{{short description|American medical drama television series (1994–2009)}} {{distinguish|E/R{{!}}the sitcom ''E/R''}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2014}} {{Infobox television | image = ER (Amblin Television series) logo (4).svg | genre = Medical drama | creator = Michael Crichton | starring = {{Plainlist| * Anthony Edwards * George Clooney * Sherry Stringfield * Noah Wyle * Julianna Margulies * Eriq La Salle * Gloria Reuben * Laura Innes * Maria Bello * Alex Kingston * Kellie Martin * Paul McCrane * Goran Višnjić * 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 }} | theme_music_composer = {{Plainlist| * James Newton Howard (1994–2006; 2009) * Martin Davich (2006–2009) }} | composer = Martin Davich | country = United States | language = English | num_seasons = 15 | num_episodes = 331 | list_episodes = List of ER episodes | executive_producer = {{Plainlist| * Michael Crichton * John Wells * Christopher Chulack * Lydia Woodward * Carol Flint * Jack Orman * David Zabel }} | camera = Single-camera | runtime = 45 minutes | company = {{Plainlist| * Constant c Productions * Amblin Television * Warner Bros. Television }} | network = NBC | first_aired = {{start date|1994|9|19}} | last_aired = {{end date|2009|4|2}} | related = ''Third Watch'' }}
'''''ER''''' is<!--"is" not "was"; it doesn't stop being a TV show after the final episode --> an American medical drama television series created by Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994, to April 2, 2009, with a total of 331 episodes spanning 15 seasons. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Television, in association with Warner Bros. Television. ''ER'' follows the inner life of the emergency room (ER) of Cook County General Hospital, a fictionalized version of the real Cook County Hospital, in Chicago, and the various critical professional, ethical, and personal issues faced by the department's physicians, nurses, and staff.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbc.com/ER/about/|title=About the Hit NBC TV Show ER |publisher=NBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105084921/http://www.nbc.com/ER/about/ |archive-date=January 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all |access-date=April 23, 2025}}</ref>
The show is the second-longest-running primetime medical drama in American television history behind ''Grey's Anatomy''.<ref name="'Grey's Anatomy' Beats 'ER'">{{cite magazine|last=Bentley |first=Jean |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/greys-anatomy-beats-er-george-clooney-noah-wyle-julianna-marguiles-weigh-1189213/ |title=What the Original 'ER' Stars Think About 'Grey's Anatomy' Beating Their Record |date=February 28, 2019 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> The highest-awarded medical drama, ''ER'' won 128 industry awards from 442 nominations, including the Peabody Award, TCA Award for Program of the Year, and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. As of 2014, ''ER'' had grossed over {{US$|3 billion|long=no}} in television revenue.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Tait |first=R. Colin |url=https://www.flowjournal.org/2014/11/marathon-viewing-e-r/ |title=Marathon Viewing E.R.: Rewatching Television's Greatest Prime-Time Serial |date=November 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420055159/https://www.flowjournal.org/2014/11/marathon-viewing-e-r/ |archive-date=April 20, 2017 |journal=Flow}}</ref> It is considered one of the best medical dramas of all time, pioneering the field of medical fiction and setting a model for other contemporary medical dramas to follow.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Staff |first=EW |url=https://ew.com/best-medical-shows-ever-8704344 |title=The 10 best medical shows ever |date= September 5, 2024 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fienberg |first=Daniel |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/best-medical-tv-shows-ranked/1-er-nbc-1994-2009/ |title=The 10 Best Medical Shows of All Time, Ranked |date=January 17, 2025 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fremont |first=Maggie |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-medical-shows-ranked.html |title=The 25 Best Medical Shows, Ranked |date=April 21, 2025 |magazine=Vulture}}</ref>
==Production== [[File:MichaelCrichton 2.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Michael Crichton in 2002|alt=Michael Crichton wearing a suit.]] In 1974, author Michael Crichton wrote a screenplay then titled "''EW''" (for ''Emergency Ward'') based on his own experiences as a medical student in a busy hospital emergency room. Producers were not interested in the screenplay, and Crichton turned to 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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Du Brow |first=Rick |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-11-06-ca-59277-story.html |title=Beyond Blood and Yucks : NBC's fast-paced new medical drama 'ER' owes more to 'Cops' and 'Rescue 911' than to 'Dr. Kildare' and 'Marcus Welby, M.D.'--which is just fine with '90s viewers |date=November 6, 1994 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>
After its release, Crichton and Spielberg then turned to what was now known as ''ER'', but Spielberg decided to film the story as a two-hour pilot for a television series rather than as a feature film after considering the potential for various stories to be told in the setting.<ref>{{cite book |last=Keenleyside |first=Sam |title=Bedside manners: George Clooney and ER |publisher=ECW Press |year=1998 |edition=Illustrated |page=129 |isbn=1-55022-336-4 |url=https://archive.org/details/bedsidemannersge0000keen/mode/1up}}</ref> He passed the script on to a team at his production company, Amblin Entertainment. Anthony Thomopoulos, then head of Amblin's television division, got in touch with then CEO of Warner Bros. Television, Les Moonves, about the idea for the series and to send the script. Spielberg's Amblin Television provided John Wells as the show's executive producer.<ref name="ER at 30">{{cite web |last=Pirrello |first=Phil |url=https://www.emmys.com/news/online-originals/er-oral-history |title=ER at 30: The Oral History of Making the Pilot |date=September 19, 2024 |website=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences}}</ref>
