Watching ER

Finally the writer’s strike which has plagued Hollywood for a little over three months is coming to a close. Reports began leaking earlier this week that the end was near as talks between the WGA union and Hollywood producers started to come to a close as a deal was finally reached and voting on the proposed deal will end by February 25th.

It’s a much needed relief for actors, writers and television show producers. Not to mention you and me. I don’t know how much more reality television I could take but guarantee the number was low, very, very low.

So where does that leave ER? For one the show is still under contract to Warner Bros. to produce the rest of it’s episodes before the season ends in May. I had heard rumors in January (but I couldn’t report on them because the details were so sketchy that I didn’t want ya’ll to get your hopes up and I didn’t want hate mail if I was wrong either) that the show could have new episodes as early as April. Actually according to an article in Variety, four to six new episodes isn’t the only good news coming out of talks with Warner Bros and NBC. The show could actually be renewed for another full season in the fall. Didn’t I tell you that was possible?

Unfortunately the long strike has definitely left an impact on Hollywood as a whole with over $3 billion loss in the economy. As much as I feel Hollywood is largely overpaid as it is, I feel horrible that so many writers were out of work for this long. As a working writer, I know how competitive the business is and I am certain their families have felt the strain. My heart goes out to them. On another note though, I am pleased as punch that my show will be back in April (maybe early enough for my birthday would be FABULOUS!) and whether or not the show returns in the fall we at least have a chance to see some storylines wrapped up.

Alright… Let’s send our ER writers some positive episode vibes!

WGA, Writer’s Strike, Hollywood, NBC, Warner Bros., ER, New Episodes

That’s right everyone, the first former ER cast member makes an appearance just in time for the new year. “Status Quo” will air on January 3rd, and according to Spoilerfix.com and NBC spoilers, Gloria Rueben, who played Jeanie Boulet, a physician’s assistant will be bring in her HIV positive son named Carlos to treat a cut on his head from a fall at school. However when Carlos has a CT done, a spot on his brain is found which will need further testing. Plus when the higher ups at County do not take Pratt seriously, he wants to quit his job (could we really take anymore great actor losses on ER?) Plus Neela’s cousin will be visiting and Morris and Harold will be trying their best to woo her. (My money is on Morris, what about you?) Also appearing is Kari Matchett from “24”.

When we last saw Jeanie it was November 1999, and she was leaving to spend more time with Carlos, (who you should remember is not her biological son but a baby she adopted after the mother died in the ER) and Reggie (a police officer).

Ok, so now we are up to speed right? Good. Unfortunately I couldn’t find anything that related to how many episodes she will appear in. If you have that scoop, feel free to contact me or leave a comment.
As you know, Abby is away at rehab and Luka and little Joe are in Croatia for Luka’s father’s funeral. No word on when Luka will be back (again).

Gloria Rueben, Jeanie Boulet, Guest Appearances, HIV, former cast members

This seems to be on everyone’s mind as of late and I can’t blame them. With the writer’s strike looming over networks, there is more on fans minds than whether or not their favorite characters will hook up or survive to see another show.

So that makes me wonder, how will the NBC TPTB handle the strike on ER and its upcoming episodes. I have seen posts by fans stating that the strike won’t affect the show but… in my last post, I touched on Linda and Scott talking about how and when the writer’s strike will affect them. According to the interview that I posted from youtube, the strike will not affect them until December. CBS news also reported that Television series will run out of shows by the beginning of 2008.

Please pay attention to this: one of my sources has spoilers posted for episodes 7, 8, and 9. Episode 9 will not air until sometime in January 2008. (Pay attention: after episode 8 next week - November 15th, there won’t be another new show until January when Episode 9 airs).

So for anyone who believes that the strike is not going to affect this show, I kind of have to air on the side of caution and say, yes… they will be affected, especially given the comments both Linda and Scott give on the subject.

Now… I also read on MSNBC.com that the strike would not “immediately affect prime time shows” - going on to add that they have scripts stock piled into 2008. Whether or not I believe that is laughable.

