Rewatching ER as an adult
So I’m from the UK and ER used to be on Channel 4 (new episodes in the evenings, then re-runs during the day). So when I was revising for both GCSEs and A Levels ER was in the background.
As a teenager I loved Mark, Elizabeth and Luka and hated Kerry and Malucci. Was meh about Jeannie. Thought Doug was hard done by.
I learned about systemic racism, microaggressions and tokenism from Benton. The moment when the older Black woman said she wanted a white doctor stayed with me for years.
Now as an adult, Mark is insufferable, both before and after PTSD and the tumour. What happened to Elizabeth being fun and getting Peter to come out of his shell and standing up to Romano? She turned so ineffective and naggy. I’m on season 7 and Luka is so condescending and judgmental. Doug needed to respect the boundaries of the job.
Kerry is someone who genuinely believes following the rules is an act of care for her staff and patients. The way she is firm with Carter with his substance use, how she works with Jeannie to keep her in work, and how she calls for competency testing on Mark after his surgery. Yes she’s ambitious and political but it doesn’t make her a bad person and she shows how hard it is to manage a department.
Malucci’s grown on me. There’s a classism at play for doctors from working class backgrounds and he showed sensitivity when he needed and realised he fucked up with the comments he made about Jesse in front of Benton and named it.
Oh but Jeannie. She was the soul of the ER department. Kept her dignity and her vulnerability and was so strong and found her happiness.
I still sobbed when Lucy died and when Chen gave up her baby for adoption. I loved how complex stories unfolded.
Haleh is still the GOAT. Anspaugh is also a much needed antidote to the ridiculousness.