I have to admit that I long ago gave up on ER. I used to watch religiously. It was just what we did on Thursday nights. Three straight hours of “Must See TV”. And it was definitely that. Before Grey’s with all of it’s goofiness, another hospital reigned supreme over our Thursday nights. Chicago’s County Hospital is the Shakespeare to Seattle Grace’s, oh I don’t know, V.C. Andrews maybe (I mean, come on, McSteamy broke his penis. Or should I say Little Grey did). ER was the rare show that could meld a procedural-type storyline with an ongoing week-to-week drama. It also had quite the pedigree. Created by (sorely-missed) Michael Crichton, from a script he wrote back in 1974 when he was a medical resident in a busy hospital emergency room. Steven Spielberg produced the first season & made one legendary decision in giving Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Marguilies) a second chance, as her character was supposed to die at the end of the pilot episode.
Since that pilot episode we have seen so many great stories. Hathaway’s return from her suicide attempt. Greene’s crumbling marriage. Benton’s arrogance. Carter’s green medical student, who we watch grow over the years. Jeanie Boulet living her life HIV+. Lewis raising her sister’s child. Ross saving the drowning child during a torrential downpour. (Heck, whatever Ross did, it’s George Clooney, he could have just stood there & I’d have been happy). The LIVE episode (done twice, EST & PST). Hathaway & Ross’ (final) reunion in Seattle. Poor Lucy killed by the schizophrenic. Greene’s brain tumour. The helicopter cutting off Romano’s arm, then him being done in a year later by another helicopter falling on him right in front of the hospital.
Then somewhere along the way something switched & I stopped watching because I enjoyed it & started watching out of obligation. Maybe it was a slightly-less-than-stellar cast that year, but something had changed & I finally stopped watching. So a few weeks ago, when the much-hyped “return of George Clooney” episode aired I figured I should check it out. Was I ever rewarded. It was such a satisfying episode with old characters & new characters crossing paths & melding storylines in a way only ER can. To see Ross & Hathaway happy & working together in Seattle (funny, Seattle) I could just imagine their lives together.
So, ER found it’s way to my Tivo/PVR, even if it was just for it’s last hurrah. These last few episodes have reminded me what phenomenal writing, directing & acting that ER has given us for 15 years. And to honour that I will be plunking my behind down on my couch on Thursday night to watch the 3-hour season finale (1-hour retrospective & 2-hour episode) to enjoy the final curtain call of one of television’s greatest dramas (sorry Grey’s you’re tivo-bound!!).
ER’s season finale airs Thursday April 2 at 8pm on NBC.