Three Rivers" because they took the time to develop some of the storylines from earlier episodes. Finally.

"I'd rather do that over a drink." The show may not rock my world but I will definitely miss Dr. Andy.

Red

[allegrita]

Yeah... so do I. I do miss him, and I'm enjoying the burn-off episodes very much.

[VAsusieQ18]

I think it was around this episode that the show was "officially" canned. But you know that the cast had to have seen the writing on the wall. At about the time we heard about the show's cancellation, we also heard that Alfre had signed on to do another show, "Memphis Beat" on TNT. So my thought on this is that she had already pulled up stakes and was gone, apparently with CBS's blessing. Can't know for sure, but food for thought.

[wpgrace]

I liked a lot of this episode, but the firefighter storyline just reinforced what I don't like about Carol Barbee's style. She can't make a subtle point to save her life! No, she has to hammer it home, and then stomp on it a few times, and then shout it in our ears, and then she hires skywriters, just in case we missed the point.

So I'm nominating you for an Emmy. Isn't there a category in there SOMEWHERE for best tv critique???? Cos you SO have Ms. Barbee pegged. And just made me giggle more in one paragraph than she can manage in an entire script...

And WHY make the captain AB-, just about the rarest blood group there is and then have 3 out of the small group of firefighters match? Totally unrealistic (and unnecessary - there was no reason the guy couldn't have been O-).

I know... this irked the cr@p outta me too... made NO sense. Just DARING the critics to try and make like Alle. Tho I was SO hoping he'd be AO-, then Beth woulda had to cough up a lung.

"I'd rather do that over a drink."

right along with you. In fact, I thought of you as soon as he said that line...
And btw, he said it about 8 or 9 times on MY tv... cos I kept rewinding and playing it back... it took awhile before I even cared what happened in the rest of the show...

[darkstarrising]

I think it was around this episode that the show was "officially" canned. But you know that the cast had to have seen the writing on the wall. At about the time we heard about the show's cancellation, we also heard that Alfre had signed on to do another show, "Memphis Beat" on TNT. So my thought on this is that she had already pulled up stakes and was gone, apparently with CBS's blessing. Can't know for sure, but food for thought.

Actually, Alfre's character, Dr. Jordan, shows up in the preview for next week's episode. The writers explained her character's absence as she was attending some conference and that Andy was in charge. Maybe she (Alfre) had some conflict that CBS allowed her to support.

[redwinter101]

Promo for next week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsOrt4LJy1o

Red

[VAsusieQ18]

Next week's episode looks pretty interesting. I've always liked Oded Fehr, especially as Ardeth Bay in "The Mummy". Looks like Dr. Andy is getting himself some competition!

And dsr, you may be right. Alfre may have had something going on that she had to take some time off from TRs. Could have been personal or professional. I didn't notice her in next week's preview, but I'm glad she's back.

[wpgrace]

I KNOW this is sacrilege... but I never thought Alfre added a thing to this show. Her character was dull to me and I thought her acting wasn't up to its usual level. Her best scenes were a couple that she had with Andy. I don't think she played well off Kate...

Probably just me, but I have enjoyed the last 3 eps without her...

[cassysj]

I'll admit I haven't missed Alfre the last few weeks. It seems the only thing that is missing is the meeting where Dr. Andy is pleading his case for someone to go on the transplant list.

The firefighter storyline really annoyed me with so many matches for the captain. I'm A Positive and I'm not sure I'd have that many matches and I'm the second most common blood type. All my friends seem to be O

[redwinter101]

Last night's numbers:

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/06/20/tv ... open/54687



Red

[darkstarrising]

Thanks for the numbers, red

I have to agree with those that haven't missed Dr. Jordan either. When I heard Alfre Woodard was cast as a replacement for the head of the hospital, I was excited because I really like her work. Initially, she was ok in 3R, but then the subplot with her relationship with Miranda's father just killed it for me. It seemed a stretch, more 'soap opera-ish' than drama, and after that, she seemed to be playing her character a bit over the top.

This is really off the wall, but having seen the original pilot, it seemed Miranda didn't have an overly high opinion of David - viewed him as a playboy. In last night's ep, they were working well together, one of the few times the two of them shared the screen for prolonged periods of time. I wonder where the writers would have taken their relationship, if anywhere, had the show continued. Not necessarily romantic, but perhaps closer friends.

[nutmegger911]

Ooh, just had a delicious twisty thought about the firefighters' story. It was either here or in the quandry thread, but since it comes from the Three Rivers story... Food for thought. Captain recipient has a new career as spokesman for Donate Life America. He repeatedly publicly states he would give his left kidney for any one of the crew. Remember the firefighter who got tested then said he couldn't go through with it? OK, so down the road he's burned in a fire. One of the dangers of burns is renal failure. The guy needs a kidney. Everyone on the crew gets tested except for the two lung donors, because they figure they couldn't possibly be a match. Except for this fire department anomoly of three AB negative potential donors, no one has a spare kidney lying around. What do you do? Doctor? Guy who needs kidney? Captain recipient, if you find out he was a match and wouldn't do it for you? How would it affect the dynamic of the crew if they found out?

Sorry, just occurred to me as a cool possibility as a follow-on for a later episode. Alas, the world may never know.

[jmc]

I KNOW this is sacrilege... but I never thought Alfre added a thing to this show. Her character was dull to me and I thought her acting wasn't up to its usual level. Her best scenes were a couple that she had with Andy. I don't think she played well off Kate...

Probably just me, but I have enjoyed the last 3 eps without her...

Not just you. Without Alfre, they had time to give Andy, David and Miranda more time for character development. They don't seem so two-dimensional to me in these eps because they aren't just (literally) running through the scenes.

[r1015bill]

Too many characters.
Too many characters.
Too many characters.
Too many characters.
Too many characters.