Ask Matt: December 12, 2009
12/14/09
Question: Well, CBS did it to us again, surprise, surprise. I am certain Alex O'Loughlin has many scripts to read. Any ideas on what his next project will be, or are we fans going to have to wait another two years?—Mike and Stacy
Matt Roush: Let me steer you toward our recent story on this situation, where CBS president/CEO Leslie Moonves reaffirms that O’Loughlin is still considered part of the CBS family—and he’s the lead in the upcoming CBS Films feature film The Back-Up Plan opposite Jennifer Lopez. Beyond that, it’s a bit early to know where he’ll turn up next. Pilot season is just around the corner, so don’t be surprised if he’s attached to some new project, and let’s hope it’s a better showcase than http://www.cbs.com/primetime/three_rivers/ turned out to be.
Alex O'Loughlin: What's Next?Source Read More......
by Lisa Bernhard December 08, 2009 02:51 PM EST
What's to become of heartthrob Alex O'Loughlin now that CBS has mercifully pulled the plug on his organ-donor drama, Three Rivers? Says CBS president and CEO Leslie Moonves, “We still have his upcoming movie!”—referring to The Back-Up Plan, the feature film from the network's new movie division, CBS Films. In the romantic comedy, Jennifer Lopez plays a baby-mama wannabe who meets Mr. Right (O'Loughlin) after becoming impregnated with the help of a sperm bank. That's a bit of a drag, given that O'Loughlin's character would've been one hot biological papa. “Alex spends almost half of the movie with his shirt off,” says Moonves, with a wide smile. “I mean, I'm a straight man, but even I, you know....” As for putting O'Loughlin back on the small screen, Moonves half-jokingly says, “I don't know, should we bring Moonlighting back?” (O'Loughlin's short-lived vampire drama was actually called Moonlight, but who are we to correct a network head?) In the end, Moonves offers some assurance that Australian native O'Loughlin won't be shipped back to Oz any time soon. “He's in the family,” Moonves says.
Cast is moving on ... Alfre Woodard joins 'Delta Blues'
Alfre Woodard has been tapped to co-star in TNT's pilot "Delta Blues," executive produced by George Clooney.
"Blues," from Warner Horizon and Smokehouse, centers on Dwight Hendricks (Jason Lee), a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother (Celia Weston) and moonlights as a tribute artist.
Woodard, repped by ICM and D/F Management, will play the formidable new lieutenant who tries to exercise her power over Dwight. She is segueing to "Delta Blues" from CBS freshman medical drama "Three Rivers," which recently was pulled off the air.
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Alex O'Loughlin: What's Next? What do you think is next for Alex ?
What's to become of heartthrob Alex O'Loughlin now that CBS has mercifully pulled the plug on his organ-donor drama, Three Rivers? Says CBS president and CEO Leslie Moonves, “We still have his upcoming movie!”—referring to The Back-Up Plan, the feature film from the network's new movie division, CBS Films. In the romantic comedy, Jennifer Lopez plays a baby-mama wannabe who meets Mr. Right (O'Loughlin) after becoming impregnated with the help of a sperm bank. That's a bit of a drag, given that O'Loughlin's character would've been one hot biological papa. “Alex spends almost half of the movie with his shirt off,” says Moonves, with a wide smile. “I mean, I'm a straight man, but even I, you know....” As for putting O'Loughlin back on the small screen, Moonves half-jokingly says, “I don't know, should we bring Moonlighting back?”
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The Day They Stole Christmas – CBS Pulls Three Rivers
12/7/09
The Day They Stole Christmas
CBS Pulls Three Rivers
December 6, 2009
By Natalie @TalkinToU
December 6, 2009, would have been the episode "A Roll of the Dice", but instead, CBS Three Rivers has been put on hiatus indefinitely with no additional episodes beyond the 13 originally ordered (effectively a cancellation). I am deeply saddened that this cancellation has come about so abruptly. Now I find myself having to write my last blog. How do you write for last time? Well you hope that they show the balance, the remaining five shows so you don’t have to. But what if that’s months off or never – what if it goes straight to DVD? Then what? So I'm left with no choice but to state my feelings about the show I’ve come to admire.
