ER

Plot

Created by novelist Michael Crichton and reportedly based on his own experiences as a medical student, the NBC hospital drama ER debuted September 19, 1994, directly opposite the similar CBS endeavor Chicago Hope. Though many critics thought that Chicago Hope had a better chance for survival than ER, the NBC series scored a surprise hit -- and over a decade later it was still firmly imbedded in the network's Thursday-night schedule, while Chicago Hope had long since vanished. Set largely in the emergency room of Chicago's fictional County General Hospital, ER focused on the professional and personal trials and tribulations of the unit's staff, with several subplots and story arcs weaving in and out of each hour-long episode. The regular cast for the first season consisted of Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene, George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross, Sherry Stringfield as Dr. Susan Lewis, Eriq La Salle as Dr. Peter Benton, Julianna Margulies as Head Nurse Carol Hathaway, and Noah Wyle as med student (and later doctor) John Carter. Of these actors, only Sherry Stringfield and Noah Wyle would still be on the series as it entered its second decade on the air -- and of these two, only Wyle had been on the show throughout its entire run (Stringfield retired from the series in season three, but returned five years later).

Later principals, in order of their appearance, included Laura Innes as Dr. Kerry Weaver, Alex Kingston as Dr. Elizabeth Corday, Paul McCrane as Dr. Robert Romano, Kellie Martin as med student Lucy Knight, Erik Palladino as Dr. Dave Malucci, Goran Visnjic as Dr. Luka Kovac, Ming-Na as Dr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen (a recurring character in season one who returned as a regular in season six), Maura Tierney as Nurse (and later Dr.) Abby Lockhart, Michael Michele as Dr. Cleo Finch, Sharif Atkins as Dr. Michael Gallant, Mekhi Phifer as Dr. Gregory Pratt, and Parminder Nagra as med student (and later doctor) Neela Rasgotra. Many of these characters' lives were intertwined romantically, while some of the characters were bitter enemies; all were uniformly fascinating. And just as in "real life," there was nothing predictable about the exits of certain characters: some departed with tragic abruptness (Lucy Knight, Robert Romano), others simply bade farewell and moved on with their lives (Doug Ross, Carol Hathaway, Peter Benton); but no "goodbye" was as poignant and moving as the lingering illness and death of Mark Greene throughout the length and breadth of season eight. Though the plot emphasis was on the continuing characters, a number of prominent guest stars made memorable appearances during the series' decade-plus run. Alan Alda, Sally Field, and Bob Newhart were but three of the A-list entertainers who passed in and out of the doors of Chicago County. The winner of innumerable industry awards, ER has also earned a niche in media history as the most expensive dramatic series in TV history, reaching this particular plateau with its 13-million-dollar-per-episode average budget during the 1998-1999 season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Credit

Michael Crichton - Executive Producer, Steven Spielberg - Executive Producer, John Wells - Executive Producer, Christopher Chulack - Executive Producer, Lydia Woodward - Executive Producer, Carol Flint - Executive Producer, Neal Baer - Executive Producer, Jack Orman - Executive Producer, James Newton Howard - Composer (Music Score), Michael Crichton - Show Creator

Episodes

ER: Season 01 (1994)
The first season of the prestigious NBC medical drama ER is seen largely through the eyes of new third-year medical student John Carter (Noah Wyle) as he tries to survive his shakedown cruise in the Emergency Room of Chicago's County General Hospital. Carter is swiftly introduced to his ill-tempered, ultra-demanding supervisor Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), ER head Dr. Morganstern (William H. Macy), and his new co-workers, womanizing Dr. Doug Ross (George Clooney), workaholic Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), and troubled Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield). Likewise appearing for the first time -- and almost the last -- is Ross' current amour, Head Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies), a character who was supposed to have appeared only once before committing suicide, but who proved so popular that she recovered and returned to work. The many first-season plot strands include Greene's ever-growing domestic problems with his restless wife, Jennifer (Christine Harnos), the normally ice-cold Benton's anguish over the failing health of his mother (Beah Richards), and Lewis' tribulations with her irresponsible, drug-addicted sister, Chloe (Kathleen Wilhoite), who presumptively deposits her baby at Lewis' home and disappears. Showing up in mid-season during a major medical crisis is Dr. Angela Hicks (CCH Pounder), one of the few people who can match Benton in anger and imperiousness. Another character conflict develops between Lewis and rule-bound Dr. Kayson (Sam Anderson), who first brings charges of incompetence against her -- and then tries to date her! On a more salutary note, Greene is promoted to attending physician. The Emmy award-winning episode "Love's Labor Lost" dramatized a career turning point for Greene when a misdiagnosis causes the death of an expectant mother. Shortly afterward, new ER chief William Swift (Michael Ironside) makes trouble for the staff with his eccentric approach to medicine. Also introduced is another third-year med student, Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen (Ming-Na), who enters into intense competition with Carter -- with disastrous results. Another first-season recurring character, Lewis' erstwhile boyfriend Dr. Div Cvetic (John Terry), breaks under the pressure of the ER and runs naked into the streets, never to be seen again. Worth special notice is the episode "Motherhood," directed by no less than Quentin Tarantino; and the season finale, in which the marriage between Carol Hathaway and Dr. John Taglieri (Rick Rossovich) is scuttled at the last moment, leaving poor Carol with another emotional cross to bear. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

ER: Season 02 (1995)
Having all but forced its CBS medical-show competition Chicago Hope off the Thursday-night schedule, NBC's ER reigned supreme as the series entered its second season. Having wrongly assumed that he would leave Chicago County after his third year of med school, John Carter (Noah Wyle) remains on staff as a surgical sub-intern, and by and by is given a promotion; later on, he follows the example of his sexually supercharged colleagues by getting involved in a romantic triangle. Carter's short-tempered supervisor, Dr. Benton (Eriq La Salle), likewise enters into a relationship, with divorcée Jeanie Boulet (Gloria Reuben) -- who may or may not be entirely free of her troublesome ex, Al (Michael Beach). Left standing at altar by her fiancée at the end of season one, Head Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) falls for Ray "Shep" Shepard (Ron Eldard), a rather reckless paramedic. And Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) has become quite comfortable caring for her irresponsible sister Chloe's baby, Suzy -- until Chloe (Kathleen Wilhoite) pops up out of nowhere to demand custody. Season two marks the introduction of Laura Innes as Dr. Kerry Weaver, whose brusque, fingernails-on-the-blackboard attitude gets on everyone's nerves. In other developments, Dr. Ross (George Clooney), facing dismissal because of his maverick behavior, redeems himself by saving a boy trapped in a culvert during a torrential downpour; Shep goes over the edge when his paramedic partner is killed in a fire; and, in the season-ending cliffhanger, Benton discovers that Jeanie's former husband, Al, has infected her with the HIV virus. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

