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Nature or Nurture is the sixteenth episode of the first season on NBC series Third Watch which was aired on March 20, 2000. It was directed by Clark Johnson and written by Terri Kopp.

Synopsis[]

Dealing with the aftermath of gang warfare, Doc and Carlos disagree overreaching out to prevent an eleven-year-old boy from following his brother into a gang; Bosco's decision to turn the tables on two men who try to rob him when he's off-duty could cost him his badge when the two men turn up at the precinct to report the crime; as he continues his losing streak, Jimmy gets deeper and deeper into his bookie, which puts Joey in danger; Kim begins to worry about how much time she spends with Joey after he gets into trouble at school.

Full Summary[]

Doc and Carlos treat the gunshot wound of a young gang member, Nickel. Later, a rival gang member, Puppet is shot in reprisal, and his little brother, Kenny aims Puppet's gun at Doc and Carlos and threatens to kill them if they don't save his brother. On the way to the hospital, a hysterical Puppet reveals his real name, Nathaniel to Doc and vows to give up gang life if he survives.

Carlos files a complaint against Kenny with Sully and Davis. Doc and Carlos are called to pick Kenny out of a lineup. Carlos chooses not to identify him due to Doc's compassionate plea. Doc is shocked when Puppet signs himself out of the hospital to seek revenge against his assailants. In the clash that ensues, Kenny is killed, and Carlos regrets his failure to follow through on the police complaint. Although in jail, Kenny would at least be alive. An angry Doc places Kenny's lifeless body in his unrepentant brother's lap.

Joey is surprised to find Brooke in the Doherty kitchen at breakfast. At school, Joey pushes two boys, breaking the arm of one. Seeing a connection between the two events, Kim berates Doherty for being an irresponsible parent, and he blames her. But later, when dangerous enforcers for the bookie to whom he's indebted take his wallet, his watch and his car in front of Joey, Doherty cannot deny that he is a terrible father.

Meanwhile, two derelicts, Larry and Walter try to rob an off-duty Bosco at knifepoint. Pretending to reach for his wallet, Bosco draws his gun instead. He robs the two men, makes them strip down to their underwear and takes their clothing. Later, he is shocked to see them at the station filing an armed robbery complaint. Bosco persuades Yokas to spend their shift following Larry and Walter, fully confident that the two losers will eventually commit a criminal act. After witnessing some petty offenses, Bosco and Yokas finally arrest Larry and Walter after a botched liquor store holdup.

Cast[]

Main[]

Portrayed by Name Role
Michael Beach Monte Parker FDNY Paramedic
Coby Bell Ty Davis NYPD Officer
Eddie Cibrian Jimmy Doherty FDNY Firefighter
Bobby Cannavale Bobby Caffey FDNY Paramedic
Molly Price Faith Yokas NYPD Officer
Kim Raver Kim Zambrano FDNY Paramedic
Anthony Ruivivar Carlos Nieto FDNY Paramedic
Skipp Sudduth John Sullivan NYPD Officer
Jason Wiles Maurice Boscorelli NYPD Officer

Also Starring[]

Guest Starring[]

  • James Biberi as Carl
  • Eugene Byrd as Nathaniel "Puppet" Ryder
  • Divina Cook as Sister Perez
  • James Costa as Nickel
  • Jack Gwaltney as Tommy Doherty
  • James Hanlon as Larry
  • Bryan Hearne as Kenny Ryder
  • Sondra James as Mrs. Jordan
  • Derek Kelly as D.K.
  • Nina Landey as Karen Kramer
  • Khanya Mkhize as Junior
  • Lenore Pemberton as Amanda Hayden
  • José Rabelo as Old Man
  • Yolonda Ross as Patricia Ryder
  • Myk Watford as Ed
  • Gordon Joseph Weiss as Larry

Trivia/Notes[]

None

Music[]

  • The Four Tops: "The Same Old Song"

Gallery[]

Quotes[]

Faith (sees a sketch of Bosco, made by the robbers; reads the wanted poster): "Wanted for armed robbery. Suspect is 5'10..." (Bosco grabs the paper from her, Faith laughs) Bosco, you got nothin' to worry about.
Bosco (continues reading): "... About 165 pounds, short brown hair, wearing jeans and a black jacket, driving a 70's mustang. Considered armed and extermely dangerous."
Faith: Oh, they forgot "And stupid."
Bosco: That looks like nothing me.
Faith: Sure, it does.
Bosco: That's not my nose, and my face is wider than that.

Kim: Joey pushed a kid off the jungle gym today. Broke his arm.

Faith: Ouch. ... You don't think that that's your fault, do 'ya?

Kim: Well, obviously I'm screwin' up some where.

Faith: Kim, I look at my kids everyday, I wonder if I'm raising a couple of serial killers.

Kim: Well, at least you got a husband. I need somebody to help me out.

Faith: Yeah, I mean, but what are you gonna do? Husbands don't just fall outta trees.

Kim: Maybe, I'm being too picky, I mean, what am I holding out for? True love? It's selfish. I can't keep doing this alone anymore, it's hurting Joey.

Faith: Kim, what are you gonna do? You're gonna marry some guy just so Joey has a father? There's lots worse things you can do.

Bosco (walks up behind them): Gab, gab, gab, gab, gab. It never stops, does it?


Doc (about Nathaniel after his little brother dies): I don’t care if his ass bleeds to death, he’s not getting in my rig.


Kim: Where's Bosco?