Warner Bros. Television pitched ''ER'' to NBC, alongside Crichton, Spielberg, and Wells. Warren Littlefield, head of NBC Entertainment at the time, liked the project, but there was much debate and controversy among other executives at NBC, who were dubious about the nature of the series. NBC offered a chance to make a two-hour made-for-TV movie from the script, which was rejected. They then tried to get the show greenlit at rival networks before returning to NBC, who this time around ordered a pilot.<ref name="ER at 30"/>
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 a male character was changed to a female character (Susan Lewis) and Peter Benton character's race was changed to African-American. The running time was shortened by about 20 minutes in order for the pilot to air in a two-hour block on network TV. Because of a lack of 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.<ref name="ER at 30"/> 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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Caro |first1=Mark |last2=K. Elder |first2=Robert |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2009/03/29/why-er-mattered-to-chicago/ |title=Why 'ER' mattered to Chicago |date=March 29, 2009 |work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>
Littlefield 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''. With Spielberg attached behind the scenes, 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.<ref name="Saying goodbye to 'ER'">{{cite magazine |last=Richmond |first=Ray | title=Saying goodbye to 'ER' |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i7288557915e143d093978f906f0a5cbf |date=April 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405184334/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i7288557915e143d093978f906f0a5cbf |archive-date=April 5, 2009 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> ''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, airing directly opposite ''ER'' in the Thursday 10:00 pm time slot over on CBS.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Rice |first=Lynette |url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/04/02/er-25-anniversary-oral-history-pilot/ |title=How ER beat a bad early prognosis to become one of TV's biggest hits |date=April 2, 2019 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref>
Crichton was credited as an executive producer until his death in November 2008, and also posthumously for the final season. Wells, the series' other initial executive producer, served as showrunner for the first four seasons. He was the show's most prolific writer 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 showrunner for the fifth season while Wells focused on the development of other series, including ''Trinity'', ''Third Watch'', and ''The West Wing''. John Wells continued to serve as the primary Executive Producer for the remainder of the series. Lydia Woodward 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."<ref name="Saying goodbye to 'ER'"/>
Woodward was replaced as showrunner 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 quickly promoted and became an executive producer and showrunner 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 showrunner for the twelfth season onward. 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, Joe Sachs, Dee Johnson, Lisa Zwerling, and Janine Sherman Barrois. Several of these writers and producers had background in healthcare: Joe Sachs was an emergency physician, while Lisa Zwerling and Neal Baer were both pediatricians. The series' crew was recognized with awards for writing, directing, producing, film editing, sound editing, casting, and music.
==Broadcast== Following the broadcast of its two-hour pilot on September 19, 1994, ''ER'' premiered Thursday, September 22 at 10pm. It remained in the same Thursday time slot for its entire run, capping the Must See TV primetime block.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Adalian |first=Josef |url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/09/1994-friends-seinfeld-er-warren-littlefield-transcript.html |title=The Architects of NBC's Classic Must-See Lineup Reveal How Friends and ER Became Legends |date=September 18, 2019 |magazine=Vulture}}</ref> ''ER'' is NBC's third longest-running drama, after ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' and ''Law & Order'', and the second longest-running American primetime medical drama of all time, behind ABC's ''Grey's Anatomy''.<ref name="'Grey's Anatomy' Beats 'ER'"/> Starting with season seven, ''ER'' was broadcast in the 1080i HD format, appearing in letterbox format when presented in standard definition.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Gardner |first=Eriq |url=https://slate.com/culture/2002/02/why-the-sopranos-and-er-put-those-black-bands-across-your-screen.html |title=Why The Sopranos and ER put those black bands across your screen |date=February 6, 2002 |magazine=Slate}}</ref> On April 2, 2008, NBC announced that the series would return for its fifteenth season.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/nbcuniversaltelevision-20080402000000-nbcpicksupclassic.html |title=NBC Picks Up Classic, Emmy Award-Winning 'ER' for 15th and Final Season |date=April 2, 2008 |website=NBC Universal Media Village}}{{dead link|date=May 2024}}</ref> 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, 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''. ''ER''{{'}}s final episode aired on April 2, 2009; the two-hour episode was preceded by a one-hour retrospective special.<ref>{{cite web |last=Goldman |first=Eric |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/01/15/ers-finale-plans |title=ER's Finale Plans |date=January 16, 2009 |website=IGN}}</reF> The series finale charged $425,000 per 30-second ad spot, more than three times the season's rate of $135,000.