The opening is brilliant, very strong. Great use of music. Great use of images. I don't know if this is going to be the on-going theme tune, but it is very effective. We arrive right in the middle of the action, two cops - in a fast moving patrol car - are having an argument, so we instantly see that they lead exciting lives.

    Jason Wiles is the first recognisable face I see. I've seen him on Beverly Hills 90210. I've seen him on To Have And To Hold. He's a very good actor. Looks like he's playing: "The Hotshot". Probably a cliché character.

    But, as I said, the opening is impressive. Fat Boy Slim soundtrack accompanying a furious foot chase. Very good. Very good start.

    I thought this was a show about ambulance drivers, or something, why are they acting like cops on patrol?

    Okay, things are getting clearer. All is not what it appears to be. Suddenly another patrol car arrives, rescuing the perp. It's not a serious crime scenario we're watching, we're actually seeing a hothead cop trying to beat up someone who played a prank on him.

    Interesting twist.

    Playing with our expectations like that.

    I like it.

    So far.

    Okay, and the scene switches. From one pair of partners who seem to argue a lot, to an ambulance containing another pair of partners who... seem to argue a lot. This time, it's not because one of them is a reckless hothead, it's because one of them is tidy and the other is... untidy.

    Yawn.

    The first accident is carnage. Six victims. Four more D.O.A. Filmed on the streets of New York - in bright sunshine - blood, wreckage and dead bodies everywhere.

    I don't like er, because it's just a lot of people shouting and running around, and shouting and running around. It looks like Third Watch might be a bit like that. There was an awful lot of shouting in that scene at the car accident.

    The next scene involved two cop characters going into a pub to arrest the driver responsible for the accident, and I enjoyed that scene much more, because there was a little character interaction. And nobody shouted. And nobody ran.

    Down at the cop shop we get some character information on Officer Sullivan. He was the cop who rescued the prankster from The Jason Wiles Character earlier, and we now see him throwing the kid in jail for a couple of hours to cool off. There's plenty of good-natured banter between them, so we know that Sully is really a good guy.

    Then, what we presume is a hooker engages in more banter with him, so again the fact is driven home: HE IS A GOOD GUY.

    Then he is called in and given a rookie partner, a young guy, who he's known "for years". There's some back-story there, because suddenly we see (for the first time) some aggression in nice easy-going Sully. (Which is strange, you know, since Sully is normally such a good guy!). Anyway, this type of thing is known as "character conflict" and the earlier stuff was there to make it clear that Sully is decent, even though he is currently behaving like a bit of an asshole (i.e. not exactly welcoming his new partner with open arms). But, as time goes on, I'm sure we will find out that there is a very good reason for that.

    Outside, Sully stops to give donuts to a dog. Again, making it clear: HE'S A NICE GUY.

    We switch back to the ambulance, the partners who were arguing earlier (Kim and Bobby) are now talking about their sex lives. While they themselves are platonic friends. Obviously the intention is to develop some kind of "Will-They-Won't-They?" relationship between the two of them. I've seen that so many times. I'm not interested.

    Now the scene switches to the firestation, which is across from the police station. And inside we see Eddie Cibrian the photographer from Baywatch Nights. Cool.

    I like the fire station. It's kinda like "anti-er" or something. It's just a bunch of guys sitting in arm chairs, watching TV. I don't know why, but I really love that image.

    Then we move to a scene with kind-hearted paramedic Doc. Helping out a mother, with two sick kids. She can't afford medication, and all the usual stuff. And the whole purpose of the scene is to make us think what a nice, nice guy he is.

    But the scene just made me think what a sap he was.

    Not Doc, the writer.

    Okay, I'm not even half-way through the pilot, but at this stage there's only one character I like and that's The Jason Wiles Character.

    We just had a very, very funny scene with him dodging mundane police work, and being a bit of a hotshot. And it was very funny, and very enjoyable. I think his character is quite cool.

    All the stuff we are seeing with Sully and his new rookie partner is very standard. Experienced old cop gets repeatedly annoyed with inexperienced young cop. Nothing new, fresh or exciting.

    Okay, now they've tied Sully into The Jason Wiles Character, by playing up the idea of a rivalry between the two of them, out on the streets, with TJWC angling to get all the exciting calls. And I'm enjoying it. Again, I like TJWC and consequently I'm starting to like Sully. And they just had a very funny scene where Sully apprended a perp that TJWC was looking for, and then - with great pomp and ceremony - drove up and handed the perp over. Good scene.

    Then we came to the big action set piece of the episode. A fire involving virtually all of the characters that have been featured so far (except Sully and his partner). It was good. They used the opening theme tune as the background music and it worked very well. The Jason Wiles Character rushed to the rescue in dramatic fashion, and it was all very enjoyable.

    Just endured a most un-enjoyable domestic scene with the partner of The Jason Wiles Character. She has two kids, and we saw her being domestic and warm and loving. And it was just an awful scene.

    Three paramedics just got ambushed in a scene that's very reminiscent of the classic Renko-Hill ambush from Hill Street Blues. It was a good scene. One paramedic got shot, and the other two dived for cover. While they watched (helplessly) the shooter continued to shoot bullets into their still conscious friend, who was lying in the line of fire.

    Now we find out what the story is with Sully and his rookie partner. Sully was previously partnered with the rookie's father. And the man died. And Sully was the one who had to make the phone call. And he doesn't want to have to make that kind of call again. Good backstory.

    The final scene, where the regular characters gather round, outside the curtain in the hospital as their fallen comrade is being tended to is very good.

    And the closing imagery, as Doc stands on a stool to peer over the top of the curtain is also a very nice touch.

    Very good ending.