MovieChat Forums > Third Watch (1999) Discussion > season 2 After Hours episode... really?

season 2 After Hours episode... really?

posted 13 years ago by farmerbob42
12 replies | jump to latest

So they are spirits of the teens that died that meet them during that evening? A spirit held up a drunk Davis? Multiple people had the same interactions with spirits and saw what everyone else saw? Oi. I like this show but just rewatching this on DVD and this episode does not fit with the rest of the episodes in my opinion. I was thinking that the teens had caused the accident and the rescue workers' interactions with these nice teens would thing have a larger impact once its revealed that the teens caused the events that affected them so much. This at least would have a larger impact and be in the realm of reality at least

[–] marismi 13 years ago

spirits? no.

as i understand this ep, 4 teens are dead and the rescuers + cops meet 4 other teens (coming from that - or probably another - school ball) which as well could had been the 4 who died; and in their imagines the deads get the living´s bodies + faces.
i really love that ep!

friendly wave

m.

ALL LIFE IS EQUAL

[–] farmerbob42 13 years ago

when the flashback occurs it is clearly the people they met during the course of the episode. And the summary of the episode on the wiki page also supports my claim... "The deaths of four teenagers in a fiery car crash profoundly affects the third watch, who were forced to stand by helplessly, unable to save the victims. They congregate at the end of the shift to dispell their sadness and anger at the horrific images of the crash. Faith, Sully and Doc spend time sitting quietly in a cafe; Ty, Bobby, and Alex go to a bar; and Kim, Carlos and Jimmy go bowling. As evening turns into day, Faith's group meets up with a young woman, Ty's group meets up with a young man, and Kim's group meets up with a young couple in love. At dawn, everyone ends up at the a beach and they build a bonfire. As the flames flicker, we see a flashback to the moments immediately preceding the car crash and discover that the young people whom they met during the course of the evening are the spirits of the teenagers who died in the crash, who were sent back down to earth to tell them that the crash could not have been prevented, and they are not to blame for being unable to."

[–] marismi 13 years ago

(headscrape) after first sight i was confused like you and couldn´t understand how they could do that (it´s not "medium" (though: i LOVE that show!) and the spirits are too substantial with drinking and body contact etc).

wiki was not written by the ep- writer, it´s written by any other people which interprets it him/herself and decided to take it exactly (1:1) how it superficially was shown, obviously having no problem to accept that a so very realistic show includes a so very unrealistic episode.

after watching the ep repeatedly and thinking about it, in my opinion it really doesn´t matter how the four dead kids looked - none of rescuers + cops knew them before, and after that crash they were beyond recognition.
but faith, bosco, sully + co met kids in (? of?) the same age and same situation (after ball) and THAT gave an idea/possibility of faces and personality to that anonym dead kids, made them kind of "concrete" for them.

it´s hard to explain in a strange language; i don´t know how to express it clearer in english. if you should be german and can´t understand what i try to say, i´ll do it in german.

friendly wave

m.

ALL LIFE IS EQUAL

[–] farmerbob42 13 years ago

Sadly my heritage IS German but i dont speak a word of it ha.

I agree that wiki isn't always accurate or the mind of the writer and your explanation is plausible.

[–] ChefJen 13 years ago

I'm sorry to interrupt, but this message board has to be the nicest one on IMDB. In reading many of the threads, I see nothing but respect for opinions.

I like to think that TW fosters this culture. Other IMDB boards are so hateful and horrible.

Cheers!

[–] ItsYou3 11 years ago

ChefJen you are definitely right about this. I think with current shows debates are going to become more heated but I have seen boards of many long ago retired shows that are nasty. A favorite from my childhood is Full House. That Full House IMDB board is disgusting. The personal attacks and very inappropriate remarks about the children on the show are sickening.

I am glad that Third Watch fans are willing to listen to each others opinions and not throw out insults at people they disagree with.

------
"Be the change you wish to see in the world" ~ Gandhi

[–] ventus_magica 11 years ago

When I first watched this episode I thought the same as you, but I think it wasn't about spirits after all, I think they really met these teens we saw during the episode and were all nice guys, then at the end when they were on the beach the car accident was 're-done' by the Third Watch workers putting the teens faces they met that night to the teens that died on that horrible accident to make it more dramatic. I think it was written so people could make their own interpretation, the producers might have decided to use the same teens to act the accident scene so it would be cheaper, the whole crew of the 55 squad might've been very drunk and imagined the teens, who knows, I prefer my first interpretation because the show is not about supernatural things.

[–] ItsYou3 11 years ago

I agree. I think they wanted each person watching the show to interpret it in their own way.
I've thought many different things about this episode over the years but as of now my interpretation of events is that after being at the accident scene everyone goes out in their separate groups and meets teens who are the same age as those in the car crash (but are not spirits or actually the same teens). After spending the evening with these teens each 55 member flashes back to the accident scene and envisions the teen(s) that they just spent the evening with as one of the people inside the car. They are putting faces on faceless victims which allows them to grieve for that person at the time of the bonfire on the beach.

Its been over a year since I have watched this episode. Now I really want to go watch it again and see if my opinions have changed.

------
"Be the change you wish to see in the world" ~ Gandhi

[–] jason-535 10 years ago

This whole thread is a strong reason as to why on the third watch forums of the day this episode was voted as the best/favourite among the members. You'll never know what the truth behind the episode is. Are the responders truly seeing spirits/ghosts trying to show them that they have to let go sometimes? Perhaps they just can't get the images out of their minds as they deal with their emotions. That's one of the things that makes this show my favourite of all time... it makes you think and shows a side of their lives that doesn't come as advertised.

[–] icedry75 10 years ago

It's amazing to read this thread after so much time. Here in italy this episode is just passed again but I never get tired to see. Is maybe the best in the whole serie , maybe for the acting I don't know. What I know is that is great when a tv show can give so much emotions. Thanks to actors & writers for this great episode and one of the best series so far.

[–] tukai 9 years ago

I missed this show when it ran and I have been catching up watching distorted versions on youtube. I just watched this episode today. After reading people's responses of this ep and your intepretations, I really teared up.

I really like this show and would love to buy all of them legit versus watching on youtube.

[–] EsmeCullen79 9 years ago

I always figured it was the spirits - one of the kids keep telling Bosco he's sorry. While he might have meant "sorry you saw it, I always thought it was actually the kid apologising to Bosco