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I'm binging on ER... favourite episodes?

175 replies

YellowRedBlueGreen · 13/10/2022 22:37

When Carter and Lucy get stabbed. Especially when Benton comes storming down the stairs. So arrogant but deep down cares so fiercely.

When Mark gets attacked in the toilets. Brutal.

Sally Field as Abby's bipolar mother. She played the role phenomenally.

The chemical spill when everyone randomly starts passing out and Carter takes charge. The first time Benton really started taking him seriously.

Love's Labour Lost. Heartbreaking and Mark was amazing.

...but the very best masterpiece of all - when Doug Ross saves Ben from the storm drain. Seriously gripping stuff.

I'm on Season 7 so I'm looking forward to Susan reappearing and meeting Pratt, who I know nothing about. I am NOT looking forward to a certain character's death 💔👓

OP posts:
EllieQ · 23/10/2022 14:16

caroleanboneparte · 14/10/2022 08:37

I watch it through one a year or two.

I liked the one where Lucy and carter had a tryst in the x ray room. Shame they never progressed their relationship. His girlfriend is the mum from modern family!

I liked Marks first wife. She was written as a shrew then I don't imagine it would be written like that now. Mark was painted as the good guy but he put a job with his buddies over keeping his family together and supporting his long suffering partner. If she put her side on mn we'd be on her side and say ltb!

Also I find it difficult to watch the early episode where carol is treating a rape victim. So much victim blaming! Shameful how that was written/filmed. It would definitely put a victim off reporting.

Mark not shocking the murderer in the lift was chilling. He also euthanised the terminal cancer woman.

I'm never sure if we are meant to believe if it was the basketball players associates who beat him up in the toilet? Or if we should think that's what led to his tumour?

I’ve just re-watched the first couple of episodes after seeing this thread, and I agree with you about Mark’s wife Jen being portrayed badly!

I remember being surprised that they split up and feeling sad for Mark when I first watched it, but now I can see that she was studying for the Bar exam (to become a lawyer) while probably doing most of the childcare and household stuff due to Mark’s long shifts at the hospital. She tells him she misses seeing him, and asks him to move to a job that is better paid and (presumably) more office hours, and he refuses. No wonder she was frustrated!

passport123 · 23/10/2022 15:21

EllieQ · 23/10/2022 14:16

I’ve just re-watched the first couple of episodes after seeing this thread, and I agree with you about Mark’s wife Jen being portrayed badly!

I remember being surprised that they split up and feeling sad for Mark when I first watched it, but now I can see that she was studying for the Bar exam (to become a lawyer) while probably doing most of the childcare and household stuff due to Mark’s long shifts at the hospital. She tells him she misses seeing him, and asks him to move to a job that is better paid and (presumably) more office hours, and he refuses. No wonder she was frustrated!

Absolutely. As an 18 year old single, childfree student, I thought Jen was a shrew. Now I realise that Mark was an absolute arsehole to her.

EllieQ · 24/10/2022 09:19

@passport123 It’s just dawned on me that Mark refusing to leave the er (and refusing to move when Jen gets a job in another state) is a real contrast to Benton’s decision to move to a different job because he wants to spend more time with his son.

Mark is portrayed as the nice guy, the family guy (while Ross is the ‘bad boy’ and Benton is the arrogant surgeon), but it’s Benton who steps back from his career for family reasons, not Mark. Not something I would have picked up on 25+ years ago!

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passport123 · 24/10/2022 09:22

EllieQ · 24/10/2022 09:19

@passport123 It’s just dawned on me that Mark refusing to leave the er (and refusing to move when Jen gets a job in another state) is a real contrast to Benton’s decision to move to a different job because he wants to spend more time with his son.

Mark is portrayed as the nice guy, the family guy (while Ross is the ‘bad boy’ and Benton is the arrogant surgeon), but it’s Benton who steps back from his career for family reasons, not Mark. Not something I would have picked up on 25+ years ago!

Very good point!

Reallyreallyborednow · 24/10/2022 11:36

agree, I didn’t really watch series 1 the first time round, got into it a bit later on. But carried the impression that Benton was an arsehole.

on rewatching properly I couldn’t think where I’d got that impression from, he’s fab. Cleo though, I just can’t warm to. Don’t like her at all.

Gilm0reGirl · 25/10/2022 14:40

I've just been watching the ER special on All4, I wish it had been longer and more in depth but it was lovely to watch as so many of the cast are in it talking about the series. Cried through some of it.

FairyLightsNotJustForChristmas · 25/10/2022 15:17

The episode where Carter and Lucy immediately came to mind, but I also remember the episode where Mark died. The very end scene, where the letter is pinned to the notice board, starts getting covered with other notices and letters, and eventually drops off and blows away in a breeze.

FairyLightsNotJustForChristmas · 25/10/2022 15:18

Where Carter and Lucy got stabbed* that should have said

Mercedes519 · 01/11/2022 22:09

So many episodes stick. It had such a great knack of making you think one thing and then knocking all the breath out of your body at the next minute.

Like the episode with the alcoholic mum who was warned her kids would be taken away. She gets in her car and takes out some alcohol. In your head you’re judging her. And then she pours it over herself and lights a match.

The next season after Abby has her baby early started after I’d had my first DC and he’d been in NICU. They started with Abby sitting alone and panned round really slowly. I was in bits before the bloody episode really started. And then they showed the baby and he was fine!!!

stillvicarinatutu · 20/11/2022 22:51

I've just found it - but have they edited the episode where Hathaway took an overdose?

Seems to have been totally bypassed?

