The show:
"Three Rivers," debuting Oct. 4 on CBS
The social issue:
Organ donation
The set-up:
"Three Rivers" follows a Pittsburgh organ transplant team as they work to save lives by finding organ donors to match their patients' needs. The title refers to the city's three rivers as well as the three converging storylines in each episode (transplant docs, donor recipients and donor families).
The show stars Alex O'Loughlin (the Aussie hunk late of "Moonlight") as the hospital's lead organ transplant surgeon, Katherine Moennig (most recently seen as the sexy Shane on Showtime's "The L Word") as a surgical fellow with a tattoed neck, a rebellious streak and a big heart, Daniel Henney (Agent Zero in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine") as a surgical resident and Christopher J. Hanke (in his TV debut) as an inexperienced coordinator new to the team and in over his head. Julia Ormond was originally cast as the head of surgery; she was recently replaced by Alfre Woodard. (Good call: Woodard is a more memorable presence in this setting.)
Each episode will follow interweaving stories about people in need of organ transplants and families faced with the decision to donate their loved one's organs.
The delivery:
With just one episode, "Three Rivers" looks poised to deliver an "ER"-style show. The urgency of the situations (many transplants have to be completed in mere hours for the organs to remain viable) and the realism of the situations (with the expected dramatic license thrown in) make for compelling television.
The discussion:
Organ donation registries vary from state to state. Some states make it simple for residents to join the registry, with DMV staff asking people if they'd like to sign up when they renew their driver's licenses (akin to voter registration). Other states, like Michigan, put the onus on residents to learn how to sign up. So the discussion this show will generate could give donor registries the boost they desperately need. According to Donate Life America, there are "more than 100,000 people in the United States waiting for lifesaving organ transplants. A million more suffer from blindness, medical conditions or devastating injuries that can be successfully treated with donated corneas or tissue." And thousands of people die each year waiting for organ transplants. This show could actually have a very human impact.
The result:
I'm hopeful. If the first episode is any indication, this is done as realistically as possible for a fictional TV series. As with any series, dramatic license happens (donor families don't meet recipients in the hospital while the recipient is still recovering). But at its core, "Three Rivers" gets an important, positive message across about organ donation.
Watch it:
Join the organ donor registry:
www.donatelife.net (national)
www.giftoflifemichigan.org (For Michigan residents, signing the back of your license is no longer official. You'll need to go here to register.)
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