Watching ER

ER this year? I know they weren’t nominated for Best Drama Series, but Forest Whitaker has been nominated for his guest role on the show this last season.

In case you forgot about Forest and his reoccuring guest spot as Curtis Ames, he played a stroke patient who takes Luka to court for malpractice. Losing his case, he begins to stalk not Luka but Abby and baby Joe. In a final seat-gripping, nail-biting, conclusion, Forest kidnaps Luka and holds him at gun point demanding that Luka give him back his life or suffer the pain Ames has had from the loss of functionality in his arm. I think I paced the floor through the whole thing.

If you missed this mini drama in a drama, then you had to be under a rock. This was the most talked about guest appearance on ER in a long, long time. Forest played Ames to frightening perfection. If ER and Forest miss receiving this Emmy, I might just eat my keyboard.

For those of you who missed it, this is well worth watching again:

Forest Whitaker, Curtis Ames, Luka, Abby, Emmy Nominations

If you missed seeing Parminder back in the movies, have no fear, she will be in a new movie titled, Fallen Hero..

She will be joined by Lost’s Naveen Andrews, the very mysterious (to me anyway) Sayid. (What am I saying, all the characters on Lost are mysterious).

At this time there is no release date for this film nor is there any word on Parminder’s role in the movie. But I do promise to keep an eye on this as it’s been listed as a foreign film. So I am already interested in seeing what the movie is really going to be billed as.

However, the story covers a soldier’s return home (played by Andrews) to India numerous years after the war and how he deals with his life post war, his struggles to reclaim his life, and war memories and experiences.

As you remember, Parminder is most well known for her role as “Jess Bhamra” in Bend it Like Beckham.

It will be interesting to see the range of her talents in Fallen Hero.

Parminder Nagra, Naveen Andrews, Fallen Hero, Post War Drama, Movies, Neela

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

In a story this week on DailyIndia.com, George Clooney gives credit for his success not to himself but to ER.

Wow! So it has nothing to do with his charming smile, fabulous good looks and irresistable voice? (Am I the only one who can drool on contact at the sound of his voice?) Hmph. I never woulda thunk it. He claims that it was all luck.

Well, now I have to love him more. Humble is extremely sexy.

It may have been luck that ER received the timeslot that they did but after that, it was all the writing and the actors. You can have good writers and bad actors and no one will watch but it takes the perfect balance of the two in order to make something a success. Don’t you think?

As Dr. Doug Ross, Clooney rarely showed a humble side. He was the pediatrician everyone wanted (especially the single moms). He crusaded for the kids and went beyond the call of duty to save them.

Now for my apology. In my first post, I noted that ER had been on for 17 years, that’s incorrect. My math is horrible and thus this is why I blog. The show has actually only been on for about 14 years. I know, seasons, years… you would have think I noticed it before now but no…. It took me this long. Again, I apologize. If anyone noticed and was too nice to point it out, thank you. If you didn’t notice then I don’t feel so bad and weren’t you in my Sophmore Math?

It still doesn’t change how old I feel now.

George Clooney, ER, Dr. Doug Ross, Actors, NBC, Apologies, Success, Sexy

Don’t you just love a celebration? I do. And wouldn’t you just love to celebrate with Noah Wyle? Who wouldn’t? I mean he is just yummy. He invented McDreamy.

On June 4th, Noah Wyle (Dr. John Carter) celebrated his 36th birthday. Really? He is much too hot for 36. That math has to be wrong.

For anyone who doesn’t remember John Carter (How could you call yourself a FAN? Shame on you!) He played the young intern in the first season and was cast as a regular character. He stayed with the role and made it one of the most memorable and longest running on the show before finally leaving in season 12.

The most memorable of Carter’s relationships on the show was not his love interests, but his relationship with his grandmother. I know, sappy? Probably but its things like this which make a character more human to me.

