Brenner's behavior does get explained later although it's a clear Emmy-ploy for David Lyons. When an episode isn't focused on returnee cast member (main or recurring), the final season does really drag (such as the Tony & Sam relationship and Neela's personal struggles) for the most part. Production seemed so much more motivated for the …
Brenner's behavior does get explained later although it's a clear Emmy-ploy for David Lyons. When an episode isn't focused on returnee cast member (main or recurring), the final season does really drag (such as the Tony & Sam relationship and Neela's personal struggles) for the most part. Production seemed so much more motivated for the special episodes.
As for my ER questions, it's in comparison to NYPD Blue as you're the foremost expert on it and two fought for the Best TV Drama title in the '90s:
1. Which show did you find it better/enjoyable at its peak (ER 1-6 or NYPD 1-5)?
2. Inversely, which one did you find more satisfying/less struggle to complete post-peak and all the way through?
P.S. Do you know what happened to Amanda Wilson? I can't find any writings of hers post-2005.
Oh, I've gotten to the child molestation thing (and remembered that from the original viewing). It's more the specific nature of how he's a total heel when introduced in season 14, particularly with how he deals with the students and residents, and then is acting like a good guy, as if he was all along. The stuff where one of his former conquests — to whom he was just AWFUL after they slept together, and dismissive of her medical abilities — is surprised that he's now being nice to her is the only acknowledgment at all of the shift. And even that episode seems to be missing a scene where either 1)she confronts him more directly about their past, and he apologizes, or at least 2)she discusses it with another doctor. It's weird.
1. At the time, it was obviously NYPD Blue for me. In hindsight, I'd say that ER was more consistently great, and for longer, since NYPD's peak is really only the first three seasons, with a lot of unevenness for the rest of the Milch days.
2. While I didn't watch all of ER in the original run, this particular binge has been more satisfying for me than the post-Milch years on NYPD. But I'm also approaching latter-era ER with extremely lowered expectations, and have already moved past my incredulity with some bad choices along the way.
You're right about the awkward character transformation of Brenner. I'm guessing the producers just hand-waved and moved on quickly so they could justify/focus on his next storyline (relationship with Neela which was another annoying soapy thing in the later seasons) in final stretch.
Brenner's behavior does get explained later although it's a clear Emmy-ploy for David Lyons. When an episode isn't focused on returnee cast member (main or recurring), the final season does really drag (such as the Tony & Sam relationship and Neela's personal struggles) for the most part. Production seemed so much more motivated for the special episodes.
As for my ER questions, it's in comparison to NYPD Blue as you're the foremost expert on it and two fought for the Best TV Drama title in the '90s:
1. Which show did you find it better/enjoyable at its peak (ER 1-6 or NYPD 1-5)?
2. Inversely, which one did you find more satisfying/less struggle to complete post-peak and all the way through?
P.S. Do you know what happened to Amanda Wilson? I can't find any writings of hers post-2005.
Oh, I've gotten to the child molestation thing (and remembered that from the original viewing). It's more the specific nature of how he's a total heel when introduced in season 14, particularly with how he deals with the students and residents, and then is acting like a good guy, as if he was all along. The stuff where one of his former conquests — to whom he was just AWFUL after they slept together, and dismissive of her medical abilities — is surprised that he's now being nice to her is the only acknowledgment at all of the shift. And even that episode seems to be missing a scene where either 1)she confronts him more directly about their past, and he apologizes, or at least 2)she discusses it with another doctor. It's weird.
1. At the time, it was obviously NYPD Blue for me. In hindsight, I'd say that ER was more consistently great, and for longer, since NYPD's peak is really only the first three seasons, with a lot of unevenness for the rest of the Milch days.
2. While I didn't watch all of ER in the original run, this particular binge has been more satisfying for me than the post-Milch years on NYPD. But I'm also approaching latter-era ER with extremely lowered expectations, and have already moved past my incredulity with some bad choices along the way.
You're right about the awkward character transformation of Brenner. I'm guessing the producers just hand-waved and moved on quickly so they could justify/focus on his next storyline (relationship with Neela which was another annoying soapy thing in the later seasons) in final stretch.