TRAUMA Premiere, 20 Sep 09

[Eydawn]

It's true that "House" isn't accurate either. But it's so much fun to watch a brilliant actor with marvelous character development play an egotistical zebra-hunting doctor... A lot of us don't watch "House" for the medicine or the "thrill" of watching idolized heroes in action, we watch because Hugh Laurie plays one of the most emotionally complex and fascinating characters I've seen (just my opinion) in a long time. A lot of people don't accept "House" as reality... they think "ER" is where it's at. ROFL

I agree, that "House" doesn't put doctors in a good light, and many doctors probably have just as many complaints about "House" as we do right here for "Trauma"... but the quality difference is inescapable. At least "House" attempts to put more emphasis on the cerebral stuff (Kutty's boobs aside) and doesn't rely on explosions and gratuitous sex to keep viewers interested.

Maybe if the acting and story set-up in "Trauma" were better, we'd be better able to forgive the blatant medical follies... but I still say that EMS is enough of the bastard red-headed stepchild that we don't need any more negative public images. We struggle enough with our dear compatriots who run over people and abuse people and make headlines for just plain being crappy providers... you don't hear as much of that from other medical fields.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[NRPinNEPA]

Oh god, the character of Gregory House is nothing short of genius. However, that character development has taken five or six years. This show isn't even a week out of the chute yet. IMO, it may still be salvageable. Plus, House has its share of explosions and sex (remember when the building collapsed?).

If people don't take House as reality, I'm hoping they'll have the same philosophy with Trauma. Besides, this "Rabbit" guy has potential to create some really good "holy shit" moments.

[Richard B the EMT]

Besides, this "Rabbit" guy has potential to create some really good "holy shit" moments.

Probably. Especially when others try to correct the messes he is going to create, like the already displayed walk away from the guy given the unneeded Versed shot.

[Dustdevil]

I'm a bit torn on this. Yes, the show was a flaming turd, but it's hard for me to gauge the effect this show will have on non-EMS folk. House certainly doesn't portray doctors in a good light, but people still go to them. We'll see. Hopefully we can take care of any necessary damage control.

Good point. But the situations are quite different. Medicine is a very long established and well understood profession. EMS is not. The vast majority of the general public has either no idea who we are, and what we are about, or a completely mistaken notion of it. Poor dramatisations of physicians will not significantly diminish the respect that they enjoy with the public, nor will they change the calibre of people who seek to become physicians. In the case of EMS, it does both. Consequently, the analogy is not particularly valid.

[MedFire]

Maybe for episode two we should have a drinking game while watching it. Ya know take a shot for each pt abandonment or chug for a misplaced ET tube. I'm sure we could come up with some very fun ways of getting trashed while watching the show. Then it might be fun to watch.

[Dustdevil]

Fortunately for their patients, these losers don't even know what an ET tube is.

[MedFire]

Fortunately for their patients, these losers don't even know what an ET tube is.

Or gloves for that matter "Here Mom help me out and stick your dirty finger in your sons neck so I can treach him."

[WANTYNU]

It's true that "House" isn't accurate either. But it's so much fun to watch a brilliant actor with marvelous character development play an egotistical zebra-hunting doctor... A lot of us don't watch "House" for the medicine or the "thrill" of watching idolized heroes in action, we watch because Hugh Laurie plays one of the most emotionally complex and fascinating characters I've seen (just my opinion) in a long time. A lot of people don't accept "House" as reality... they think "ER" is where it's at. ROFL

I agree, that "House" doesn't put doctors in a good light, and many doctors probably have just as many complaints about "House" as we do right here for "Trauma"... but the quality difference is inescapable. At least "House" attempts to put more emphasis on the cerebral stuff (Kutty's boobs aside) and doesn't rely on explosions and gratuitous sex to keep viewers interested.

Maybe if the acting and story set-up in "Trauma" were better, we'd be better able to forgive the blatant medical follies... but I still say that EMS is enough of the bastard red-headed stepchild that we don't need any more negative public images. We struggle enough with our dear compatriots who run over people and abuse people and make headlines for just plain being crappy providers... you don't hear as much of that from other medical fields.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

What she said.

And Dust took the words right out of my mouth (again), the public has no perception of who or what we are and what we do (nor the crap we wade through to do it).

To some of the public we're "Ambulance Drivers" (or a hospital taxi) to others were traveling doctors because we wear a stethoscope. And to most (in the city anyway) we're a traffic nuisance that drive too fast (or to slow) and belch diesel.

What is real life? Real life is the two EMT's that called in the MCI that made national news (the fire where the civilian called by the media a hero, because he carried a child down a fire escape) were suspended because some higher up watching the news that night saw something he didn't like when the techs were moving the (OK and conscious) kid on their stretcher to the medics who transported the kid to the hospital. Put that on TV and nobody would believe it, land a helicopter on a regular roof and everyone thinks it's real.

Real life always beats fiction, again no reason it can't be done if the show "Paramedic's" violated HIPPA laws, then do stories BASED on real situations.

We do not need more nonsense that distorts the reality of who we are and what we do.

Quality acting and stories are good entertainment regardless of the subject.

As always IMHO

Be Safe

WANTYNU

Edited October 2, 2009 by WANTYNU

[VentMedic]

Oh! Pick me! Pick me, I know the answers!!

Of course we all can answer these questions. I'm with you hardcoreemt, I thought the show was pretty accurate too, except if I wore my uniform unbuttoned to my navel I'd get fired. But other than the lack of helmets, it was pretty close. (would all the members of the code red club please raise their hands)

As a professional, I do not find it necessary to screw whatever moron in the back of an ambulance just to feel accepted where I work and risk messing up my marriage. Nor do I feel compelled to take the ambulance with me when I go out for a drink. This show has attempted take to portray Mother, Jugs and Speed but without the good scripts or acting. This show might stand a better chance if it just went by way of a comedy and do a spoof such as Airplane for EMS. That seems to be the path the opening episode was taking whether that was the intent or not.

For the HEMS part of it, I don't know if they truly didn't do their homework or if they were trying to show blatant abuse of the system with their over the top examples of such stupidity since these issues have been in the news. Even those not associated with EMS are aware of the problems HEMS is facing. I also find its glamorization of HEMS crashes rather disgusting. Granted, it was rather difficult to see this aired while the headlines for the previous day of the deadly medical helicopter crash which killed 3 professsionals were still running on the news. Nobody walked away from that crash to "look cool".

Maybe it is difficult for a show to be politically correct and still believe they can provide good entertainment. I would like to believe the American audience is a little more refined than what some TV directors, producers and actors believe they are. But then, we are constantly bombarded with ignorant reality shows and Jerry Springer which still seem to get high ratings.

Edited October 2, 2009 by VentMedic

[stcommodore]

Maybe we all need to pull the gigantic backboard we have out of our ass and realize it's just a TV show.