ER season 1

ER
Season 1
DVD cover
Starring	Anthony Edwards George Clooney Sherry Stringfield Noah Wyle Julianna Margulies Eriq La Salle
No. of episodes	25
Release
Original network	NBC
Original release	September 19, 1994 (1994-09-19) – May 18, 1995 (1995-05-18)
Season chronology
Next → Season 2
List of episodes

The first season of the American fictional drama television series ER aired from September 19, 1994 to May 18, 1995. This season, containing 25 episodes, is the longest running of the series.

The two-hour pilot episode aired on September 19, 1994, and was followed by 24 other episodes, including the season finale that aired on May 18, 1995.

Plot

In ER's first season, the core cast consisted of Chief Resident Dr. Mark Greene, pediatric resident Dr. Doug Ross, second-year resident Dr. Susan Lewis, medical student John Carter, head nurse Carol Hathaway, and second-year surgical resident Dr. Peter Benton.

The series premiere "24 Hours" sees Dr. Greene considering a move into private practice at the request of his wife, Jen. The episode also sees an attempted suicide from staff nurse Carol Hathaway, who had previously been in a long-term relationship with Doug Ross, as well as the first day for medical student John Carter.

Originally, Carol Hathaway died by suicide, but her death in the pilot was never shown or referred to by other characters, leaving her open for a return. Audiences responded so well to her character that producers decided to offer Julianna Margulies a permanent spot in the cast. Her love interest in the first season is John "Tag" Taglieri.

One of the major events this season is a blizzard that sends multiple patients to County General.

Also over the course of the season, Dr. Greene's marriage begins to disintegrate. At work, he experiences problems, after making a fatal error in the treatment of a pregnant woman in the Emmy-winning episode "Love's Labor Lost." He falls into a depression.

Meanwhile, a lovelorn Ross struggles to come to terms with the fact that a recovered Hathaway is moving on with her life while Dr. Lewis tries to cope with her rebellious sister, Chloe, who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a daughter at the end of the season. Lewis also struggles professionally with cardiologist Dr. Kayson and romantically with mentally unstable psychiatrist Dr. Div Cvetic.

Carter comes to grips with the fast-paced life of an ER doctor, while trying to win the approval of his demanding supervising resident, Dr. Peter Benton. Hathaway gets back on her feet in the aftermath of her suicide attempt; she gets engaged and tries to adopt an HIV-positive Russian orphan, but is denied due to her suicide attempt. On her wedding day, her fiancé, Dr. John Taglieri, questions the strength of her love for him. She admits she does not love him as much as he loves her, and he leaves her shortly before the ceremony.

Dr. Benton is forced to cope with his busy surgical schedule, while caring for his ailing mother. After her death, he becomes romantically involved with her physical therapist Jeanie Boulet.

Production

The series pilot was executive produced by Michael Crichton and John Wells, Dennis Murphy produced the pilot episode and Wendy Spence Rosato served as associate producer. Crichton, Wells, and Spence-Rosato continued these roles for the series proper while Murphy was replaced as producer by Christopher Chulack. Also joining the production team were Mimi Leder, Robert Nathan, and Lydia Woodward as supervising producers and Paul Manning as Co-producer.

Crichton wrote the series pilot and is credited as the creator of the series for the rest of the season. Producers Wells, Nathan, Woodward, and Manning were regular writers for the first season. Medical specialist and technical advisor Lance Gentile made his television writing debut in the first season. His first teleplay "Love's Labor Lost" won multiple Emmy Awards. Medical student Neal Baer was the season's other regular writer. Tracey Stern contributed the script for a single episode.

Producers Leder and Chulack were regular directors on the first season. Rod Holcomb directed the pilot episode and returned for a regular season episode. Charles Haid, Elodie Keene, and Fred Gerber also helmed multiple episodes. Film director Quentin Tarantino contributed a single episode. Other single episode directors include Mark Tinker, Vern Gillum, James Hayman, Daniel Sackheim, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Anita Addison, James Hayman, and Donna Deitch.

