Gideon's Crossing

Most TV shows, especially pilot episodes, start with one hell of a grabber and from there on out either fail to live up to the expectation that they've built OR they hit the home run.

"Gideon's Crossing" nailed a grand slam. The main character "Gideon" played wonderfully by Andre Braugher (this man doesn't get enough credit for his talent) is a Doctor, but not a perfect one and they carefully execute his flaws little by little to the audience. But the difference is his flaws are what makes him human. In a world where we expect nothing but perfection from our physicians we tend to forget that they have the same hopes, dreams, and desires we do. We expect them to be super-heroes in a world where nothing known as krpytonite exists. We expect them to be perfect.

To this end we are greeted with "Gideon", a doctor who not only has flaws, but appears to resent and embrace them at the same time. Very real, very human. Mad props to Johnson & Johnson for sponsoring a commercial free series premiere. Great choice on their part. I hope ABC has the round items required to keep this show around. One last word, for those few of us who saw "Hollow Man" remember the hottie who lived across from Inviso Doc? Well she's in this show too AND she speaks! How about that? She's good too, and certainly not too hard on the eyes either. Excellent show. May its health prognosis be good well into the future.

I would advise anyone to give this show a viewing. It's interesting, intelligent, and no.. it's not your typical medical show. True, it's "dark", but anyone who's ever spent a considerable amount of time in a hospital knows that there are not always happy endings. People don't always get well in one hour. Sometimes folks die. Please also try to understand that not all shows are comedies. The serious tone of the show just adds to the realism. If anyone is disappointed because Dr Gideon has not slapped over a full bed pan or tickled a nurse in the supply room, perhaps they're watching the wrong show.

Okay, why I never even knew this brilliant show was still on ABC is probably a good explanatuon for why the network has steadily sunk in the ratings for the last three years. That they are not screaming from the treetops about this amazing, well-written, shockingly moving series is an outrage. Better than ER, which has steadily declined into weekly bus accidents or brain tumors, this series draws you in. Andre Braugher is someone I love to watch. Boy is he good. He makes me love an already pretty excellent show.

There were three truly breathtaking dramas on American primetime TV during the 2000 season. This one was the best of them. The other two -- The West Wing and The Sopranos -- were (and ARE, as of April 2002) justly celebrated. Gideon's Crossing sadly and inexplicably never found an audience during its brief lifespan, in the press or apparently around the water cooler either. The writing was just as inspired as the other two, the acting just as superb, the content even more profound, and... I just don't get it. And I miss the show sorely, still. R.I.P. And curses to A.B.C., so often the most short-sighted and faithless of the television networks (ask Claire Danes, ask Ted Koppel, ask Sela Ward), for not supporting and nurturing it. In the last couple of episodes the Buddha-like Dr. Gideon's character was besmirched in a way I found incongruous with the earlier, more brilliant episodes. I don't know if this was some last ditch (misguided) effort to invoke better ratings or just an unprovoked lapse on the part of the creators but, whichever, all in all Gideon's Crossing remains -- will ALways remain -- a towering television drama.

The Best Doctors Show Ever, in fact.

The high level of writing, the intricate and complex characters, and the superb cast make this show worth watching. With the exception of this show, I don't watch network tv anymore. But I make it a point to sit down every Monday night so that I can watch and admire the quality of Gideon's Crossing. Do yourself a favor and watch it to.