question of the day: Is the end of ‘ER’ the end of an era?

ER was appointment viewing for me for about the first 3 or 4 seasons (Dr. Greene/ Dr. Lewis was my ship before the term was invented!). However, as more of the original cast departed and I started spending more of my free time online, I lost interest and it gradually faded out of my life. I don't think it was a harbinger of the "Death of Dramatic TV" so much as the simple fact that after about season 5, it wasn't nearly as good or interesting.

Yes, I'd tune in once every season or so, but I hardly ever saw the same actors twice, the plots were too convoluted for the casual viewer, and they were still getting by on the 'revolutionary' schtick from the first couple of seasons that was getting more and more dated as time rolled on. I honestly think the show lasted a good 5 years longer than it should have, but was helped by the lack of competition on the networks and the simple fact it was an "Institution" (the same thing could probably be said of the last 2 seasons of M*A*S*H, with the exception of the finale).

I watched the show for the first few seasons. I loved it. Then I just stopped. I'm not sure why, really, but that was that.
I don't buy this "end of an era" business. Sounds kind of arrogant to me. There are plenty of good shows remaining that bring together an audience. At least I'm guessing there are, as I tend to avoid network television. The point is that one show ending really isn't that big a deal, despite what "they" say.

About the time Corday took up with first Benton (which was believeable) and then Greene which was not why is it the females on the show have to be sluts?-and witnessed one too many violent events right before bed, I stopped watching for the most part.

I remember the days of must see tv, and they are gone forever.

I spend most evenings online and the only shows that I know are appt viewing for friends and family are reality shows like AI or The Greatest Race.

Now the only network shows I watch are: Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, and Rules of Engagement (would prefer Old Adventures of New Christine back on Monday-with Patrick Warburton as guest, cause I love him.)

I watch NCIS (old Mark Harmon love, St Elsewhere) and the Mentalist (long time Simon Baker fan) and then Office/Thirty Rock. But if I miss any of these shows I can watch on Demand, or online. And if I want to I can watch DVDs or stream old episodes from Netflix et al. Life isn't over if I am not at home-thats the difference these days, along with more media.

I love BBC America Shows, Torchwood, and Dr Who but wish they would use a bit less reality also.

I watched E.R. for about the first four seasons and then got tired of it running through the various permutations on the same 10 plots.

It was often more exciting to watch than most action shows becasue the characters felt very real and well-developed, but I think that shows like it will come around again and again. Think back to Hill Street Blues, St. Elsewhere, and E.R. and realize that another show which will dodge the cliches long enough to get popular and then innovate its way to the top again.

Fifteen seasons is an amazing run, and my hats off to the producers, writers and actors who kept it fresh through all those years.

I was a big fan of the show (came late to the party, but caught up with TNT's reruns), but progressively tuned out. The last straw for my real enjoyment of the show was the character assassination (both figurative and literal) of Dr. Romano, one of my favorite characters. I hung on for a while, until Carter's departure or thereabouts, when I decided "Looks like a good time for me to go, too."

I did a mental tally, and figured out that I hated all the newish characters except for the Indian doctor, and all the old characters had *turned into* characters I also now hated. Hence, while I would've tuned into "Parminder Nagra, M.D.," ER was dead to me.

I didn't tune in last night - despite various character returns, I just don't care anymore.