More Emergencies in Chicago: Sirens

Chicago recently brought you firemen in NBC's Chicago Fire, policemen in NBC's Chicago PD, and tonight paramedics in the USA Network's Sirens.  But based on the reviews to date (before the very first episode premeries), the show is on life-support.  But first, the set up per the USA Network:

From the distinct comedic point of view of Denis Leary (RESCUE ME) and Bob Fisher (WEDDING CRASHERS), SIRENS follows three of Chicago’s best EMTs whose sometimes silly, self-righteous and even self-destructive personalities make them unqualified for sustaining relationships, friendships and most occupations. They are, however, uniquely qualified for saving anyone who winds up in their ambulance. Johnny (Michael Mosley) is a good-looking, sports-loving, Chicago EMT working with his best friend Hank (Kevin Daniels). Brian (Kevin Bigley) is a wide-eyed and excitable new EMT who still lives with his parents. Jessica McNamee will play the female lead, Theresa, a smart female cop with the Chicago PD who still loves her ex Johnny, but ultimately had to move on when he wouldn’t commit.

Can Denis Leary do for paramedics (or EMTs) what he did for firemen in Rescue Me?  Well, he moved to a shorter format based primarily on jokes rather than drama, so he has much less room to work.  You can judge for yourself after viewing the trailer, but this is not your father's TV show Emergency (yes, a very old show before they had motorcycle cops in CHIPS, another old show).  The critics to date have plenty to say.

Mike Hale in the New York Times notes

The subjects of humor in the early episodes of “Sirens” include penis size, the ubiquity of online pornography, smelly homeless people, wisecracking black children and the way women in yoga pants look from behind. The story lines and characterizations seem to have been culled from online personality quizzes, bachelor party conversations and two-year-old issues of Cosmopolitan.

Robert Bianco in USA Today gave the show a mixed review, noting

The show's younger stars all are personable, if not yet exactly memorable, and all told, their show is an agreeable, mildly amusing time-passer. Which would be fine, if we weren't always aware that Leary can do better and cut deeper.

The new series is based on a 2011 British show of the same name, which was based on a book Blood, Sweat, & Tea by ambulance technician Brian Kellett.  It is worth checking out the trailer for this earlier series.  It has a different feel and stars Richard Madden before he became known around the world for Game of Thrones. 

Enough history?  Well, it might also be worth pointing out that the British Sirens was dropped after one season.  Will history repeat itself? Time will tell.