CROSSOVER OF THE WEEK (1)

In sports, one expects there to be a certain amount of trash-talking out there, but generally you don't trash the folks on the same team.

Apparently the rules are different in network TV.

Ed Bernero, the executive producer of 'Third Watch' said that this past Friday's crossover between his show and 'Medical Investigations' was "a rarity in network television, in that it's a crossover that actually makes sense."

In comparing his show to 'Medical Investigations' (probably the most boring name for a TV show EVER!), Bernero continued, "We deal with medical stuff. We have paramedics. We don't have Boston detectives going to Las Vegas."

Ouch! 'Crossing Jordan' and 'Las Vegas', you've been served! Snap!

Dr. Stephen Connor and Dr. Natalie Durant of 'Medical Investigatons' were summoned to New York City to help deal with a possible outbreak of a plague - hemmorhagic fever from Africa. One of the first victims was paramedic Carlos Nieto, who had been spattered by the bloody phlegm of a jewelry store robber.

Investigating that crime and trying to help the NIH to track down the accomplice [the main carrier of the disease] was the grunt work for Detective Faith Yokas. It carried over into the following hour on 'Medical Investigations', which also chronicled the treatment for Carlos and other victims of this plague.

For that second hour, fellow paramedic Holly Levine also made the crossover as she stood vigil outside the ICU for her on-again, off-again lover Carlos.

According to the story in the Daily News about the crossover, this was a sign that the Peacock network was investing in both of these series. And like Bernero said, this was a crossover that made sense. Even if the 'Medical Investigations' team did have to travel to another city, at least that's what they do in every episode. (In the past, 'Law & Order' would have to travel to Baltimore to cross over with 'Homicide: Life On The Street'; 'ER' had to come to the Big Apple from the Windy City for their crossover with 'Third Watch'; and then there's always that 'Las Vegas' in Boston team-up with 'Crossing Jordan'.)

So how come after six years on the air, 'Third Watch' has yet to do a crossover with either one of the three 'Law & Order' series? 'Third Watch' has cops, it has firemen, it has paramedics. And all of them already in Manhattan.
What more do they want for shows that deal with the criminal justice system?

'Third Watch' characters should even be showing up in the new member of the 'L&O' team, 'Trial By Jury'. Professionals in all three fields could be called to testify in cases.

Well, there's always next year. As Molly Price, who plays Detective Yokas said in the Daily News, "They've moved us all over the map and no matter what they do to us, we always have this hard core vigilantly loyal audience. We're like a cockroach; they just can't kill us."

Speaking of Ms. Price, our congratulations to her for her portrayal of Faith Yokas in this crossover. She becomes the first member of the 'Third Watch' cast to become eligible for induction into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame, as she was also involved in that earlier storyline with 'ER'.

So we have a tie for the best crossover of the week. And in keeping with an idea lovingly ripped off from 'Futurama', we'll prioritize them by calling one "Crossover Of The Week A" and the other "Crossover Of The Week 1".

BCnU!
Tele-Toby