Third Watch writer Ed Bernero agreed to answer the questions of Nicole and a few of the show's fans from the boards in an e-mail interview. The dialogue appears below.
First, let's start with the questions that MBTV posters emailed me. 1962 would like to know how you are going to develop the relationships between Maggie and Sully, Kim and Bobby and Jimmy, and Doc and Morales. We want details, please, if you can divulge that kind of stuff.
Without giving too much away, you will see Sullivan and Maggie again, Doc and Morales are moving in together, and there will be a MAJOR development in the Jimmy/Kim story. If I gave too many details, your readers wouldn't need to watch the show.
M. Clement, who is a retired policewoman, would like to know if you have police on the set as technical advisors to help with the reality of the show, and if you do, do you sometimes not do what they suggest for the sake of drama? She has noticed that no one waits for backup in dangerous situations, and figures it would pretty much stop the story in its tracks for the characters to wait around for backup.
She's absolutely right that we take some dramatic liberties. It would definitely stop the show to wait for backup at every assignment. Additionally, these are HEROES. They don't need backup (ha ha). As far as tech advisors, not only do we have a fine NYPD guy (Mike Keenan) on set whenever we shoot cop stuff, I WAS a cop in Chicago for ten years, which was the genesis for John's [Wells] suggestion that we create the show together.
I get a kick out of any comments about how this or that was unrealistic since almost all of the cop stories are based on actual incidents. The funniest are comments about how Davis' first day was ridiculous -- it was completely based on MY first day, from my training officer throwing my patrol book in the garbage to not knowing how to talk on the radio.
Now my questions. The first question that popped into my head after receiving the videotape you sent me was...why in the world did you have Rosie O'Donnell on your show if she was only going to be on for ten seconds?
Interview with Ed Bernero
Rosie has been very kind to us and asked if she could appear in the show. We definitely wanted to accommodate her but the way her schedule worked out she was only available to do it during what we felt was a very dramatic episode. We didn't want the audience taken out of the story too much every time Rosie appeared, so we gave her a small paramedic part, Lundy (which is actually an inside joke of sorts -- the name Lundy has been used in several episodes including the pilot as the unseen ambulance driver whenever both paramedics are in the back -- now I guess it's always been Rosie). She also was going to appear in another scene but was unable to stay long enough to do it.
What do you and the other writers and actors think of the Web sites dedicated to the show or dedicated to certain characters? Do you interact on any of these sites?
I sometimes write in on the AOL television boards to answer a question or two. I don't think the other writers do. I haven't talked to too many of the actors about it. I mentioned to Skipp that there was a lot of talk about how he was sexy and hot and he was pretty shocked. He's a great guy. As far as sites dedicated to characters -- that really freaks me out. For example, I've heard that there's a BOSCO site. A site dedicated to a character that doesn't exist and just came out of my head. Pretty wild.
Where do you get your stories for Third Watch, and did you ever get ideas for stories from the Internet?
Well, most of the cop stories come from me and most of the paramedic stories from John Wells (who gathered a lot of those stories during his years running ER). We also have an ER doctor (Lance Gentile) on staff who has provided some stories. We also have a researcher who does a good job of finding nuggets we can use. Another source has been ride-alongs with cops, paramedics and fire that we've all done.
Speaking of stories and ideas for the show, some people (including myself) have noticed that the only gay characters on the show have been shown as either victims or vigilantes. Do you plan on introducing any gay characters that are strong, yet don't enjoy beating on people, and will they be recurring characters?
Interview with Ed Bernero
First of all, it was never our intention to portray any group as all this or all that. We were telling stories we found interesting. I'm not sure I agree with that assessment of our show, but that's an opinion I've heard. In the couple of weeks we are scheduled to discuss the show and the possibility of introducing new characters for year. Just as we never said we need "this many" African American and "this many" white characters, we don't really discuss character in terms of their sexuality. If we introduce a character who is strong, interesting and someone we can write to who also happens to be gay then I'm all for it. I just wouldn't want to introduce a character solely to get a gay character on the show.
What other writing have you done, and how did you come about becoming a writer for Third Watch? Do you write for any other shows?
You can really only work for one show at a time in television. I started out doing two free-lance episodes of a syndicated series called FX The Series, then was hired by NYPD Blue to do an episode. After that episode was turned in I was hired by Steven Bochco (NYPD Blue Executive Producer) as a staff writer on Brooklyn South. When that show was canceled I was hired by John Wells for the show Trinity and when that was canceled he asked if I wanted to create this show with him. The rest is history.
I began writing when I was a cop in Chicago more as a form of therapy than anything else. I was on midnights and my beautiful wife (Barbara) and children would be at work and school all day and I would write for something to do. After a while, the writing started to actually get pretty good and we started sending things out to Hollywood. An NBC executive read one of my scripts and called me, suggested I do a television spec (a script for a show that's already on) and thing I knew, agents were calling. This actually all happened pretty quickly. I was still a cop in August of 1996.
Finally, what advice do you have for writers who want to get into show business?
The advice I have for all writers is to write. It sounds silly but you'd be surprised how many people there are that write one thing and then try to sell that over and over. They also become seminar and book junkies -- if they just take that one more seminar they'll write the story. Bullshit. Write. Write something, send it out then forget it. Write something else. I learn something with every script I write. Write every day. Write when you don't feel like it. Make yourself a schedule and stick to it -- religiously. This town and this industry lives and dies on content. There is a such a demand for material that if you're good, the powers that be HAVE to find you. Don't be discouraged. Write first for yourself, for the joy of writing "The End" at the bottom of a finished piece of art that you've created. It's a great high. If you are passionate and keep at it, keep sending stuff out and moving on, someone will find you. Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions, and congratulations on being renewed for season.
You're welcome and thanks for the congrats. I'm looking forward to working with these characters a little more year. Twenty-two more episodes to explore them is exciting.