NBC medical drama signs off after 15-year run

BURBANK, Calif. — "ER" has been called many things in its 15-year run. Groundbreaking. Heart-rending. Award-winning. Life-saving. Life-saving?

As it turns out, the NBC medical drama — in addition to achieving remarkable success both creatively and commercially — saved at least one life.

"We never intentionally put health-care tips into a show," said executive producer Joe Sachs. "What we did do is we've always been current and accurate with our medical information, and because we are current and accurate, as a side effect, people learn."

One study by public health organizations found that half of "ER" viewers learned things from the show, and a third learned specific things that helped them or their family.

And one plotline saved the life of a young mother.

The story involved Dr. Mark Green (Anthony Edwards), who suffered the recurrence of a brain tumor. And the writers needed to "come up with a way to dramatize it."

The first time around, Green had seizures. The second time, he bit his tongue because it was protruding to the side and he couldn't control it.

"About a year after that episode was written, I got a letter from a young woman in Texas who was having terrible headaches, and none of the doctors were taking her seriously," Sachs said. "They said, 'It's stress. You've got two little kids.' And her tongue was protruding to the side.

"So when she saw that, she went to the ER and demanded a CAT scan. She had a huge tumor growing behind her nose that was a millimeter away from her spinal cord. Two weeks later she would have been dead. She had surgery. She's still alive. She had another kid and considers me her guardian angel."

That's perhaps the most startling example, but "ER" — which signs off Thursday night after 15 seasons and 331 episodes — touched an enormous number of lives.

The show averaged more than 30 million viewers for its first four seasons — an enormous number. It was among the four most popular shows on TV for nine years; was eighth in its 10th year and 16th in its 11th season.

The ratings have slipped markedly since its glory days. The show is averaging about 9 million viewers a week this season — but it's still among NBC's most popular shows.