Why? Well for one, you see how well TPTB have listened to ER fans and started posting full episodes online right? Exactly. Requests have fallen on deaf ears. Not to mention that rumors fly that this will be the last season for ER… so why would they stockpile scripts for a show that they plan on ending?

I’m just saying is all. You don’t have to believe me (there are at least six other bloggers here at 451 press who are talking about the strike as well).

I would like to hear what you think. Will the strike affect our beloved ER?

ER fans, writer’s strike, The Powers That Be, rumors

That’s actually the title of a really great book but I think in this case, it fits Abby perfectly. Not only did they open up Abby’s alcoholism but they put her in situations that are just unthinkable.

So let me ask you this: Was last night’s episode as painful to watch as it was for me?

Seriously… I didn’t like watching Abby like this. The party was embarrassing (for me to watch even) and I was pretty much horrified when they flashed back to her in the throes of passion with Moretti… How wrong was that? And then she gets home, lights up the babysitter and then takes off in the car with Joe. I’m glad she realized she was in no shape to drive and hailed a taxi.

I don’t think I like the spin they are putting on Abby’s storyline… UNLESS… it is their way to writer her off the show. She was trying to get a ticket to board a plane to Croatia.

Something else that I hope no one missed was the little comment about how Dr. Ross and Dr. Greene ruled the ER… please tell me all of you caught that. Could it be a some glimpse that some of the cast members will be returning? Others think that it was a small play on “Going Green”

Back to Abby though… Maura Tierney is such a great actress. She is highly underrated and I think when the writers do give her a tough storyline like this, she rises to it and excels to such a believable extent that it is no wonder fans all over were freaking out over Abby’s actions last night. Emotions ranged from loving the show to loving the show but hating how the writer’s wrote Abby’s story this week.

Be sure to read tomorrow’s post when I show a video clip that makes me wanna say thank you to TPTB for FINALLY listening to me!

Abby, Maura Tierney, alcoholism, Moretti

With all the talk about the list of the former characters scheduled to come back and those that ER creators would like to have come back, I really have to ask… Who would you have come back? Any fan who is a fan has a list forming in their head before these words were even on the screen. I know I have fantasized about my own little eopisodes in my head about who I would like to see…

For one, let’s bring Julianna Marguiles back as Hathaway. I would love to them bring in actresses for her twin girls also. Who knows what that storyline would bring but I remember her being heavily involved in a free clinic program.

Let’s not forget Eriq La Salle (Dr. Peter Benton)… If they brought him back he would have to reunite with none other than Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle) I for one have dreamed of a meeting between those two.

I really believe that they left some storylines still left to be told. For instance, there could have been a great love between Pratt and Dr. Chen (Ming Na) but sadly that ended before it had the chance to get really steamy.

Then again, there were some storylines that were just too sad to keep trying to tell. What would have happened to Dr. Corday (Alex Kingston who incidentally has not been on television since leaving in season 11) had she stayed and tried to build a new life without Dr. Greene? It was heart wrenching for me to watch her in episode after episode to try and find love again.

Here’s a question for you… Do you ever wonder what happened to Rachel Greene?

So there it is folks. Who should come back to the ER? We already know that some people are in the works but I would like to know if there is anyone you want to see that I didn’t mention.

Please… No dead characters. That’s just to sad. **Sniff**

Dr. Benton, Dr. Corday, Dr. Chen, Dr. Carter, former characters, Eriq La Salle, Alex Kingston, Ming Na

Poor Harold. Part of me wanted to either kill this new intern or just “tsk tsk” him all night. While he might have had the facts down (a little too well) something tells me he is needing some much needing bed side manner skills. Could it be that he is only 19?

If you think Steven’s character, Harold, is young, then you won’t be surprised to learn how close fiction really is to the truth.

Steven Christopher Parker is just the ripe old age of 18 years old. Born on January 8th, 1989 and hailing from Denver, Colorado, Steven is not going to be leaving the ER anytime soon. At the present he is slated to appear in two more episodes of ER in November. He will appear in next week’s “The Test” and episode 8, “Coming Home”.