But, before I go any further, I would like to acknowledge the fellow Moonlight fans out there who stuck with our guy, Alex O’Loughlin, and made the ultimate move to Three Rivers. Your loyalty and devotion to this singularly brilliant actor we’ve all come to love knows no boundaries. I’ve seen you tweet, write, blog, post comments, email, and when necessary, sent out letters in support of him. You are a unique Fan group in a class all your own. I salute you!
For all those Kate Moenning fans, aren’t you a terrific crowd! Your votes in our first poll were off the charts! The amazing devotion you have shown in support of Kate was just fantastic. Without Kate’s #1 fan @Pixiessss I would have never known that Kate was on Twitter. For all those fans of Daniel Henney, Alfre Woodard, Christopher J. Hanke, and Justina Machado fans! I feel your pain. It’s a difficult time for all of us. There are so many ‘What Ifs’ and the ‘What Could Have Beens’ left unanswered. We’ll never fully know the characters on Three Rivers, their lives, for the show wasn’t given the chance to grow and evolve.
We were just getting to know Dr. Andy Yablonski, a smart, compassionate man with a great bedside manner. He could really rock the Guitar Hero (or rather Rock Band). Dedicated to his job, he rarely left the hospital; his prime concern was for his patients. Only a phone call from Michael got him out of the hospital. “Uncle Michael” was a mysterious person from Andy’s past. He used to have Andy do a little breaking and entering for him. He, ironically, was also the person who put Andy through medical school. What did Michael want from Andy? How would Michael’s presence affect Andy’s reputation at Three Rivers? Andy wisely wanted nothing to do with him. Will we ever find out?
Andy always went to “bat” for his patients every single time, but his work took time away from his wife Rena. His work took its toll on his marriage. They tried to work it out. He wanted kids. She didn't. She broke his heart when she stated she didn’t want “kids we ignore.” She would, however, consider having children with someone else who would meet her halfway. Always wondered if they would divorce and would it be amicable or not. Or would they reconcile and get back together. Storyline wish that went unfulfilled - I always wanted to see if Rena’s dangerous line of police work and his hospital work would cause them to collide one day. It would have been nice to see Andy save Rena’s life. Sometimes, extraordinary circumstances can bring a couple together or pull them apart.
Andy had a great relationship with his patient Kuol (Owiso Odera). Whether they were playing Rock Band (listed as Guitar Hero), making humorous remarks, or having a serious doctor/patient conversation, it was always entertaining. Kuol was our favorite patient. Will we ever see him get his heart? He nearly got one from Victor (Mandy Patinkin), but Kuol was sick with a temperature, so a transplant was denied him. So many ways that Kuol could end up, but I hope this patient makes it. Kuol was a special character in the series. I will miss his exuberance and zest for life.
Then there is Miranda. Early on, Andy confided to Miranda about his marriage. They shared beers on the roof. They had their “moment” and it was great to see. Most viewers of Three Rivers enjoyed that beer scene. Miranda was the only doctor who voted with Andy concerning the patient Victor. Both were firmly against “suicide by doctor.” Miranda was becoming the moral compass in Three Rivers. She objected to the vulturistic way people were lining up for Victor’s organs.
It’s been great watching Kate Moennig’s character Dr. Foster grow and evolve. At first her character obviously felt the weight of being the daughter of a pioneer in transplant medicine. Alienated from her father and resentful, she feels the pressure to prove herself on her own terms. The affair that Dr. Sophia Jordan had with her father affected her greatly. Dr.
Daniel Henney’s character Dr. David Lee was the Sherlock Holmes in the series, he solved a couple of medical mysteries. He had concern for patients, even on a personal level. Sometimes he would cross the line to help patient. He got Kuol his VAD, but how far he had to go with that woman, went beyond the call of duty. He got a new lung for his patient, even though he had to approach Victor for it. David hailed from a wealthy family. During his time at Three Rivers, he had to struggle with a prejudicial and difficult patient, he had to “love the unlovable”. He did his utmost to save the bus driver patient Rose. He had a slight competitive nature with Andy. I just loved how they had the scene of David, Andy and Miranda walking down the hall. It was like the A-Team coming at you. David would torture Ryan. David teased Ryan about the nurse he had a crush on.
