Talk about wish granted! It’s been such a slow-burn as it were, but finally the writers of Three Rivers delivered. The ‘Alone Together’ episode was by far the most entertaining and emotionally-charged episode ever. It’s got humor, wise words, heart-tugging scenes, and at long last, an engaging — albeit fleeting — love story!
The beginning felt a bit too procedural — something I’d expect out of CSI or even Law & Order series — but quite gripping nonetheless. Right in the middle of an arrest, Officer Lombardi suddenly suffers a heart attack and his partner Rena calls the ambulance to take ’em to Three Rivers hospital. Here are the highlights of the rest of the episode:
- Finally, a glimpse into Andy’s personal life. We’re introduced to Rena, a gorgeous-looking detective, who’s none other than Andy’s estranged wife. “She’s my wife,” Andy tells Pam Lisa (the blond pony-tailed doctor) when she asks the detective to leave the ER. Lisa sort of stops for a brief moment, but then recovers quickly and greets her. Hmmm, a harbinger of things to come perhaps?
- Andy and Rena have a quick chat as Lombardi is whisked to get his x-ray taken. Things are awkward, but Rena does her best to hide it (the actress’ acting seems stiff but perhaps it’s intentional? Can’t really say). Andy asks her if she got his text about ‘counseling,’ and she says she’ll think about it and goes off to wait for Lombardi’s fiancee. Wow, things clearly haven’t been good between these two.
- Dr. Lee’s gets assigned to a ‘difficult’ patient, Mr. Boyle, whose disparaging and racist comments makes his skin crawl. Yet another hint of Lee’s ladies man’ reputation being mentioned, seriously I’ve never even seen him with the nurses all that much! Still, his comment about whether wearing a brassiere would make Lee pay more attention to him is quite amusing.
- Dr. Jordan and Dr. Lee come to see Boyle with good news that they’ve got a liver for him. Instead of being grateful, he insults Lee with his Yo Yo Ma remark. We later learn some facts about Lee through Boyle’s insightful observation, that he’s a rich kid who’s lived a privileged life all his life. They end up insulting each other, and Lee’s ready to give up on Boyle. But the ever-so-wise Dr. Jordan won’t let him, as she has a lesson up her sleeve for Lee to learn. “The secret to being a great doctor is loving the unlovable,” she says. Wise words indeed. I’ve always loved Alfre Wooddard’s performance, but I absolutely adore her here.
- Lombardi and his fiancee Rebecca share a tender moment. Rena is inspired and holds Andy’s hand as they both tear up. Alex looks really, really good in this scene, something about his melancholic expression is so darn irresistible =) Sorry I digress, perhaps there’s hope for this couple after all?
- Miranda and Ryan are assigned to retrieve a liver for Mr. Boyle in West Virginia. There’s no ambulance to pick ’em up, leaving them stranded in a high school football field. To top it off, they end up getting soaked as the sprinkler system suddenly springs up on them. Still, nothing can dampen Ryan’s spirit, ever the optimist! Once in the hospital, there’s a procurement mishap as the head surgeon claims the liver is his and he’s just about to operate his patient. Minor squabble ends up with Miranda accidentally breaking the arrogant doctor’s nose, the whole thing is pretty intense and funny. Probably one of the best in the show so far!
- Again, through Boyle’s astute observation, a juicy secret is revealed. Was Dr. Jordan the former lover of Three Rivers founder, Dr. Foster (a.k.a Miranda’s dad)? Well, that could make for an interesting storyline down the line for sure.
- Andy and Rena have another heart-to-heart… their exchange is short but speaks volumes. They still love each other — that’s never been a problem for them — but Andy’s married to his job, leaving Rena to spend Christmas and birthdays with her own colleagues year after year. But even when Rena tells him that, he still refuses to meet her half-way. They kiss, but it’s a parting kiss, as we know it’s over for them. The rock-star doctor can save a lot of people’s lives, but he can’t save his own marriage.
- Boyle and Lee patch things up. It’s a moving scene, even if somewhat expected, that shows Daniel Henney’s dramatic chops.
- The episode ends with Andy playing Rock Band in his extended-stay hotel with his Sudanese heart patient. Being ‘alone together’ is better than being singularly alone I suppose, and the two share a bond in their loneliness. Of course it’s also a not-so-subtle attempt to get Alex O’Loughlin shirtless somehow (I’m not complaining, mind you). But then again, the dude clearly spends more time at the gym than he does with his wife.
I hope to see more scenes of these doctors outside of their work. I want to see more ‘soul’ and relatable scenarios, that beneath the scrubs, they’re people with issues just like the rest of us. The clip for next week episode shows a glimpse of Andy and Lisa possibly having a thing? I may be reading too much into it, but if that’s indeed true, well, BRING IT ON! =)
In conclusion, a solid episode with the kind of character insights I’ve been yearning for from the start. There are still too much hyper-realistic surgical scenes for my liking, but overall it’s definitely an improvement. If the writers keep this up, this show can — and should — be saved!
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
Thanks for the wonderful review, glad to hear you’re liking the show. Just one small detail though, the er doctor is named Lisa and the next week clip is with Andy and Lisa. Pam is his best friend and operating assistant, the short one with long, brown curly hair.
Oops! I knew I was getting the name mixed up, thanks for correcting me. I’ll definitely fix that.
Yeah, I thought this episode was really strong… let’s hope it’ll only gets better from now.