A true ER fan will probably be thinking… Haven’t I seen this actor before?

So if you think you’ve seen this young man before on ER, then you are correct! Two years ago in Season 11 “Here and There”, he played Gus but for the life of me, I have no idea who Gus was. At that time, season 11 was wrapped around the Gallant-Neela Iraq storyline. Not only has he already done a stint in the ER but he also made a small appearance in Little Miss Sunshine as well (think small, teen age boy #1 in the credits).

Here’s what I am wondering: Were the Powers That Be so impressed with Steven’s acting that they decided they wanted to bring him back for another stint in the ER or were there just not enough young actors willing to to portray prodigy turned Intern?

Hmmm… anyone care to weigh in on that?

ER Interns, Young New Intern, Actors, Steven Christopher Parker, Season 14, Season 11

There has been much debate on ER fan message boards everywhere on whether or not there is a way to see full episodes of ER on online. I for one was a little A LOT peeved that I couldn’t see this season’s premiere a couple of weeks ago. I almost always try to be home to watch the show because I don’t get the best reception for local television (we are rural… think country roads, lots of them). So if I miss something, if I have to wrestle the remote from my husband, I tend to get a little cranky. And believe me, I am not alone.

I decided to do some searching to see if I really could find a little snippet of the shows I have missed. I hate the two minute replay. It makes me feel like I am watching the sports recap on the nightly news or something. WHO CARES! I want to see it all. In my opinion, The two minute replay doesn’t show me squat. You know how I feel… I’ve mentioned it before.

But fear not my fellow ER fans!

I think I found a solution… (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), and I think you all are going to like it.

There is a member on YouTube who shars in our pain and kindly has reposted every single episode of ER from the beginning of this season. I don’t know who they are… but I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!

Don’t believe me? Take a look at this from last week’s episode “Gravity”

Yea… That’s right folks. It’s there. Every single piece of it. It’s loaded in five parts (as are most of the previous episodes) so you won’t miss a thing.

You know what I love about this the most? The person who is posting these cuts out very little from the first run show.

And in case anyone is wondering… Yes. I really do think it’s Luka that will be on next week’s show.

Full Episodes of ER, Youtube, Videos, Season 14, ER fans

I remember watching Scott Grimes in various bad 80’s television and even some even worse horror movies. So let me tell begin by saying that I was very skeptical when he came on as an ER regular. I didn’t think his character Dr. Morris would make it. I really mean that. I didn’t like the storylines they gave him… I didn’t like… well, (sorry Scott Grimes fans..) HIM.

But for once TPTB showed me up and now Morris has grown on me… by the way, does anyone find it odd that he is a red head and they named his character Morris… like the cat in the Meow Mix commercials? No? Ok it’s just me then.

Anyway, what I was trying to say is that somewhere Morris got… CHARACTER. I am not sure how they did it or why but it seemed like one day Morris was different. Maybe it was the change of finding out how many sperm doner children he had… I don’t know but there is a different side of Morris that we see now and I like it.

In fact, I don’t know if anyone else has noticed but it seems that his part on the show has gotten bigger too. Could that be because Luka is leaving, and Ray is gone(?) too? I wonder about that. Especially this week’s show. We see Morris getting rid of the boogeyman with “medicine”, primping for a date with Hope by getting a makeover and some apparent much needed exfoliating. It’s a whole new side to Grime’s character that I think they began to play with last season and are just beginning to develop now.

Can I say it’s about time that they begin exploring some of the more interesting characters on the show?

Scott Grimes, Dr. Archie Morris, character development, storylines

There was a brief moment on ER last Thursday where I swore I saw a storyline begin. Maybe you missed it to but it was just a brieft moment where Sam (Linda Cardellini) was in the trauma room with the dead teenage boy’s mother. She was telling Sam how he had been lately, how removed and distant he (Casey) had been but that how things with Casey had been getting better.

If you were really paying attention and listening to the mom and what she said, the camera closed in on Sam and we saw her let out a breath… like she was thinking. Hmmm, in my own mom mind, I was thinking of the storyline with Sam and her son Alex and the difficulties she had with him last season.