<ref name="Saying goodbye to 'ER'"/> From season 4 to season 6 ''ER'' cost a record-breaking $13 million per episode.<ref name="The Thursday-Night Massacre">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/20/magazine/the-thursday-night-massacre.html |title=The Thursday-Night Massacre |date=September 20, 1998 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> TNT also paid a record price of $1 million an episode for four years of repeats of the series during that time.<ref>{{cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/16/business/media-what-price-er-syndication.html |title=MEDIA; What Price 'E.R.' Syndication? |date=November 16, 1998 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> The cost of the first three seasons was $2 million per episode and seasons 7 to 9 cost $8 million per episode.<ref name="The Thursday-Night Massacre"/><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Fleming |first=Michael |url=https://variety.com/2001/film/columns/dish-er-doc-cuts-big-deal-1117801914/ |title=Dish: 'ER' doc cuts big deal |date=June 25, 2001 |magazine=Variety}}</ref>
==Cast and characters== {{Main|Cast of ER}} thumb|200px|Original cast of the show (1994–1995) thumb|200px|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. As the series continued, some key changes were made: Nurse Carol Hathaway, played by Julianna Margulies, who attempts suicide in the original pilot script, was made into a regular cast member.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bentley |first=Jean |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/how-er-cast-legendary-original-ensemble-1240826/ |title='ER' at 25: Looking Back on Casting the Medical Drama's Legendary Original Ensemble |date=September 19, 2019 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> Ming-Na debuted in the middle of the first season as medical student Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen, but did not return for the second season; she returns in season 6 episode 10. Gloria Reuben and Laura Innes joined the series as Physician Assistant Jeanie Boulet and Dr. Kerry Weaver, respectively, by the second season.
In the third season, a series of cast additions and departures began that saw the original cast leave. Stringfield was the first to exit the series, reportedly upsetting producers who believed she wanted to negotiate for more money but the actress disliked the fame resulting from her appearance in the series.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kennedy |first=Dana |title=Sherry Stringfield, the Goodbye Girl |url=https://ew.com/article/1997/10/17/sherry-stringfield-goodbye-girl/ |date=October 17, 1997 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> She returned to the series from 2001 until 2005. Clooney departed the series in 1999 to pursue a film career and Margulies exited the following year. Season eight saw the departure of La Salle and Edwards when Benton left County General and Greene died from a brain tumor. Wyle left the series after season 11 to spend more time with his family, but returned for two multi-episode appearances in the show's twelfth and final seasons.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Staff |first=EW |url=https://ew.com/article/2004/09/10/noah-wyle-says-this-season-will-be-his-last/ |title=Noah Wyle says this season will be his last |date=September 10, 2004 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Maria Bello as Dr. Anna Del Amico, Alex Kingston as Dr. Elizabeth Corday, Paul McCrane as Dr. Robert Romano, Kellie Martin as medical student Lucy Knight, Goran Višnjić as Dr. Luka Kovač, Michael Michele as Dr. Cleo Finch, Erik Palladino as Dr. Dave Malucci, Maura Tierney as Nurse Abby Lockhart, Sharif Atkins as medical student Michael Gallant, and Mekhi Phifer as Dr. Greg Pratt all joined the cast as the seasons went on. In the much later seasons, cast additions included Parminder Nagra as medical student Neela Rasgotra, Scott Grimes as Dr. Archie Morris, Linda Cardellini as Nurse Sam Taggart, Shane West as Dr. Ray Barnett, John Stamos as Paramedic Tony Gates, David Lyons as Dr. Simon Brenner, and Angela Bassett as Dr. Cate Banfield.
''ER'' had many frequently seen recurring cast members who played key roles such as paramedics, hospital support staff, nurses, and doctors. ''ER'' also featured a sizable roster of well-known guest stars, some making rare television appearances, who typically played patients in an episode appearances or multi-episode arcs.
==Episodes== {{Main|List of ER episodes}} {{:List of ER episodes}} [[File:E.R.set.JPG|thumb|right|200px|''ER'' set at the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California]] 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. Over the span of the series, stories took place in the Congo, Iraq, France, and Sudan. 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 Congo, featuring Dr. Kovač, 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." The series also focused on sociopolitical issues such as HIV and AIDS, organ transplants, mental illness, racism, human trafficking, euthanasia, poverty, and gay rights.<ref>{{cite news |last=Young |first=Susan C. |url=http://www.today.com/id/29843242 |title='ER' closes door, leaves behind satisfying legacy |date=March 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406125229/http://www.today.com/id/29843242 |archive-date=April 6, 2018 |work=Today}}</ref>
Some episodes used creative formats, such as the 1997 "Ambush," which was broadcast live twice, once for the east coast and again three hours later for the west coast and 2002's "Hindsight," which ran in reverse time as it followed one character, Dr. Kovač, through the events of a Christmas Eve shift and the Christmas party that preceded it.
===Crossover with ''Third Watch''=== {{main|Third Watch#Crossovers|l1=Crossovers}} The episode "Brothers and Sisters" (first broadcast on April 25, 2002) begins a crossover that concludes on the ''Third Watch'' episode "Unleashed" in which Dr. Lewis enlists the help of Officers Maurice Boscorelli and Faith Yokas to find her sister and niece.
