Tessa Quinn
ER is an American medical drama that aired on NBC from 1994 to 2009. Created by novelist and medical doctor Michael Crichton, the show follows the inner life of the emergency room (ER) of fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and the various critical issues faced by the room's physicians and staff. Before ER, St. Elsewhere was a popular medical drama that also aired on NBC.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the show that was on before ER | St. Elsewhere |
| Show creator | John Masius and Joshua Brand |
| Number of seasons | 6 |
| Number of episodes | 137 |
| Date premiered | 26 October 1982 |
| Date ended | 25 May 1988 |
| Awards | 13 Emmy Awards, 2 Peabody Awards |
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St. Elsewhere
The series is known for its gritty and realistic drama, employing a large ensemble cast with interlocking serialized stories that continued over multiple episodes or seasons. It broke new ground in the medical drama genre, portraying the medical profession as admirable but imperfect, with the staff's personal and professional problems often intertwining. St. Elsewhere also addressed contemporary issues such as breast cancer, AIDS, and addiction.
The series had a small yet loyal following and has been recognized for its impact on later medical dramas, including ER. It featured crossovers with other series, including Cheers and Homicide: Life on the Street, and has been praised for its bold storytelling and diverse cast.
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Chicago Hope
The show tends to be dramatic but also includes comedic elements. Each character has their own way of dealing with personal loss and trauma, and the cast includes some of Hollywood's top names, such as Mandy Patinkin, Héctor Elizondo, and Eric Stoltz. The series broke a network television taboo by showing a teenager's breast after her character underwent reconstructive surgery. This was generally seen as relevant to the subject matter and went relatively uncriticized.
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E/R
"E/R" is an American medical drama series created by novelist and medical doctor Michael Crichton. It aired on NBC from September 19, 1994, to April 2, 2009, with 331 episodes spanning 15 seasons. The show is set in the emergency room (ER) of fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and explores the critical professional, ethical, and personal issues faced by the department's physicians, nurses, and staff.
The show was praised for its compelling drama, realistic hospital portrayal, and strong early-season character development. The ensemble cast, including Anthony Edwards and George Clooney, was also celebrated for balancing drama and humor effectively. The show was particularly notable for upping the level of writing, acting, and directing, challenging its competition and contributing to an overall improvement in drama shows at the time.
"E/R" is recognized for its unique approach to storytelling, with new patients and injuries introduced each week, maintaining a high level of drama and intensity. The show also incorporated real-life medical emergencies and procedures, such as an episode based on a baby choking on a coat hanger, adding a layer of realism to the portrayal of the emergency room.
The show's success was unexpected, as it premiered opposite a Monday Night Football game on ABC and later competed with another medical drama, "Chicago Hope," on CBS. However, "E/R" surpassed expectations and became a popular and well-regarded series, winning numerous awards, including the Peabody Award, TCA Award for Program of the Year, and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series.
"E/R" left a lasting impact on television, with its influence extending beyond its original run. The show is considered groundbreaking and celebrated for its contribution to the medical drama genre, solidifying its place as one of the most acclaimed and influential medical shows of all time.
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The show's pilot
The pilot episode of ER aired on September 19, 1994, as a two-hour movie. The episode was written by Michael Crichton, based on his own experiences as a medical student in a busy hospital emergency room. Crichton wrote the original script, then titled "EW" (for Emergency Ward), in 1974. The script used to shoot the pilot remained virtually unchanged from the 1974 version. The only significant changes were that a male character was changed to a female (Susan Lewis) and the Peter Benton character's race was changed to African-American. The running time was also shortened by about 20 minutes to fit the two-hour block.
The pilot was filmed in the former Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles, due to a lack of time and money to build a set. The series follows the inner life of the emergency room (ER) of fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and the various critical issues faced by the room's physicians and staff. The hospital is explicitly referred to as "Cook County General Hospital" in the first few episodes, placing it in real-life Cook County, Chicago.
The pilot introduced viewers to the ensemble cast, including Anthony Edwards and George Clooney, who were praised for balancing drama and humor. One of the most shocking moments in the pilot was Carol Hathaway's suicide attempt, which was initially supposed to be fatal. However, test audiences responded positively to Carol, so the idea was scrapped, and the character, portrayed by Margulies, became one of the show's most beloved regulars.
The pilot received praise for its direction and editing and was described as "urban, emergency room chaos and young, committed doctors." However, some reviewers felt that the subsequent episodes did not live up to the promise of the pilot, with one critic noting that it "dissolves into the kind of routine, predictable, sloppily detailed medical drama we've seen many times before." Despite this, the show went on to become a groundbreaking medical drama, challenging the competition and raising the bar for writing, acting, and directing.
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The show's filming locations
The American medical drama St. Elsewhere, which aired from 1982 to 1988, was the hospital show that came before ER. It was set at the fictional St. Eligius Hospital, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighbourhood. The South End's Franklin Square House Apartments, formerly the St. James Hotel, stood in for the hospital in establishing shots, including the series' opening sequence. The show's third season ended with a TV crossover that saw the Cheers set used for a scene in which Drs. Westphall, Auschlander, and Craig get together at the bar.
ER, which aired from 1994 to 2009, was also primarily filmed in the US. The pilot episode was filmed in the former Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles, an old facility. A set modelled after Los Angeles County General Hospital's emergency room was built at the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. The show also made use of location shoots in Chicago, including the city's famous "L" train platforms.
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Frequently asked questions
St. Elsewhere.
St. Elsewhere is a medical drama centred on the staff of a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.
It aired from 1982 to 1988, ending 6 years before ER premiered.
Yes, it received 13 Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and many others.
Yes, ER aired for 15 seasons, while St. Elsewhere aired for 6 seasons.