XanaduKira · 20/11/2022 22:52

It's the very first episode - I watched it a few weeks ago.

stillvicarinatutu · 20/11/2022 22:59

I've just watched the pilot , then episode 1 and now I'm in 2 but they've edited it I'm sure ?

I remember her being brought into the er .....

It's completely bypassed that and although they are alluding to it - I'm sure they've edited that scene out .....

XanaduKira · 20/11/2022 23:02

Her being brought into the ER was definitely in it when I watched a few weeks ago.

stillvicarinatutu · 20/11/2022 23:06

Seems to have been edited since ....

XanaduKira · 20/11/2022 23:14

How bizarre - wonder why they would do that?

stillvicarinatutu · 20/11/2022 23:47

Really don't know a I'm on ep 3 (watched them all years ago) but while they refer to it nothing was shown . Edited out .

Graphista · 21/11/2022 01:14

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Jeanie boulet's hiv storyline - totally groundbreaking for the time. And incredible episodes come out of that. There's one episode "ghosts" where she's confronting the husband that infected her "But we didn't have that kind of marriage, did we, Al? We didn't love, we didn't cherish. We didn't respect! And now you've killed me!"

And that inc Kerry trying to stop her practising for fear of her infecting a patient

Also amazing episodes with her caring for anspaughs son.

I also loved the lighter/comedic moments like stealing the crash carts back (very French farce) the snow storm (plaster casting carter in his sleep) m, when carter gives Benton a shit mentor evaluation cos he thinks he hasn't got the surgical residency, then a slot opens up and he has to try and retrieve it before the higher up dr sees it! And fails! And learns that Benton has given him a fantastic evaluation. When the receptionist accidentally fires a Grenade blowing up a van full of guns at the entrance, that then go off, when the kinkster and his domme are admitted and he won't take off his gimp suit, and then weaver catches them going through the dommes bag of tricks (which as has been mentioned leads for the "breakfast club" episode), when cater is accidentally zapped by deb with paddles during a crash and greene goes "how much was that on?" "200 I think" "well...he should be ok", then they kid him on they gave him a full work up inc rectal exam while he was out the game! When Lucy accidentally tae bo kicks carter in the chest sending him flying, carter getting to do Benton's appendectomy which he performs to "Mack the knife", "a shift in the night" when marks doing speed diagnoses in the waiting room and having a ball doing so - LOVE that one.

as it was the first time a drama series had done a live episode (I think). that isn't true as all tv in the early days was broadcast live. But it was unusual for that time.

Hated the African episodes white saviour bullshit very badly written.

i love the scene when abbey leaves and she’s taken to the name tag wall. Nearly broke me.

Loved that too

@Largethighsbadeyes it's way better than greys and I like greys too but ER is much better and more consistently so

The episode where Morris has the patient with DID, and no one believes him. You could really see how he'd matured from the spoiled, lazy stoner he'd been when he was first introduced to a competent doctor. Plus I think Shawn Hatosy, who played the patient, is a really underrated actor.
Totally agree

@Mary46 the resident is a little too do good and don't even get me started on new Amsterdam which is ridiculously twee.

It ran so ER could fly! 100% agree with this

Also ER’s “competition” Chicago Hope very much enjoyed that show too very few people I know have even heard of it!

I can't watch on all4 as no tv licence now (COL cutback for me) but is it available on Amazon I wonder? Even with ads?

I'm on "without a trace" at the moment thinking west wing will be next binge but will happily binge ER if it's available to me.

sashh · 21/11/2022 01:24

I can't watch on all4 as no tv licence now (COL cutback for me) but is it available on Amazon I wonder? Even with ads?

I thought that only applied to live TV.

I'm watching it on the internet (I do have a TV licence but it doesn't ask me).

passport123 · 21/11/2022 06:09

sashh · 21/11/2022 01:24

I can't watch on all4 as no tv licence now (COL cutback for me) but is it available on Amazon I wonder? Even with ads?

I thought that only applied to live TV.

I'm watching it on the internet (I do have a TV licence but it doesn't ask me).

not having a TV licence just stops you watching iplayer.

Gilm0reGirl · 21/11/2022 07:30

@stillvicarinatutu its there now on All4, 50 minutes in, maybe it was a glitch the other day.

Graphista · 21/11/2022 15:32

Interesting I thought I couldn't watch catch up on any terrestrial streaming services but I think only applies to iPlayer?

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one?wt.mcid=bbcciplayerref-sportnolicence

Can someone read this and reassure me maybe? Would be good if I can still watch catch up except on iPlayer

Shiningsilverargent · 21/11/2022 16:11

For me.the episode where Dr Green loses the pregnant woman. I watched Dr Romano die last night - love the irony of the helicopter involvement. Greg's death is incredibly upsetting - I would never have said I care about him as he's so arrogant but losing him is dreadful.

I am on my second time around with it since lockdown started - currently in season 10. I am seeing stuff I didn't see last time. I love that as a love-worn, cynical adult, I just feel the need to scream at Carol to stay away from Doug. He treats her dreadfully. I don't believe they'd ever have made it.

stillvicarinatutu · 21/11/2022 19:43

Found out what happened- it just stopped downloading! Got it back now

Latenightreader · 22/11/2022 11:08

I missed several episodes of s14 the first time around and I am quite excited about seeing them fir the first time. However I'm only on early s3 of my watch through so it will be a while...

I love the call backs to previous episodes - there are a couple of occasions where patients turn up again (or are referred to) from some time before.

Gilm0reGirl · 22/11/2022 18:01

It’s just shown up on my “on demand” section of my sky box 🥳 no more having to go through the all4 app with the adverts. Can just download it straight into the skybox

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