ER: Season 03 (1996)
Season three of ER marks the (temporary) exit of Chicago County emergency-room doctor Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield), whose ever-increasing emotional problems are exacerbated when her romance with Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) fails to take off. It also marks the begining of John Carter's (Noah Wyle) medical career, as he starts off the season now a doctor, but still low on the food chain as a first-year intern. New to the series this season are head of surgery Dr. Donald Anspaugh (John Aylward), pediatrician Dr. Abby Keaton (Glenne Headley), and oversensitive intern Dr. Dennis Gant (Omar Epps), who, unable to withstand the incessant hectoring of hard-driving supervisor Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), commits suicide. Benton has problems on other fronts as well: Dr. Keaton dismisses him from the prestigious pediatrics team; his current girlfriend, Jeanie Boulet (Gloria Reuben), is diagnosed as HIV-positive; and his former sweetheart Carla Reese (Lisa Nicole Carson) prematurely delivers Benton's baby son, who is born deaf. Elsewhere, womanizing Dr. Ross (George Clooney) has another scandal on his hands when his latest one-night stand (whose name he doesn't even know) drops dead; unfortunately, his attempt to redeem himself by rescuing a 14-year-old prostitute from a life on the streets ends disastrously as well. Long-suffering Head Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) is torn between staying in her current job and entering med school. And newly divorced Dr. Greene nervously re-enters the dating scene, even while his ongoing war of nerves with the abrasive Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) intensifies. As the season rushes to a climax, Greene is accused of allowing a black patient to die while caring for a white patient -- and shortly afterward, he is severely beaten by an unknown assailant. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

ER: Season 04 (1997)
Season four of ER opens with the famous "live" episode, which was originally telecast in "you are there" documentary fashion (with two separate stagings, one each for the East and West Coasts). This episode serves to introduce a new regular, British doctor Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston). Within a few weeks, Elizabeth has inaugurated a romance with irascible Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), who is presently occupied with caring for his deaf son, Reese. Another character, overachieving pediatrician Dr. Anna Del Amico (Maria Bello), graduates from recurring to regular status just in time to enter into a relationship with Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle). Also joining the cast this season is the obnoxious, obstreperous Dr. Robert Romano (Paul McCrane), whose dislike of Dr. Corday borders on the obsessive; and Carter's fabulously wealthy grandmother, played by Frances Sternhagen. Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) spends much of the season trying to overcome the physical and emotional scars after being severely beaten by an unknown assailant near the end of season three. When Dr. Ross (George Clooney) heads to California to handle funeral arrangements for his ne'er-do-well father, Greene accompanies him, and along the way he endures a painful reunion with his own parents. Elsewhere, Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) breaks off her rekindled romance with Ross; gruff ER head Dr. Anspaugh (John Aylward) is "humanized" by the serious illness of his son; Dr. Weaver (Laura Innes) is appointed new acting chief of emergency services, leading to a brief fling with the CEO in charge of the cost-cutting organization that has purchased Chicago County; Greene makes a bid for the position of pediatrics attending physician, causing a sharp divide between those for and against his promotion; and Benton's ex-girlfriend Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) tries to lead a normal life and career despite her AIDs. The season closes with Ross in deep trouble (again!), this time over his unauthorized treatment of a drug-addicted baby. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

ER: Season 05 (1998)
It's another year of triumph and tragedy in the emergency room of Chicago's County General Hospital as ER enters its fifth season. New to the cast this year is Kellie Martin as inexperienced and somewhat klutzy medical student Lucy Knight, who soon proves to be a major thorn in the side of her supervisor, Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle). Even so, Carter and Lucy grow quite fond of one another, with the possibility of a serious relationship waiting in the wings. The season's major plot developments include the decision by British doctor Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) to remain in the U.S. as intern for the prickly Dr. Robert Romano (Paul McCrane), a career move she soon has cause to regret; Romano's later brush with sexual-harassment charges; the efforts by Dr. Benton (Eriq La Salle) to find proper treatment for his hearing-impaired son and the tempestuous relationship between Benton's HIV-positive former girlfriend Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) and police officer Reggie Moore (Cress Williams); Benton's later, epiphany-sparking odyssey at a backwater clinic in Mississippi; another career-threatening crisis for Dr. Ross (George Clooney), who must shoulder much of the responsibly of the death of an ALD patient; a mini-tragedy involving Greene and his profoundly disturbed patient, a Nigerian-born janitor (Djimon Hounsou) who cannot overcome memories of torture at the hands of his countrymen; and the ascension of abrasive Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) to ER chief, after the first candidate turns out to be a phony physician. ER makes media history this season, first by reaching its 100th episode (which, appropriately enough, deals with a woman who was born 100 years earlier at Chicago County), then by emerging as the most expensive weekly TV drama series in history, budgeted at 13 million dollars per episode. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

ER: Season 06 (1999)
The impossibly obstreperous Dr. Robert Romano (Paul McCrane) matriculates from recurring to regular character as the Chicago-based hospital drama ER enters its sixth season. Other incoming cast members include Maura Tierney as OB nurse Abby Lockhart, who is introduced when she delivers the twin babies of Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies); Goran Visnjic as troubled Eastern European émigré and war veteran Dr. Luka Kovac, Erik Palladino as zany Dr. Dave Malucci; and, back after a lengthy absence, Ming-Na as former intern and now full doctor Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen, who in her med-student days had been a formidable competitor to Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle). Conversely, a number of familiar characters make their exits this season, most notably George Clooney as maverick Dr. Douglas Ross and Julianna Margulies as long-suffering Nurse Carol Hathaway; the season's penultimate episode, detailing with the ultimate fates of Ross and Carol, is among the series' most famous sequences -- and one which was surprisingly kept secret until the very night of the telecast. Additional "defectors" include Gloria Reuben as HIV-positive Jeanie Boulet, who has gotten over her earlier romance with prickly Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle) and has wed police officer Reggie Moore (Cress Williams); and Kellie Martin as med student Lucy Knight, who is stabbed to death by a deranged patient, an attack that also seriously imperils the life of Lucy's erstwhile lover Carter -- who even upon recovery endangers himself by turning to drugs. Season five plot developments include Romano's ascension to chief of staff, a promotion given as part of a deal whereby Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) would be appointed ER chief; Romano's subsequent and surprising appointment of his verbal sparring partner Dr. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) as his assistant; Corday's blossoming romance with her colleague Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), and the reciprocal love affair between Corday's mom and Greene's dad (who dies later in the season); Benton's affair with Dr. Cleo Finch (Michael Michele), counterpointed by his incessant squabbling with his sister Jackie (Khandi Alexander); and guest star Alan Alda, who in a poignant story arc plays a celebrated surgeon in the first stage of Alzheimer's. The traditional season-ending cliffhanger finds Carter facing a crucial decision: seek out treatment for his ever-growing drug dependency or destroy whatever career he has left. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