==Ratings== U.S. 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. Ratings for seasons 1–2 are listed in households (the percentage of households watching the program), while ratings for seasons 3–15 are listed in viewers.
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Season ! Episodes ! Timeslot (ET) ! Season premiere ! Season finale ! TV season ! Viewer<br />rank (#) ! Households/<br />Viewers<br />(in millions) |- ! 1 | style="text-align:center;" | 25 | rowspan=15|Thursday 10:00{{nbsp}}pm | September 19, 1994 | May 18, 1995 | 1994–1995 ! style="text-align:center" | #2<ref name="Classic TV Hits94">{{cite web |url=http://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1994.htm |title=TV Ratings: 1994–1995 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026022514/http://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1994.htm |archive-date=October 26, 2009 |website=Classic TV Hits |access-date=October 16, 2009 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 19.08<ref name="Classic TV Hits94"/> |- ! 2 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 21, 1995 | May 16, 1996 | 1995–1996 ! style="text-align:center" | #1<ref name="Classic TV Hits95">{{cite web |url=http://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1995.htm |title=TV Ratings: 1995–1996 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091109205105/http://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1995.htm |archive-date=November 9, 2009 |website=Classic TV Hits |access-date=December 13, 2009 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 21.10<ref name="Classic TV Hits95"/> |- ! 3 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 26, 1996 | May 15, 1997 | 1996–1997 ! style="text-align:center" | #1<ref name="season 3">{{cite news |last=Lowry |first=Brian |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-05-23-ca-61847-story.html |title=A Milestone Year, for a Decidedly Dubious Reason |date=May 23, 1997 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 30.79<ref name="season 3"/> |- ! 4 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 25, 1997 | May 14, 1998 | 1997–1998 ! style="text-align:center" | #2<ref name="season 4">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1998/05/29/what-ranked-and-what-tanked/ |title=The Final Countdown |date=May 29, 1998 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212121724/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,283382,00.html |archive-date=February 12, 2012 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=December 2, 2010}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 30.2<ref name="season 4"/> |- ! 5 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 24, 1998 | May 20, 1999 | 1998–1999 ! style="text-align:center" | #1<ref name="season 5">{{cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4616/ew0604.html |title=TV Winners & Losers: Numbers Racket A Final Tally Of The Season's Show (from Nielsen Media Research)|date=June 4, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029011819/http://geocities.com/Hollywood/4616/ew0604.html |archive-date=October 29, 2009 |website=GeoCities |access-date=December 2, 2010}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 25.4<ref name="season 5"/> |- ! 6 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 30, 1999 | May 18, 2000 | 1999–2000 ! style="text-align:center" | #4<ref name="variety">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=chart_pass&charttype=chart_topshows99&dept=TV |magazine=Variety |title=Top TV Shows For 1999–2000 Season |date=August 6, 2000 |access-date=September 9, 2011}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 24.95<ref name="variety"/> |- ! 7 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | October 12, 2000 | May 17, 2001 | 2000–2001 ! style="text-align:center" | #2<ref name="0001season">{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2001/06/01/bitter-end/ |title=The Bitter End |date=June 1, 2001 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718141929/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,256435,00.html |archive-date=July 18, 2012 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=December 2, 2010}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 22.4<ref name="0001season"/> |- ! 8 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 27, 2001 | May 16, 2002 | 2001–2002 ! style="text-align:center" | #3<ref name="usatoday02">{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/2002/2002-05-28-year-end-chart.htm |title=How did your favorite show rate? |date=May 28, 2002 |work=USA Today |access-date=October 16, 2009}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 22.1<ref name="usatoday02"/> |- ! 9 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 26, 2002 | May 15, 2003 | 2002–2003 ! style="text-align:center" | #6<ref name="eonline03">{{cite web |url=https://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.tv/browse_thread/thread/ee82c0640bcaeb06/82c78e0fe7710443?lnk=st&q=nielsen+top+156&rnum=1#82c78e0fe7710443 |title=Nielsen's TOP 156 Shows for 2002–03 |website=Google Groups |access-date=September 3, 2011}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 19.99<ref name="eonline03"/> |- ! 10 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 25, 2003 | May 13, 2004 | 2003–2004 ! style="text-align:center" | #8<ref name=s2003>{{cite web |url=http://www.abcmedianet.com/Web/progcal/dispDNR.aspx?id=060204_11 |title=ABC Medianet |date=September 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930155240/http://www.abcmedianet.com/Web/progcal/dispDNR.aspx?id=060204_11 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |website=ABC Medianet |access-date=September 3, 2011}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 19.04<ref name=s2003/> |- ! 11 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 23, 2004 | May 19, 2005 | 2004–2005 ! style="text-align:center" | #16<ref name=abc05>{{cite web |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=060105_05 |title=ABC Television Network 2004–2005 Primetime Ranking Report |date=June 1, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421023509/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=060105_05 |archive-date=April 21, 2012 |website=ABC Medianet |access-date=November 6, 2007}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 15.17<ref name="abc05"/> |- ! 