ER Ripping off 24?

[Vanhalen]

The new season of ER will include a 24-style real-time episode.

 

Identity star Ray Liotta will guest star in the episode, which will follow every moment of his character's hospital visit.

 

Liotta plays an alcoholic ex-convict, who suffers from cirrhosis of the liver.

 

This is not the first time that producers of the show have experimented with the format. An episode in the ninth season played one day's events in reverse, and a live episode aired in 1997.

 

Producer David Zable told the Associated Press that the real-time episode is the "inverse" of the live episode. He added, "We also have never tracked one patient the whole time through the show.

 

"We really had to mine each moment for drama."

[BlackFlagg]

was only a matter of time before someone did it...never got into ER but with Liotta as the main focus of this episode I may have to tune in

[Ravenbomb]

"We also have never tracked one patient the whole time through the show.

And they've been on the air for how long? Over nine seasons, you'd think they'd have thought of doing that by now

[The Mandarin]

I never watch ER but I'm tuning in for Liotta.

[MarvinisaLunatic]

At first I thought this guys hospital visit was the focus of the entire season (from the tag line of the thread) but since its only one real time episode, its hardly ripping off 24.

[slimm44]

At first I thought this guys hospital visit was the focus of the entire season (from the tag line of the thread) but since its only one real time episode, its hardly ripping off 24.

I was thinking the same thing and was already thinking this season was gonna suck

[Placebo Effect]

I didn't know people still watched ER.

 

Not saying it's a bad show, but I've seriously heard absolutely no hype regarding it since the episode where the gunman wounded a couple characters.

[Vyce]

The show's nothing compared to what it was. Outside of Wylie, I don't think there are ANY original characters left (unless you count Sherry Stringfield, but she left and then came back).....I watch the show on and off, but I can't even keep track of the new faces and find myself struggling to get interested in them at all.

 

At least they had Thandie Newton guest star a lot last season. Mmmm......Thandie Newton.

[Mole]

Hmm, this is something that ER needs.

 

They need a boost because the show isn't doing as well in ratings and in quality.

 

I never really watched ER before. But after watching Freaks and Geeks with Linda Cardellini, I'm going to check ER out because she is on it.

[Anya]

Is the fat guy receptionist still on the show? I just realized he's OLAF and that makes me want to watch.

[Mole]

You just realized that?

 

Some fan you are...

[Anya]

I don't watch ER!

[starvenger]

"We also have never tracked one patient the whole time through the show.

And they've been on the air for how long? Over nine seasons, you'd think they'd have thought of doing that by now

I thought that the live episodes they did in previous years were real time?

[dubq]

I'll watch anything that has Thandie Newton in it...

[Guest Retro Rob]

They need a boost because the show isn't doing as well in ratings and in quality.

It was the second highest rated show on NBC, and now with Friends gone, it has a shot at #1. As for quality, I think Seasons 9 and 10 are beginning to show a bit of a renaissaince.