Three Rivers

As a whole the show was kind of boring because each episode was very predictable and there was no development of the main characters but the chemistry between the three main doctors, the little jokes they made and the depth of the performances in the serious, more personal conversations they had, no matter how rare they were, showed that this series had potential that probably was overlooked by the writers. Each main character was interesting and had potential to be more developed on the background of the main plot which was the organ donation. I especially like the character of doctor Miranda Foster which was outstanding and original female with big spirit and determination which is something we can rarely see in a female character on TV. Kate Moenning performance was unique and gave depth to the character and made her believable. she has the charm of Robert Deniro for me.

I feel that Three Rivers is a great show with a much needed message. But it is not one that is best given in a show.I have a life long friend that had a kidney transplant 3 years ago so I believe in what it is meant to tell us. I don't like the someone must die so someone can live story line for every show. True fact just boring. Now Moonlight was the show with it all. Drama, action, who done it?, crimes , good guy and bad guy, and romance. It had it all and Alex O., is one of the best actors around. I hate that he is being judged on what he is given. He takes every character he is given and sinks his teeth into researching his part. He has actually watched transplant surgery to prepare for the TR roll. The show just isn't really that good. Moonlight on the other hand was OUTSTANDING!!! I wish the TR show all the best and the cast as well, but in the real sense if it should fail I would hope that cbs will pick up one they know that works, Moonlight! It could be brought back, anything is possible!!!!!

In Pittsburgh, Three Rivers is the best transplant hospital. Dr. Andy Yablonski (Alex O'Loughlin) is the leader of the transplant team. Dr. Miranda Foster (Katherine Moennig) has daddy issues who is a legend at the hospital. Dr. David Lee (Daniel Henney) is the ladies' man. Ryan Abbott (Christopher J. Hanke) is the new assistant transplant coordinator. Dr. Sophia Jordan (Alfre Woodard) is the head of the department. Pam Acosta (Justina Machado) is Andy's assistant. Dr. Lisa Reed (Amber Clayton) is also a member of the team.

This CBS medical show didn't last long and really didn't have a chance to develop their characters. O'Loughlin plays a very similar note over and over again. He's the only one that I do remember from the cast. The most memorable aspect that I remember from its first airing is the overuse of CGI in a desperate attempt to modernize the show ER which went off the air the previous season. It's a lot of high-tech flash and noise which distracts from the characters themselves. The premise has potential but it is a more specific medical procedural which limits the scope of the stories being told.

I'm writing this post-mortem...the last original episode ran last weekend. The idea of a medical series about organ transplantation told from different viewpoints (doctors, patients, organ donors, etc.) really appealed to me because I've willed my body for medical research. After I go, my body gets turned over to a medical school! Originally I had signed for organ donation but some technical difficulties (a positive diagnosis for hepatitis B that later turned out to be false) forced me to change plans to whole body donation. This is something I have recommended to everybody who, for one reason or another, can't donate organs. Back to the series...this was a great series with great story lines (dedicated doctors, a person designated to get the organ/organs to be donated, the hospital administration, etc.) and a great cast(Alex O'Loughlin, Alfre Woodard, Katherine Moennig, etc...it deserved more of a chance than it got!! There seem to be indications in other reviews that CBS has been trying to create a series just for Alex O'Loughlin and/or that he can't act...he's just a handsome face!! What I seem to see is that he is from the Tom Selleck/James Garner/Gary Cooper acting school...he's just being himself! The running subplot of how Dr. Yablonski got through medical school (his uncle paid for college with what appeared to be "dirty" money) was also interesting. CBS should've tried this series on another night to see if it could build an audience or stuck with it on Sundays. CBS did that before with other series (Cold Case, also R.I.P.) but couldn't with this one...???!!!

Ahh yes it's review time and everyone's a buzzing. To start off getting Katherine Moennig to do this drama was brilliant, because in case every other series missed the memo the L word only did as good as they did because of her, also the love for Daniel Helley is self apparent.

Now onto the show, yes it's medical drama and of course as soon as that's said all the other shows spring to mind but wait! It really is different I promise... in this show we have the patients dying, people fighting over their organs, and of course a very young and eager intern running around hoping to deliver the organs first, sooo its kind of like a tom and jerry cartoon but instead a TV drama. Overall with this kind of cast makeup and the direction of the show I can see it going places.

Until next review, where we show how baby kittens can kill you in your sleep.. just kidding, nice job CBS. 10/10