A few days ago, I started watching the American TV series ER on Netflix. I have previously watched the entirety of the first five seasons of this Chicago-based medical drama, but my interest in the show fizzled out somewhere in the middle of Season 6, which I was watching on DVD, so I don’t know how the story panned out during the remaining seasons, of which there are many.
Probably, it was just as well. My sister once told me that ER got less and less innovative throughout the ensuing years—as she aptly put it: ER basically dies when Dr. Greene dies. It’s perhaps a good thing that I was spared the pain of witnessing ER’s decline as its storyline became progressively more stale and trite.
ER was added to Netflix’s lineup in Singapore only recently. I used to own the DVD box sets for Seasons 1 to 8, but I threw out the first five seasons in an attempt to declutter my apartment years ago—a decision that I came to regret greatly, as these opening seasons contained some of the most gripping and iconic episodes of this epoch-making medical drama.
I am elated that I can watch ER again in streaming—albeit for a limited time—and I’m determined to revisit each episode before the show leaves Netflix. It has motivated me to come home early from work every night so I can catch an episode before going to bed; it’s as if I’m on some kind of mission.
One problem, however, is the sheer plethora of ER’s episodes: with each season containing 22 to 25 episodes, it makes those recent Netflix shows with eight to nine episodes per season look like child’s play in comparison. Even if I limited myself to the first five seasons, at the rate of one episode per day, it would take me roughly three and a half months.
Imagine going through the entire 15 seasons—that’s practically an impossibility for me, given my busy schedule. At some point, I would need to tell myself to relinquish, with the aforementioned Dr. Greene’s death probably being a good point of reference.
ER first aired in 1994, decades before the advent of streaming services such as Netflix and Apple TV+. Given the dearth of other choices in the way of visual entertainment, I suppose viewers back then could easily follow a season of a television show straight through without much distraction. Our attention spans have become much shorter in the past decade or so, as we are surrounded by so many more entertainment options.
By revisiting ER, I could probably train my ability to focus my attention on one production, which could be a rare asset in this age of soundbites, Internet memes, and short TikTok videos—never mind that decades ago, scholars were lamenting that people were spending too much time in front of the idiot box instead of reading.
Curiously, in Japan, children are now encouraged to read manga comic books instead of staring at their smartphones and tablets all day long, whereas decades ago, reading manga rather than text-only books was largely frowned upon. I guess that as technology advances, people’s attention spans can only get shorter, not longer, but that may not be such a bad thing, after all—it likely means that our brains are being optimized to adapt to our new surroundings. But I digress.
Watching the early seasons of ER brings back some old memories, not least because the air dates of Season 1 coincided with my one-year experience of studying English in Seattle from 1994 to 1995.
I still remember vividly what living in America felt like back then and, although ER is based more than 2,000 miles away in Chicago, the general vibes of the show are definitely reminiscent of what I experienced in the Emerald City. I was completely engrossed in my English studies and had a great time being immersed in American English.
By the way, it’s great to see actor George Clooney playing the role of Dr. Doug Ross in the early seasons. This was his breakout role, and he went on to become a huge Hollywood star. When I first watched him in ER more than 25 years ago, I didn’t quite get his appeal. However, when I watch the show now, I am completely dazzled by his irresistible charm.
Recently, I watched George Clooney perform in the Netflix feature film Jay Kelly, where he showcases his finesse as a seasoned actor. He has definitely matured like wine over the years, and I am happy for him that he has achieved so much success.
As of today, I have watched the first nine episodes of ER’s Season 1, so I’m not even halfway through the first season. I can’t wait to revisit the ensuing episodes and vicariously experience the joys and sorrows of these passionate and dedicated medical professionals, while reminiscing the good old years that have gone by.
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