ER: Season 07 (2000)
Curiously, there were no major cast defections during the seventh season of the award-winning hospital drama ER. However, two new characters make their first appearances this season: psychiatrist Dr. Kim Legaspi (Elizabeth Mitchell), who coerces ER chief Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) to admit that she is a lesbian; and 19-year-old pediatrics intern Rena Trujillo (Lourdes Benedicto), who latches onto Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle) -- who in turn is trying to wean himself from a dangerous dependency on drugs and booze, brought about by a double tragedy in the previous season. The season's predominant plotline involves Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), whose romance with Dr. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) results in a baby and a marriage -- and who, in a more disturbing development, is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Another subplot concerns the ongoing feud between doctors Romano (Paul McCrane) and Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), culminating in Benton being fired from the ER and blacklisted throughout the Chicago medical world; though he is eventually reinstated, Benton is saddled with additional problems vis-à-vis his gangbanger nephew Jesse (Andrew McFarlane) and Jesse's girlfriend, Kynesha (Toy Connor). Also, OB nurse Abby Lockhart (Maura Tierney) finds herself strapped for cash in her efforts to enter medical school, and is drawn to Carter -- though their budding relationship is sorely strained when she becomes his AA sponsor. Meanwhile, East European émigré Dr. Luka Kovac (Goran Visnjic) continues to suffers flashbacks to past tragedies in his war-torn homeland. Among the season's notable guest stars as Sally Field, in an Emmy-winning turn as Abby's bipolar mother, and John Cromwell as a dying Catholic bishop who tries to reawaken the embittered Kovac's faith in God. The unforgettable season seven finale finds the ER under siege by the homicidally vengeful father of a child whom Greene had removed to foster care. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

ER: Season 08 (2001)
Resolving the cliffhanger ending of season seven, season eight of the award-winning hospital drama ER surveys the damage done when the emergency room of Chicago County was besieged by a gun-wielding lunatic whose son Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) had put in foster care. In subsequent episodes, two new characters are introduced: medical student Michael Gallant (Sharif Atkins) and intern Dr. Gregory Pratt (Mekhi Phifer), two polar-opposite personalities whose only common bond is the fact that they are both African-Americans. Under normal circumstances, the season's most dramatic development might have been the return after a five-year absence of Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield), who finds herself re-upping with the ER even though that hadn't been her original intention (the fate of Susan's troublesome sister Chloe and Chloe's daughter, Suzy, would be explained in a "crossover" episode with another NBC series, Third Watch). However, too much happens this season for any one plot strand to predominate. For starters, Dr. Benton (Eriq La Salle) enters into a bitter custody battle over his son, Reese, with Roger (Vondie Curtis-Hall), the widow of Reese's late mother, who had previously been helping to raise the boy, during which Benton's paternity is called into question; this and other crises ultimately inspire Benton to leave the ER and go to work in a small clinic with his current girlfriend, Dr. Cleo Finch (Michael Michele) -- who, ironically, has become exposed to the HIV virus, just like Benton's former sweetheart Jeanie Boulet. Elsewhere, nurse Abby Lockhart (Maura Tierney) tries to mediate an argument between her neighbors, only to get beaten up for her trouble; though East European émigré Dr. Luka Kovac (Goran Visnjic) seizes upon this incident to appoint himself Abby's "protector," she is still sweet on Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle). As for Carter, he is burdened with family problems brought about by his estranged parents -- especially his guilt-tripping mom. On a lighter note, a case of on-the-job political incorrectness gets several of the ER doctors "sentenced" to a weekend sensitivity-training session, which evolves into the series' own version of The Breakfast Club. In addition to the departing Eriq La Salle, season eight of ER marks the exit of Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene. After learning that his tumor has returned and is now truly inoperable, Greene slowly loses his faculties and wastes away, as his new wife, Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston), and daughter Rachel (Hallee Hirsh) stand by helplessly. Greene's final episode, largely told in flashback, is one of the series' most poignant moments. Curiously, however, the demise of Dr. Greene does not take place in the season finale; that particular episode is reserved for a cliffhanger situation involving a smallpox scare, a lockdown at the ER, and a riot -- not to mention a passionate kiss between two of the principal characters. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

ER: Season 09 (2002)
As season nine of ER opens, a grieving Dr. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) elects to return to the ER after the death of her husband, Mark Greene. Meanwhile, Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle) and Abby Lockhart (Maura Tierney) have survived the smallpox scare that caused the lockdown and riot at Chicago County at the end of season eight -- and as a bonus, they have fallen in love. Elsewhere, lesbian Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) comes to grips with her pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage, and puts her job on the line by giving secret medical treatment to an alderman who still hasn't "come out." Dr. Romano (Paul McCrane) becomes even more irascible after losing his right hand and forearm in a helicopter mishap; no longer able to operate, he is placed in charge of the ER, where his erratic behavior soon proves to be not only annoying but dangerous. Troubled East European émigré Dr. Luka Kovac (Goran Visnjic) is accused of hitting on a nurse, becomes involved in a fatal traffic accident, and puts his job in jeopardy with a disastrous misdiagnosis. The tensions escalating between African-American ER staffers Gallant (Sharif Atkins) and Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) explode when both are temporarily held as suspects in a murder at the doctors' favorite watering hole, Magoo's -- and later, Pratt is on the verge of exiting the ER, but he redeems himself by saving the life of a mother whose baby was cut from her womb. Mercurial Dr. Chen (Ming-Na) reveals that she once gave up a child for adoption. Plagued by the psychological problems of her mother and brother, recovering alcoholic Abby begins drinking again. Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) returns from a brief holiday with a new husband (Donal Logue) in tow. And several episodes are built around Paul Nathan, an overaged medical student (Don Cheadle) suffering from Parkinson's disease. The year's most noteworthy newcomer is Leslie Bibb as brash, outspoken med student Erin Harkins. Season nine ends with the culmination of a story arc begun when Carter finds himself re-examining his priorities after a brush with a dedicated storefront-clinic doctor (Ed Asner). Ultimately, Carter joins Kovac in a Doctor Without Borders project, tending to the sick and wounded in a dismal Congolese field hospital while a political revolution rages around them. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