Ryan (Christopher J. Hanke) was a wide-eyed, optimist. Early on, he had to prove himself through missteps he made. He approached a potential donor family when he wasn’t suppose to. Remember the episode when he made Andy angry when he had told the patient’s wife about a heart before Andy accepted UNOS offer. Wasn’t that a great scene. Sure, he had made some mistakes, but he did a lot of things right. He did a bit of research for Dr.
Then there is Dr. Sophia Jordan (Alfre Woodard), a strong leader without being overbearing. She would direct resources and all available people. She established authority. She was practical, sometimes cold, but always got down to brass tacks. She always did what she thought was right. Remember when she was sued by a lawyer patient of hers, after she saved her life! Unbelievable. She saved that woman from getting a hysterectomy. She voted to let Victor donate his organs, citing patient’s rights. She felt doctors should not play God. The most shocking revelation about Sophia was that she had affair with Miranda’s father. We never really got to know Sophia’s background or life, but we wanted to.
The show went through so much before it even aired. One cast change (Alfre was brought in), change of hospital (a hospital was built on the
I like the diversity of the show. I liked the different points of view and all the valuable information it put forth. We’re denied the chance to see how the show would have advanced their characters. Alex, Alfre, Kate, Daniel, Christopher and Justina should be proud to have created such an intelligent, thought-provoking show. According to an article released this week, this show did save lives. Ultimately, what more can you ask of any show.
I’d like to thank Alex O’Loughlin for choosing this show. Without Alex there wouldn’t have been a Three Rivers. Alex did so many TV, radio and magazine interviews to promote the show and bring awareness to this important issue, he did a phenomenal job, on top of his already hectic schedule. The cast and crew spent 18-22 hours days taping various episodes. Creating Three Rivers wasn’t easy. The video of the cast speaking about learning all the medical terms and jargon was funny (Thanks CBS Eyelabs!). Thank you to everyone associated with Three Rivers, you brought a quality show to TV.
Lastly, my thanks to Liz for asking me to be a guest blogger on her website. It was truly a wonderful experience and I thank you very much. You are The Best! You built a great website from scratch and brought us all up-to-date information on Alex and
Finally, I’ve enjoyed watching and writing about Three Rivers, I hope you have enjoyed reading them. Three Rivers fans, you are awesome! Thank you for a great ride! I’ll miss you and Three Rivers.
Inspiring the gift of life.
12/5/09
CAN a single TV show actually save lives? "Three Rivers," a CBS prime-time series on donation and transplantation, did. Sadly, that remarkable fact was not enough to save itself.
As the donation and transplantation community mourns the premature shelving of "Three Rivers," we stand in awe of its achievements. A month ago, a San Antonio, Texas, family donated the corneas of a loved one who had passed away. They said yes because they wanted their family member to help others, just like on "Three Rivers."
Two weeks later, a family on the East Coast donated the organs of their teenage daughter because she had talked to them about donation after watching "Three Rivers" on a Sunday night.
On Thanksgiving weekend, a daughter in Louisiana gave consent for her mother to save three lives. She too was a fan of "Three Rivers," and the coordinator was impressed by how much the family knew about the donation process from watching the show.
For years, the organ and tissue donation community held its breath every time donation was used as a television storyline. Inaccurate and horrific scenarios about black markets and stolen organs made us initiate letter-writing campaigns; even worse, research showed it kept viewers from signing up to be donors.
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Rob Owen - " CBS yanks 'Three Rivers'"
Pittsburgh-set medical drama "Three Rivers" is on hiatus; CBS pulled it from the December schedule.
"No final decision on its future has made," said a CBS spokesperson. The show will complete production on the 13 episodes ordered.
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CBS pulls medical show "Three Rivers" from schedule
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The new CBS medical drama "Three Rivers" on Monday joined the list of TV shows either shelved or unlikely to return to U.S. network television.
The Sunday night program was pulled from schedules, effective immediately, but CBS said it would complete production of its initial 13 episodes.
