By the time the 14th season of E.R. hit the air, the show had long since stopped being water cooler fodder at work the next day, which is a shame because the show had finally hit a comfortable groove.
ER proved years ago that it’s not always the actors that make the show. With the exception of maybe Law & Order, no other drama managed to be as successful as ER was with a revolving door cast.
There are a few E.R. rules you have to be ok with before you start to enjoy the show. Here they are:
· Assume that just about any new character introduced is going to sleep with at least one other doctor or nurse within three episodes.
· The story lines are a little over the top, but that’s part of the fun. After 13 previous seasons you’ve got to expect they’ve tried just about everything before.
· Expect the most dramatic episodes (likely every other one) to end with a rock ballad (think Snow Patrol or Coldplay) playing over a montage of main characters walking down the street in the snow with their heads down, or a doctor telling a family that their loved one died on the operating table.
· Finally, expect the last episode to end with either a hostage taking, a car crash, a gunshot or bomb going off.
If you make peace with these rules, the show is remarkably addictive.
ER – The Complete Fourteenth Season/5 DVDs/Warner Home Video/ 914 Mins.