ER: Season 10 (2003)
Season ten of ER finds Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle) returning to Chicago County after a brief sojourn with a Doctors Without Borders project in a war-torn Congolese field hospital. Reportedly, Carter's co-worker in this project, Dr. Luka Kovac (Goran Visnjic), was killed in the fighting -- but this report proves to be slightly exaggerated when Kovac himself reappears at the ER. In a related development, the romance between Carter and nurse Abby Lockhart (Maura Tierney) is stifled by the news that Carter has had a fling with his Doctors Without Borders co-worker Kem Likasu (Thandie Newton), who is carrying his baby. Elsewhere, Parminder Nagra joins the cast as nervous new med student Neela Rasgotra, who is mentored by Michael Gallant (Sharif Atkins), who in turn is now a doctor. Neela catches the eye of Gallant's longtime rival Dr. Pratt (Mekhi Phifer), arousing the jealousy of Dr. Deb Chen (Ming-Na). Later on, Neela passes her medical boards, but the more experienced Abby does not. Another newcomer to the cast is Glenn Howerton as Dr. Nick Cooper, a second-year resident. This season marks the departure of Paul McCrane as irascible Dr. Robert Romano, who has become all the nastier since being fitted out with a prosthesis after losing his hand and forearm in a helicopter accident; ironically, it is another helicopter, this one crashing off the hospital roof, which ultimately seals Romano's doom. Even more ironically, Romano's death saves the job of Dr. Archie Morris (Scott Grimes), whom Romano had just caught smoking pot on the job. In other developments, Dr. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) recovers sufficiently from the death two seasons ago of her husband, Mark Greene, to enter into a hot-and-heavy romance with Dr. Eddie Dorset (Bruno Campos), who happens to be married; later on, she is made head of surgery and juggles dating two other men at the same time. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) strikes up an unusual friendship with a suicidal architect (brilliantly portrayed by Bob Newhart). And Kerry Weaver's (Laura Innes) parter, paramedic Sandy Lopez (Lisa Vidal), gives birth to a baby boy, Henry; however, Kerry's euphoria is tragically cut short when Sandy later dies in a fire and Kerry ends up in a bitter custody battle with Sandy's family over the child. The season ends on another cliffhanger, as doctors Pratt and Chen are seriously wounded in a particularly nasty case of "road rage." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Now What?
Makemba
Touch and Go
NICU
Get Carter
Impulse Control
Blood Relations
Forgive and Forget
The Student
Where There's Smoke
Just a Touch
The Lost
Abby Normal
Midnight
Drive
Dear Abby
Shifts Happen
Out of Africa
The Greater Good
Death and Taxes
Freefall
Missing

ER: Season 11 (2004)

ER: Season 12 (2005)

ER: Season 13 (2006)

Bloodline
Tell Me No Secrets
City of Mercy
Breach of Trust
A House Divided
Murmurs of the Heart
Dying Is Easy...
Crisis of Conscience
From Here to Paternity
Photographs and Memories
Family Business
Graduation Day
Lights Out
I Don't
Sea Change
The Honeymoon Is Over
Somebody to Love
Parenthood
Ames v. Kovac
Heart of the Matter
Jigsaw
Reason to Believe
Scoop and Run

ER: Season 14 (2007)

The War Comes Home
300 Patients
Status Quo
Believe the Unseen
Atonement
Owner of a Broken Heart
...As the Day She Was Born
Truth Will Out
Under Pressure
Tandem Repeats
The Chicago Way
In a Different Light
Officer Down
Gravity
Under the Influence
The Test
Blackout
Coming Home
Skye's the Limit

ER: Season 15 (2008)

Life After Death
The High Holiday
Another Thursday at County
The Book of Abby
Parental Guidance
Haunted
Oh, Brother
Heal Thyself
Age of Innocence
Let It Snow
Separation Anxiety
Dream Runner
Love Is a Battlefield
A Long, Strange Trip
The Family Man
The Beginning of the End
T-Minus-6
What We Do
Old Times
Shifting Equilibrium
I Feel Good
ER Retrospective
And in the End...

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ER (TV series)

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For the 1984–1985 CBS sitcom, see E/R.

ER
ER intertitle
Format	Medical drama
Created by	Michael Crichton
Written by	David Zabel Joe Sachs John Wells R. Scott Gemmill Jack Orman Lydia Woodward
Directed by	Christopher Chulack Jonathan Kaplan Richard Thorpe
Starring	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 Visnjic Michael Michele Erik Palladino Ming-Na Maura Tierney Sharif Atkins Mekhi Phifer Parminder Nagra Linda Cardellini Shane West Scott Grimes John Stamos David Lyons Angela Bassett
Opening theme	James Newton Howard (1994–2006, finale) Martin Davich (2006–2009)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	15
No. of episodes	331 (List of episodes)
Production
Camera setup	Single
Running time	60 minutes (including commercials) approx. 45 minutes (without commercials)
Production company(s)	Constant c Productions Amblin Television Warner Bros. Television
Broadcast
Original channel	NBC
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Original run	September 19, 1994 – April 2, 2009
Chronology
Related shows	Third Watch Medical Investigation
External links
Website

ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television. ER follows the inner life of the emergency room (ER) of fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and various critical issues faced by the room's physicians and staff. The show ran for 15 seasons, becoming the longest-running primetime medical drama in American television history. It won 23 Emmy Awards, including the 1996 Outstanding Drama Series award, and received 124 Emmy nominations, which makes it the most nominated drama program in history.^[1] ER won 116 awards in total, including the Peabody Award, while the cast earned four Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Ensemble Performance in a Drama Series.^[2]

Contents

1 Production
2 Impact
3 Distribution
4 References
5 External links

Production

Development

In 1974, author Michael Crichton wrote a screenplay based on his own experiences as a resident physician in a busy hospital emergency room.^[3] The screenplay went nowhere and Crichton focused on other topics. In 1990, he published the novel Jurassic Park, and in 1993 began a collaboration with director Steven Spielberg on the film adaptation of the book.^[4] Crichton and Spielberg then turned to ER, but decided to film the story as a two-hour pilot for a television series rather than as a feature film.^[5] Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment provided John Wells as the show's executive producer. The script used to shoot the pilot was virtually unchanged from what Crichton had written in 1974. The only substantive changes made by the producers in 1994 were that the Susan Lewis character became a woman and the Peter Benton character became an African-American, and the running time was shortened by about 20 minutes in order for the pilot to air in a two-hour block on network TV.^[6] Due to a lack of the time and money necessary to build a set, the pilot episode of ER was filmed in the former Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles, an old facility that had ceased operating in 1990.^[7] A set modeled after Los Angeles County General Hospital's emergency room was built soon afterward at the Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California, although the show makes extensive use of location shoots in Chicago, most notably the city's famous "L" train platforms.^[8]

Warren Littlefield, running NBC Entertainment at the time, was impressed by the series: "We were intrigued, but we were admittedly a bit spooked in attempting to go back into that territory a few years after St. Elsewhere."^[9] After Spielberg had joined as a producer, NBC ordered six episodes. "ER premiered opposite a Monday Night Football game on ABC and did surprisingly well. Then we moved it to Thursday and it just took off," commented Littlefield.^[9] ER's success surprised the networks and critics alike, as David E. Kelley's new medical drama Chicago Hope was expected to crush the new series.^[10]

Spielberg left the show after one year as a producer, having made one critical decision with lasting effects: the Carol Hathaway character, who died at the end of the original pilot episode script, was retained. Crichton remained executive producer until his death in November 2008, although he was still credited as one throughout that entire final season. Wells, the series' other initial executive producer, served as showrunner for the first three seasons. He was one of the show's most prolific writers and became a regular director in later years. Lydia Woodward was a part of the first season production team and became an executive producer for the third season. She took over as show runner for the fourth season while Wells focused on the development of other series, including Trinity, Third Watch, and The West Wing. She left her executive producer position at the end of the sixth season but continued to write episodes throughout the series' run.