Cast

Main cast

• Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene – Chief Resident
• George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross – Pediatric Resident PGY-4
• Sherry Stringfield as Dr. Susan Lewis – Resident PGY-2
• Noah Wyle as John Carter – Third-year Medical Student
• Julianna Margulies as Nurse Carol Hathaway – Nurse Manager
• Eriq La Salle as Dr. Peter Benton – Surgical Resident PGY-2

Supporting cast

Doctors and Medical students

• William H. Macy as Dr. David Morgenstern – Chief of Surgery and Emergency Medicine ^[1]
• Sam Anderson as Dr. Jack Kayson – Chief of Cardiology
• Amy Aquino as Dr. Janet Coburn – Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• CCH Pounder as Dr. Angela Hicks – Surgical/Emergency Medical Attending Physician ^[2]
• Ming-Na Wen as Deb Chen – Third-year Medical Student
• Michael Ironside as Dr. William "Wild Willy" Swift – Chief of Emergency Medicine ^[3]
• Scott Jaeck as Dr. Steven Flint – Chief of Radiology
• Rick Rossovich as Dr. John "Tag" Taglieri – Orthopedist
• John Terry as Dr. David "Div" Cvetic – Psychiatrist ^[4]
• Tyra Ferrell as Dr. Sarah Langworthy – Third Year Surgical Resident ^[5]
• Perry Anzilotti as Dr. Ed – Anesthesiologist
• Tobin Bell as Dr. Wertz – Hospital Administrator ^[6]
• Patrick Collins as Dr. Netzley ^[7]
• Marion Yue as Dr. Sandra Li ^[7]
• Matt Gottlieb as Dr. Ashley
• Pierre Epstein as Dr. Alex Bradley - Chief of Staff

Nurses

• Ellen Crawford as Nurse Lydia Wright
• Conni Marie Brazelton as Nurse Conni Oligario
• Deezer D as Nurse Malik McGrath
• Laura Ceron as Nurse Chuny Marquez
• Yvette Freeman as Nurse Haleh Adams
• Lily Mariye as Nurse Lily Jarvik
• Vanessa Marquez as Nurse Wendy Goldman
• Dinah Lenney as Nurse Shirley
• Suzanne Carney as OR Nurse Janet

Staff, Paramedics and Officers

• Gloria Reuben as Physical Therapist Jeanie Boulet
• Abraham Benrubi as Desk Clerk Jerry Markovic ^[8]
• Glenn Plummer as Desk Clerk Timmy Rawlins ^[9]
• Rolando Molina as Desk Clerk Rolando
• Małgorzata Gebel as ER aide (Dr.) Bogdanilivestsky "Bob" Romansky
• Lisa Zane as Risk Management Diane Leeds ^[10]
• Christine Healy as Hospital Administrator Harriet Spooner
• Emily Wagner as Paramedic Doris Pickman
• Montae Russell as Paramedic Dwight Zadro
• Lee R. Sellers as Chopper EMT
• Mike Genovese as Officer Al Grabarsky
• Rick Marzan as Camacho ^[11]

Family

• Christine Harnos as Jennifer "Jenn" Greene ^[12]
• Yvonne Zima as Rachel Greene ^[13]
• Georgiana Tarjan as Helen Hathaway ^[14]
• Khandi Alexander as Jackie Robbins
• Ving Rhames as Walter Robbins ^[15]
• Beah Richards as Mae Benton ^[16]
• Tamala Jones as Joanie Robbins
• Mark Dakota Robinson as Steven Robbins
• Kathleen Wilhoite as Chloe Lewis ^[17]
• Valerie Perrine as Cookie Lewis ^[7]
• Zachary Browne as Jake Leeds ^[18]
• Michael Beach as Al Boulet ^[19]

Notable guest stars

• Andrea Parker as Linda Ferrell ^[20]
• Miguel Ferrer as Mr. Parker ^[21]
• Troy Evans as Officer Frank Martin
• Liz Vassey as Liz ^[22]
• John Randolph as Mr. Franks ^[6]
• John La Motta as Ivan Gregor ^[23]
• Rosemary Clooney as Madam X/Mary Cavanaugh ^[24]
• Alan Rosenberg as Samuel Gasner ^[25]
• Vondie Curtis-Hall as Henry Colton/Rena ^[26]
• Anne Haney as Mrs. Plecker ^[27]
• Bobcat Goldthwait as Mr. Conally (voice only) ^[28]
• Robert Carradine as John Koch ^[29]
• Bradley Whitford as Sean O'Brien ^[30]
• Colleen Flynn as Jodi O'Brien ^[30]
• Kristin Davis as Leslie
• Garrett Morris as Edgar Luck
• Debra Jo Rupp as Mrs. Dibble
• Amy Ryan as Sister Elizabeth
• Kevin Michael Richardson as Patrick ^[31]

Episodes

See also: List of ER episodes

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . September 28, 1994. p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . October 5, 1994. p. 3D.

