In my last post I declared that ER is a better show than Torchwood. After saying so something odd happened: I started thinking about ER. Quite a bit.
The show launched in 1994. On April 2, 2008, NBC announced that ER’s next season- its 15th- will be the final season.
I used to watch this show back in the day. There used to be something on in the time slot before ER that I watched (it might have been WWE Smackdown) and, as I had no life, I would stay up an extra hour to watch my look-alike George Clooney. This was circa seasons 4-6. I didn’t watch every episode and I was never a die hard ER head, but the truth is that those years really were better than Torchwood.
Top four reasons why ER Seasons 4-6 are better than Torchwood.
4. Ground Breaking Action Scenes. In 1994 we had never seen hospital scenes as emotionally charged or sickeningly graphic. There was debate at the time about censoring those scenes because TV viewers weren’t prepared for them. In Torchwood, sometimes they drive over the speed limit.
3. ER Science Is Believable And Consistent. I know that Torchwood is scifi, but if Owen the Dr. spends a series of episodes failing and barely succeeding in getting alien technology to work but Ryes can do it first try, I call shenanigans.
2. Rich And Powerful Character Development. ER had a huge cast of I-don’t-know-how-many. Maybe you didn’t know a lot about some of the orderlies or nurses, but the ones you knew were not just standing there operating, they were living, breathing people that had fully developed lives outside of work. Torchwood is full of episodes where nothing and no one changes.
1. George Clooney Has A Secret Crush On Me. It’s true. Even though neither of us is gay and although he left the show is season 5, Clooney continues to send me autographed nudes of himself. It used to be cute, now it’s old.
I promise, no more posts about Torchwood.

awesome post. but i’m still not watching ER. haha. maybe it means i will stop watching Torchwood, though.
Comment by tina — April 14, 2008 @ 10:39 am
That’s sort of an unfair comparison. Like comparing West Wing to Deep Space Nine. One is original, groundbreaking, has good actors and writing and almost always delivers. It’s thought provoking and there’s no other show that even comes close. The other is a spin off of a sci-fi show.
I like Torchwood a lot. It really relies on the interpersonal relationships to take up the slack for a dodgy premise based off scientific mumbo jumbo. But, I love the watershed version because it’s pushing social boundaries you don’t get in the states unless you’re watching premium cable channels.
Maybe I love the characters too much, maybe I’m a big sci-fi nerd, but I’d rather watch any episode of Torchwood over ER. After 15 seasons, how many times can a new “crisis” really be that new?
Comment by xadrian — April 15, 2008 @ 3:04 pm
For what it’s worth, I also like Torchwood. I can’t go over-the-top defending it because it’s not perfect. But I enjoy it. That’s enough for me, until there are more important things to occupy my time.
Comment by chrispiers — April 15, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
“That’s sort of an unfair comparison. Like comparing West Wing to Deep Space Nine…. The other is a spin off of a sci-fi show.”
See, I’d contend that Deep Space Nine is original, groundbreaking, has good actors and writing, almost always delivers, and is thought-provoking. I wouldn’t say that at all about West Wing. Like, ever.
In which case, it’s still not a fair comparison, considering one would still be garbage, but I’m not sure that’s the point of the post. I think Tina’s just saying that “if old school ER and new Torchwood are on at the same time, she’d flip it to ER, and this is why…”
Comment by knigge — April 15, 2008 @ 6:05 pm
chuck, jonah wrote this post! i would never watch ER for any reason. ;)
and on the West Wing. I still don’t get that show. no matter what, they are still a bunch of wonks who talk too much.
Comment by tina — April 15, 2008 @ 8:41 pm
and i have to defend DS9. it was actually a good spin off of a bad spin off of a bad sci fi show. i would say that DS9 was likely the only good Star Trek show of all time.
Comment by tina — April 15, 2008 @ 8:43 pm
I have to agree about DS9, but I also like Torchwood so my analogy works for me. :)
To each their own. Some like drama in their sci-fi, some just like drama.
Comment by xadrian — April 16, 2008 @ 1:23 pm
“chuck, jonah wrote this post! i would never watch ER for any reason. ;)”
Hahaha, my bad. I saw the avatar Chris drew, and automatically linked you to it. *sigh* My brain…
Comment by knigge — April 17, 2008 @ 12:29 am
no worries! hehe. jonah is almost as pretty as me.
Comment by tina — April 17, 2008 @ 7:02 am
Almost?
Comment by jonahofthesea — April 18, 2008 @ 9:46 am