Joe Sachs, who was a writer and producer of the series, believed keeping a commitment to medical accuracy was extremely important: "We'd bend the rules but never break them. A medication that would take 10 minutes to work might take 30 seconds instead. We compressed time. A 12- to 24-hour shift gets pushed into 48 minutes. But we learned that being accurate was important for more reasons than just making real and responsible drama."^[9]

Woodward was replaced as show runner by Jack Orman. Orman was recruited as a writer-producer for the series in its fourth season after a successful stint working on CBS's JAG. He was promoted quickly and became an executive producer and show runner for the series' seventh season. He held these roles for three seasons before leaving the series at the end of the ninth season. Orman was also a frequent writer and directed three episodes of the show. David Zabel served as the series' head writer and executive producer in its later seasons. He initially joined the crew for the eighth season and became an executive producer and show runner for the twelfth season onwards. Zabel was the series' most frequent writer, contributing to 41 episodes. He also made his directing debut on the series. Christopher Chulack was the series' most frequent director and worked as a producer on all 15 seasons. He became an executive producer in the fourth season but occasionally scaled back his involvement in later years to focus on other projects. Other executive producers include writers Carol Flint, Neal Baer, R. Scott Gemmill, Dee Johnson, Joe Sachs, Lisa Zwerling, and Janine Sherman Barrois. Several of these writers and producers had extensive background in emergency medicine. Joe Sachs was a regular emergency attending physician, while Lisa Zwerling and Neal Baer had pediatrics backgrounds. The series' crew was recognized with awards for writing, directing, producing, film editing, sound editing, casting, and music.

Cast and characters

Main articles: Cast of ER and List of supporting characters in ER

Original cast of the show (1994–1995)

Final season cast (2008–2009)

The original starring cast consisted of Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene, George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross, Sherry Stringfield as Dr. Susan Lewis, Noah Wyle as medical student John Carter, and Eriq La Salle as Dr. Peter Benton.^[9] As the series continued, some key changes were made: Nurse Carol Hathaway, played by Julianna Margulies, who commits suicide in the original pilot script, was made into a regular cast member, while Gloria Reuben and Laura Innes would then join the series as Physician Assistant Jeanie Boulet and Dr. Kerry Weaver, respectively, by the second season.^[11]

In the third season, the first of a series of cast additions and departures, that would see the entire original cast leave over time, began. Stringfield was the first to exit the series, reportedly upsetting producers who believed she wanted to negotiate for more money, but the actress did not particularly care for "fame." ^[12] She would return to the series from 2001 until 2005.^[9] Clooney departed the series in 1999 to pursue a film career.^[9] Season eight saw the departure of La Salle and Edwards when Benton left County General and Mark Greene died from a brain tumor.^[9] Wyle left the series in order to spend more time with his family, but would return for two multiple episode appearances in the show's final seasons.^[13] Goran Visnjic as Dr. Luka Kovač, Maura Tierney as Dr. Abby Lockhart, Alex Kingston as Dr. Elizabeth Corday, and Paul McCrane as Dr. Robert Romano, all joined the cast as the seasons went on.^[11] In the much later seasons, the show would see the additions of Mekhi Phifer as Dr. Greg Pratt, Parminder Nagra as Dr. Neela Rasgotra, Linda Cardellini as nurse Samantha Taggart, John Stamos as intern Tony Gates, and Angela Bassett as Dr. Catherine Banfield.^[11]

In addition to the main cast, ER featured a large number of recurring cast members. Though not billed as starring, these actors frequently played significant roles in numerous episodes. The most common of these roles were those of desk clerks, nurses, and doctors. ER also featured a significant roster of guest stars, many of whom were celebrities, who typically portrayed one of the many patients required for each episode.

Broadcasting

Following the broadcast of its two-hour pilot movie on September 19, 1994, ER premiered Thursday, September 22 at 10:00. It remained in the same Thursday time slot for its entire run. ER is NBC's second longest-running drama, after Law & Order, and, the longest-running American primetime medical drama of all time.^[14] On April 2, 2008, NBC announced that the series would return for its final season.^[15] The fifteenth season was originally scheduled to run for 19 episodes before retiring with a two-hour series finale to be broadcast on March 12, 2009,^[16]^[17] but NBC announced in January 2009 that it would extend the show by an additional three episodes to a full 22-episode order as part of a deal to launch a new series by John Wells titled Police, later retitled Southland.^[18] ER's final episode aired on April 2, 2009; the two-hour episode was preceded by a one-hour retrospective special.^[19] The series finale charged $425,000 per 30-second ad spot, more than three times the season's rate of $135,000.^[9]

Episodes

Main article: List of ER episodes

A typical episode centered on the ER, with most scenes set in the hospital or surrounding streets. In addition, most seasons included at least one storyline located completely outside of the ER, often outside of Chicago. One early storyline involved a road trip taken by Dr. Ross and Dr. Greene to California and a season eight episode included a storyline in Hawaii featuring Dr. Greene and Dr. Corday. Beginning in season nine, storylines started to include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, featuring Dr. Kovac, Dr. Carter, and Dr. Pratt. “We turned some attention on the Congo and on Darfur when nobody else was. We had a bigger audience than a nightly newscast will ever see, making 25 to 30 million people aware of what was going on in Africa,” ER producer, John Wells said. “The show is not about telling people to eat their vegetables, but if we can do that in an entertaining context, then there’s nothing better.”^[10] The series also focused on social issues such as HIV and AIDS organ transplants, racism, human trafficking, and gay rights.^[10]

Other episodes used more creative formats, such as the 1997 live episode, "Ambush" performed twice; once for the east coast broadcast and again three hours later for the west coast,^[9] and 2002's "Hindsight" which ran in reverse time as it followed one character, Dr. Luka Kovac, through the tragic events of one Christmas Eve shift and the Christmas party that preceded it.

Format

ER was filmed in 1.78:1 widescreen from the start, even though it was not broadcast in widescreen until the seventh season when it began appearing in the 1080i HD format.^{[citation needed]} Since the sixth episode of season 7, it has appeared in letterbox format when in standard definition. As a result, the U.S. DVD box set features the widescreen versions of the episodes, including those episodes originally broadcast in 1.33:1 (full frame) format. The episodes also appear in 1080i widescreen when rerun on TNT HD, though the first six seasons still run in full frame 1.33:1 on the digital TNT network. Only the live episode "Ambush" at the beginning of the fourth season and the title sequence for the first six seasons are in standard 4:3 aspect ratio.

Impact

Ratings

US seasonal rankings based on average total viewers per episode of ER on NBC are tabulated below. Each U.S. network television season starts in late September and ends in late May, which coincides with the completion of May sweeps. All times mentioned in this section were in the Eastern and Pacific time zones.

