(S01E01) In the beginning, about 2002, television gave us FX's The Shield, a police drama featuring corrupt but effective angst-ridden cops. Two years later the big picture box gave us FX's Rescue Me, a firefighter drama featuring cracked but effected angst-ridden firefighters. Both series have gone on to be critical and popular successes. And now, the glorious TV has given us a new 'first response' drama on TNT called Saved, which features flawed but effective angst-ridden paramedics.
Television should have taken a rest after the first two shows because it didn't do very well on this one. You see, while both The Shield and Rescue Me have main characters that you can connect with, despite the fact they are so flawed, you can't do that with Wyatt Cole, the main character on Saved. Why? Because he's so freakin selfish.
But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me explain after the jump. However, be warned of the spoilers ahead.
According to TNT, Cole (played by Tom Everett Scott of That Thing You Do) is a complicated yet charming young man trying to find his place in this wacky world. In other words, he's a self-absorbed, philosophical paramedic with a gambling habit who decided to quit medical school several years before and move to Hawaii to clear his head. Now he is working for a private EMT outfit in Portland, Oregon, where he tries to save the flawed and angst-ridden innocents.
After watching the first episode, which tracks Cole and his partner John Hallon (Omari Hardwick) through a supposedly quiet day, it seems Cole is anything but charming. He's certainly not like that to his father, who is the Chief Medical Officer at the hospital where his patients are brought. And he's not very charming to the chief attending and his staff of the emergency room, who he likes to bully to get his way. The only people who see this side of Cole are his co-workers, his patients, and former girlfriend Dr. Alice Alden (Elizabeth Reaser), who went to medical school with Cole before he left and is now one of the emergency room physicians.
In fact, he exudes so much of that charm that Cole and her end up having relations in the back of the ambulance. Of course, she didn't come to do the nasty with him; instead, she wanted to tell him that she was moving in with another member of the ER staff. However, he's so damn charming that she couldn't resist. Cole shows the selfishness we've seen the rest of the episode, when he tells Alden that she's making a big mistake.
Well, this brings up the whole thing about their breakup, and that Alden left Cole because his life was too unsettled. Cole responds that nothing can ever be settled, because life is always a risk from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed and he sees it every day riding the mean streets of Portland. Alden gets pissed, pronounces a PG-13 swear, and leaves the ambulance in a huff.
This isn't the only thing going on in Cole's life. As mentioned previously, he has a bit of a gambling habit. In fact, he owes his bookie, apparently a former grade-school classmate who has a crush on him, about ten thousand dollars. Cole goes to his father for the cash and his dad agrees to give him half, only if Cole completes a medical school application. Being the risk-taker that he is Cole only gives five-thousand dollars to his bookie, who proceeds to have his goons beat him up. When the bookie asks if Cole would like something to dull the pain he response 'I don't want to dull the pain'. Ooohh, tough guy.
He also doesn't complete the medical school application. You see, he realizes that he's only truly alive when saving someone's life, especially when bringing someone back from the brink of death. He would rather spend his time playing poker, racking up debts and pissing the establishment off than settling down into a stable profession.
Could you tell that I didn't like this episode? I could not warm up to Cole at all throughout the entire show. I found him to be very self-centered and not at all charming. When he wasn't doing his job, or doing the nasty in the back of the ambulance with his former girlfriend, he seemed to be constantly moping around. I also felt nothing for the members of the supporting cast, but that may have just been that they weren't featured very much in this first episode. In fact, there was only one scene where Tom Everett Scott's character was not on the screen.
Maybe Cole's unlike-ability was not due to Scott's portrayal of Cole but due to the writing and direction. While they tried to be edgy with a few PG-13 swears, drug use, ambulance sex, and naked man-butts, all they did was to highlight it all as items that didn't belong in the show. I also felt the victim flashbacks were also unnecessary. Each ptaient that Cole and Hallon treated were good people once, but became flawed in the end, which eventually led to their injuries. That just seemed to be saying to the viewing audience that all good people will eventually become damaged, and no longer be able to be saved.
And, perhaps, that's the whole concept of the title. It's not only the story of someone who saves people from their injuries, but also from the damage that they've caused to themselves. But, this episode didn't really show that. It showed a arrogant paramedic who didn't give a damn about the others that cared about him. That's not a show I can watch.
