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I worked in EMS after training at a large teaching hospital. I rarely watch medical shows because the portrayal of medicine is so dumbed-down and inaccurate. I understand that it's a show and some license will be taken, but at least put in some effort to help me suspend disbelief. The Pitt puts in major effort to get it right (which I expect from creator of 'Southland' John Wells, one of the few cop shows that did it more accurately than most). ER's are places of extreme excitement, sadness and humor (the rat scene alone beat many comedies made today). It's fun to be a couple episodes into a medical show and looking forward to more instead of rolling my eyes and moving on.

Being Hollywood we get the usual moralizing, but most shows lecture while delivering inane dialogue with one dimensional characters. Give me a solid story in a realistic setting with great characters and I can sit through a fair share of finger-wagging. It's great seeing Noah Wylie in a hospital again, especially as a veteran doctor surrounded by fresh-faced medical rookies like he was in ER. The acting has been great from everyone. I recognize so many of these personalities from a career around this environment. The Pitt is a great new show.

I wasn't in Long Beach, but I was a CA street cop and this show catches the tone, cross-talk and culture well (so far, I'm halfway through the series). There are very few shows that accurately do that (two others being Bosch and Southland). But unlike those shows, it's only 30 minutes.... one of the few cop dramas I've seen in a 30 minute format since Adam-12, and I like it.

It follows a trainer and trainee unit, Officer Harmon and Officer Diaz (Troian Bellisario and Brandon Larracuente) patrolling in Long Beach, CA. You have the usual drama you've seen on COPS that comes from responding to patrol calls, plus the rookie needing to apply the academy to real life, conflicts of cultures and work eras.

When Harmon and Diaz are told to stand by and observe street drifters at an intersection, the rookie is frustrated at the inability to do anything. The show has the "old-school" cops that remember being able to react to a crime, not just observe. Sergeant Lasmen and Officer Barlowe (Eric LaSalle and Mac Brandt). LaSalle is always great as a competent, but endlessly frustrated by the system, employee (which he mastered on ER). There are tidbits he brings to the character, like a quick swig from a non-labeled baby-blue bottle never addressed, but anyone that's had heartburn will recognize as antacid. LaSalle also directs most the episodes.

Brandt's Officer Barlowe feels a bit darker. He's reminding me of a character from a Joseph Wambaugh book. Officer Barlowe's handling of a homicide body part had a hint of Rosco Rules from The Choirboys.

If you enjoyed Bosch and Southland, you should like On Call. If you don't like those shows you should still check this out because at only 30 minutes it's quick and you might find something else on the show that works for you.

This show started out well, but it's starting to veer off course. As a fan of Strikeback I decided to check this show out since it used some of the same SAS source material from Chris Ryan. Season One was very good, as was most of season Two... but it's starting to go down the familiar politically correct road of shows from the 2020's. I usually prefer older shows that keep me guessing who did it - with most newer shows you know the bad guy will be a straight, white male. This episode was made in the early 2000's, but the PC writing is starting to infect this show. When your terrorist suicide bomber is a white guy with blond hair you can start guessing who is going to be involved in the terrorist plan.