I watched the series finale of ER last night. Hard to believe the series started when Youngest Son was three or four years old. I’ve watched ER from the first episode, and I don’t think I’ve missed more than a handful of episodes in the last fifteen years. The series retrospective and finale was worthy of my favorite TV show. Yes, even when Grey’s Anatomy made an appearance, as much as I love that show, if I’d had to choose between the two, I would have chosen ER. Well, now I don’t have to choose, because Grey’s is the only medical drama I’m watching now. I tried getting into Private Practice and couldn’t. Okay, that’s not really fair. I watched the first episode and it didn’t catch me. I like my medical dramas set in hospitals. Plus, I was never truly enamoured of the character of Addison Montgomery while she was on Grey’s, so why would I follow her spin-off?
Boston Legal wrapped up in the fall, and Men in Trees was cancelled last year. With the ending of ER, I’m three TV shows down in my weekly line-up! My PVR could use the break. I’ve added Castle to the line-up, frankly because one of the main characters is a writer and I like seeing how his profession influences the story. Haven’t decided yet if I’ll stick with it. I’m enjoying it, but if it disappeared, I wouldn’t miss it. And, what the heck, I’ll try Southland next Thursday. I haven’t watched a cop drama since Hill Street Blues, so I’ll give it a whirl.
I really enjoyed the ER series finale. After suffering super disappointing finales when Seinfeld and Will & Grace ended, both NBC shows, I admit I was a little worried. But the story lines and relationships all wrapped up nicely, and the introduction of Mark Greene’s daughter, Rachel, as a newbie medical student was a nice touch that brought the series full circle. Okay, so Doug Ross and Carol Hathaway were missing from the finale, but I loved how the series caught up with them last week. And, after all this time, I think the character of Dr. John Carter has finally grown on me.
So, bye-bye ER. I rarely buy DVD box sets of TV series. In fact, the only one I do have is Sex and the City, because My Liege and the boys saw fit to buy them for me. But I think I sense an ER collection in my future. And I love the idea of watching the series from the beginning again, see if I can catch any guest stars making double appearances as different characters (naughty, naughty). And who wouldn’t want to watch Dr. Romano lose his arm to a helicopter blade again? The arrogrant twerp.
Did you watch ER? Will you miss it? Which character(s) did you enjoy the most?
I LOVED ER and watched it religiously until about 2 years ago. When George Clooney left several years back, I really felt that loss. His character was my very favorite. Noah Wylie’s character was a close second, though, and it was quite interesting to see him grow and change over time. I’ll have to check out these last few episode of the season and see what’s happened to everyone :).
Marilyn, they did a great job throughout the season of bringing back characters and fitting them into the story line, including people like William H. Macy. Some characters, like Romano and Greene, are dead, but they brought them back in memory sequences. The memory sequence for Greene ties into one of this season’s character’s backstories, so that was very well done.
George Clooney and Juliana Margulies are in the second-to-last episode, but in Seattle. They interact with current season characters who have gone to Seattle for purposes I won’t reveal so as not to spoil the story. They also provide the uplifting end to their story that lovers of ER would want to see. And the characters of Doug Ross and Carole Hathaway have no idea that what happens in Seattle impacts one of their old colleagues back in Chicago. I really loved how they did that. They could have written it so that the Doug Ross character found out about the impact on the old friend, but they didn’t. They wrote the episode how it might really happen – some things come up in conversation, and other things don’t. I really liked it.
I also really loved how the Mark Greene character taught Noah Wylie’s character, and now they’ve left the series with Noah’s Dr. Carter teaching Mark’s daughter. Very satisfying.
I’m like Marilyn. I stopped watching ER a few years ago. I might see if I can watch the George Clooney/Juliana Margulies episode on NBC. When I have time! I tried watching it last night, but wasn’t into it enough to watch the whole thing.
I don’t watch Grey’s Anatomy or the other one. At first I liked Grey’s, but it was too tiring watching them break up, get back together or with someone else, then break up with them … No HEA.
I’ll miss Boston Legal too. One thing I liked about it is that the main characters were older and chubbier. lol Probably the only prime time network TV show with main characters like that.
The shows I love now are Medium and NCIS. I haven’t watched Castle, because I couldn’t believe the premise, but maybe I’ll give it a shot.
Boston Legal was great, Edie. And I think you’re right that they were the only primetime network show with older and chubby characters.
I’ve never watched either Medium or NCIS. Castle begins with the murder every episode and then they go about solving it. I usually don’t follow shows with that format, but he has cute relationships with his mother and daughter that have kept me tuning in. That said, I watch it more for just something to watch as relaxation then really looking forward to it each week. It might fall off my radar…
I LOVED ER, watched it religiously for the first few years and then occasionally through the last few years. I wish I’d watched this whole season, but I did watch all 3 hours of ER wrap up last Thursday. It was very fitting to have Rachel Greene back on and I’m so glad she got her life straightened out. My favorite character was Carter.
I don’t know why it took me years to warm up to Carter. I think it was the eyebrows (sorry, Mr. Wylie). He always looked too earnest to me, LOL.