'ER: Season 15 (The Final Season)'
(Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle, Noah Wyle, et al / 5-Disc DVD / NR / 2011 / Warner Bros.)
Overview: After 15 years of emotional, heart-pounding excitement, America’s longest-running primetime medical drama comes to homes for the last time. With the most Emmy® nominations for a primetime television series in history, 'ER: The Complete Fifteenth and Final Season' is in stores now.
DVD Verdict: yes, I'm a fan! A true fan so step back! I purchased all the seasons on my own dime over the years, still have the seasons taped from TV, and fell in love with the series so many moons ago it hurts to drift that far back!
The final season of 'ER' is a great mix of new and old. I particularly enjoyed the Doug Ross episode (even though he wasn't in my top 5 fave characters) because his meeting Sam and Neela is like New ER meeting Old ER with Carter being the bridge between the two.
That said, I agree that the show kind of tapered off a bit after season 8 and definitely had some gimmicky storylines such as Romano and the helicopters, a shootout, and an ambulance blowing up. But it still had some redeeming qualities and emotional episodes (I cried when Pratt died, specifically when Archie gave Bettina the ring that Pratt was going to use to propose to her with).
The final season really is kind of a renaissance season and is a major improvement from the very confusing 14th season. We find out updates on past characters while not ignoring the current cast. We get to see the return of high adrenaline storylines such as having a hospital evacuation. We see very emotional cast departures (Book of Abby). I also enjoyed Carter's (my fave character) return even though we don't get to see him in too much trauma action.
I also like the introduction of Cate Banfield. I know many didn't like her but even though she was strict, she seemed like a fair women. Also her existence made it possible for Dr. Greene to come back! Plus she and Morris are just so funny together (especially in the episode where they are snowed in at a doctor conference).
And then there is the final episode. The last few minutes really says alot about what the show was about the last 15 years.
And so I think (honestly) the 15th season is a must have for anyone that likes any season of ER. It doesn't matter if you like the first 5 seasons (the Clooney years), the first 8 seasons (the Greene years), the first 11 seasons (the Carter years) or the last few seasons, the last season finds a way to give everyone who ever liked the show at some point their fix by bringing back major characters and continuing old storylines and even have new and old meet face to face.
I also hope with the release of the final season they will release a complete series set because I wouldn't mind buying that too! I mean, surely you can never have too much 'ER' ... can you?! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.77:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Featutres of:
• Deleted Scenes
• Previously on ER: Retrospective Featurette: A look back at the last 15 years of ER
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