I don’t know about you but I do not think that storyline is closed. I think there is still more to that. If I remember correctly, season 13 left off with a phone call between Sam and Alex. There was no real ending to that and so I have to wonder… What is next for this storyline? There are many different directions they could take this. They have already exposed us to the difficulties that Sam has as a Single Parent and I have to admit that I do not think that is a finished storyline. Not at all. The complications that Sam has about being a single mom and then top it all off with sending Alex away to school… too much there that was left unfinished and leaving the ER fans and fans of Sam (yea that would be me) in the dark on how to tie that one up.

So what do you think? Did you catch the moment in the trauma room? Is the Samantha and son story finished?

Samantha, Linda Cardellini, character development, storylines, single parents

I get to a lot of places on the Net. Of the many places I travel to is message boards and forums for the fans of ER. I check the gossip, I read the lovey-dovey story lines, I put in my 2 cents when appropriate but mostly I lurk.

While lurking last week, I saw an overwhelming number of people upset and in dismay over NBC not putting full episodes of ER on the site. The general consesus at the NBC ER site is that most posters looked for the season premiere to be up on the site. But alas all that The Powers That Be wanted us to see was the two minute replay.

Is this Football?

Why only two minutes? Why not five? Are the storylines not exciting enough that it can be summed up in two minutes? I don’t see the point in two minutes. It surely didn’t answer my questions about the show. Nor did it allow me enough time to pick one line and get the full picture of it.

I have a theory as to why we don’t see a complete ER episode on NBC.

It’s old. I mean, 14 years??? That is a long running show. We have discussed before how the show has lost some steam, the great characters that have come and gone and the many twists and turns the show has taken us through. We also discussed how the wants and needs of the fans seem to be falling on deaf ears over at NBC.

So once again, it looks like NBC has their own idea of what will make the fans happy.

hatever happened to the customer is always right? I guess that doesn’t apply to television customers huh?

ER has not had much press lately. At least not from me anyway. I haven’t been around much but I have been following the conversations regarding the new season and here is just a snippet of what people are saying:

According to a discussion with TV guide, the show is not over for ER according to David Zabel, who is the executive producer of the long running hit series.

In fact, they are working on rebuilding the family of the ER. Hmmm… did someone get my memo on that I wonder? It’s about time… We won’t go into detail but I am sure you can hear me getting out my soapbox but for now, I wil l just sit still and be a good girl.

In fact there is some talk about some former ER regulars to make appearances on upcoming shows. Now wouldn’t that be lovely? Who do you suppose it will be?

Ok, so back to getting ready for the new season of ER… Are you ready? Have you cleared your calendar because I want you to be aware… if you are a fan of Network Television, here is what you are up for next Thursday night (that’s September 27th for those of you not near a calendar right now).

Grey’s Anatomy is on @ 9pm. Yes, I will be watching and CBS’s drama, Without a Trace will be up against ER. Plus, ABC has a new show which features a whole lotta hot guys. So ladies I suggest getting your Tivo’s warmed up.

So stick around, there is more to come next week as I begin the countdown for the new season with some spoiler scoops and name drops as to who will be appearing as well.

No I am not kidding. I just finally found my way to Wikipedia’s ER site. If you’ve never been I highly recommend it.

Little known facts about the acclaimed Medical drama such as when our favorite actors departed and how they left, to the number of Emmy Nods our dear beloved ER has earned. (I won’t spoil it for you by telling all. The number is just amazing.) I will mention though that records have been broken… That’s all I’m sayin…

One thing I do want to share is that it is revealed that ER was orginally slotted to be a movie and Steven Spielberg was on board for it.

Can you imagine if Steven Spielberg had actually directed ER into the big screen? How many sequels do you think we would be up to by now? I shudder to think of the possiblities (not bad shudder, good shudder) but I do get the willies thinking of all the gross ER things that the big screen can show that we won’t see in TV land (OH THANK YOU SO MUCH!) I admit it. I am the faint of heart.

Let’s think about this for a moment though. Would Anthony Edwards, Julianna Marguilies, and now heavy hitter, George Clooney have been included in big screen production of ER?

