Last night, Anthony Edwards became the first in what is expected to be a long line of former ER cast members who return to the mothership to pay homage during the show’s last season, courtesy of an episode that finally explained the way Angela Bassett’s Dr. Cate Banfield became the ice-cold, short-haired control freak she is today: Her son died at County General while under the treatment of Edwards’ Dr. Greene, and as she struggled to save a girl in the present day, she flashed back to that horrible event and the doctor who couldn’t save her boy.
Well, we knew the dead guy was only reappearing in flashback. And courtesy of NBC’s kind publicity department, we’ve known for a while now those flashes would happen to Banfield. But did it all have to be so hackneyed? The too-obvious references to Mark’s brain tumor (all that sweating! all that grimacing!), the cliche indicators of Banfield’s frigid transformation (she used to wear cute cardigans!), and the closing moments that were supposed to be moving but just made me cringe all fell significantly below the bar this show has set for itself over the years. And while it was great to see Edwards—plus bonus cameos from Laura Innes, Paul McCrane, Haleh’s old hair, and that cute EMT girl—I wish they’d found a way to work Dr. Greene into the story via a character I care more about. It’s not just that Bassett hasn’t been around enough for me to grow emotionally attached; the battleaxe acting choices she’s made so far aren’t helping. Though with Maura Tierney gone, it’s hard to say who might have been a better choice– how about giving Yvette Freeman her own hour? The woman has more than earned it.
But just because I’ve never missed an episode of this show in 14 years doesn’t mean I’ve gotta be right. What did you think, PopWatchers? Any of you loyalists like last night’s hour better than me? Did any old fans come back just to see Edwards? And will you tune in for Clooney et al, if they appear?
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I stopped watching five years ago, but I tuned in hoping for a mention of Carter. I was disappointed. Oh, well, I’m used to it with this show.
“how about giving Yvette Freeman her own hour”
Amen! She completely deserves it. I was happy to see my beloved Jerry, even if only for a second!
As one of the last known watchers of ER whose lasted since season 1, I’ve been frustrated with this last season because no one that I’ve cared about is sticking around for the final hurrah. I thought that maybe with Dr. Green’s return I’d get the warm-fuzzys that I’ve been wanting from the final season but all it did was remind me of the tragedy that was Dr. Green’s cancer. Thanks a lot.
P.s. I did like Eriq LaSalle’s shout out to Michael Crichton. A touching bonus for the night
I loved Jerry. It was fantastic to see him again! And maybe it’s just me, but Paul McCrane will always be the kid with the red-headed afro from Fame…I still have a hard time seeing him as Dr. Romano.
Were we watching the same show? I was in tears for the last 15 minutes. I think Angela Bassett is doing a great job.
I thought it wasn’t bad. I stopped watching years ago but having Greene and the others (don’t forget Jerry!) back was really cool in an emotional episode. I don’t fault them for the tumor references because they needed to show you where in the old timeline this story fell
I liked it. Dr. Greene was ER. It was bittersweet, because we all know how his story ended, but it was good to see him back on tv. Everyone I was watching it with was pleased with the outcome. I do think that NBC shouldn’t give so much away in their previews.
Maybe cliched, maybe contrived – but I cried like a baby. Damn you, ER!
thank you, rita! i thought it was great. and getting surprise after surprise when past cast members walked in and out. great ep.
I used to be the biggest ER fan, but after Green left, I left. It was nice seeing kind , sensitive Dr. Green back in his element. I actually enjoyed the episode.
I too wish the flashbacks had been given to someone with more of a connection to Dr. Greene. I also hated that I had to wait a half hour to see him.
I came back to see Dr. Greene. I haven’t watched ER regularly since Carter left. I, too, wish they’d had his flashback involve someone we cared about more. But then again how many people are still around from that time? I appreciated seeing Jerry, Romano and Carrie again! *sniff* I miss Dr. Greene!
It was like having a nice visit from some old friends. I look forward to the rest of the season.
I thought it was good. The reason they refered to Mark’s brain cancer because the flashback was in the time Mark had the cancer and it was good to see him,Weaver,Romano,and Jerry we couldn’t have asked more of them to bring Dr.Greene back for just one episode. Carter will be back we’ve seen that he is coming back its just a matter of time now. Anyways Anthony Edwards short return to ER last was by far the best episode in this final season. I hope that George Cloony takes a page out of Edwards’ book and return for at least 1 episode not for a flashback neither i mean write it in the story for him to return to the ER for something or whatever they can think of to write him in for an episode. So Caroline don’t worry Carter is coming back and i hope he comes and stays for the rest of the shows final season. So as i said Anthony Edwards short return was a success in my mind it does suck that none of the first castmembers are in the cast anymore but this is it for this show so enjoy it.
