I just finished season 1 and this show really is excellent.
The way they weave in compelling medical drama along with the doctors’ lives is a lot harder than it seems: compare Benson’s obnoxious kid on SVU or Stabler’s slightly less obnoxious trainwreck kids before that. The doctor’s lives outside are just enough that it doesn’t detract from the medical drama.
There are all sorts of excellent standalone episodes and great guest stars. And the supporting cast of administrators and nurses that stayed the same for the entire run ground the show and make it feel homey.
It’s weird that Sherry Stringfield exited GL only two years before this premiered. I watched her run on GL and thought she was excellent on that, and her character Susan is so much different from Blake on GL that I have to give her kudos. She grew a lot as an actress in only two years.
Eriq La Salle is a delightful curmudgeon as Dr. Peter Benton. I love guys who are constantly annoyed and gruff. The ruder they are, the more you come back for.
Young Noah Wyle’s babyface is so just so sweet. I could stare into his eyes for hours.
Margulies was gorgeous. As Nurse Hathaway she is the glue that holds the show together.
Anthony Edwards as Dr. Green is so likable and I can’t wait for him to be rid of that pill of a wife he has. And he’s not hot, nowadays he would have to be hot, but it makes him so much more relatable that he’s just average looking. The episode where his patient had to have an emergency c-section and then died absolutely crushed me.
Ming-Na Wen’s season 1 arc as Deb Chen was terrific. At first she intimidated Carter because she had so much knowledge, but she overcommitted and her heart wasn’t in it. And this show’s pacing is so perfect. We didn’t linger too much on Deb’s emotions of dropping out or the effects with her family: they played the important beats of the storyline, she was memorable, and then she was gone (though I know she’ll be back later.)
I’m not sure why Clooney is the one who made it big because, to me, he is the weakest link of the OG cast. He always has this smirk on his face and I just want to smack him.
I can see why this show was immediately a huge hit. You feel smart watching it but there’s just enough smut that you don’t feel guilty about it.
It’s on Hulu. Worth a rewatch, DL.