TV Review - Why ER Needs to Call it Quits

What ever happened to the ER of old, with the interaction of Carter, Dr. Peter Benton, and Dr. Doug Ross? The scripts of ER today are composites of the groundbreaking scripts of the show's early years. The proven formula of an overloaded ER, doctors with complicated personal lives, and the threat of legal action or a big disaster just doesn't work anymore.

While it is true that the new cast of ER includes some great actors, and occasionally there are interesting plots (think of the shows surrounding the death of one of the doctors in Iraq), it is time to end the show. In the early days, the trauma scenes were much better, there wasn't as much focus on the personal lives, and the scenes that did focus on the personal lives of the doctors were much better. They were a little less like a soap opera than those of today's ER.

There are some very good reasons why the show is still on the air; there is still a large audience. However, for a series to last as long as ER, which has even topped the 11 year M*A*S*H* run, there needs to be a conscious commitment to continue to have a relevant message. It isn't enough to say the same things over and over again, just with a slightly different angle. Quite honestly, ER does not have that quality, where as M*A*S*H* worked hard to develop that quality in its later seasons.

The biggest reason to pull the plug on ER is that the series really doesn't have much to say anymore. In the early days, there wasn't much like it on TV. Today, there is a whole new generation of shows such as House and Bones that are much better, which have things to say. If nothing else, ER should be pulled to make the way for new, innovative shows.

Unfortunately, ER is a symptom of the new realities of television, and the entertainment industry as a whole. The mantra of "let's stick with what works" trumps any attempt of creating something meaningful or giving a new series time to find its niche. New shows are put on an extremely tight reign, choking almost any attempt at innovation. New shows are routinely canceled after just a few episodes. Instead, old powerhouses that have outlived their usefulness continue long after their prime. They replace the original actors and actresses with newer, cheaper talent, denigrating the quality of the show.

If TV is ever going to experience a new golden age, TV executives need to take a long look at old shows such as ER and make hard decisions as to whether or not to pull the plug. Much more focus needs to be placed on new show development, and sadly, as a result, there will no longer be room for old shows that no longer live up to par. It appears that this won't happen any time soon. We may never know what shows would have been made if TV executives had been more eager to develop new, innovative shows instead of serving us rehashed product.