NBC is pulling the plug on incredibly long-lived medical drama ER. The show, once a blockbusting hit, has seen ratings and interest dwindle in recent years, and its currently-airing 15th season will be its last. But a warhorse like ER deserves a hero's farewell, and it looks like it's going to get just that in the form of visits from stars past.
If this picture raises your blood pressure,
you're about to be one happy patient!
Noah Wyle, who played Dr. John Carter in the show's first through 11th seasons, is returning for a four-episode arc and has confirmed to TV Guide that Eriq La Salle will also return as Dr. Peter Benton. Of even more interest to ER devotees and fans of silver-fox movie stars, Wyle teased the return of George Clooney as the original "McDreamy," Dr. Doug Ross.
"From what I heard, George said, 'absolutely,' schedule permitting," Wyle stated.
Clooney's publicist has refused to comment on Wyle's declarations, but we've become familiar with the true meaning of a publicist's "no comment" and will be looking forward to Clooney's return.
Anthony Edwards, another former ER star, will reprise his role of Dr. Mark Greene in this Thursday's episode. Since it seems that the doors of County General Hospital are flung wide open, now might be the time to be vocal about who else you'd like to see roaming those hallowed halls. Julianna Margulies? Laura Innes? Sherry Stringfield? Use the comments box, and let's hope NBC is reading this!
Comments (74)
Many former castmembers are coming including, confirmed in a promo, (Wyle, La Salle, Kingston). Clooney hasn't been promoted yet but you never know.
I know they wouldn't bring her back but my favorite dead person is Lucy. She was cute and goofy and she should have been on longer.
i would love to see julianna margulies back with george clooney and their twin daughters in the show. love that Carter is comming back to Eriq La Salles charachter benton i never liked. best news al week :)
I agree w/ Buffylover365. It would be cool to kind of see Lucy in a flashback or something like seeing her and Dr. Greene roaming the halls as their ghosts. She had a crappy write out. I hated that she left the show. I always wanted her and Carter to get together. But seeing Kellie Martin come back would be nice, but it's probably not a possibility since she was on it for a season and a half cause she died in the middle of season 6.
Julianna Margulies is not going to come back. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,452784,00.html
Yaay, they ar coming back !!
It made my day to read that thy are coming back :)
I love this show and this is great news!!!
Yay! I am really excited about this news. Last night was great with everyone who showed up. I would like to see Chen and Lewis back.
Well the Episode last night Hel Thy Self played. and A lot of differnt old faces came back, Jerry, Kerry, Romano, and Benton all there in there own way. Im still hoping that Doug Ross will grace us again. Now could it be that the producers are doing what they did last time and not say clooney is coming back. like the eipsode where he returned with the happy ending for him and carol. just a guess. I know MBC wasnt happy with that change cuz they were unable to promote it. but ER is ER and does what it wants. well it has been a great 15 seasons and with mark revitalizing the show last night im sure more are to come. i also heard that maria bello might come back to reprise the role of dr. delmicomoreless
of course all fan favorites are welcome: bring us back julianna laura & sherry with george & eriq, the show deservesa proper ending!!!thks a lot
This is a fitting way to send Chicago Hope off the air.
I'd like the nurses who have been there forever to get a little nod..maybe a storyline for an ep or something!
Haleh, Lily, Chuny I love them all!
I agree Woodhaven87 :P.
It would be great to see Julianna Margulies again but with the twins running after daddy, George Clooney! Wouldn't it be great if it happened at the ER!....Florence, Queens, NY
OH MY GOD!!!!! this is the best news i've heard EVER!!!! cant wait to see all the old doctors!!! this is gonna be the best season EVER!!!! would be nice to see julianna as carol and george as doug, returning with their girls, however, who would they visist? the only people from the first seasons left on the show are haley and malik!
looks like Mark is back as a flashback, he's filmed new scenes but it is one characters memories from the past.
I'm an ER junkie, so obviously I'm thrilled about the news
Didn't Dr. Green die of cancer?
If Doug's returning, then it would be good to have Carol back too. I'd like to see Kerry, Elizabeth and their kids.
Yeah I'd love to see Carol back again! and Susan too!!! she never got a decent write-out
I think it'll be awesome if Doug and Carol and their twins came back for an episode. Same with Susan and Kerry! Bring back all the old ER cast!
I forgot about Ming Na. I hated the way she left the show. She kind of just disapeared after she helped her father die. She would be another one that I would want to see again just to find out what happened to her.
I would absolutely LOVE to see Kellie Martin return in a flashback episode as Lucy Knight! She was taken from us so tragically, it would be fantastic to see her bright, shining, smiling face grace the County General halls once more! :-)
If Benton returns, I would love to see Cleo return with him-- so I guess my first answer would be Michele Michael. I would also love to see Alex Kingston back, as well as Sherry Stringfield.