Graham, Jefferson (October 12, 1994). "CBS edges into No. 1 spot, but can it stay?". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

DeRosa, Robin (October 19, 1994). "Regular series put ABC back on top". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

DeRosa, Robin (October 26, 1994). "'Grace' leads ABC to tie with CBS". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

DeRosa, Robin (November 9, 1994). "'Cagney & Lacey' makes winning return". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

DeRosa, Robin (November 16, 1994). "CBS' 'Scarlett' sweeps to No. 1". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

DeRosa, Robin (November 23, 1994). "'Scarlett,' CBS' sweeping epic". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . December 14, 1994. p. 3D.

DeRosa, Robin (December 21, 1994). "ABC's winning way with comedy". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . January 11, 1995. p. 3D.

DeRosa, Robin (January 18, 1995). "'ER' rolls into the No. 1 spot". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

DeRosa, Robin (January 25, 1995). "'ER' helps NBC to No. 1". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . February 8, 1995. p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . February 15, 1995. p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . February 22, 1995. p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . March 1, 1995. p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . March 15, 1995. p. 3D.

"Special Collector's Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time". TV Guide (June 28-July 4). 1997.

"TV Guide's Top 100 Episodes". Rev/Views. Retrieved July 4, 2016.

DeRosa, Robin (April 5, 1995). "Oscar show, celeb chats keep ABC on top". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . April 12, 1995. p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . May 3, 1995. p. 3D.

DeRosa, Robin (May 10, 1995). "Ratings go to the movies". Life. USA Today . p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . May 17, 1995. p. 3D.

"Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today . May 24, 1995. p. 3D.

ER Review (Variety Magazine) – Rich, Alan: ER - Pilot Review (from 19 September 1994), accessed on December 31, 2008

Deja Vu: 'ER' (New York Daily News) – Minke, Eric: Chicago Hope looks healthier than 'E.R (from 22 September 2008), accessed on December 31, 2008

External links

• Event data as RDF ^{[ dead link ]}

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Prod. code	US viewers (millions)
1	1	"24 Hours"	Rod Holcomb	Michael Crichton	September 19, 1994 (1994-09-19)	475079	23.8 [32]
Pilot. John Carter, a third-year medical student, begins the first day of his rotation in the ER at County General Hospital. Dr. Mark Greene, an ER resident physician, is mulling an offer to go into private practice, while juggling his responsibilities with his position in the ER and his strained marriage. Dr. Susan Lewis, another ER resident, deals with a myriad of patients, including a patient with advanced cancer. Dr. Peter Benton diagnoses a patient with a triple A and risks his career in order to treat him. Dr. Doug Ross, the ER pediatrician, confronts a woman over potential abuse of her son. The head nurse, Carol Hathaway, returns several hours after her shift as a patient, overdosing in an apparent suicide attempt. NOTE: First appearance of future desk clerk Frank Martin, as a patient with anger issues.
2	2	"Day One"	Mimi Leder	John Wells	September 22, 1994 (1994-09-22)	456601	23.0 [32]
Lewis butts heads with the resident psychiatrist, Dr. Div Cvetic, over care for a senile patient. Greene tries to deal with an elderly man who insists on keeping his wife on life support even though she is DNR. Benton corrects a diagnosis made on a patient by their own physician. Carter is seduced by a sexy patient. A family comes in after an alcohol-related car accident. Greene's wife has passed the bar exam and they have sex in the hospital's bathroom. Ross visits Hathaway, who is recovering from her suicide attempt. Carter saves a patient for the first time on his own after the patient goes unconscious from arrhythmia. Greene tells his wife he doesn't know if he will leave the hospital.

v t e ER
Characters	John Carter Kerry Weaver Abby Lockhart Luka Kovač Mark Greene Peter Benton Robert Romano Elizabeth Corday Susan Lewis Greg Pratt Carol Hathaway Neela Rasgotra Samantha Taggart Jing-Mei Chen Doug Ross Jeanie Boulet Tony Gates Cleo Finch Dave Malucci Lucy Knight Anna Del Amico Catherine Banfield
Seasons	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Episodes	"24 Hours" "Love's Labor Lost" "Motherhood" "Hell and High Water" "Ambush" "The Show Must Go On" "Strange Bedfellows" "No Place to Hide" "There Are No Angels Here" "Twenty-One Guns" "And in the End..."
Related	Cast Awards and nominations