Another ER celeb having a birthday this week is Shane West (Dr. Ray) Another McDreamy Doc but in a bad boy sort of way.Shane will be 29 on June 10th. Here’s hoping that Dr. Ray sticks around the show for season 14, gets new legs, and runs off with Neela!

Happy Birthday to 2 of my favorite ER men! Here’s wishing you all the best and a great year!

Birthdays, Celebrity news, Noah Wyle, Shane West, Neela

Julianna Marguilies will be joining Fox this fall in a new courtroom drama called Canterbury’s Law in which she plays the main character Elizabeth Canterbury a defense attorney.

Is anyone other than me excited? I should think so. We watched Julianna be Carol for so long, it’s hard to imagine her as anything but. Though in this courtroom drama we will get to see a little Carol-esque when she bends the rules to help those who are guilty until proven innocent. The new show isn’t scheduled until Mid-season so don’t be disappointed when you don’t see it start up right away. However, if you’re nosey like me, and you can’t wait for mid-season (are you kidding me, I don’t think I’ll make it to July), then go to Fox and check out a clip of the new show by following this link.

YAY! I don’t know about the rest of you but I am thrilled to see Julianne Margulies back on the small screen, not only on a regular show again but as the lead character. After years of doing guest appearances and plays she is finally back in front of the camera and this time as a lead.

Will you tune in to see Canterbury’s Law? I will.

ER, Julianna Margulies, Fox, Canterbury’s Law, Fall Season 2007, courtroom drama

Good morning folks!

It felt good to get that first post out of the way last night. It’s like opening night jitters at the Improv isn’t it? (I wouldn’t really know but I am speculating).

I guess I made a tiny error (really miniscule actually) in my post last night.

Apparently ER was on a different night other than Thursdays, when it debuted, it was on Monday. I don’t know how long it stayed there (a mute point really) but I just wanted everyone to know that there are people in the world more obsessed with ER than me (shocking but true).

Speaking of obsession, Is NBC obsessed with taking out its top 3 actors on ER every so many years? I’m curious.

According to TV Guide, both Abby and Luka will be leaving the show next fall. There isn’t much being said about how the couple will go out as it’s still in the works but my thoughts are this.

Give the people a good ending.

NBC held out on us for 6 weeks with no new shows, no updates… No nothing. As a mom of 4 who looks forward to her Thursday night peace and quiet (ok after 9pm, every night is supposed to be peace and quiet but I said there were 4 kids, so go with me on this), I LIKE sitting in front of my TV and tuning into ER. It is something I look forward to. I flip from Grey’s Anatomy over to ER (can we say double dose of Medical drama?) It’s a ritual I have come to love and don’t like it being tampered with.

I was not the only one who felt this way when NBC smacked ER fans with the dry spell. Fan sites and message boards everywhere were up in arms with speculation rumors of the show not returning, and finally the confirmed rumors of Goran Visnjic not returning.

So what does that mean for the fans? Who is going to step up as the front runner characters. My money is that Mekhi Phifer (Pratt) will become lead man (his character has been showcased quite a bit this last season). Then there will be Neela (Parminder K. Nagra) but not Ray, as it is being said he won’t be returning as well.

All of this shuffling reminds me of when the guy who played Dr. Ross left (what’s his name… Oh yea George Clooney), then Julianna Margulies, and then Anthony Edwards, clearly the show’s heavy hitters. For a time, ER didn’t seem like much to tune into… In fact, to me, it seemed like the NBC Gods took ER through a character/plot limbo. Oh it was still good but not the FABULOUSNESS we were accostomed to.

Is NBC going to do it again? Leave us to twist in the wind, waiting to see who takes center stage to lead the talented group of actors? I certainly hope not. It sure didn’t do much for them to leave us drooling for 6 weeks.

Which by the way, can’t a gal even get a good rerun in the offseason? The Thursday night line-up for tonight is missing ER. Just thought I would point that out.

TV Guide, coming this fall, rumors, NBC, actors