Third Watch DVD Credits:

Region: 1

Third Watch DVD Release Date: 5th February 2008

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Third Watch DVD Review:

Third Watch Season 1 is the DVD release of the Emmy Award Winning first season of the hit television series. Third Watch depicted the lives of New York City police officers, paramedics and firefighters who worked the arduous third shift of the day, between 3pm and 11pm. The series was a combination of single episode plot lines and ongoing stories. They follow the lives of both a pair of new recruits and seasoned veterans as they grapple with their personal and professional lives. Some of the interpersonal and professional issues faced by the heroes of Third Watch include troubles at home, dating co-workers, substance abuse and, in one episode, getting caught on the job with your pants down.

Third Watch is the first series to successfully combine all three sections of civil service, police, paramedic and firefighters in one television show. All three departments work together in a symbiotic fashion in real-world situations, and now they can work together in a television series as well.

The Third Watch series is set in the 55th Precinct, their little section of New York to cover. Located on the corners of King St. and Arthur St., the precinct is dubbed Camelot, and the first episode is titled “Welcome to Camelot.” Subsequently, the show’s final episode is titled “Goodbye Camelot.”

Third Watch had the great misfortune of coming to fruition in a time when the genre was saturated. While in its initial season, Third Watch had to compete with such major shows as NYPD Blue, Law and Order, E.R. and Chicago Hope. The show’s biggest shortcoming comes from its stereotypical portrayal of New York’s finest. There has not been a firefighter or police officer drama set in New York that does not show one or all of the characters suffering from some sort of addiction, usually alcoholism, but also often other forms of impulse control issues. It seems as if all firefighters and police officers do when they are not on the clock is to get drunk in a bar and throw a few fists or to shack up with each other while making crude, homophobic and sexist remarks. While Third Watch does try to move away from this hackneyed portrayal, but it does still employ it.

Third Watch does have a great deal of merit and it is no wonder that it has such a die hard fan base who have eagerly awaited the DVD release of this show. The characters in Third Watch are strong and believable and it does not take long for the viewer to engage in these character’s lives.

The DVD release of Third Watch includes all 22 hour-long episodes. The episodes are presented in full frame. It is important to note that at this time in television history, the Widescreen format was the not used for television broadcast. The boxset does have a few special features, including The Nights of Camelot Retrospective Featurette with the series creators and cast, and a gag reel.

Fans of the show will be excited to finally see Third Watch be released on DVD, but ultimately may be disappointed in the lack of effort put forth with the boxset. Third Watch’s DVD release may also struggle once again in a saturated market of television action dramas that are being released on DVD, only in Widescreen and in 5.1 stereo surround sound.

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Third Watch DVD review written by: Andrew Mattson