Without Kovak or Abby, I just don’t care anymore. Now that one of televisions greatest couples are not on ER anymore, I don’t care to watch.
I haven’t watched ER in a couple of years because I don’t like where it’s gone, but I thought this episode was classic ER. I loved seeing Dr. Greene, I thought it was a great story line.
I haven’t watched ER in a while but I watched Abby’s last show, and I watched last night. My eyes teared up as I saw Dr. Greene, just remembering when he died and how I cried my eyes out!
I stopped watching “ER” after Greene died (I thought his end was a fitting place for me to end my attachment to it), but I made a point to “come back” for this episode. I thought it was very well done. Yes, they did overplay his brain tumor (hey writers, have some faith in us: we know where the flashbacks fit in the timeline), but to see Greene in the greens again was great. I thought it was a strong episode, and although it may not be a classic, it certainly did a very good job of honoring the past and the present of this high quality series.
Whoa, what a snarky take on an episode that reminded me of vintage ER. The operating sequence where they jumped from past to present was very clever, and I even found Morris interesting for once. It’s easy to be cynical, much more difficult to create a touching episode like the one that aired last night.
I thought the episode was okay, but I was disappointed that we had to wait a half and hour for Anthony Edwards to appear. It was hilarious that Romano acted like Romano. The storyline was heart wrenching. No one likes to see a child die. Dr. Greene’s death on ER was the only time in my life (and I’m in my 40’s) that when a TV character died I felt like I had lost a close friend. The minute the ambulance door opened last night, tears came to my eyes. It was still worth watching though.
This show was a reminder of why I was glad to see Dr. Romano get squashed by a helicopter.
I haven’t watched ER in years, since Noah Wylie left. To me they had lost to many cast members, and didn’t really like the new one they brought in. This year I plan to tune in as they bring back old cast members. Last night it was like watching the early episodes. Just wish they had shown more of Dr. Greene. When he died I cried like a baby, it was good to see him in her “memories” last night. As this is to be the final season, have it go out like like it came in.
It was a good episode, although I wanted more of the returning cast members…if they could have made the entire episode one long flashback, I would have been happy. My one fear if they do get George Clooney to come by is that they’ll advertise the heck out of it and all we’ll get out of it is a four word return like they did when he came back when Juliana Margolies left. It ticked me off so much at the time that I still remember the four words. It was nice that they had Eric LaSalle do the brief tribute to Michael Creighton last night.
It was an excellent episode, starting with the somber nod to Michael Crichton’s passing. Kudos to Angela Bassett, she’s been a great addition this season. NBC should consider a spin-off with her character. Since I wasn’t watching back when Dr. Greene was around I just found the flashback to be an interesting but vital component to why she is the stoic, all business doctor she plays.
I loved this episode. It was emotional and, like others have said, remainds me of vintage ER. I loved all the cameos, including Eriq LaSalle in the opening dedication. And Jerry!
I think the brain tumor thing was to show us when in the history of ER this incident was taking place.
I stopped watching ER regularly after Anthony Edwards left, so it was great to see him. I do wish Alex Kingston had been there though.
Oh, Jerry! That’s what happens when I stay up writing too late: I forget Jerry! My bad… and my apologies to the great Abe Benrubi. Thanks for jogging my memory, PopWatchers!
To all the people saying they’ve stopped watching ER you should start up again. Its gotten good again.
I haven’t watched in years (despite my love for Maura Tierney and Linda Cardellini) but I watched last night. This episode gripped me and seeing Anthony Edwards again was like seeing an old friend. But maybe being a new mom, I have a tough time “enjoying” anything where children are at risk. I thought the part where Bassett’s character waited to take her child to the hospital was wrenching, yet not quite believable.
WHO WAS LAID OFF?? ANY POPWATCH BLOGGERS
…..SO SAD!!
I thought it was a great episode. It was nice to see the other cameos and I thought the episode almost humanized Romano. After he yelled at Dr Greene he turned around and gave him a look that said he cared about him. With HD though you could see he had a terrible skullcap on.
It was a suprise to see Jerry and the EMT at least (since we had heard about the others) and although he has aged it was great to see Peter Benton! Everyone talks about George Clooney but there are a lot of others who could come back too, including Peter.