Three Rivers

The news last week that CBS has canceled “Three Rivers” is, by all accounts, not surprising. After all, the show was never any good. The script was lousy, the acting uninspiring, and the time slot even worse (going against Sunday Night Football is never a good idea). And yet, I’m oddly disappointed that I won’t get to see another episode. As unrealistic as the characters were, I indelibly fell for them. And so I’m sad to see the show go.

For those of you who don’t know, Three Rivers is about a transplant center in Pittsburgh. This is the only reason I started watching it. The show focuses on all aspects of the center, the surgeons, the nurses, and the patients. The only problem is they get it all wrong. First, no one in the hospital is yellow, has blue lips, or is suffering to breathe. Instead, they’re all tall and good looking. No one waits for a transplant either. In a single hour (minus commercials), these patients get sick, get wait listed, transplanted, and ultimately better. Three Rivers, in essence, is ER for transplant patients – everything is rushed and chaotic. You never get to know the patients or feel their suffering. Hell, half of them don’t even look sick.

The doctors are no more realistic on the show. The 28 year-old chief of surgery (?) is a surgeon, hepatologist, cardiologist, and pulmonary specialist. There is no team-work in this transplant center. Unfortunately, in Three Rivers there is only a hierarchy, diminishing the role of doctors, nurses, social workers, and every one else who helps in the transplant center. I met my surgeon once before surgery. He explained to me what would happen and then the next time I saw him was at the operating table. Surgeons are great but they don’t replace the role of everyone else who made my upgrade possible.

Despite all this nonsense, the show is somewhat compelling. Less gossipy than Grey’s Anatomy and more heartfelt than House, the show swaddles the fine line between entertaining and sappy. All the episodes are feel-good tear-jerkers. Even better is the positive effect the show has had on organ donation. The drama shows the positive outcomes from transplant surgery, while the actors have all come out in support of organ donation. And so, I understand why Three Rivers was canceled. I'm just not so happy about it.

POSTED BY YANNAI AT 10:35 AM 0 COMMENTS LABELS: CELEBRITY, ORGAN DONATION, TRANSPLANT

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