As we bid farewell to ER tonight, I can't let it pass without commenting on my all-time favorite episode of the series, the incomparable "Love's Labor Lost". Anyone who's a fan of the show should remember the heartbreaking story of a young couple, Sean and Jodi O'Brien, who were about to give birth to their first child and the ultimate devastating ending. It was a gut wrenching, too-painful-to-watch hour of television that I've never forgotten. While there are many other brilliant episodes in the show's history, this stands out as one of the first examples of how powerful ER could be.
What starts off as a routine day for Dr. Green turns into unbearable tragedy in the span of a few hours when he critically misdiagnoses the pregnant woman's problem. A long series of missteps and complications result in her death and Dr, Green's first real failure as a physician. It was all about the human cost of medicine, the unpredictability and fragility of life and death.
The show's fast pace gave it a sense of urgency fitting life and death situations, and also left the viewer winded and reeling after the final credits rolled. For it's time, ER was one of the mos graphic shows on TV as well, never shying away from showing the blood and guts reality of medicine. In "Love's Labor Lost", we're shown not only an emotionally distraught patient, but the brutal physicality of medicine. We see Dr. Green rooting around in this poor woman's uterus, his hands covered in blood, while her husband (played by a then unknown Bradley Whitford) helplessly watched. It's was graphic, but not needlessly.
I was in high school when that season one episode first aired and years later, I don't think I've seen anything that lives up to that one hour of television. It was a brilliant hour fraught with medical drama and emotional tension that ended in utter, crushing heartbreak.
It's too bad that ER has become so melodramatic now, since it's first few seasons were nothing short of televisual brilliance. Their ground breaking stories and visual style had at often times a gut wrenching emotional impact that changed the television landscape forever. The series may be ending on a mediocre note, but it was once flawless and gripping storytelling that won't be forgotten.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-02-2009 @ 5:12PM
Xina said...
Agreed that was a heartbreaking episode. I admit that I did enjoy the one with Clooney's heroic rescue of the boys in the sewer.
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4-03-2009 @ 1:52AM
Shark said...
Agreed, "Hell and High Water" is probably my favorite episode of the series. The one mentioned in the article is an extremely close second.
4-02-2009 @ 5:11PM
julie said...
I clearly remember the episode as I was 6 months pregnant with my second child at the time...I could never watch it again....
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4-02-2009 @ 5:28PM
Dorv said...
To me this feels like another post from someone who hasn't watched ER for a while, but feels the need to bash its last few years. While it hasn't stood up against the first few seasons (and I agree with you that few shows could), it has not been the melodramatic dreck that many have said it has been.
I also think its a misstatement to say that Bradley Whitford was an unknown at the time. He'd already done quite a bit of film work, including Billy Madison and the Client, and an arc on NYPD Blue.
All my complaining aside, I didn't start watching ER until mid-season three, so I didn't see LLL air originally. I'm sure I've seen it since then, but I, unfortunately, don't remember much about it.
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4-03-2009 @ 10:25AM
StillBash said...
Tell us your favorite episode Dorv.
Mine's when Mark Greene died but I said that elsewhere already :-)
And kudos for defending ER. I agree completely. This show has been constantly good if you just try to forget Sally Field was ever part of the show *yuck*
4-02-2009 @ 6:20PM
Taz said...
Also love 'On The Beach' when Mark Greene passes away. Just cried so much.
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4-02-2009 @ 6:37PM
John Heltsley said...
One of my favorite and gut-wrenching episodes was when Carter and Lucy got stabbed, resulting in Lucy's death. I still get the chills thinking about that one. And when the patient came back (against his will) a few years later, it was really creepy too.
I also loved the episode where Romano got killed. The helicopter finally came back to finish the job it started a year before. It was so fitting and (IMO) hilarious, yet shocking - because you had just finally started to feel sympathetic for the guy.
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4-03-2009 @ 8:18AM
tcc3 said...
I had watched ER a few times before by channel flipping or just having it one in the back ground.
The stabbing got me to watch every week for years. That episode packed a wallop.
4-02-2009 @ 7:39PM
snforrester said...
Fourteen years later and I remember this ep too. The pregnant woman had pre-eclampysia, I think. It was the first time I'd ever heard of it and, to this day, I still get a brief glimpse of this ep in my mind any time I hear about that condition.
It's a wonder how much actual medicine I learned from watching this show.
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4-02-2009 @ 8:07PM
Jothie said...
The one listed in the article is defiantely a favorirte. Very powerful. I recall alot of jokes on late night TV about ER at the time and how no one would want to check in because thier mortality rate was so high.
I think my absolute fav was one where Doctor Green was stuck on the midnight shift as the only doctor(Dr Ross brokehis foot or something and couldnt work his shift) and it was swamped. Waay too many people waiting and finally he came up with a solution that showed both Dr. Green's heart and intelligences. By time the morning shift comes in he's cleared out the entire waiting room and attended to every patient and when asked about how his night was he answered something like "you know.. just another night."
