Jimmy Doherty

Infobox character
series=Third Watch


colour=#039
colour text=#fff
name=Jimmy Doherty
portrayer=Eddie Cibrian
occupation=Firefighter (season 1-4), Lieutenant (season 5)
significantother=Kim Zambrano
Joe Lombardo
lbl1=Seasons
data=1-5 (cameo in 6)
spouse=Kim Zambrano (wife/ex-wife/wife)family=Joey Doherty (son)
Tommy Doherty (brother)

James "Jimmy" Doherty was a fictional FDNY firefighter in the television series "Third Watch", played by actor Eddie Cibrian. He was in the series from 1999 until 2004 and then returned for a cameo in the show's final episode a year later.

Personality

Jimmy is good looking, and he knows it. He takes pride in his job and has even admitted he'd do it for free - just don't tell the Mayor! This, plus his looks, means he attracts a lot of female attention, which he happily embraces. Jimmy often defends his masculinity - he was horrified to learn his face was featured in a commercial for Viagra, until he learnt this made him more attractive to women. Jimmy is immature and not good at facing responsibilities, although over the course of the series he does grow up and start accepting the consequencies of his actions, including being a better father to his son.

Jimmy had an ongoing rivalry with Maurice 'Bosco' Boscorelli, the two men playing numerous practical jokes on each other in order to be one up on the other.

Background

Jimmy, born in 1968 (his age was given as 35 in his final episode [2003] ) originally wanted to become a baseball player, and even tried out for the New York Yankees in 1993. He failed to make the team, and joined the FDNY as his "back-up" option. This soon became his chosen profession.

Jimmy was married to paramedic Kim Zambrano before the series started. They married in Atlantic City and later Kim gave birth to their son, Joey (named after Jimmy's best friend, Joe Lombardo). Jimmy had an affair with Kim's sister, Melanie, and Kim filed for divorce. They shared custody of Joey, both seeing each other every day as they worked at the same time in the same firehouse. Jimmy often competed for Kim's affection against her work partner, Bobby Caffey - she was still the love of his life despite the divorce.

Jimmy had been gambling for a while and was soon in debt, causing his child support payments to Kim and Joey to be late. He'd tried borrowing money off his family - but his parents (who pay Joey's school fees) were organising a trip for his father's birthday, and brother Tommy had already lent Jimmy money in the past. He has another brother who lives in Pittsburgh. Jimmy ended up having to give up his car to pay off his debts, an act which Joey witnessed. Jimmy had to walk Joey home in the cold. After this he vowed to become a better father. At the end of the first season, Jimmy was shot by an ex-fireman who had gone slightly insane, and spent many weeks in a hospital. He came back to work too early, trying to regain past glories, but later realised he should not return until he was completely ready.

Jimmy (thanks to Joey) met a police officer, Brooke (from another precinct) in a supermarket and they soon fell in love. After a whirlwind romance, Jimmy proposed, but at their engagement party slept with Joe Lombardo's girlfriend Linda. This was witnessed by Alex Taylor, and later the secret came out (Linda confessed to Joe) which caused Joe to punch Jimmy in the face and Brooke to file for divorce. Joe and Jimmy later made up, although Jimmy's marriage was over.

After Bobby was murdered, Kim sank into a state of depression, causing Jimmy to try and win sole custody of Joey. He won, but later allowed Kim access again after seeing how much she had improved.

After the deaths of Alex and Lt Johnson, Jimmy was promoted to Lieutenant. He made a few mistakes at first, which caused tension between him and the others. At the same time, Kim and Jimmy started falling in love again, and had numerous one night stands during the course of the series. Jimmy later proposed to Kim, and she accepted. However, when Jimmy nearly died that day, Kim realised she couldn't go through the emotions of being a firefighter's wife again, and broke things off. Jimmy had gained another promotion to Captain, in another firehouse, and left the 55 alone. Kim was however pregnant, and later realised she still loved Jimmy. She quit her job and her and Joey moved to be with him, where she gave birth to their second child. The family reappeared in the final episode at Carlos Nieto's and Holly Levine's wedding.

External links

* [http://www.thirdwatch.net/jimmydoherty.html Jimmy Doherty at ThirdWatch.net]
* [http://www.thirdwatch.net/forum//index.php?s=a5ee762b6063ee10c787fdff0f0f9c7c&showforum=14 The Jimmy Forum at ThirdWatch.net]