Michael Beach Looks Back on "Third Watch"

[JamesG]

Michael Beach played NYC Fire Department paramedic Monte “Doc” Parker throughout the NBC series’ six seasons, during which he became well-versed in performing medicine on the fly… and how sometimes, you’ve gotta fudge it for the cameras.

“We always had consultants with us on set any time we were doing anything,” he says, remembering that the on-set advisors used to point out that real EMTs rarely run or jump on top of gurneys as they’re in motion. “The consultant would to, ‘No, we would never do that,’” Beach says, laughing, “and the director would go, ‘Well, that’s what we’ve got to do!’”



He adds: “Obviously, a big thing on ER and Third Watch is the pace, the style. That’s the energy. And some sometimes that [real-life stuff, just for the sake of making a TV show, would get pushed to the side…

As much as possible, you have to try to combine what would really be done with what needs to be done for the shot.”

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