Am I the only one who really dislikes Kuol, the Sudanese character? He’s super-annoying in every scene he’s in. I guess the writers are trying to be clever, but it doesn’t work. I’ve only seen the first and this past episode, but he sure doesn’t act like he needs a new heart.
Ha! I know, the guy looks absolutely healthy. I mean, listening to really loud rock music, isn’t that bad for someone with a bad heart? =)
I am so loving this show. Each week is getting better and better. Finally, we are able to see into some of personal lives of the doctors. This is great show. Thanks for giving it a great review.
I agree with everything you said! One correction though.
“leaving Rena to spend Christmas and birthdays with his colleagues year after year. ”
I believe Rena said she spends all those holidays with HER OWN colleagues (8 detectives) and Andy spends it with Pam (at the hospital.) They both have workaholic issues.
Keep up the character development, Three Rivers!
Thanks Lucia. It’s fixed now, I meant to say ‘her’ so it was definitely an error on my part =)
It is too bad that such seemingly fine couple choose their career over their relationship, but it certainly makes for good drama though.
Thank you for a GREAT review of Three Rivers. I also agree it was one of the best episodes yet. While reading your review I felt like we were sitting side-by-side….cause our impressions were so similar! The first part of the eppy was very predictable & CSIish…..but when we finally got to see some personal moments for Dr Andy…things began to ‘click’.
I’ve posted everywhere I could that it is the Personal Relationships/Lives of the characters that will bring viewers back week after week…….not who gets what organ. Get me to CARE about the characters and THEN teach me about organ donation.
Alex is such a great actor but up until this week’s eppy he didn’t have a chance to show it……..his ability to let the viewer ‘feel’ what he is experiencing…..without words….was a joy to behold in his scene with Rena at the end. He has so much to offer……….USE HIM MORE!
I felt like the end scene with the guitar & Kuol was a peek at the REAL Alex……….you just know he had a blast filming that scene!
Thanks for your reveiw of Epi 5 of Three Rivers. Have to agree with you 100+%. This episode had everything that is important to me in a TV show. It had drama, pathos and great acting by all of the actors. Hoping CBS will give this show a chance to find it’s audience. Maybe after all the sports crap is finally over.
I believe that Three Rivers deserves high praise. The stories are appropriate for all ages. The “Alone Together” episode is the best by far this season. If anyone watches Three Rivers, it is not entirely about Dr. Andy Yablonski, but his entire caring and compassionate surgical team. I love Three Rivers. Every new episode is incredible, intense, emotional, tender, inspirational, heart felt and amazing. We are getting more character development and their back stories with each new episode. I love the entire gifted cast. I love Alex O’Loughlin, Daniel Henney, Katherine Moennig, Alfre Woodard, Christopher J. Hanke, Amber Clayton and Justina Machado on Three Rivers. The returning and new guest stars are also fantastic. Three Rivers is inspirational and educational, because it is about the gift of life. I really have learned so much about the importance of tissue and organ donation to help save and touch many lives around the world. CBS, please give Three Rivers and its amazing cast a chance to tell their characters’ stories with a full lineup of episodes for this season and also another season. Three Rivers has a difficult time slot to attract new viewers, but with time more and more viewers will find this inspiring and wonderful show. Thank you
As a very loyal viewer of CBS’s nightly comedies and crime dramas, Three Rivers is a quality and unique drama with an excellent ensemble cast. Each episode gets better than the previous one. Creating a quality drama, other than crime dramas, is a unique and fascinating change for once. I hope that CBS will keep Three Rivers and its cast on the air for a long time. In time, I believe that Three Rivers will attract more viewers, due to the important life saving messages and the type of realistic human issues we all deal with daily, without preaching. Now, the audience is seeing the personal lives and backgrounds of the surgeons and the staffs, in addition to their daily procedural emergency organ transplant surgeries. Three Rivers is a refreshing and dramatic show with heart and compassion. Now, my family members, relatives and friends are all talking about tissue and organ donations because of the importance of saving many lives, all because of Three Rivers and CBS cares’ messages throughout the network’s regular programmings during the week. Bravo CBS for having the courage to put on a wonderful, educational, inspiring and heartfelt medical drama with an award-winning cast ensemble. My family’s only wish is to see more rich and complex story lines of the characters on many more future episodes on Three Rivers, with a full season this year and a second season next year. Please keep up the superb work on Three Rivers, cast, creators and writers. Thank you.
I love Three Rivers, and I would say that “Alone Together” is my favorite episode so far. They have all been fantastic, but it was a perfect example of all that TR has to offer. It is exciting, touching and funny, and the writers have done a fantastic job. One minute I was almost in tears in one scene, and then that scene at the end in Andy’s room had me laughing out loud and still makes me smile just to think about it.
Three Rivers is highly entertaining and appropriate for everyone, while being educational and so inspiring for a group like Donate Life at the same time.
Alex O’Loughlin is a brilliant actor. Yes, he is a beautiful man, and I would be dead if I said I didn’t enjoy seeing him with his shirt off; but Alex is so much more. He can keep me riveted to the screen with anything he does, and yes, with his clothes on thru the whole show/movie.
If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and check out Alex’s previous work. He can take on any role and any accent and give an award worthy performance.
Right now though I am loving Three Rivers and I pray that it stays on the air for a very long time!
Pingback: AOLR Weekly Wrap-Up #18 | Alex O'Loughlin Rocks!
Hey! I love your site