That was the episode that made me fall in love with the character. Tragically it was also the episode airing on TNT(in reruns) when they interupted the show on Sept 11, 2001. It being my all time fav and having not seen it for years I was initially pissed. Now I'm ashamed that I was.. but on that day no one knew why a plane hit the WTC.
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4-02-2009 @ 8:44PM
Jimmy said...
This is the episode that really shaped the character of Dr. Green. Anthony Edwards was simply terrific and should have won the Emmy that year. If I recall, the mediocre Chicago Hope won in that category. In fact, it's a travesty Anthony Edwards never won an Emmy for that role. After this episode, everyone forgot he was the guy who died in Top Gun.
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4-02-2009 @ 11:06PM
Jeff N. said...
They used the original theme song tonight on the last episode. I love that they did that.
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4-02-2009 @ 11:09PM
Manuel Reis said...
Anthony Edwards was the reason many watched ER. And he has, without any doubt, more fan-favorite episodes than any other character on that show.
On The Beach, LLL (Brad Withford also appeared as Greene's wife's boyfriend in season 2, right?), even 24 Hours (the pilot). And a lot of episodes on season 7 and 8 (cancer 1, cancer 2).
ER will be missed. There will be a hole that no one will be able to fill in (not even Jay Leno or Grey's Anatomy).
How about if, in another 15 years, they decide to do a movie with all the dead docs as zombies? That'll be cool to watch (not).
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4-03-2009 @ 12:20PM
Dorv said...
No, Whitford did appear in S2, but it was again as Sean O'Brien at the deposition for the lawsuit against Green.
4-03-2009 @ 12:04AM
Donna said...
I did notice the original opening music was used tonight, I love that music, it set the tone for the show each week. I think it was about year 8 before I missed an episode of this show, and although at times it went off the path a bit, it always managed to work its way back, old characters came home. I loved the ending tonight, it was much better than I thought and the old docs had a real reason for being on the show, not just stuck in to show their faces. And Dr. Greene's daughter was the original young actress who played her, now becoming a doctor in her Fathers footsteps in his old stomping ground with many who helped shape her youth, what a fitting tribute to Dr. Greene. Did the show ever say why Carter had to have a kidney transplant, somehow I missed that if they did. That was the only disappointment for me, that he did not end up a happy family man, he certainly deserved to after all he had given and been through for love in his life. ER will be sorely missed in my weekly television viewing.
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4-03-2009 @ 1:27AM
Chris Bragg said...
1. 6-14 225464 17 Feb 00 All in the Family
2. 2- 7 457207 9 Nov 95 Hell and High Water
3. 1-19 456618 9 Mar 95 Love's Labor Lost
4. 4-15 466365 26 Feb 98 Exodus
5. 1- 1 475079 19 Sep 94 24 Hours
6. 7- 6 226256 16 Nov 00 The Visit
7. 8-20 227270 2 May 02 The Letter
8. 6-13 225463 10 Feb 00 Be Still My Heart
9. 3- 8 465408 21 Nov 96 Union Station
10. 4-22 466372 14 May 98 A Hole in the Heart
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4-03-2009 @ 2:29AM
Dorv said...
Agreed with all of these except for the Visit. The I remembered (or looked up) that included the stuff with Benton, his nephew, and Malucci. Still don't know if its all the way up there, tho.
All in the Family still is probably my favorite hour of television ever.
4-03-2009 @ 7:26AM
Beth said...
I also was an ER fan from day 1. I strayed a bit toward the end and the last couple of seasons I stopped watching all together. However, knowing the end was near, I picked up the shows this season and am glad I did!
The show wasn't the same once Anthony Edwards , Eric LaSalle and George Clooney left.
The opening music last nite was fantastic and seeing all the old friends return was great.
My favorite episodes are also the baby ..and the 'On the Beach'...I rarely cry at the tvland melodrama but that one will live with me forever.
With that said, though, bringing back all the characters this season was excellent and seeing George and Julianna is right up there in my book too.
People can say what they want about the changes to the show over the years, but ER will live in history as a timeless , gritty and epic television with a great cast (old and new) and great writing.
It made me sad last night knowing it was the last show but I'm glad I picked it up again and grew to know and love the 'newbies' too.
Well done.
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4-03-2009 @ 10:19AM
Karen said...
I never missed the early episodes and this show is completely responsible for my irrational fear of childbirth. In actuality I had two of the easiest deliveries on record.
Then last night, my 12 year old and 9 year old walked in the room as the pregnant woman was gushing blood. The stood transfixed and I was too engulfed to realize it immediately. As soon as I did, I ushered them out of the room while my 12 year old daughter proclaimed that she is never having kids.
Aaaargh! Note to self: have serious discussion with children.
I haven't watched in a few years, but I'm glad I caught last night's episode.
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4-03-2009 @ 12:45PM
Linda said...
I remember the song from LLL: Beth Chapman, "Sand And Water", and I think of that episode every time I hear it. (If I'm correct)
I loved the theme song at the end...and honestly I liked how the current ER folk were given a LOT of screen time. I really DID like the drinking PSA.
I stopped watching a few years ago (Neela. No), but caught up this season...Good stuff. Loved "Want to help, Dr. Green?"
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