Faith: He headed off to the toliet with the newspaper, so I don't know when we'll see him again.

Kim: Why do guys do that? Read on the toilet?

Faith (laughs): I don't think he actually reads the articles. I think he just looks at the pictures.


Kim: Hey, we gotta talk.

Jimmy: Why is it whenever I’m having a crappy day, you appear and say "we gotta talk"?


Bosco: You got the smallest bladder of any woman I know.

Yokas: Oh, who are you kidding? If you had to sit down to pee we’d be in there half our shift.


Davis: So you think Bosco's gonna get caught?

Sully: I sure as hell hope not. One cop screws up, it just makes life miserable for the rest of us.

Davis: He should've just arrested those guys. I still can't believe he robbed them, it's ridiculous.

Sully: Of course you can't. If somebody tried to rob you, you'd invite 'em home for dinner, ask them what went wrong in their family life that could lead them to this horrible place.

Davis: So, what's gonna happen if he gets caught?

Sully: They're not gonna make him cop of the year, that's for sure.


Kim: Hey, how's it goin' with Treeva?

Bobby: Treva.

Kim: What kind of name is that?

Bobby: What? It's worse than Kim?

Kim: What's wrong with Kim?

Bobby: It's just Kim. It doesn't mean anything.

Kim: Yes, it does. It's like a... saint or something.

Bobby: Saint Kimberly? In what religion?


Bosco (referring to the guys he robbed): What are they doin'?

Faith: They're lookin' at the mug books.

Bosco: Oh, god. I'm screwed. I am so screwed. I swear to god if I make it outta this, I'm gonna get like a...

Sully: Lobotomy?

Davis: Are those the guys?

Faith: Yeah, they're lookin' at the mug books.

Bosco: I gotta get rid of their clothes.

Davis: Their clothes?

Faith: Don't ask. Hey, do it on your own time, Bos. I'm done. (turns to walk away, Bosco grabs her)

Bosco: Come here. No, you gotta help me, you're my partner.

Davis: Hey, wouldn't that be like hindering proscecution or somethin'?

Sully: At least.

Bosco: Hey, don't listen to them. I swear to god, Faith, I'll change. I swear I'll change. I'll get help, I really will.

Faith: Therapy. Licensed, able-to-prescribe-medication type therapy.

Bosco: What, like laying on some couch talking about how my mother didn't potty train me right? (Davis and Sully laugh) Fine.


Bosco: Faith, I screwed up. Real bad.

Faith: Oh, don't tell me. You slept with the Captain's daughter? (laughs) Oh, whoops, you already did that. (laughs)

Bosco: I robbed those two guys.

Faith: What?

Bosco: I knew you'd freak out.

Faith: You robbed somebody?

Bosco: Those two guys tried to rob me, next thing I know, I pulled out my gun and... If I was an average joe, I'd be begging for mercy, right?

Faith: Your gun? Bosco. That is armed robbery. (toliet flushes and Sully comes out)

Bosco: I thought you checked the stalls.

Faith: I didn't know you were gonna confess to armed robbery.

Davis (walks in): Armed robbery? (Bosco glares at Faith, Faith cringes)


Bosco: You know, Yokas, some things are better than sex.

Yokas: You got a fever or something?

Bosco: I’m serious. I’m capable of getting a rush out of other things in life, you know.

Yokas: Like what, sucking on whipped cream cans?


(After Bosco throws out the clothes from the guys he's robbed)

Bosco: There's nothin' to tie me to this now, except the word of two skel's. It's called plausiable deniablitly.

Faith: Alright, listen to me.

Bosco: Huh?

Faith: All you gotta do is keep a low profile and stop yourself from runnin' off at the mouth. (to herself) That oughta be easy.


(Bosco and Faith are following the guys that he robbed)

Faith (sighs): This is great. "Officer Yokas, tell the grand jury what you did when you found out your partner commited armed robbery?" ... "Well, first I assisted him in getting rid of the evidence, and then... "

Bosco: These guys are dangerous, Yokas. They're gonna screw up and when they do, we're gonna be there to bust 'em for it.

Faith: You know, I wouldn't count on those two being on the first bus to Attica. (they see the guys take a couple of magazines, and a lady chases them with a broom and hits them, they give them back) Oh, yeah, a regular Bonnie and Clyde. (laughs) I can definatly see why you had to pull a gun on those two. (the guys go into a strip club) Oh, you know what? That's it. I'm not sitting here for an hour while those guys get their rocks off sticking dollar bills into pasties. ... I'm hungry.

Bosco: You have to help me.

Faith: Food!

Bosco: You have to...

Faith: Now!


(After they arrest the guys who Bosco robbed)
Faith: How much longer are you gonna keep this up? They're gonna see 'ya as soon as you get in.
Bosco: Not if you take 'em back to the house yourself.
Faith: What am I supposed to tell the lieuteniant?
Bosco: I don't know, I don't care. Tell 'em I got lost.
Faith: Oh, that wouldn't be the first time.
  v - e - dThird Watch Season 1
Welcome to CamelotAnywhere But HerePatternsHell is What You Make of ItResponsible PartiesSunny, Like SunshineImpulseHistory of the WorldModern Designs for Better LivingDemolition DerbyAlone in a CrowdJourney to the HimalayasThis Band of Brothers32 Bullets and a Broken HeartOfficer InvolvedNature or NurtureOhioMenSpring Forward, Fall BackA Thousand Points of LifeJust Another Night at the OperaYoung Men and Fire
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