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-12-2006 @ 10:59PM
Richard Lawler said...
Oddly, the main characters arrogance and selfishness were what I connected to the most. I don't watch the shield or rescue me regularly cuz dirty cops just weren't that interesting, and dennis leary is annoying. (plus, both shows are in SD, I have my standards.) I'll check out another episode of saved though.
Reply
6-12-2006 @ 11:08PM
Jake said...
I do think that Tom Everett Scott does give a charming performance perhaps because he has this good will from his past performances in That Thing You do and The Street to name a few. Anyway, I didn't like the fact they they do the whole application angle that you know in tv land, he's never going to fill out. It is not Tom's fault, the writing, those badly done flashbacks of the how the victims got there and the writing, oh, I mentioned that. Tom is the only reason to watch this show.
Reply
6-13-2006 @ 12:08AM
Tim said...
I think you are being overly harsh on Cole and the show in general. It was only the pilot and I didn't think it was that bad. It wasn't wonderful, but it's definately got potential.
So, he's only charming to his co-workers, patients, and former girlfriend? That seems like about 99% of the people he dealt with in this episode.
It wasn't supposed to be a quiet day there - he jinxed them on purpose so that he would have a busy day (he likes to save people).
I didn't think he was all that selfish - especially when he was dealing the little boy.
Not all the patients in the episode were flawed. I didn't see the pregnant woman and her husband were flawed.
This show isn't anything like Rescue Me or The Shield (I love both shows). It seems lighter, perhaps due to Cole being so damn charming. ha!
Reply
6-13-2006 @ 1:40AM
az1324 said...
"Oddly, the main characters arrogance and selfishness were what I connected to the most."
Amen. This show rocked.
"When the bookie asks if Cole would like something to dull the pain he response 'I don't want to dull the pain'. Ooohh, tough guy."
I think he was happy to feel any other pain besides the pain he was feeling due to his interaction with Alden.
The concept of saving and being saved exists on many levels in this show and to me the actual paramedic/patient one is, ironically, the least consequential.
Music was great, too.
Reply
6-13-2006 @ 1:42AM
az1324 said...
P.S. TNTHD is available and thats how I watched it.
Reply
6-13-2006 @ 2:07AM
J R Nielsen said...
Faded jacket over a dirty t-shirt, delivering a baby WITHOUT wearing gloves, sex in the back of an ambulance. This show really helps the professional image of Paramedics. Get some consulting on the medical procedures (your not going to "kill" someone if you "difib. again."
Reply
6-13-2006 @ 9:27AM
Gordy said...
Didn't like it. I'll pass.
Reply
6-13-2006 @ 12:12PM
Rob said...
Wow,.. I was initially eager to read your review because I thought it would be highlighted as one of the better shows on TV these days,.. but boy was I wrong.
I'm sorry, but I think you are way off base when it comes to this show and its characters. While I'm not a gambler or medical practitioner, I did feel connected to the characters and the premise of the show. Personally I never liked the Shield or Rescue Me. I think they both were just too gritty for me. But this one is a keeper (for the time being). J R Nielsen is right though about the practicality of some of the scenes. If this show continues for any reasonable length of time, they should try to stick closer to realistic elements and not rely too much on the ‘suspension of disbelief’.
In any case I’m giving this show 4.5 out of 5 stars and a permanent space on my ReplayTV. Looking forward to seeing where this show goes.
BTW: I think it was great casting Tom Everett Scott as Wyatt. He fits the role perfectly.
Reply
6-13-2006 @ 1:08PM
Jimmy said...
You summed up my feelings about the show quite nicely. There's not much else to watch in the summer, so I'll give it a few more viewings, but I was really unimpressed and Tom Everett Scott was really quite annoying, both as an actor and in his role. If this had come out a few years ago it might have been something original; now it just comes off tired and boring.
Reply
6-13-2006 @ 1:22PM
MrAkai said...
I was pretty torn on this show. The first half didn't really connect with me at all, but the second half seemed to pick up. I'm going to give it another chance. I enjoyed the gallows humor . It reminded me of Bringing out the Dead, which I think is underrated.
Reply
6-13-2006 @ 6:20PM
Katey said...
