ER season 14 thread (1 Viewer)

Good grief, how much frikkin' blood did Neelah lose in the OR?

Gee, Tony goes nuts on another scumbag in the ER, it must be Thursday.

Overall, not all that great of a season opener for me.

I'm just trying to think how many seasons ago when this show jumped the shark. I'm not sure now.

Performances were phoned in. Some just looked bored. The script rotated between being very insulting and just contrived.

I've stuck with ER a long time, but after tonight, season pass revoked.

I was planning on watching last night but decided that I've seen enough. The show is just a shell of its former self. I've started using that hour to watch the 8PM Smallville on the DVR.

My wife walks by and says 'another season of you watching this crap?'

I agreed but said yes. I'll watch but not enthusiastically. Just like if I start a book or movie that's totally crappy, I won't stop until the end.

I feel your pain. I can't stop watching either. I wish they'd just cancel it and I'd be free from my obligation to keep watching.

Right?

Wonder if we can start and internet petition to cancel the show so people like us can be free of the burden.

Well, the ratings for this season's opener dropped a lot when compared to last season's opener, like over 35%.

Isn't this also a really expensive show? My wife watched on our DVR (I revoked it the rest of the year but did record the premiere) her comment made me laugh:

"He's like doctor death.. first 3lbs dead. Now ER"

Not blaming it on his character, but it is a funny thing. People criticize Grey's for being soapy, etc. but it is at least enjoyable and manages to entertain. This show suffers from the same problem that "Tell Me You Love Me" does.. it's just not very entertaining to watch.

Tucci's character has the problem is sucking the air out of the room when he's in a scene. I think John Stamos was the one that started ER on its downward spiral in terms of likable characters in a difficult job.

It's funny, because I'm another person who doesn't really like ER any more and hasn't in couple of years but I still watch it.

I thought this episode was pretty awful actually. Tucci must be the 3rd or 4th new ER chief to come in and shake things up and be hated by the staff. How many times can they pull this trick? It's already obvious Tucci's character is going to crack up in the ER.

The Neela plot...didn't care. Another old trick to put a doctor/staff in critical condition and have everyone else "worry" about it for an hour. The show started that way with Hathaway's O.D, then there was Carter & Lucy, and Greene etc.

So why do I keep watching? I have no idea.

Stockholm syndrome. Heh.

Except all of those were actually interesting to watch and I gave a damn about those characters then. I agree with the above statements though. I lost interest in the middle of last season (after the Whitaker storylines) but can't seem to STOP watching. I've just been with the show for so long now it's hard to break myself of the habit. I should be truthful though and say the show has never been the same for me after Greene went bye bye.

the greene series was awesome

That must be it!

Romier, you're right. Those were interesting and I agree with you and Todd about the Greene series and losing interest after he left. It's hard to care about the characters now. I don't think they're developed as well as they used to be.

I watch because I enjoy the show - seems I am in the minority.

I feel like a lot of you do.

I'm forced to watch ER because my wife still loves it...

But I feel like the show, over the past 3-4 seasons, has just been recycling storylines from the mid-1990s with new characters.

The basic story arc for the seasons seems to go:

1. Tie up loose ends from last season.
2. Introduce new hot young medical students. (Rotate male-female every other year to even out "romantic" story lines)
3. Introduce new angry ER chief (use big-name/credible actor) to "shake things up"
4. Introduce ER cheif's big character flaw that will have him gone in 4 episodes
5. Kill off or seriously wound a secondary character
6. Get some "hired gun" big-named actor/actress to play a troubled patient for 2-3 episodes
7. Have some big disaster where a main character just happens to be involved and thusly end the season with a cliffhanger
8. Repeat

I can't believe I am still watching this, as well. The Stanley Tucci character is just a re-tread of every person who has been the chief of the ER. They have dipped once too many times in to that well. If I think to record it, I will, but if I forget I won't really be bothered. I think I can spend an hour doing more worthwhile things than watching this stale show, like rearranging my sock drawer.

Well, for those still watching (I do, but haven't had much to say about the episodes this season), Abby has crawled back into the bottle, and tonight's episode wasn't pretty. Though I dislike the storyline, Maura Tierney was solid through Abby's descent, perhaps hitting bottom with a drunk fling with Moretti (add him to the scumbag heap), and a desperate dash to run away from it all, crying baby in tow.

I am still addicted to ER after all these years. Every scene with Abby gave me a sense of discomfort. And I love Tucci as Moretti...he's one cool customer in the way he delivers himself, but something is flawed about him if he lives alone and sleeps with the married-with-kids, tenured doctor.

good episode