Common Sense Media Review
By Jill Murphy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Excellent, but the ER is no place for children.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
ER
What's the Story?
ER is an Emmy-winning medical drama series based in the emergency room of a busy Chicago hospital. Created by Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park) and John Wells (The West Wing, Third Watch), the series centers on the medical professionals in the hospital. ER has turned out stars such as George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, and Noah Wyle; guest stars have included Sally Field, who received an Emmy for her role.
Is It Any Good?
This series is an excellent medical drama that has remained popular for good reason, but it's not appropriate for kids. With its emotionally wrenching scenes, images of graphic and bloody injuries, focus on death and disease, and heavy plots that range from domestic violence to abortion, ER is just too intense for tweens and many younger teens.
In addition to all the death and tragedy, episodes often focus on the ER doctors' personal lives, which involve affairs, love triangles, addiction, terminal illness, and more. In fact, the doctors have nearly as many problems as their patients. For example, Dr. Green (Anthony Edwards) dealt with a brain tumor, remission, a new baby, a new marriage, and a return of his illness in a matter of two seasons. Still, the show's impeccable writing and memorable characters made it a mainstay on NBC for a decade.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether or not they think the situations presented on ER are realistic. How do the doctors cope with their highly stressful jobs, make tough decisions, and deal with life-and-death situations?
Are the characters intended to be role models?
How do the characters on ER demonstrate compassion, communication, and empathy? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 19, 1994
- Cast : Anthony Edwards , George Clooney , Noah Wyle
- Network : NBC
- Genre : Drama
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Empathy
- TV rating :
- Awards : Emmy - Emmy Award Winner , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner , NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : September 30, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate