It's been a long series run for the popular medical drama "ER". The series is based in a Chicago hospital, and follows the travails of the medical staff and their experiences at work. The original series was based around a movie script by the late screenwriter and author Michael Crichton - who is best known for his book, Jurassic Park.

Fans will note that the series has had many memorable episodes, as well as characters and actors that have become very famous. One such memorable episode was when the cast filmed a live episode in an actual hospital, twice for two time zones - each time the cast and crew were disguised as a PBS documentary film crew.

Superstar George Clooney was part of the original cast, and stayed with the series for five seasons before departing. In addition, Julianna Marguiles was also a doctor on the show for six seasons. Anthony Edwards became a recognisable face on the series, as did Eriq La Salle. All of these actors eventually left, but have returned for episodes throughout the last series that aired during 2009. Now, the series boasts big names including John Stamos, Shane West and Angela Bassett, all playing doctors in ER.

As with any television show, the series has had its ups and downs. Debuting with a cast that is now infamous for its acting ability, and the future stars it would produce, ER has become a mainstay on American television despite the fact that many popular characters left the show. In fact, ER is the second longest running series on television at the moment, trumped only by Law and Order.

Throughout the years ER fans have come out strong. During the peak of its run, the series boasted about 30 million viewers each week - a number which many other shows rarely match these days. The show has also been nominated for 123 Emmy Awards, and has won 22 of those nominations throughout the years. It has also been nominated and presented with numerous other awards including the People's Choice Award, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Golden Globe Awards.

The series premiered on September 19th, 1994 in the Thursday night timeslot they would hold for their entire series run. During its first season, ER became known for its choppy editing and fast camera work, which many said looked similar to an action film, rather than a television series. That look continued - and high viewer ratings should be expected as fans tune in to watch the end of the emergency room drama like never before on a high definition TV.

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