24 Hours

Season 1, Episode 1, Aired
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Episode Summary

Pilot: A typical day filled with traumas packs the ER. Under pressure from his wife, Chief Resident Dr. Mark Greene considers leaving County to join a private practice that would give him a much higher salary. When a building collapses, multiple casualties are brought in. New medical students start their ER rotation, among them John Carter, an inexperienced third-year student. As the day continues, Dr. Peter Benton operates on a patient with an aortic aneurysm, a procedure normally performed by senior staff; and charge nurse Carol Hathaway is brought into the ER after a suicide attempt.moreless
8.8
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EPISODE RATING: Great
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Cast & Crew

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Fan Episode Reviews (17)

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  • Welcome to the ER

    9.9
    "Superb"
    By SleepTight, Dec 10, 2011 Report Abuse
    A brilliantly well done pilot episode for one of the most popular, and never ending shows on tv.

    I, like many fans. Think the show was better in the early years, the characters were perfect for example. They all 'fit', and so did their relationships with one another. We learn plenty of how it is to be a doctor, no sleep or off-time that's for sure (My dad is a doctor and mom a nurse)

    Mark Green; Mark is just a wonderful character, rich of emotions and extremely likeable. I loved his scene with John Carter and pretty much everything his character does. Doug Ross; Although his character doesn't flesh-out in the series premiere, he still comes off as the talented, intelligent and very likeable character. You can obviously see how much he cares for Carol.

    Susan Lewis; She's just great, funny and adorable. One of the best scenes of the episode is when she tells a patient he has got about Six months left, and he breaks down and hugs her. Peter Benton; Admittedly, I think he has a lot of ups and downs. I think he's very demanding, and sometimes irritating. But then again, he's a very necessary character and far from uninteresting. His choice of operating and saving a man's job made me win him over.

    Carol Hathaway; She was originally meant to die in the pilot. I really like her character, as does everyone else. Her suicide attempt was striking, but interesting. I'm just glad they didn't let her die.

    John Carter; The New Guy. I gotta say, he made me crack-up many times. I love this guy, I find myself relating a lot to his character, even when he was a dork. All around, a touching piece of television. And a freekin' great pilot.moreless

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    4 0

  • Great Start to an amazing show

    10
    "Perfect"
    By aartifarty, May 13, 2010 Report Abuse
    i think this is the best show ever... i hope it gets a season 15 because the show is still going strong and this pilot episode was fantastic... i mean the drama and the comedy also Dr john carters first day ... he looks like a baby i mean in season 12 i think when he does that special episode, he looks really fit in that. i think this show is quite funny even though its supposed to be a drams but Dr Benton is funny too especially when he was finding out about a patient from carter and then asked whats the mothers name was hat was funny and Carter was so cute looking through his notes trying to find it and Haleh... she has lost so much weight since season 1 she looks better in the later seasons but she still is funny.moreless

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    3 0

  • It hard to say how to summarize the whole event since it would be best to see it personally to keep your mind wonder.

    7.1
    "Good"
    By reynayncierto, Jul 31, 2008 Report Abuse
    its very interesting and mind boggling with alot of high points and stimulating scenes. Nice plotting and very realistic approach. It is like being in the real Emergency Room in any given hospital. Nice portrayal of characters and interesting personalities. Good too see next time. Positively realistic and convincing episode. I cannot wait till next episode and what other obstacles that they might encounter and what other things they might need to solve in the nick of time. It would much be better if there would be alot of more new cases and interesting, unique cases next time. Anyways kudos! to the first episode.moreless

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  • it's very great !

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By maryorie, Apr 14, 2008 Report Abuse
    I like this serie! is very good !
    I love the doctor John Carter and the doctor Luka Covac.
    And the nurse Abby Lockar.. es great!
    doctor weever.. him have very good..

    the emotion of this serie is very impactant.. ever happend something that we have the bord to the crazy jajaja
    I don't know .. this serie captive..

    honestly we will have a movie of this because i believe that have much audience...
    and now have much people around the world.. is very famouse because captive to much people...