Season	Season premiere	Season finale	TV season	Viewer rank (#)	Viewers (in millions)
1st	September 19, 1994	May 18, 1995	1994–1995	#2^[20]	19.08^[20]
2nd	September 21, 1995	May 16, 1996	1995–1996	#1^[21]	21.10^[21]
3rd	September 26, 1996	May 15, 1997	1996–1997	#1^[22]	20.56^[22]
4th	September 25, 1997	May 14, 1998	1997–1998	#2^[23]	19.99^[23]
5th	September 24, 1998	May 20, 1999	1998–1999	#1^[24]	17.69^[24]
6th	September 30, 1999	May 18, 2000	1999–2000	#4^[25]	24.95^[25]
7th	October 12, 2000	May 17, 2001	2000–2001	#2^[26]	22.4^[26]
8th	September 27, 2001	May 16, 2002	2001–2002	#3^[27]	22.1^[27]
9th	September 26, 2002	May 15, 2003	2002–2003	#6^[28]	19.99^[28]
10th	September 25, 2003	May 13, 2004	2003–2004	#8^[29]	19.04^[29]
11th	September 23, 2004	May 19, 2005	2004–2005	#16^[30]	15.17^[30]
12th	September 22, 2005	May 18, 2006	2005–2006	#30^[31]	12.06^[31]
13th	September 21, 2006	May 17, 2007	2006–2007	#40^[32]	11.56^[32]
14th	September 27, 2007	May 15, 2008	2007–2008	#54^[33]	9.20^[33]
15th	September 25, 2008	April 2, 2009	2008–2009	#37^[34]	10.30^[34]

The series finale attracted 16.4 million viewers.^[35] The show's highest rating came during season 2 episode, "Hell and High Water," with 48 million viewers.^[36]

Critical reception

This section requires expansion.

In 2002, TV Guide ranked it #22 on their list of "TV's Top 50 Shows", making it the second highest ranked medical drama on the list (after St. Elsewhere at #20).^[37] Also, the season 1 episode "Love's Labor Lost" was ranked #6 on the same magazine's list of the top 100 TV episodes having earlier been ranked #3.^[38] The show also placed #19 on Entertainment Weekly's "New TV Classics" list.^[39] British magazine Empire ranked it #29 in their list of the "50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time" and said the best episode was "Hell And High Water" (Season 2, Episode 7) where "Doug Ross (George Clooney) saves a young boy from drowning during a flood."^[40]

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by ER

The series has been nominated for 375 industry awards and has won 116. ER won the George Foster Peabody Award in 1995, and won 22 of the 124 Emmy Awards for which it was nominated.^[41] It also won the People's Choice Award for "Favorite Television Dramatic Series" every year from 1995 to 2002. Over the years, it has been nominated for and/or won numerous other awards, including Screen Actors Guild Awards, Image Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, and Golden Globe Awards, among others.^[42]

Distribution

Home video

Warner Home Video has released ER on DVD in Regions 1, 2, and 4. All 15 seasons have been released in R1, all 15 seasons in R2 and R4. The fifteenth and final season was released in Region 1 on July 12, 2011.^[43]

DVD Name	Ep#	Release dates
DVD Name	Ep#	Region 1	Region 2 (UK)	Region 4 (AUS)
ER: The Complete First Season (1994–1995)	25	August 26, 2003	February 23, 2004	April 28, 2004
ER: The Complete Second Season (1995–1996)	22	April 27, 2004	July 26, 2004	July 15, 2004
ER: The Complete Third Season (1996–1997)	22	April 26, 2005	January 31, 2005	December 16, 2004
ER: The Complete Fourth Season (1997–1998)	22	December 20, 2005	May 16, 2005	April 27, 2005
ER: The Complete Fifth Season (1998–1999)	22	July 11, 2006	October 24, 2005	November 15, 2005
ER: The Complete Sixth Season (1999–2000)	22	December 19, 2006	April 3, 2006	May 5, 2006
ER: The Complete Seventh Season (2000–2001)	22	May 15, 2007	September 18, 2006	October 3, 2006
ER: The Complete Eighth Season (2001–2002)	22	January 22, 2008	July 16, 2007	September 6, 2007
ER: The Complete Ninth Season (2002–2003)	22	June 17, 2008	October 29, 2007	October 31, 2007
ER: The Complete Tenth Season (2003–2004)	22	March 3, 2009	January 28, 2008	May 7, 2008
ER: The Complete Eleventh Season (2004–2005)	22	July 14, 2009	April 21, 2008	May 7, 2008
ER: The Complete Twelfth Season (2005–2006)	22	January 12, 2010	September 15, 2008	October 1, 2008
ER: The Complete Thirteenth Season (2006–2007)	23	July 6, 2010	November 3, 2008	April 29, 2009
ER: The Complete Fourteenth Season (2007–2008)	19	January 11, 2011	May 18, 2009	April 28, 2010
ER: The Complete Fifteenth Season (2008–2009)	22	July 12, 2011	September 21, 2009	October 12, 2010

The first six DVD box sets of ER are unusual in the fact that they are all in anamorphic widescreen even though the episodes were broadcast in a standard 4:3 format. Only the live episode "Ambush" is not in the widescreen format.

Soundtrack

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2010)

In 1996 Atlantic Records released an album of music from the first two seasons, featuring James Newton Howard's theme from the series in its on-air and full versions, selections from the weekly scores composed by Martin Davich (Howard scored the two-hour pilot, Davich scored all the subsequent episodes and wrote a new theme used from 2006-2009 until the final episode, when Howard's original theme returned) and songs used on the series.

Theme From ER – James Newton Howard (3:02)
Dr. Lewis And Renee (from "The Birthday Party") (1:57)
Canine Blues (from "Make Of Two Hearts") (2:27)
Goodbye Baby Susie (from "Fever Of Unknown Origin") (3:11)
Doug & Carol (from "The Gift") – composed by James Newton Howard and Martin Davich (1:59)
Healing Hands – Marc Cohn (4:25)
The Hero (from "Hell And High Water") composed by James Newton Howard and Martin Davich (1:55)
Carter, See You Next Fall (from "Everything Old Is New Again") (1:28)
Reasons For Living – Duncan Sheik (4:33)
Dr. Green And A Mother's Death (from "Love's Labor Lost") (2:48)
Raul Dies (from "The Healers") (2:20)
Hell And High Water (from "Hell And High Water") – composed by James Newton Howard and Martin Davich (2:38)
Hold On (from "Hell And High Water") (2:47)
Shep Arrives (from "The Healers") (3:37)
Shattered Glass (from "Hell And High Water") (2:11)
Theme From ER – James Newton Howard (1:00)
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear – Mike Finnegan (2:30)

Other media

An ER video game for Windows 2000 and XP was released in 2005.
In the Mad episode "Pokémon Park, WWER," the show was parodied in the style of WWE.
A book about emergency medicine based on the TV series, "The Medicine of ER: An Insider;'s Guide to the Medical Science Behind America's #1 TV Drama" was published in 1996. Authors Alan Duncan Ross and Harlan Gibbs M.D. have hospital administration and ER experience, respectively, and are called fans of the TV show in the book's credits.