12 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 22, 2005 | May 18, 2006 | 2005–2006 ! style="text-align:center" | #30<ref name=abc06>{{cite web |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=053106_05 |title=ABC Television Network 2005–2006 Primetime Ranking Report |date=May 31, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011060406/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=053106_05 |archive-date=October 11, 2014 |website=ABC Medianet |access-date=November 6, 2007}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 12.06<ref name="abc06"/> |- ! 13 | style="text-align:center;" | 23 | September 21, 2006 | May 17, 2007 | 2006–2007 ! style="text-align:center" | #40<ref name=abc07>{{cite web |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=053007_08 |title=ABC Television Network 2006–2007 Primetime Ranking Report |date=May 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323004317/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=053007_08 |archive-date=March 23, 2012 |website=ABC Medianet |access-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 11.56<ref name="abc07"/> |- ! 14 | style="text-align:center;" | 19 | September 27, 2007 | May 15, 2008 | 2007–2008 ! style="text-align:center" | #54<ref name=abc08>{{cite web |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=052808_06 |title=ABC Television Network 2007–2008 Primetime Ranking Report |date=May 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413172935/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=052808_06 |archive-date=April 13, 2010 |website=ABC Medianet |access-date=July 3, 2009}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 9.20<ref name="abc08"/> |- ! 15 | style="text-align:center;" | 22 | September 25, 2008 | April 2, 2009 | 2008–2009 ! style="text-align:center" | #37<ref name=abc09>{{cite web |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=060209_05 |title=ABC Television Network 2008–2009 Primetime Ranking Report |date=June 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410204904/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=060209_05 |archive-date=April 10, 2014 |website=ABC Medianet |access-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref> ! style="text-align:center" | 10.30<ref name=abc09/> |}
In its first year, ''ER'' attracted an average of 19 million viewers per episode, becoming the year's second most watched television show, just behind ''Seinfeld''. In the following two seasons (1995–1997), ''ER'' was the most watched show in North America. For almost five years, ''ER'' battled for the top spot against ''Seinfeld'', but in 1998, ''Seinfeld'' ended and then ''ER'' became number one again. The series finale attracted 16.4 million viewers.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |url=https://variety.com/2009/scene/features/er-series-finale-scores-with-auds-1118002091/ |title='ER' series finale scores with auds |date=April 3, 2009 |magazine=Variety}}</ref> The show's highest rating came during the episode "Hell and High Water" with 48 million viewers and a 45% market share. It was the highest for a regularly scheduled drama since a May 1985 installment of ''Dallas'' received a 46. The share represents the percentage of TVs in use tuned in to that show.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Eng |first=Joyce |url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/er-hell-and-high-water/ |title=ER: The Story Behind "Hell and High Water" |date=November 8, 2015 |magazine=TV Guide}}</ref>
==Critical reception== Throughout the series ''ER'' received acclaim from critics and fans alike. Marvin Kitman from ''Newsday'' said: "It's like ''M*A*S*H'' with just the helicopters showing up and no laughs. ''E.R.'' is all trauma; you never get to know enough about the patients or get involved with them. It's just treat, release and move on."<ref>{{cite news |last=Kitman |first=Marvin |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/278825813 |title=THE MARVIN KITMAN SUNDAY SHOW 2 Doses of Strong Medicine |id={{ProQuest|278825813}} |page=19 |date=September 18, 1994 |work=Newsday |access-date=January 30, 2021}}</ref> Richard Zoglin from ''Time'' stated that it's "probably the most realistic fictional treatment of the medical profession TV has ever presented."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Zoglin |first=Richard |url=https://time.com/archive/6726012/television-network-scramble/ |title=TELEVISION: Network Scramble |date=September 19, 1994 |magazine=Time}}</ref> Miles Beller from ''The Hollywood Reporter'' called the series "television that makes a difference; a series as true as a heartbeat, as insistent as an ambulance’s wail."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Beller |first=Miles |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/er-1994-first-episode-tv-816138/ |title='ER' First Episode: THR's 1994 Review |date=August 24, 2015 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>
NBC launched the show at the same time that CBS launched its own medical drama ''Chicago Hope''; many critics drew comparisons between the two. Eric Mink, writing for the ''New York Daily News'', concluded that ''ER'' may rate more highly in the Nielsens but ''Chicago Hope'' told better stories,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2008/09/19/daily-news-deja-vu-er/ |title=Daily News Deja Vu: 'ER' |date=January 12, 2019 |work=New York Daily News}}</ref> while Alan Rich, writing for ''Variety'', felt both shows were "riveting, superior TV fare."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Rich |first=Alan |url=https://variety.com/1994/film/features/er-2-1200438533/ |title=ER |date=September 19, 1994 |magazine=Variety}}</ref>