I would love to see Julianna Margulies and Sherry Stringfield! :D
This is awsome, as much as we love ER and don't want to see it go, the best way is to bring back all the origional characters. I would love to see both Ross (Clooney) and Hathaway (Julianna) come back. Susan and Kerry would be awsome too.
Bring all back, at least for one special episode! I understand that for them this show was just another job, and their lives, as their characters lives, have moved on. But for us, the fans, this is the end of a great show that made TV history. They should do an especial episode to pay a big homage to MIchael Crichton.
Alex Kingston
WOOP WOOP!! Bring back Mark Greene and Elizabeth Corday together (even though Mark died) I would love to see that!
I LOVE the idea that some old characters are coming back! I definitely think Elizabeth Corday should be there, as well as Mark, and Kerry too. It's sad that Luke and Abby have left already though. Speaking of which, how can Mark Greene be returning - didn't he die?
They've killed off some characters that we don't really have a lot to choose from. Since Ross and Benton are pratically signed to reprise their roles, all that's left are Kerry and Susan.
YAY noah coming BACK!!!!!!! I love him!
Great way for them to end the show IMO.
Is this show still on?
Nice! This is good news! Not the news about them calling it a night of course, that is sad, really sad. But they have had a nice long run though. But I will tune in for sure now, that`s for sure!
I'm glad that George Clooney will be back since some people have been giving him crap for not returning to the show that started him off.
Wow Wow Wow!!!!! This is soooo awesome!!! If Clooney comes back, you just know people will be watching... 20 million viewers that night! I think we need to bring back as many characters as possible to say goodbye to ER... I've been watching this show (on and off) since I was 13 years old. So, NBC, here's the wish list...Thandie Newton needs to return with Noah Wylie! Alex Kingston, Julianna Margulies (and her twins) with George Clooney, Laura Innes, Sherry Stringfield, Michael Michelle, Ming Na, Gloria Reuben, Sharif Atkins (if possible... I know he's dead), Paul McCrane, Kellie Martin (also dead, but, hey if they can bring Mark Green back!!!). Yay... I'm so glad this is going to be such an awesome final season!!!
WHOOHOO!!!!! I'd LOVE for George's character (Dr. Ross) to come back, with Julianna's (Carol) (and their twin daughters!)!!!! At least Noah Wyle (Dr. Carter) is coming back for 4 episodes, and Shane West (Dr. Barnett) already did, and Eriq La Salle (Dr. Benton) will be too!! I would love for Alex Kingston (Dr. Corday), Michael Michelle (Dr. Finch), Gloria Reuben (Dr. Boulet), Ming-Na (Dr. Chen), and MORE!!
Ming Na!!! Ming Na!!! Ming Na!!! I would love to see her come back for the last few eps. I have stayed with the show every single season, though I will admit that seasons 13 and 14 started to drag in places. However, there were always a few powerful episodes that spoke to me as socially & culturally relevant for the times. The sudden loss of series creator Michael Crichton is sad- sad because he won't get to see this show put to bed properly! And what about Stanley Tucci? We didn't really get to see enough of him as "Dr. Moretti", or learn more about his character before he left the show. Have him breeze back through the ER for a couple of episodes! He could butt heads with Angela Bassett's "Dr. Banfield"....now wouldn't that be a fireworks show to watch? ;)moreless
if clooney comes back for a guest stop ill have a heart attack. would be cool to see him and Julianna.
Bring back Trapper John!!!!!!!!!!!
YEAH! I've been watching recently the early seasons of ER and the show was so much better back then, much due to the characters. Clooney's appearance would be the best but I would love to see Carter and Benton back too. Kerry and Mark used to be my favs hopefully Mark will be seen in flashbacks.And if Doug's back, Carol should come too:)
isn't mark dead? bit hard to bring back a dead doctor, but i geuss they can always do flash backs.bring back mandy patinkin, although i hear he's a real bastard to work with and this is why he ends up leaving most shows never to return.
The last season I have seen was about 13, and I think I started watching S14 too. But it was taken off the air here, so it's not as though I gave up, network gave up instead. HUGE ER fan, very sad to hear it's ending. But this is fantastic news about returning characters!
I stopped watching it some years ago. But i'd like to see the original cast))
I don't care who comes back as long as they come back with something to add to the show's final season. But I must admit Clooney would be a pleasant surprise.
I would love to see the "old" cast members come back, even if they don't all appear in the same episode. I have stopped watching ER this season, just cause the stories aren't the same and it's not like it used to be. Bring back the best ER cast ever
I gave up on ER years ago, as did my mother. The news of old favorites returning is enough to have my mother watching the show again. I'm not sure if I'll tune in at all for the last season.
Definitely bring Carol (Julianna Margulies) back along with Doug Ross ( The Gorgeous George Clooney). In fact blow the budget or whatever it is, bring 'em all back. I loved the early series, not so much the later stuff, but it stioll had that edge, that quality. Great news.
C