Michael Crichton’s ER's last episode Thursday

[phrelin]

It's a 3-hour event, beginning with a "memory-lane" hour and then a two-hour last episode. Our household is one of those that stuck with it since it's 1994 fall premiere. There is a pretty good TV Week column (http://www.tvweek.com/news/2009/03/adalian_column_er_helped_remak.php) on the show that ends:
Finally, “ER” proved once and for all that network television is a medium of the gut, not the mind—of populist icons, not elites. David E. Kelley’s “Chicago Hope,” which premiered the same week as “ER,” was a fine series that had a respectable run on CBS. But while it boasted arguably better-written dialogue and explored Important Social Issues, “ER” grabbed your heartstrings every week with stories about ordinary young people transforming into heroes before our eyes.

It’s a formula that, in retrospect, probably couldn’t miss.

[davring]

I understand that it was a fine series, its longevity proves it. I never watched a single episode, after Ben Casey and a tour of Nam, I guess I couldn't take any more medical shows:) Maybe another network will pick up the syndication and I'll give it a peak. Enjoy the finale.

[Doug Brott]

I stuck with this show from the beginning. It's been good but it's time. If you've never seen the series, you should.

[Drew2k]

I've also been with it from the beginning, but this season have stockpiled the episodes so I'm doing a marathon to try to catch up by this Thursday ... I have seven episodes left to be caught up - I think I can do it!

[spartanstew]

I've watched from the beginning as well, but it stopped being "must watch" a few seasons ago. Looking forward to a good finale.

[rustynails]

I watched the show over the years but not since the beginning. I do like this season and am watching every episode.

[n3ntj]

I, too, have watched just about every episode from the beginning. Should be a good sendoff on Thursday.

[RunnerFL]

This show lost it's appeal for me about 5 years ago when Carter went to Africa.

[paulman182]

Never seen it.

[ibglowin]

The last few years they seemed in a rut and out of new ideas but this final season has been good with all the special guest appearances by the old characters.

We took the Warner Brothers VIP Studio tour last year (well worth the $$$) and one of the sets was the ER set. Hard to believe they can make Burbank, CA look like Chicago in the Winter but they do somehow. The set is very compact in reality. Here are just a few snaps I took.

[phrelin]

We really enjoyed the three hours last night and thought the final 2-hour episode ended perfectly. Apparently a lot of people watched it according to this article (http://www.thrfeed.com/2009/04/er-series-finale-ratings.html): NBC received a towering rating for its two-hour series finale of "ER."

The last episode of the veteran medical drama was seen by 16.3 million viewers and drew a 6.0 preliminary adults 18-49 rating Thursday night. The performance is the most-watched drama series finale since CBS' "Murder She Wrote" ended in 1996 and the highest-rated among the adult demo since Fox's "The X-Files" concluded in 2002.

[bobukcat]

This show lost it's appeal for me about 5 years ago when Carter went to Africa.

Same here, I had watched it from the beginning and stayed with it after Clooney left, almost quit watching when Lucy (I think it was Lucy but it's been a long time ago - whatever her name was she was my favorite character) was killed and then about the time Carter left I just didn't care enough about any of the characters anymore to stay with it.

[hdtvfan0001]

ER kinda went away "into the sunset" with that last episode.

Nothing profound...just a warm slow goodby ending.

[Jimmy 440]

It was a good send off.I kind of thought they'd pull a "St Elsewhere" on the audience & Lydia the nurse would wake Carter up from his nap in the storage room and it would still be day # 1 with Benton busting his chops like he used to with Dr's Greene & Ross there too. <lol>

[hoophead]

I watched it from the beginning even when it went up against Chicago Hope. But, I stopped watching it when Anthony Edwards left the show. Recorded the two hour finale last night because I heard AE was back

[n3ntj]

It was a good send off.I kind of thought they'd pull a "St Elsewhere" on the audience & Lydia the nurse would wake Carter up from his nap in the storage room and it would still be day # 1 with Benton busting his chops like he used to with Dr's Greene & Ross there too. <lol>

That sort of ending has happened too many times... recall St. Elsewhere, Newhart, etc.. I think they ended it in an acceptable way.

[Jimmy 440]

I also stopped watching it when Anthony Edwards left for about 3 years.I caught up by watching the re runs on TNT and started watching it again last season on a regular basis.I'm also glad it ended the way it did.My g/f thought they were going to go out with a bang by blowing up the hospital <lol> Glad she was wrong.

[Getteau]

Same here, I had watched it from the beginning and stayed with it after Clooney left, almost quit watching when Lucy (I think it was Lucy but it's been a long time ago - whatever her name was she was my favorite character) was killed and then about the time Carter left I just didn't care enough about any of the characters anymore to stay with it.

me three.

[Drew2k]

I thought it was a very fitting ending, but I was a little thrown by the one female doctor, a brunette who attended the HIV patient who developed cancer. I don't recall ever seeing this doctor before ...

Other than that, everything else hit just the right note.

[Indiana627]

I thought it was a very fitting ending, but I was a little thrown by the one female doctor, a brunette who attended the HIV patient who developed cancer. I don't recall ever seeing this doctor before ...
Same here. I was kept trying to think in my head "who is she?"

I also could have done without Neela and Ray on the web cam in the last two episodes. I mean they billed the 3rd to last show as Neela's last, but then have her on in the final 2 episodes like that. Just cheesy I thought.

And I wish Lucian was on again. He was never on after Neela left. Wasn't his character good enough to be on screen without her? I thought so. Seems like they could have had at least one more surgical consult.

[phrelin]

I thought it was a very fitting ending, but I was a little thrown by the one female doctor, a brunette who attended the HIV patient who developed cancer. I don't recall ever seeing this doctor before ... Yeah that was strange. She's Alexis Bledel best known as Rory Gilmore in the "Gilmore Girls" and I can't for the life of me figure why she was on unless someone (her agent?) was owed a favor so she now can add "ER" to her resume.

[Steveknj]

I also stopped watching it when Anthony Edwards left for about 3 years.I caught up by watching the re runs on TNT and started watching it again last season on a regular basis.I'm also glad it ended the way it did.My g/f thought they were going to go out with a bang by blowing up the hospital <lol> Glad she was wrong.


That's what my son thought too LOL. I thought that there were going to be budget cuts due to the economy and they would be closing the hospital. But I am glad they didn't do anything crazy and just showed how life in the ER is, and will always be.

[Steveknj]

Yeah that was strange. She's Alexis Bledel best known as Rory Gilmore in the "Gilmore Girls" and I can't for the life of me figure why she was on unless someone (her agent?) was owed a favor so she now can add "ER" to her resume.

Wasn't she on at the very beginning of the season when they introduced the new batch of interns? I thought she was one of those.

[rustynails]

"Alexis Bledel best known as Rory Gilmore in the "Gilmore Girls"
"ER" .... Dr. Julia Wise (1 episode, 2009)
- And in the End... (2009) TV episode .... Dr. Julia Wise
The above is according to http://www.imdb.com/

[Doug Brott]

Very much enjoyed the finale .. I ended up going through the retrospective first and then the show .. Glad I did.