In 2002, ''TV Guide'' ranked ''ER'' No. 22 on their list of "Greatest Shows of All Time," making it the second highest ranked medical drama on the list (after ''St. Elsewhere'' at No. 20).<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Greatest Shows of All Time |year=2002 |magazine=TV Guide}}</ref> Also, the episode "Love's Labor Lost" was ranked No. 6 on 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time list having earlier been ranked No. 3.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Special Collector's Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time |year=1997 |magazine=TV Guide}}</ref> In 2008, the show was placed No. 19 on ''Entertainment Weekly''{{'s}} "New TV Classics" list.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C20207339%2C00.html |title=The New Classics: TV |date=June 17, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010164356/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20207339,00.html |archive-date=October 10, 2008 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> In 2012, ''ER'' was voted Best TV Drama on ABC's ''20/20'' special episode "Best in TV: The Greatest TV Shows of Our Time."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Best_In_TV/love-lucy-voted-best-tv-show-time/story?id=17263942 |title='I Love Lucy' Voted the Best TV Show of All Time |date=September 19, 2012 |work=ABC News}}</ref> In 2013, the Writers Guild of America ranked ''ER'' No. 28 on their list of "101 Best Written TV Series."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-best-written-tv-series/list |title=101 Best Written TV Series |date=June 2, 2013 |website=Writers Guild of America}}</ref>
===Awards and nominations=== {{Main|List of awards and nominations received by ER}} ''ER'' has won 128 industry awards from 442 nominations, including the Peabody Award in 1995, TCA Award for Program of the Year in 1995, and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 1996. It was also nominated for 124 Primetime Emmy Awards (with 23 wins), 25 Golden Globe Awards (with one win), 18 Screen Actors Guild Awards (with eight wins), 12 Directors Guild of America Awards (with four wins), 8 TCA Awards (with two wins), 5 Writers Guild of America Awards (with one win), and 3 Producers Guild of America Awards (with two wins).
==Distribution==
===Home media=== Warner Home Video has released all 15 seasons in Region 1, Region 2, and Region 4.
In the United Kingdom (Region 2), The Complete Series boxset was released on October 26, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/ER-Complete-Seasons-1-15-DVD/dp/B002JF3FSS |title=ER: Complete Seasons 1–15 |date=October 25, 2009 |website=Amazon }}</ref> On September 12, 2016, the series was re-released in three box sets, Seasons 1–5,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/ER-Season-1-5-Anthony-Edwards/dp/B01J5PFGSQ/ |title=ER – Season 1–5 |date=September 12, 2016 |website=Amazon }}</ref> Seasons 6–10,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/ER-Season-6-10-Anthony-Edwards/dp/B01J5PFGS6/ |title=ER – Season 6–10 |date=September 12, 2016 |website=Amazon}}</ref> and Seasons 11–15.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/ER-Season-11-15-Sherry-Stringfield/dp/B01J5PFGT0/ |title=ER – Season 11–15 |date=September 12, 2016 |website=Amazon }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2"|DVD title ! rowspan="2"|{{Abbr|No.|Number}} of<br />episodes ! colspan="3"|Release dates |- ! Region 1 ! Region 2 ! Region 4 |- | ''ER: The Complete First Season (1994–1995)'' | style="text-align:center;"|25 | August 26, 2003 | February 23, 2004 | April 28, 2004 |- | ''ER: The Complete Second Season (1995–1996)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | April 27, 2004 | July 26, 2004 | July 15, 2004 |- | ''ER: The Complete Third Season (1996–1997)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | April 26, 2005 | January 31, 2005 | December 16, 2004 |- | ''ER: The Complete Fourth Season (1997–1998)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | December 20, 2005 | May 16, 2005 | April 27, 2005 |- | ''ER: The Complete Fifth Season (1998–1999)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | July 11, 2006 | October 24, 2005 | November 15, 2005 |- | ''ER: The Complete Sixth Season (1999–2000)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | December 19, 2006 | April 3, 2006 | May 5, 2006 |- | ''ER: The Complete Seventh Season (2000–2001)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | May 15, 2007 | September 18, 2006 | October 3, 2006 |- | ''ER: The Complete Eighth Season (2001–2002)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | January 22, 2008 | July 16, 2007 | September 6, 2007 |- | ''ER: The Complete Ninth Season (2002–2003)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | June 17, 2008 | October 29, 2007 | October 31, 2007 |- | ''ER: The Complete Tenth Season (2003–2004)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | March 3, 2009 | January 28, 2008 | May 7, 2008 |- | ''ER: The Complete Eleventh Season (2004–2005)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | July 14, 2009 | April 21, 2008 | May 7, 2008 |- | ''ER: The Complete Twelfth Season (2005–2006)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | January 12, 2010 | September 15, 2008 | October 1, 2008 |- | ''ER: The Complete Thirteenth Season (2006–2007)'' | style="text-align:center;"|23 | July 6, 2010 | November 3, 2008 | April 29, 2009 |- | ''ER: The Complete Fourteenth Season (2007–2008)'' | style="text-align:center;"|19 | January 11, 2011 | May 18, 2009 | April 28, 2010 |- | ''ER: The Final Season (2008–2009)'' | style="text-align:center;"|22 | July 12, 2011 | September 21, 2009 | October 12, 2010 |}
The DVD box sets of ''ER'' are unusual in the fact that they are all in anamorphic widescreen even though the first six seasons of the show were broadcast in a standard 4:3 format. ''ER'' was shot protecting for widescreen presentation, allowing the show to be presented in 16:9 open matte (leaving only the title sequence in the 4:3 format). However, as the production of the show was generally conceived with 4:3 presentation in mind, some episodes feature vignetting or unintended objects towards the sides of the frame that would not be visible when presented in the 4:3 format. These episodes also appear in the widescreen format when rerun on TNT HD, Pop, and streaming services.
