Emergency!

FavoritedFavorite 52
NBC (ended 1977)
EDIT

Show Summary

  • Ended
Emergency! set the bar for all the edge-of-your-seat thrilling rescue and recovery shows that followed. Created by hit writer/producer Jack Webb (Dragnet; Adam-12) Emergency! is a fictionalized but still realistic look at how firefighting and emergency services were dragged into the 20th century, particularly emphasizing the new-to-most and still dubious field of paramedical treatment started in Los Angeles County, California in 1969. Senator Alan Cranston praised the show for informing the public about the value of funding such programs. The show got its point across to the average American by showing dedicated but regular professionals going about their jobs of helping people and saving lives. Even when the general public wasn't always forthcoming in their gratitude. Most of the show's action centered around the fictional Fire Station 51 (real-life Station 127 in Carson, CA) and its 6-man A-shift crew, but also emphasized the ER staff of Squad 51's base station at Rampart General (Harbor-UCLA Medical Center). Stories of the 1000's upon 1000's of young people the show inspired into emergency careers are legendary. Seasons 1-4 have been released on DVD by Universal.moreless
8.5
out of 10
Avg Rating: Great
397 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate Now!

Episode Guide

See All
S 10 :  Ep 1 Aired 1/15/72
S 7 :  Ep 12 Aired 7/3/79
S 7 :  Ep 11 Aired 7/3/79
S 7 :  Ep 10 Aired 6/26/79
S 7 :  Ep 9 Aired 6/26/79

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Watch Emergency! Full Episodes

See All

Emergency! News

See All

Fan Reviews (28)

See All

  • Emergency! Still on the air, even if only in reruns.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By jrath02, Mar 04, 2011
    Emergency! Reruns are back on the air thanks to RTV (Retro Television Network) http://www.myretrotv.com/ This is a great thing!

    "This series features the adventures of the paramedics of Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Station 51, John Gage and Roy Desoto. Together they respond to emergencies ranging from false alarms to major disasters. As at this time, the Paramedic program, which is designed to keep emergency patients alive long enough to get to medical facilities, is still a relatively recent service, the paramedics must be guided by licensed medical personnel through radio contact on site. This is where the staff of Rampart Hospital come in with doctors Brackett and Early as well as Head Nurse McCall providing the necessary instructions for the paramedics to do their jobs. In addition to that, we see the work of the medical staff on their own as deal with the medical problems they encounter." - Kenneth Chisholmmoreless

  • Emergency did more to promote awareness of CPR, first aid, and Emergency Medical Services such as paramedics than any show on TV has ever done.

    10
    "Perfect"
    By rondasexton, Mar 04, 2011
    Emergency was a landmark show for spotlighting the work of paramedics. It helped to increase awareness of emergency care. The show centers on one of the shifts at Station 51 and staff at Rampart General Hospital where victims are taken.

    There are six men assigned to each shift: an engineer, a captain, two fire fighters, and two fire fighter paramedics. There were two Captains during the series. I prefer Captain Stanley. He came off more personal with the his men.

    Mike Stoker who played the engineer was a fire fighter/engineer in real life. They needed someone who was certified to drive the engine. Mike also happened to have a screen actors' guild card. They under used him. He hardly ever got lines.

    Marco Lopez and Chet Kelly were fire fighters. Marco was fluent in Spanish and translated on a few occasions. Chet had an alter ego he called the Phantom who loved to torment John Gage.

    John Gage and Roy DeSoto were the paramedics. They generally had several rescues during the episode. It was realistic in that they didn't save everyone.

    Dr. Brackett, Dr. Early, Dr. Morton, and nurse Dixie McCall were the regulars on the hospital staff. They made a good team. Once the patient was brought into Rampart, they swung into action. As with the paramedics, the hospital staff couldn't always save everyone, making it very realistic. In addition to the rescues, we saw the relationships the characters had with each other. They all had their ups and downs.

    Emergency was very realistic and beats the so called reality shows of today hands down.moreless

  • One of the Best tv show Classics

    10
    "Perfect"
    By Yoshi5387, Mar 04, 2011
    This show was one of the best classics on tv land. I wasnt around in the 1970s but I later started watching it on TV. Land. It was one good show. I had no Idea parimedics were out there in the 1970s until I saw this show. It was a really good show. It has allways been one of my favorites. I have the first three seasons on DVD Boxsets. The DVD's are really good. I'm still waiting for season four. If they release a season four boxset I'm going to get it. I hope it comes out soon. I really like Emergency.moreless

  • This is show is just as enjoyable to watch today as it was the first time around.

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By angelcat2865, Mar 04, 2011
    Emergency really was a breakthrough show for it's time. This show was about the L..A. County paramedic program and featured real life dramas that split the action between the paramedics in the field and the followup in the hospital.

    The mark of a great show is how well it stands the test of time. Watching the reruns for this show I still find it just as compelling as the first time I saw it. Even though the clothes, hairstyles, and slang places this show firmly in the Seventies there is nothing outdated about the story lines. The dramatic scenes are still able to hold me on the edge of my seat and the moral issues covered are still very relevant to today. Emergency has stood the test of time and will continue to do so for many years to come.moreless

  • Although, the series lasts at least 7 sesons, I can't wait till the next season. I want to see S4&5

    10
    "Perfect"
    By wayne1284, Mar 04, 2011
    The show is great althought I haven't seen in on quite sometime and Roy Desoto and John Gage characters have development over the past three season. I hope it willl continue though out the season and the seaons thereafter. I would like to see seasons four and five. Actually I would like to see all seven sasons. It would great to see them online and I don't have a way to by them on DVD, which is sad. Even Capt. Stanley and Cheko is coming around, there character I mean. The only sad thing is the show ends, but but it ends on a good note.moreless
WRITE A REVIEW
 

Emergency! Forums


Add a Topic See All
Last Activity
Replies

Photos

See All

Related Shows

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings

More Info About This Show

Categories

Drama, Suspense

Themes

fight for survival, for the nostalgic, high stake situations, hospital backdrop, not for the faint of heart

TV.com Properties | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use