I began watching ER when it first came on--way back in 1994. In fact, I even saw the 2-hr pilot before the pilot episode. About 2 years earlier, there was a 2-hr made-for-TV movie pilot for ER that not many people knew about. I remember hoping they'd make it into a TV show--and eventually, they did.
I was a die-hard ER fan. Anyone who knew me knew I would not answer the phone between 8:55 and 10pm on Thursday nights--and sometimes 10:05pm if I had to utilize Kleenexes. At the time I worked 11-7, so I'd be bathed, dressed, lunch packed and ready for work by 8:45pm so I could sit and watch ER. Most times DD would join me, and my best friend and I would sometimes call each other after it was over and rehash the show. To this day, I never hear the song "Blackbird" by the Beatles without thinking of Susan's sister giving birth to little Susie, or see Kellie Martin without having to consciously remember her name is not Lucy Knight. Oh, and when I hear that Hawaiian guy's rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" I still get teary-eyed, remembering the scene between Mark Green and his daughter. It was not helpful for J-Man to remind me he was just a character in a TV show. In fact, J-Man learned not to say that to me. Ever again.
Then they sent Abby to medical school because she was too smart to be a nurse. That p_____d me off big time. So I quit watching. Besides, all the good ones had left, in my opinion (except Kerry--and I had a love/hate relationship with her anyway). Yes, I know Sherry Stringfield came back, but I never really understood why her character left or where she went, and it never seemed the same.
But when I heard this was to be the last season, and that last Thurs. night was to be the last episode ever, I couldn't help it; I had to watch. Or, rather, I had to have J-Man record it for me, because I didn't know in time to schedule myself off. There was a short period of panic when I found out the actual finale was 2 hours instead of one, but the faithful DVR caught it all.
So Saturday night I sat me down and watched as the pre-finale episode with clips from the past took me down Memory Lane. And then I watched the finale, with a box of Kleenexes at my side, just like in the old days. And I recognized Rachel Green before they spoke her name.
Full circle. The show came full circle, and the ending was just right, even though Michael Crichton wasn't there to oversee the script. Good job, folks.
I might just have to start watching the reruns on TNT again, to see what I missed, because in spite of everything, I don't think I was really ready for it to be over.
Monday, April 06, 2009
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8 comments:
I used to watch it all the time and then, for whatever reason (which I can't remember), went off it but, like you, this season I had to watch. The finale had me a little teary, I have to admit. I think I'll be hunting for reruns and probably bugging our local video store to get it in to rent. I could watch the whole series over again!
I've watched it all the way through, unless I might've missed an episode here and there so I think you should start watching reruns. I can understand you getting upset, but it really has been a show to watch all this time. I hate to see it end, as they still have fresh ideas and good acting. Some of the seasons are our on DVD so I will probably have to find them, on sale of course.
I started with ER in the beginning...but after awhile it got to be all MDs and nothing about the nurses...this was right after she went to medical school so I drifted away...now we don't watch anything and other than oogling George Clooney I really can't say I miss it. (and he looks better now--age has been kind to that man)
I also watched the show from the beginning, DH and I both watched, but we drifted away in the past few years to being irregular watchers. However I always thought the writing was good the way it included humor among the tragedy, and there wasn't too much of that fantasy medicine like on Grey's Anatomy (another show I gave up on in the middle of the second season). I'm not a nurse but a medical historian/transcriptionist so terms they threw around were fun to hear. One of my fav episodes was when Carter was examining a guy claiming a work injury. Carter did a head compression maneuver on the guy to see if he was faking; the guy screamed he had low back pain with the head compression. He asked Carter what that meant and Carter said it meant his pain was M U, whispering an aside to a nurse or intern that this meant Made Up. That cracked me up as I worked for an ortho surgeon who did work comp and I took probably 7000 histories over the years, many of whom I diagnosed as LLPOF (liar, liar pants on fire). I'll miss that show a lot.
you and my hubby...i don't watch er or any other show with blood or stuff like that...
he's sad it's over.
I watched avidly in the beginning, too but haven't really watched in the last couple of years. My bed time became 9 and I just couldn't stay up! I will have to go back and catch up!
We were big ER fans in the beginning too, but we just drifted off. I don't even remember when. Sometime after Carter got back from wherever he went.
Nice walk down memory lane, thanks!
I was like you. I watched from the beginning. But then in the last couple of years or so, there could never be a program that was any type of positive just misery, grief and I just couldn't watch, plus missed all the original cast.
Then this final season started. I taped when I could and then we got the DVR and I set it to tape all the rest.
And Yes, I recognized Rachel too. I thought that was really a nice touch to have her come back.
I did think it was odd that Carol and Doug didn't realize or try to find out who the dr was that received the transplant. That was kind of sad but the way our world is today.
But it was fun to see how they brought some of the original cast members back. Reese was another one that was a suprise.
Anyway, I did enjoy it and was sad to see it end, even with the ups and downs. Sort of like old friends...
Thanks for letting me remember.
But sure would love to see that original pilot movie. THAT would be fun.
Nice to read all the other ER comments.
Jackie in San Antonio
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