In 2018, Hulu struck a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution to stream all 15 seasons of the show.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/er-streaming-hulu-deal-330-episodes-1202664169/ |title='ER' Finally Makes Streaming Debut With Hulu Pact |date=January 14, 2018 |magazine=Variety |access-date=June 22, 2018}}</ref> The show arrived on HBO Max in January 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last=Strout |first=Paige |url=https://www.tvinsider.com/1026710/new-on-hbo-movies-shows-january-2022/ |title=What's Coming & Going From HBO Max in January 2022 |date=December 31, 2021 |website=TV Insider |access-date=March 26, 2022}}</ref>
===Soundtrack=== 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/er-original-television-theme-music-and-score-mw0000076128 |title=E.R.: Original Television Theme Music and Score |website=AllMusic |access-date=June 8, 2013}}</ref> {{Infobox album | italic_title = no | name = ER (Original Television Theme Music and Score) | cover = <!-- Do not place a non-free file here, per WP:NFC#UUI #2 --> | type = soundtrack | artist = Various Artists | released = {{Start date|1996|10|01}} | genre = Pop rock | length = {{Duration|m=44|s=48}} | label = Atlantic Records | misc = }} {{Track listing | total_length = {{Duration|m=44|s=48}} | title1 = Theme From ''ER'' | length1 = 3:02 | title2 = Dr. Lewis and Renee (from "The Birthday Party") | length2 = 1:57 | title3 = Canine Blues (from "Make of Two Hearts") | length3 = 2:27 | title4 = Goodbye Baby Susie (from "Fevers of Unknown Origin") | length4 = 3:11 | title5 = Doug and Carol (from "The Gift") | length5 = 1:59 | title6 = Healing Hands | length6 = 4:25 | title7 = The Hero (from "Hell and High Water") | length7 = 1:55 | title8 = Carter, See You Next Fall (from "Everything Old Is New Again") | length8 = 1:28 | title9 = Reasons For Living | length9 = 4:33 | title10 = Dr. Greene and a Mother's Death (from "Love's Labor Lost") | length10 = 2:48 | title11 = Raul Dies (from "The Healers") | length11 = 2:20 | title12 = Hell and High Water (from "Hell and High Water") | length12 = 2:38 | title13 = Hold On (from "Hell and High Water") | length13 = 2:47 | title14 = Shep Arrives (from "The Healers") | length14 = 3:37 | title15 = Shattered Glass (from "Hell and High Water") | length15 = 2:11 | title16 = Theme From ''ER'' (TV Version) | length16 = 1:00 | title17 = It Came Upon a Midnight Clear | length17 = 2:30 }}
===Other media=== * An ''ER'' video game developed by Legacy Interactive for Windows 2000 and XP was released in 2005.<ref>{{cite web |last=Adams |first=David |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/05/31/er-admitted-to-retail |title=ER Admitted to Retail |date=May 31, 2005 |website=IGN |access-date=March 3, 2019}}</ref> * In the ''Mad'' episode "Pokémon Park / WWER," the show was parodied in the style of WWE. * A recurring sketch called "Toy ER" in the Nickelodeon comedy series ''All That'' parodies the show, featuring Dr. Malady (Chelsea Brummet), Dr. Botch (Giovonnie Samuels), and Dr. Sax (Shane Lyons) "treating" damaged toys. * A book about emergency medicine based on the TV series, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=HQ6YPAAACAAJ 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. * An episode-by-episode rewatch podcast called ''[https://settingthetonepodcast.libsyn.com/ Setting the Tone: An ER Retrospective]'' launched in 2019, and has featured numerous cast and crew interviews, including Gloria Reuben, Abraham Benrubi, Noah Wyle, Lydia Woodward, Laura Innes, Carol Flint, John Frank Levy, Paul McCrane, and others.