A network spokesman said the show was officially "on hiatus" but could not say when it might return. "Three Rivers" had been drawing an average 8.4 million viewers since September but audiences have been declining.
CBS said the program would be replaced on Sunday evenings by repeats of crime dramas "Cold Case", "Criminal Minds" and its new hit, "NCIS: Los Angeles."
Earlier this year ABC pulled underperforming comedy "Hank" starring Kelsey Grammer and opted not to order additional episodes of supernatural comedy-drama "Eastwick", while Fox benched sci-fi show "Dollhouse" despite picking it up for a second season.
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Review and Recap: The Kindness of Strangers
11/29/09
The Kindness of Strangers
November 22, 2009
By: Natalie @TalkinToU
A dark and foggy night in
Dr. Andy Yablonski (Alex O’Loughlin) gets a mysterious phone call from Michael (William Sadler), a man from his past. They meet at a local bar. Michael has been out on parole for the last six months. It’s through him that we find out about Andy’s checkered past. Michael used to have Andy break into homes for him. It’s Andy’s run-in with the law and his subsequent arrest that made Michael realize that kind of life wasn’t for Andy. For Andy was destined to do other things.
Michael gave Andy $131,000 for medical school, which Andy paid back. Michael used that money toward Kuol’s (Owiso Odera) medical fund. Apparently Michael is actually Andy’s uncle. I like how Alex O’Loughlin plays his character as ambivalent towards Michael. Andy may feel an obligation to him for helping him through medical school and the added fact that he’s family, but he also realizes that Michael is bad news. Andy maybe considering Michael’s appearance and what it could mean to his life. At this point, Andy wants nothing to do with Michael.
Michael has a guy named
At least Michael’s money helped Kuol listed with UNOS. I’ve become quite attached to Kuol. He and Andy have quite a rapport, it’s an easy relationship that’s great to watch. Humor sometimes stems from their onscreen interaction. It’s a nice balance.
Back at Three Rivers, Tracy Warren (Heather Mazur) has acute-on-chronic liver failure. She had contracted hepatitis in
At first John Warren thinks that money will solve the problem. He tries to offer Dr.
Nick (Pablo Schreiber) eloped with Beth (Riki Lindhome) about a month ago after their summer romance. Like all newlyweds, they are still learning about each other. They fight and bicker. Nick has an office in the attic. As he was walking down the stairs, he suddenly passed out and fell. He suffered a broken clavicle. The broken bone pierced an artery.
He came through surgery just fine and will have “8 weeks of slow recovery.” Dr. Miranda Foster (Kate Moennig) realizes that there may be more to his condition than just his broken bones. She probes further, asking him questions about what he’s been experiencing. He says he has headaches and is sore all over. Miranda considers that Nick’s liver and cardio enzymes are up. His BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) and creatinine shows abnormalities. Miranda and Andy determine that Nick maybe suffering from CMV (cytomegalovirus). Treatment: Andy recommends gamma globulin. But when Beth becomes ill, Miranda and Andy thinks it has to be something else. At first, they think it may be some infectious disease and they are quarantined. Later, Miranda surmises that it may be environmental instead. Upon further investigation, Miranda and Andy discover that the house that Nick and Beth are renting from was that of a meth dealer. Methylamine and benzene soak through carpet and drywall. Miranda and Andy already reported the landlord to the city. The chemicals not only cause physiological changes, but behavioral as well. That helps to explain some of the fighting and bickering the couple was experiencing. More importantly, they are going to be fine.
Overall I enjoyed this episode. I especially like the suspense filled opening sequence. Trying to assess the situation and trying to understand where it was headed was good. I also like the interaction between Andy and Michael. Towards the end of the show, Andy is outside the bar; Alex plays his character subtly as a sort of antsy, “caged” person, semi-trapped by his past. Kate’s character Miranda exhibits control and an ability to solve “medical mysteries.” I like her character more and more. Alfre and Daniel work well in tandem. In fact, all characters have gelled. They are the ultimate medical team.
Video Source: CBS Three Rivers
You can watch the episode of "The Kindness of Strangers" in its entirety at CBS Three Rivers.
CBS Three Rivers Forum Poll, vote your opinion of this episode here.
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