    I feel very good look this serie, because intrigue myself.. I wanna be a doctor in me future ! because ever and ever I like feel that I salf to the people.moreless

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    2 0

  • A great beginning for something that lasts...

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By Parricida, Nov 30, 2007 Report Abuse
    I had already made it to season five second half when I had change to see the first season including this episode and after seeing quite many episodes and now see the beginning - it has even more special meaning. The way the introduce all the characters and try to make their story going - showing us how wonderful and interesting people they are - it was done wonderfully.

    All the familiar things, with some things that later were not there - all the atmosphere. I adored the idea on showing 24 hours - all what happened. Benton doing what he thinks was the best. Greene struggling with everything. Carol committing suicide - I was so glad they kept her in the show as she defenetly become one of the most interesting char for seasons. And Carter - the same Carter we will see later and who treats his student like.. and now.. being the same - not knowing much.. but he coped quite well

    Stunning episode, very special and beautiful irony after seeing more episodes as a look back where it all begin.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Goof: Mark Greene's wife is studying for a bar exam at the end of the month (March), but the Illinois bar exam is only offered in February and July. Edit
    • When Carol is brought in to the ER after her overdose, she is treated aggressively but does not respond well, remaining in critical condition. Dr. Morgenstern and Dr. Greene discuss whether or not to continue treating her, and how the situation is affecting the staff. Greene wants to continue treatment, and Morgenstern responds with "you set the tone," meaning that no matter what Greene decides, he should proceed with confidence, and that his leadership will get the staff through this ordeal. This phrase would later be said by Greene to Carter in the Season 8 episode "Orion in the Sky," when Greene leaves the ER for the final time. It is then said by Carter to Morris in the Season 11 episode "The Show Must Go On," when Carter leaves the ER to be with Kem in Africa. Carter also says it to Morris when Carter returns to the ER in the Season 15 episode "The Beginning of the End." Edit
    • Upon exiting the OR after initiating an unsupervised surgery but being complimented by Morgenstern, Benton gives the memorable fist thrust that was repeated in the opening credits for many years. That gesture was not in the original script; it was improvised by Eriq La Salle. Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • Shiri Appleby, who plays 13-year-old Ms. Murphy, would return to ER in Season 15 as intern Dr. Daria Wade. Edit
    • ER was originally conceived of as a movie, to be directed by Steven Spielberg. During an early meeting between Spielberg and Michael Crichton, Spielberg casually asked Crichton what else he was working on. Crichton responded that he was writing a book about using DNA to bring dinosaurs back to life. Spielberg was fascinated and immediately made plans to adopt the dinosaur project, which became the 1993 blockbuster hit Jurassic Park. Later on they resurrected the plans for ER the movie, but turned it into a TV series instead, with Spielberg serving as an uncredited executive producer on the pilot episode. Edit
    • Troy Evans, who appears in this episode as Officer Martin (first name Jonathan, as per the manila sleeve that held his x-ray), would return to ER late in Season 6 as desk clerk Frank Martin. He would remain an integral part of the supporting cast until the end of the series in 2009. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • (while treating an extremely flirtatious patient for first-degree burns on her inner thighs) Liz: Your touch is nice. Mark: This medication will make you feel a lot better. Liz: Your fingers are very long. Long and strong. I wanted to change first and put on some underpants. I knew you'd be seeing my underpants. And touching them. Edit
    • (while treating Carol) Lydia: (to Carol's roommate, who had called 911 and came with Carol to the ER) Why'd she do it? Mark: It doesn't matter why she did it. We don't ask that about any other OD that comes though these doors, and we don't ask it about this one. Edit
    • Morgenstern: The unit's looking to you, Mark. You set the tone. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • The name "John Carter" comes from the 1964 science fiction novel John Carter: Man From Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Edit

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