Fortunately for all of the ER fans, Spielberg went on to Jurassic Park (who knew?) and we have had 14 fabulous seasons of watching our Docs save and lose lives and lovers. However, if you pay close attention and know your ER medical drama trivia, you will know that Spielberg did have a hand in some early episodes.

By the way, did any of you catch Thursday night’s repeat of Murmurs of the Heart? Forest Whitaker still does a chilling of job of becoming Curtis Ames. I still can’t get throught the opening with Abby.

Check out Wikipedia’s ER site and brush up on your ER knowledge.

In the meantime I am going to rent a few ER DVD’s and watch the special features section, where all the good secrets are spilled.

Wikipedia, ER, Television Medical Drama, Movies, Steven Spielberg, Forest Whitaker, Emmy Nominations

I don’t know about you but anytime one of my favorite actors makes a… Well, (ahem) Dingbat (for lack of another word that I can’t use here), of themselves, I feel embarrassed for them and a little outraged for their complete lack of professionalism.

Such is the case of John Stamos who by now you all know has been tossed around on the web like a flaming hackey sack for his bad behavior on one of Australia’s morning talk shows. His slurred speech and out-of-it behavior had the tabloids on both ends of the globe buzzing about possible drunkeness.

Stamos fired back that unlike David Hasslehoff, he has no drinking problem.

Not long after that videos surfaced on the web to back up John’s fuzzy interview causing Stamos and his PR people to go into panic mode and blame the whole thing on jet lag.

Possible but from Cleveland, OH to Sydney, AU fans weren’t buying it.

Now completely caught up in a would-be scandal, Stamos is revealing that the bad performance on Australia National TV was brought on by side effects from the prescription sleep aid, Ambian.

Uh, Ok but excuse me, Dr. Gates, but shouldn’t you have already learned about the possible side effects of sleep aids early on in your medical training? Just curious.

John Stamos drunken like behavior, sleep aids, Austrailia News Media, Jet lag, Actors

Last season we saw Stanley Tucci don the white coat at “ER”. Is it because his hospital show closed?? (haha - sorry not funny).

Well someone must have liked him enough because Stanley Tucci is signed to become a regular on “ER” this fall.

Last season, Tucci appeared as Dr.Kevin Moretti, and was only slated for a few episodes. (More like testing the waters to see how Goran Visnjic’s white coat fits). But we already knew that right?

I for one like Stanley Tucci and can’t wait to see him in the new role. It might be what ER needs to bring it back off of life support. Ok, so the show really isn’t on life support or anything but it has had some pitfalls as of late (anyone care to rehash the 6-week hiatus we all had to live through - perhaps that was a test to see if we could make it through the summer).

Tucci is an enormously talented actor. I am glad to see him joiining the cast. Here’s to a positive start to the 14th season - Even if we have characters in critical condition, Coping with being an amputee, and beloved characters doing God Only Knows what in their home countries!

Stanley Tucci, Goran Visnjic, ER News, Favorite Characters

The latest to come out of TV land is that ER is scheduled for a go this fall. The first season will find Doctors treating the victims of the war protest from last season’s finale. Neela will be in surgery for most of the episode and a certain doctor (can you guess?) will have to let someone else take over Neela’s surgery because of how he feels about her. The premiere also promises the return of a recurring character named Paul Grady who plays a young, likeable intern. What we want to know is, will Neela make it?

Does anyone know who plays Paul Grady? I have been looking and I can’t seem to find this actor anywhere.

It looks like ER once again, will bring the real world to the set. I have been reading on some sites, and other blogs that ER is too preachy with its storylines and having the art imitate life or current events a little too close. To those people, I ask, “How can they not?” Let’s face it, there IS A REAL WAR. Our Healthcare is lacking for those who really need it. The show wouldn’t be what it is, without all those factors. It has to hit close to home. I don’t think the show was ever designed as “fluff”. It hasn’t been since the beginning.

What do you think? Could ER use more or less “fluff”?

Spoilers, gossip, characters, War, season premiere