But at the time, the show's accelerated pace while attempting a certain level of medical realism was like nothing I'd seen before (interestingly, a show that was whip-fast in its day now seems a little slower paced in comparison to current shows). But while attention to detail was a signature of the pilot written by Michael Crichton, it wasn't about the flashy medicine that dominates current medical dramas, or even later period seasons of ER itself. This wasn't some pseudo-detective series about exotic diseases solved by cantankerous geniuses or unusual conditions that mirror the problems of the oversexed interns assigned to the case. This was an episode, and a series, about overworked, idealistic doctors that made viewers care about their struggles through the various personalities involved, not through flashy medicine.
With this episode, we're introduced to the weary Nurse Carol Hathaway (Margulies), wide-eyed intern John Carter (Wyle), roguish pediatrician Doug Ross (Clooney), brash young surgeon Peter Benton (La Salle), embattled Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield), and saintly chief resident Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards). Each is given a moment to shine and ingratiate themselves to the audience, be it Benton's celebratory fist pump after beginning an emergency surgery without supervision, or Ross' "How dare you! He's a little kid!" to an abusive mother. And just when we've decided that we'd like to spend an hour each week with these characters, in comes one of the series signature shocks as Hathaway is brought into the ER after an attempted suicide.
2. "Love's Labor Lost" - Season 1, Episode 19, Airdate: March 9, 1995
Probably one of the top two most memorable episodes (see number four on this list for the other), "Love's Labor Lost" marks the moment when the show upped the stakes. For 18 episodes Dr. Mark Greene was the assured, steady hand of the staff, who could seemingly do no wrong professionally (even as his personal life fell apart). Then a pregnant couple comes into the ER with a mom having a seizure (husband played by West Wing star Bradley Whitford), and a busy OB unit forces Greene to deal with mom and baby in the ER. It all seemed like a typical ER episode, perhaps even a heart-warming one as Jodi and Sean O'Brien were a delightful couple that looked to be giving the staff one of those moments that make the hard times worth it. Then things start to go terribly wrong. Watching it the first time, it never occurred to me that it would end in tragedy, even as things started to go south. There might be some drama, maybe even a close all, but Mark would eventually pull this one out, right? Not only did he usually come through, but a network show wasn't going to kill a pregnant lady, right? Then it did, and we learned to never take outcomes for granted on this show.
Article comments
1 - Clare
I will miss ER so much.
Thanks for the article, Andy. You really captured the great episodes.
2 - James
Good choices. I just finished watching the last season on dvd, and before watching the very last episode I watched the series pilot. Yes - it's very noticeable how much less 'fancy medicine', as you put it,is in the earlier seasons, and how relatively slow- moving it is compared to the camera-batics on season 15 (but then slower can be better....see The Wire, The Killing, et al). The medical equipment looks positively medieval! But it's a more rounded show, encompassing politics, with several references to insurance and other financial issues, and Benton's surgical disdain for the "pill pushers" of the ER; not to mention the various interesting relationships of the first seasons (compared to which the Ray-Neela relationship of later seasons was a damp squib - I honestly didn't get any romantic spark at all, or much of any spark really). And young Carter! A masterpiece of goofy, loveable comedy, fresh-faced and fresh-minded, before the tragedies that were to befall him. I was glad you included the stabbing episode - I too find it difficult to think about, because Lucy was such a wonderful character, so well played by Kellie Martin, and her flirtacious back-and-forth with the the still young and loveable Carter was one of the highlights of the entire series for me. I vividly recall Romano overturning the table in anger when she died, and feeling upset for the rest of the day (which never normally happens with fictional TV, I hasten to add!) The story arc which followed over the next couple of seasons, with Carter becoming addicted to drugs and Benton ultimately helping him through it, was one of the most moving I have ever experienced. When that fizzled out, and Greene and Benton left, and Carter became hardened (great performance by Noah Wyle to show the change) is when I stopped watching. I've recently watched the later shows on dvd and, while there are slapstick moments and lots of fancy procedures, they lack the heart and the magic of the early years.
Wow, didn't expect to write that much! I just enjoyed the show, and I guess that whole period of my youth, so much. Thanks ER :)