In the beginning of the show I thought it was a little slow, but after watching it for the next couple of minutes it really started to get intense. A difference about this show and Grey's Anatomy is that Saved is actually realistic. It was so enjoyable towards the end that I have decided to watch the next episode just to see what happens next.
Reply
6-14-2006 @ 8:58AM
Suszz said...
Liked the show, perhaps my 15 years in the medical profession helps, believe me, and nothing on TV comes close to reality. Having said that, the only other thing I would like to comment on is that I "DID" like the flash backs, kind of like a quick insight into characters lives, that in other shows would be time consuming and excessive. Certainly better than the bloody flashes of bullets entering bodies and the damage done there close up and personal like on CSI(s).
Over all, I think this is a keeper, but will probable not make it, like other new shows I like.
Reply
6-14-2006 @ 4:25PM
K said...
I am interested to see where the show goes after the pilot. I enjoyed it a lot-- TES is perfect for such a role, and I loved the flashbacks. The only part of the episode that really irritated me was when they were having relations in the ambulance, and they weren't even dressed when she began harping on him about "Commitment" and such... when she was the one having a quickie with her ex in the ambulance.
TES's character seems lost and confused, but does have a strong sense of who he wants to be... or rather, who he doesn't want to be... and that certainly is relatable.
I will certainly be tuning in again.
Reply
6-14-2006 @ 7:46PM
L.S. said...
Excuse me, but I think that the only pessimistic and self-centered person that I have encountered since the viewing of "Saved" is the author of this article. To slam the show before giving it a real chance is not only unfair, but also closed-minded. I thought the show was spectacular, with the victim flashbacks adding to the background story and adding a bit of spice and distinction to the show.
Also, the Tom Everett Scott's character should not be percieved as a self-centered individual. For having gone through what this character has had to endure, he is coping extremely well.
On the topic of viewers not being able to relate, I think that this "diagnosis" is not only flawed, but completely wrong. Looking into Everett's character's history, anyone would be able to find something to relate to, wheter is be being abandoned by someone you love or failing at something such as medical school. When examining his partner's life, there are other things there, too, that viewers can identify with, such as divorced parenting, or bi-racial marriages.
Additionally, it represents demographics extremely well, including Caucasians, African-Americans, and Mexican-Americans.
Overall, this show is carefully constructed with all elements necessary to make a hit, including a handsome main character.
Reply
6-15-2006 @ 8:13AM
Sharonlee said...
I loved the show and being an early riser for work I taped it but could not wait to watch. Loved everything about it. The thing between him and the child was sensitive. And dad has a real attitude and called him a failure. Sometimes you do a job for the warm & fuzzy and not for the money (dad seems real into that) his statement about him having every advantage and not using it seems harsh and what about the other members of his family that in dads eyes did make it. I did not like the Shield or Rescue me. Can't wait to see where they go from here. And his partner was in almost every scene with him. Lighten up we have enough bad shows on tv give this one a chance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
6-15-2006 @ 6:33PM
johnnypark said...
I like it, so my opinions are of course gonna be different than yours.
I don't understand what's so selfish about the guy though. He likes gambling and likes doing his risky job. That's not selfishness. I should probably add that I live in that world, know many EMTs and ER doctors/surgeons, so I guess their habits are nothing new to me, and I understand why they act the way they do more than you guys.
Didn't particularly like the CSI style flashback, they aren't needed. With a little character development (of other characters of course) I think this show will last long enough.
Reply
6-16-2006 @ 12:29PM
Jessica said...
What was the song played during........
This isn't the only thing going on in Cole's life. As mentioned previously, he has a bit of a gambling habit. In fact, he owes his bookie, apparently a former grade-school classmate who has a crush on him, about ten thousand dollars. Cole goes to his father for the cash and his dad agrees to give him half, only if Cole completes a medical school application. Being the risk-taker that he is Cole only gives five-thousand dollars to his bookie, who proceeds to have his goons beat him up. When the bookie asks if Cole would like something to dull the pain he response 'I don't want to dull the pain'. Ooohh, tough guy.
What was the song and who was it by?
Thanks
I really like this show!
Reply
6-21-2006 @ 8:07AM
Sharonlee said...
I liked the 2nd show even better and you did not even bring that up. Where you had no problem with the Closer (which I also like) not so much the show but Brenda's character. Saved shows people with flaws and its cutting edge not sure its not getting more column space from you???
Reply