References

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^ "About the Hit NBC TV Show ER". NBC. http://www.nbc.com/ER/about/. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
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^ Keenleyside, Sam (1998). Bedside manners: George Clooney and ER (llustrated ed.). ECW Press. p. 129. ISBN 1550223364.
^ Crichton, Michael (Creator) (2004-02-24). ER: The Complete First Season (DVD). Warner Bros..
^ "Linda Vista Hospital". The Center for Land Use Interpretation. http://ludb.clui.org/ex/i/CA6083/#. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
^ Carter, Bill (2006). Desperate Networks (illustrated ed.). Doubleday. p. 30. ISBN 0385514409.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ "Saying goodbye to 'ER'". Hollywood Reporter. 2009-04-01. http://web.archive.org/web/20100918124825/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i7288557915e143d093978f906f0a5cbf. Retrieved 2010-9-18.
^ ^a ^b ^c "'ER' closes door, leaves behind satisfying legacy". MSNBC. 2009-03-24. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29843242/. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Memories of 'ER'". Military.com. 2009-03-30. http://www.military.com/entertainment/television/memories-of-er. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
^ Kennedy, Dana (1997-10-17). "Sherry Stringfield, the Goodbye Girl". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,289870,00.html. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
^ Albiniak, Paige (2009-02-12). "Memories of 'ER'". NY Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/item_QbjH5HA6n46umyyowU3aZN/1. Retrieved 2010-06-13.
^ "After 11 years, Dr. Carter takes leave from ER". ER Headquarters. 2005-03-31. http://www.erheadquarters.com/news/11/after11years_033105.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
^ "NBC PICKS UP CLASSIC, EMMY AWARD-WINNING 'ER' FOR 15TH AND FINAL SEASON". NBC Universal Media Village. 2008-04-02. http://www.nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/nbcuniversaltelevision-20080402000000-nbcpicksupclassic.html. Retrieved 2009-06-28. ^{[dead link]}
^ Levin, Gary (2008-04-08). "NBC veteran 'ER' will end its run next year". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-04-07-er-final-season_N.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
^ The Futon Critic Staff (2008-12-03). "Nbc Fallout: "Knight" Cut, "Er" Extended". The Futon Critic. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7876. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
^ Schneider, Michael (2009-01-08). "Wells' 'Police' close to series order, Final season of 'ER' to be extended". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117998243.html?categoryid=14&cs=1. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
^ "ER: Clooney and Margulies Return to Closed Set for a Final Episode". TV Series Finale. 2009-01-22. http://tvseriesfinale.com/articles/er-clooney-and-margulies-to-return-for-final-episodes/. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
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External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: ER

ER's official Warner Bros. website
ER's official NBC website
ER at AllRovi
ER at the Internet Movie Database
ER at TV.com

v d e Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series (1976–2000)

Police Story (1976) · Upstairs, Downstairs (1977) · The Rockford Files (1978) · Lou Grant (1979) · Lou Grant (1980) · Hill Street Blues (1981) · Hill Street Blues (1982) · Hill Street Blues (1983) · Hill Street Blues (1984) · Cagney & Lacey (1985) · Cagney & Lacey (1986) · L.A. Law (1987) · Thirtysomething (1988) · L.A. Law (1989) · L.A. Law (1990) · L.A. Law (1991) · Northern Exposure (1992) · Picket Fences (1993) · Picket Fences (1994) · NYPD Blue (1995) · ER (1996) · Law & Order (1997) · The Practice (1998) · The Practice (1999) · The West Wing (2000)

Complete List (1951–1975) (1976–2000) (2001–2025)

v d e Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (1994–1999)

NYPD Blue (1994): Gordon Clapp; Dennis Franz; Sharon Lawrence; James McDaniel; Gail O'Grady; Jimmy Smits; Nicholas Turturro ER (1995): George Clooney; Anthony Edwards; Eriq La Salle; Julianna Margulies; Gloria Reuben; Sherry Stringfield; Noah Wyle ER (1996): George Clooney; Anthony Edwards; Laura Innes; Eriq La Salle; Julianna Margulies; Gloria Reuben; Sherry Stringfield; Noah Wyle ER (1997): Maria Bello; George Clooney; Anthony Edwards; Laura Innes; Alex Kingston; Eriq La Salle; Julianna Margulies; Gloria Reuben; Noah Wyle ER (1998): George Clooney; Anthony Edwards; Laura Innes; Alex Kingston; Eriq La Salle; Julianna Margulies; Kellie Martin; Gloria Reuben; Noah Wyle The Sopranos (1999): Lorraine Bracco; Dominic Chianese; Edie Falco; James Gandolfini; Robert Iler; Michael Imperioli; Nancy Marchand; Vincent Pastore; Jamie-Lynn DiScala; Tony Sirico; Steve Van Zandt

Complete list (1994–1999) (2000–2009) (2010–present)

v d e Works by Michael Crichton

Novels	The Andromeda Strain (1969) The Terminal Man (1972) The Great Train Robbery (1975) Eaters of the Dead (1976) Congo (1980) Sphere (1987) Jurassic Park (1990) Rising Sun (1992) Disclosure (1994) The Lost World (1995) Airframe (1996) Timeline (1999) Prey (2002) State of Fear (2004) Next (2006) Pirate Latitudes (2009) Micro (2011, with Richard Preston)

Novels written under pseudonyms	Odds On (1966) Scratch One (1967) Easy Go (1968) A Case of Need (1968) Zero Cool (1969) The Venom Business (1969) Drug of Choice (1970) Dealing (1970) Grave Descend (1970) Binary (1972)

Non-fiction	Five Patients (1970) Jasper Johns (1977) Electronic Life (1983) Travels (1988)

Film adaptations	The Andromeda Strain (1971) Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (1972) The Carey Treatment (1972) The Terminal Man (1974) The First Great Train Robbery (1979) Rising Sun (1993) Jurassic Park (1993) Disclosure (1994) Congo (1995) The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) Sphere (1998) The 13th Warrior (1999) Timeline (2003) The Andromeda Strain (2008)

Film writer or director	Pursuit (1972) Westworld (1973) Coma (1978) The First Great Train Robbery (1979) Looker (1981) Runaway (1984) Physical Evidence (1989) Jurassic Park (1993) Rising Sun (1993) Twister (1996)

TV series	Beyond Westworld (1980) ER (1994–2009)

Characters

Main	John Carter · Kerry Weaver · Abby Lockhart · Luka Kovač · Mark Greene · Peter Benton · Elizabeth Corday · Susan Lewis · Greg Pratt · Carol Hathaway · Neela Rasgotra · Samantha Taggart · Robert Romano · Jing-Mei Chen · Archie Morris · Doug Ross · Jeanie Boulet · Ray Barnett · Tony Gates · Michael Gallant · Cleo Finch · Dave Malucci · Lucy Knight · Simon Brenner · Anna Del Amico · Catherine Banfield

Supporting	Doctors · Nurses · Non-medical staff · Family members and friends

Seasons

1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15

Cast of ER · Quotes · Michael Crichton

v d e NBC's "Must See TV / Comedy Night Done Right"

