Does anyone watch Three Rivers?

[mstang67chic]

Tonight's episode?



And if Mandy Pantinkin doesn't win an Emmy or something for that performance......I'll sic Kanye on the awards ceremony!

 

[Fran]

Stang, I watch it every week. Pittsburgh is my hometown and I worked in a few of those hospitals. The opening scenes of the city are so neat for me since there seldom are views of the 'burgh on tv.

I thought the last scene where the recepients and their families were lining the hall to say thank you were amazing. We should all go out with that sort of appreciation and love.

Mandy did do a great job of portraying ALS. I was a little disturbed to see him talking through a trach tube and ventilator. Of course, it may be more modern technology than I remember.

 

[TPaul]

I have only watched the show a couple of time and happened to turn to it last night. I think the man who played the ALS part, ( isn't he from Criminal Minds?) Did such a wonderful job playing the part. Truly he should win an Emmy or something for his portrayal, he was that good I thought.

The last scene had this old boy in tears, let me tell you. His choice to make his own choice on how he died with the ALS was a thought provoking issue. While I don't believe in suicide, I don't think what he was portraying was suicide. It was the same as a do not recucitate order. He was able to not let the ALS take total control of the last right that he had a man, the right to die with dignity.

The scene at the end as others said, was such a tear jerker. There with all those people needing organs that he personally decided he would be able to help expressing thier thanks for allowing thier loved ones to have more time and life, was so deeeeeeeeeeepppppp!!! His daughter accepting it and then knowing and able to see personally all those he was giving life to, would make a hard decision and letting go, so much easier.

While I know that everyone would not agree what it portrayed was something they approved of, one can not deny that the act was one of the greatest humanitarian acts of gifts that a person could possibily make. If I was faced with the same decision, I hope that I would be able to make the same choice that he did. It should be a persons right, in my own personal opinion. It did hit home with me, becauce at the beginning of my problems there was a possibility that I had ALS, and I am thankful that I did not.

What a gift
Tpaul

 

[mstang67chic]

Yep...that last scene did me in.

Yes, he was on Criminal Minds but left the show a couple of seasons back.

For me....the whole show kind of got me because of the ALS. My Grandpa had it and while it didn't affect his breathing till the end, he wasn't able to talk for quite awhile before he died. Swallowing was an issue and is basically what killed him. That and stubborness. He kept trying to do it all himself and put off getting a feeding tube. The day he was admitted, he was scheduled to have the tube put in. Instead he was there because he had pneumonia from aspirating food and the fact that he was basically starving didn't help.

Fran, the part about the trach tube and talking had me curious too. Then I remembered Christopher Reeve. He could do it but had to time it to the air supply the vent gave him. I remember seeing him in the remake of The Rear Window. At that time, he could breath on his own for a few minutes but it was work for him. There was a scene in the movie where the killer had disrupted Christopher's character's air supply. C WAS breathing on his own but made such loud gasping noises that the killer thought he was suffocating. I read something afterwards that said that scene really WAS Christopher breathing but that it was such an effort for him. Watching him struggle though really got me.

 

[susiestar]

I just watched this on www.fancast.com . They let you have a much bigger viewing window than any of the network websites or hulu.com does.

Mandy Patinkin just proved that he is one of the best actors to ever live. Truly an amazing and astounding performance. I loved him as Gideon on Criminal Minds, and even more in this role. All I can say is "WOW".

I have enjoyed Three Rivers since the pilot, and it keeps getting better. Getting better than this episode just won't happen. Not on this show or any other. Just equaling it will be a huge job.

I have just been sitting here dripping tears through the last half of the show. It was very well done, on all the cast and crew's parts.

WOW.

 

[Suz]

Last night was the first time I watched it and it will probably be my last. It was fabulous but I can't take it.

Suz

 

[TPaul]

Dear Suz,
I have watched it a few times and it is not always such a tear jerker. Always give you things to think about, but like mstgchic said, Mandy gave the performance of a life time on that episode. Still just thinking about it today puts a catch in my throat. Give it a few more times before writing it off.

Tpaul

Last night was the first time I watched it and it will probably be my last. It was fabulous but I can't take it.

Suz