===Foreign adaptations=== In March 2012, Warner Bros. International Television announced that they would sell the format rights to ''ER'' to overseas territories. This allowed foreign countries to produce their own version of the series.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2012/03/warner-bros-will-begin-to-sell-er-format-rights-overseas-250111/ |title=Warner Bros Will Begin To Sell 'ER' Format Rights Overseas |date=March 28, 2012 |work=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref>
In June 2013, Warner Bros. International Television and Emotion Production announced a Serbian version of ''ER.''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mondo.rs/s294577/Zabava/Rijaliti_TV/Potraga_za_srpskim_Dzordzom_Klunijem.html |title=Potraga za srpskim Džordžom Klunijem |date=June 21, 2013 |work=Mondo Portal |language=sr |access-date=August 26, 2016}}</ref> ''Urgentni centar'' premiered on October 6, 2014, on TV Prva.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prva.rs/program/serija/urgentni-centar.html |title=Urgentni centar |website=Prva Srpska Televizija |language=sr |access-date=August 26, 2016 |archive-date=December 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218154931/http://www.prva.rs/program/serija/urgentni-centar.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> A total of 246 episodes of the show have been produced, spanning 4 seasons, with the series finale being shown on March 18, 2025.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.prva.rs/video/serija/99651/urgentni-centar-4-sezona-100-epizoda |title=Urgentni centar – 4. sezona, 100. epizoda |website=Prva Srpska Televizija |language=sr |access-date=March 19, 2025 |archive-date=March 19, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319141859/https://www.prva.rs/video/serija/99651/urgentni-centar-4-sezona-100-epizoda |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In January 2014, Warner Bros. International Television with RCN, Fox International Channels and TC announced a Colombian version of ''ER.''<ref>{{cite news |last=Tartaglione |first=Nancy |url=https://deadline.com/2014/01/global-showbiz-briefs-colombia-orders-60-episodes-of-er-tbilisi-i-love-you-hits-georgia-theaters-in-february-more-670678/ |title=Global Showbiz Briefs: Colombia Orders 60 Episodes Of 'ER'; 'Tbilisi, I Love You' Hits Georgia Theaters In February; More |date=January 24, 2014 |work=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref>
In March 2014, Warner Bros. International Television and StarLight Films announced a Ukrainian version of ''ER.''{{cn|date=June 2024}}
In February 2015, Warner Bros. International Television and Medyapım announced a Turkish version of ''ER.''{{cn|date=June 2024}}
==Revival== Original cast member Noah Wyle revealed that in 2020 there were talks to revive the show. Development of that series stalled due to issues with the estate of creator Michael Crichton, and in early 2024, Wyle was announced as starring in a new medical drama from Warner Bros. and original ''ER'' showrunner John Wells, ''The Pitt''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rice |first=Lynette |url=https://deadline.com/2024/06/noah-wyle-tried-to-revive-er-before-the-pitt-john-wells-max-1235983879/ |title=Noah Wyle Says There Was An Effort To Revive 'ER' Before He & John Wells Moved Ahead With 'The Pitt' |date=June 26, 2024 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref> That August, the Crichton estate brought a lawsuit against Warner Bros., Wells, and Wyle, alleging that ''The Pitt'' was in fact an unauthorized remake of ''ER'' which could not be produced without the estate's approval; Warner Bros. has denied the allegation, calling ''The Pitt'' "a new and original show."<ref>{{cite web |last=Yoon |first=John |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/28/arts/television/michael-crichton-er-pitt-lawsuit.html |title=Michael Crichton's Estate Calls New Show an Unauthorized 'ER' Remake in Lawsuit |date=August 28, 2024 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> In December 2024, WB filed a motion to dismiss the case, citing California's anti-SLAPP law. In January 2025, a judge allowed the case to proceed.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lavietes |first=Matt |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/tv/judge-allows-michael-crichtons-estate-pursue-lawsuit-warner-bros-pitt-rcna193829 |title=Michael Crichton estate can sue Warner Bros. over claim 'The Pitt' is unauthorized 'ER' reboot, judge rules |date=February 26, 2025 |work=NBC News |access-date=April 5, 2025}}</ref>
==See also== * ''Casualty'' – Similar concept but based on a British fictional hospital's accident and emergency department. * ''The Pitt''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090526080428/http://www.nbc.com/ER/ Official website] * {{IMDb title|0108757}}
{{ER (TV series)}} {{Navboxes |title = Awards for ''ER'' |list = {{ScreenActorsGuildAwards EnsembleTVDrama}} {{British Academy Television Award for Best International Programme}} {{Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series}} {{People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama}} {{Producers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Drama}} {{TCA Award for Program of the Year}} {{TCA Heritage Award}} }} {{Michael Crichton}} {{TopUSTVShows}} {{Portal bar|Television|United States}}
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Category:ER (TV series) Category:NBC medical dramas Category:1994 American television series debuts Category:2009 American television series endings Category:1990s American medical drama television series Category:2000s American medical drama television series Category:Television shows set in Chicago Category:Television series set in hospitals Category:Television series by Amblin Entertainment Category:Television series by Warner Bros. Television Studios Category:English-language American television shows Category:Nielsen ratings winners Category:Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:Peabody Award–winning television programs Category:Primetime Emmy Award–winning television series Category:Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series winners Category:Television shows filmed in Los Angeles Category:Television shows filmed in Chicago