ER: The Complete Sixth Season

Review By: Damaris Olivo
DamarisOlivo@TheCinemaSource.com

Not for those with weak stomachs, ER follows the personal and professional lives of a Chicago county hospital emergency room’s doctors, nurses, and medical students. Running since 1994, it’s become one of the most well-known series on television, and has definitely set the bar for television shows made since. Having a reputation for its fast-paced action, its well-developed characters, and its tendency to have actors coming in and out of the show like a revolving door at a New York City Starbucks, the show has gathered a huge following. ER: The Complete Sixth Season does not disappoint, as it’s just as nerve-wrecking, and in one season alone we have an influx of newly arriving characters, and both happy and sad departures.

I have to admit I was never an avid ER viewer. I’m guilty of in my mid-90’s junior high glory turning on the television, flipping through the channels, seeing George Clooney’s beautiful mug, and staring, transfixed, at the television while completely ignoring the medical mumbo-jumbo. I prayed that my family would move to Chicago and I’d sprain my ankle so that I’d be taken to County Medical and Dr. Ross would heal my wounds.

Those days are behind me now, and thankfully I have much more self-control. Yet along with the self-control I’ve also become a lot more critical. So I figured I’d give ER one more sporting chance.

Immediately I’m pleased, because although half the time I have no idea what in the world anyone is saying in the operating room, I have absolutely no trouble following the storyline; it’s as though I’ve been watching since the first season. Being very squeamish, I squirmed my way through the first few heavy operation scenes, but I plowed on. Let me just say that by Episode 14 I was nonchalantly eating my lunch while watching a patient being cracked open (I apologize for the graphic description, but they crack people open all the time on this show!). Also, my knowledge of medical jargon has greatly improved.

Apparently, the fifth season leaves us guessing after Dr. Doug Ross (George Clooney) sadly departs, and Nurse Carol Hathaway reveals she’s pregnant with his babies shortly after; Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle) decides to resign his prestigious surgery gig, to pursue a trauma fellowship, and later finds out his ex is planning to take his son (or is he his real son?) to Germany, where her new boyfriend has a professional opportunity; Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle) is working steadily through his residence, supervising sweet as pie Lucy Knight; Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) and Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) have sparked a relationship; and Robert Romano’s still the biggest jerk of all time.

In season six we basically tie up all the lose ends from last season. Most despicable man-on-earth Romano (Paul McCrane) is appointed Chief of Staff in the ER, after the unpredictable Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) agrees ...