MartinHafer
"E.R." was a very good show and I watched it for years. While I realized it was not an accurate depiction of real E.R. life (I have friends who work and have worked in this setting), it was exciting and soap opera-like without being boring or clichéd....at least for a while. And there's the problem...the show simply went on way, way, way too long. Because it was on 15 seasons, old familiar characters came and went many times and by the end of the show no one familiar remained and the plots seemed old, tired and often dumb. Good examples are what they did with the nasty Dr. Romano--first having him lose his arm in a freak helicopter accident and later having him killed in a helicopter accident! What were they thinking?! Clearly these were examples of the show jumping the shark. So my advice is watch the re-runs if you want...but also be willing to do something the series couldn't do...pull the plug when it's obvious the patient is terminal! I'd give the show a 9 for the first 8 or 10 seasons and a progressively lower score from there. By the end, the show barely merited a 3.
Desertman84
E.R.(Emergency Room) is a medical drama TV series that follows the inner life of the emergency room of the fictional County General Hospital located in Chicago,Illinois and the professional as well as issues facing the doctors and the members of the staff.This show created by the late author Michael Crichton which is based on his personal experiences as an E.R. resident physician. It aired on NBC and had 15 seasons.Also,it has the distinction of becoming the longest medical drama TV series that was on air and has gained numerous awards due to being an excellent series.The cast of the show includes Anthony Edwards,George Clooney,Sherry Stringfield,Noah Wyle,Eriq La Salle,Julianna Margulies,Gloria Reuben,Laura Innes,Maria Bello,Alex Kingston,Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane,Goran Višnjić,Scott Grimes,John Stamos,David Lyons and Angela Bassett.Each episode provides the experiences of the doctors,nurses and staff of the County General Hospital particularly inside the busy Emergency Room that is characterized by overcrowded waiting rooms,staff shortages and the impact of the life-and-death decisions they deal with a patient.Added to that,it also provides us how balance their personal lives with the demands of their profession.Finally,we also get to see how the experienced doctors teach the young ones how to become great at their profession.This is definitely one great medical TV series.There is no hype in it.The writers of the show did an excellent job of presenting the viewer a realistic depiction of what doctors go through inside the E.R especially when dealing with a patient during a life and death situation.Also,we get to see compelling characters such as Dr. Mark Greene,Dr. Doug Ross, Dr. Susan Lewis, Dr. John Carter, Dr. Peter Benton,Nurse Carol Hathaway, Physician Assistant Jeanie Boulet,Dr. Kerry Weaver,Physician Assistant Jeanie Boulet and Dr. Kerry Weaver,Dr. Luka Kovač,Dr. Abby Lockhart, Dr. Elizabeth Corday, Dr. Robert Romano, Dr. Greg Pratt, Dr. Archie Morris, Dr. Neela Rasgotra,Dr. Ray Barnett,Nurse Samantha Taggart, intern Tony Gates, and Dr. Catherine Banfield all throughout during the show's run. In addition to what's happening inside the E.R.,the show also tackled social and political issues such as HIV and AIDS, organ transplants, mental illness, racism, human trafficking, euthanasia, poverty and gay rights.No wonder it is a classic.
Petri Pelkonen
Yesterday I saw the last episode of ER.The show, that lasted for 15 years (1994-2009) is missed by many.But everything must stop someday, now it was ER's time.The show told about the lives and work in the emergency room of fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.None of the original characters stayed in the end, but the last season gave us treats by bringing them old actors back for an episode or more.Dr. John Carter, who was played by Noah Wyle, came back to work as a doctor there.In the last episode we saw Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield), Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes), Dr. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) and Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle).Also George Clooney, who is a big moviestar now, was seen in this season as Dr. Doug Ross.In the same episode there was, of course, Julianne Margulies portraying Nurse Carol Hathaway.And it was great to see Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene.Dr. Greene died at the end of season 2002 to a brain tumor, but here we saw alive and well in an episode, that took place in the past.Nurse (later Dr.) Abby Lockhart (Maura Tierney) was seen briefly in the last season.We didn't see Goran Visnjic playing Dr. Luka Kovac, though.Gloria Reuben as Jeanie Boulet made a one episode return in the 14th season.From the newcomers Dr. Archie Morris, played by Scott Grimes, became a great doctor.Or Dr. Neela Rasgotra, played by Parminder Nagra.And Dr. Ray Barnett, played by Shane West, who tragically lost his legs and was seen in a couple of episodes during the last season.And John Stamos played Dr. Tony Gates.Over the years we've seen many great visits by some great people.The last episode (And in the End...) brought back the legendary Ernest Borgnine, who we saw a little earlier this season.He gave a touching performance as the elderly man watching his wife dying.I also remember comedian Bob Newhart giving the most dramatic performance as the elderly architect who's going blind and commits suicide.Or the great late Dana Elcar, who actually did go blind in his real life because of a disease called Glaucoma, gave his last on-screen appearance as Manny Kendovich.Michael Crichton(1942-2008) was the creator of ER.ER bacame the longest-running medical drama in American primetime television history.It was the winner of 22 Emmy Awards, and received 123 Emmy nominations, more than any other show in history.We've seen a lot of drama during those 15 seasons.There have been the deaths of Dr. Greene or Dr. Pratt.And in one dramatic episode Lucy Knight, played by Kellie Martin was killed.In In the end of the last episode the doctors were waiting for ambulances to bring patients of a glass factory explosion.They have a busy night ahead, including Dr. Carter who's well now since he has that new kidney.Also Rachel Greene, the daughter of Dr. Mark Greene, is there and wanting to be a doctor like her dad.The show may be over, but the work of those emergency room doctors will never be over.