1980s debuts	Buffalo Bill · Cheers · The Cosby Show · Day by Day · The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd · Dear John · A Different World · Fame · Family Ties · Gimme a Break! · Hill Street Blues · L.A. Law · Mama's Family · Night Court · Seinfeld · Taxi · We Got It Made

1990s debuts	Battery Park · Boston Common · Caroline in the City · Daddio · ER · Fired Up · Frasier · Friends · Grand · Hope and Gloria · Jesse · Just Shoot Me! · Mad About You · Madman of the People · The Naked Truth · Out All Night · Rhythm & Blues · The Single Guy · Stark Raving Mad · Suddenly Susan · Union Square · Veronica's Closet · Will & Grace · Wings

2000s debuts	30 Rock · Andy Barker, P.I. · The Apprentice · Community · Coupling · Cursed · Deal or No Deal · Four Kings · Good Morning, Miami · Inside Schwartz · The Jay Leno Show · Joey · Kath & Kim · Leap of Faith · Lipstick Jungle · My Name Is Earl · The Office · Parks and Recreation · Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday · Scrubs

2010s debuts	The Firm · Love Bites · The Marriage Ref · Outsourced · The Paul Reiser Show · Perfect Couples · Prime Suspect · Up All Night · Whitney

Upcoming	Awake

v d e Steven Spielberg filmography

1970s	The Sugarland Express (1974) Jaws (1975) Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) 1941 (1979)

1980s	Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) The Color Purple (1985) Empire of the Sun (1987) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Always (1989)

1990s	Hook (1991) Jurassic Park (1993) Schindler's List (1993) The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) Amistad (1997) Saving Private Ryan (1998)

2000s	A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) Minority Report (2002) Catch Me If You Can (2002) The Terminal (2004) War of the Worlds (2005) Munich (2005) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

2010s	The Adventures of Tintin (2011) War Horse (2011) Lincoln (2012)

Production credits	I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) Used Cars (1980) Continental Divide (1981) Poltergeist (1982) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) Gremlins (1984) Back to the Future (1985) The Goonies (1985) Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) The Color Purple (1985) An American Tail (1986) The Money Pit (1986) batteries not included (1987) Harry and the Hendersons* (1987; uncredited) Innerspace (1987) Empire of the Sun (1987) Three O'Clock High (1987; uncredited) The Land Before Time (1988) Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) Back to the Future Part II (1989) Always (1989) Dad (1989) Arachnophobia (1990) Back to the Future Part III (1990) Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991) Cape Fear (1991) We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (1993) Schindler's List (1993) The Flintstones (1994) The Little Rascals (1994; uncredited) Casper (1995) Balto (1995) Twister (1996) Men in Black (1997) Amistad (1997) Deep Impact (1998) The Mask of Zorro (1998) Saving Private Ryan (1998) The Last Days (1998) The Prince of Egypt (1998; uncredited) The Haunting (1999; uncredited) Wakko's Wish (1999) The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000) Evolution (2001; uncredited) A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) Jurassic Park III (2001) Men in Black II (2002) Catch Me If You Can (2002) The Terminal (2004) The Legend of Zorro (2005) Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) Munich (2005) Monster House (2006) Flags of Our Fathers (2006) Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) Disturbia (2007; uncredited) Transformers (2007) Eagle Eye (2008) Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) The Lovely Bones (2009) Hereafter (2010) True Grit (2010) Super 8 (2011) Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) Cowboys & Aliens (2011) Real Steel (2011) The Adventures of Tintin (2011) War Horse (2011) Men in Black 3 (2012) Lincoln (2012)

Television	Night Gallery (1970) Columbo (1971) Amazing Stories (1985–1987) Tiny Toon Adventures (1990–1992) A Wish for Wings That Work (1991; uncredited) Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (1992) Family Dog (1993) seaQuest DSV (1993–1995) Animaniacs (1993–1998) ER (1994) Pinky and the Brain / Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain (1995–1999) Freakazoid! (1995–1997) High Incident (1996–1997) Toonsylvania (1998) Invasion America (1998) Band of Brothers (2001) Taken (2002) Into the West (2005) On the Lot (2007) United States of Tara (2009–2011) The Pacific (2010) Falling Skies (2011–present) Terra Nova (2011–present) The River (2012–present) Smash (2012–present)

Video games	The Dig (1995) Steven Spielberg's Director's Chair (1996) Medal of Honor (1999) Medal of Honor: Underground (2000) Boom Blox (2008) Boom Blox Bash Party (2009)

Short films	Tummy Trouble (1989; played with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids) Roller Coaster Rabbit (1990; played with Dick Tracy) Trail Mix-Up (1993; played with A Far Off Place) I'm Mad (1994; played with Thumbelina)

See also	Firelight (1964) Slipstream (1967) Amblin' (1968) Something Evil (1972) Bee Movie (2007) Amblin Entertainment DreamWorks USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education Amblimation

v d e Nielsen Media Research top-rated United States network television show

1950s	50–1: Texaco Star Theater · 51–2: Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts · 52–3: I Love Lucy · 53–4: I Love Lucy · 54–5: I Love Lucy · 55–6: The $64,000 Question · 56–7: I Love Lucy · 57–8: Gunsmoke · 58–9: Gunsmoke · 59–60: Gunsmoke

1960s	60–1: Gunsmoke · 61–2: Wagon Train · 62–3: The Beverly Hillbillies · 63–4: The Beverly Hillbillies · 64–5: Bonanza · 65–6: Bonanza · 66–7: Bonanza · 67–8: The Andy Griffith Show · 68–9: Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In · 69–70: Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

1970s	70–1: Marcus Welby, M.D. · 71–2: All in the Family · 72–3: All in the Family · 73–4: All in the Family · 74–5: All in the Family · 75–6: All in the Family · 76–7: Happy Days · 77–8: Laverne & Shirley · 78–9: Laverne & Shirley · 79–80: 60 Minutes

1980s	80–1: Dallas · 81–2: Dallas · 82–3: 60 Minutes · 83–4: Dallas · 84–5: Dynasty · 85–6: The Cosby Show · 86–7: The Cosby Show · 87–8: The Cosby Show · 88–9: The Cosby Show · 89–90: Roseanne

1990s	90–1: Cheers · 91–2: 60 Minutes · 92–3: 60 Minutes · 93–4: 60 Minutes · 94–5: Seinfeld (S6) · 95–6: ER (S2) · 96–7: ER (S3) · 97–8: Seinfeld (S9) · 98–9: ER (S5) · 99–2000: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

2000s	00–1: Survivor (AO) · 01–2: Friends (S8) · 02–3: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (S3) · 03–4: American Idol (S3) · 04–5: American Idol (S4) · 05–6: American Idol (S5) · 06–7: American Idol (S6) · 07–8: American Idol (S7) · 08–9: American Idol (S8) · 09–10: American Idol (S9)

2010s	10–1: American Idol (S10)

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