The TV series ER, ran for 15 years, and helped launch the careers of many actors. The show was originally planned as a feature length film, but writer Michael Crichton and director Steven Spielberg opted for a TV drama. The series was set in a fictional Chicago, Illinois hospital. During the shows run it earned 22 Emmy awards and received 123 Emmy nominations. That is the record number of nominations for any TV show in history.

ER dealt with a number of sensitive subjects including a medical worker having HIV. Another main character admitted to being gay and faced discrimination from her peers and superiors. ER helped open the eyes of America to the discrimination of the Mentally Ill. The characters went through a variety of different life experiences, including, marriage, divorce, death of a family member, and childbirth.

ER helped George Clooney become one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood. He left the series in the 5th season, which started a mass exodus of the original characters. Most of the characters made an appearance in the final episode. During its run the show featured a number of guest stars including Sally Field, Alan Alda, Forest Whitaker, and many more.