Goodbye, ER

After 15 years, major cast changes, jump-the-shark moments, and falling helicopters, ER has come to an end. Last night, the series finale aired and now, I don't know what I'm going to do Thursday nights at 10pm. For the last 15 years (with the exception of 1999-2000 when I had a late class on Thursdays), you could find me firmly entrenched on the sofa, with the TV on NBC.

In its first years, ER was the best show on television. By far the best. It faded a little and never quite regained its footing, and there were some over-the-top moments (the helicopter falling on Romano was a huge WTF moment for me. He was my favorite character and to see him killed off in such a stupid way really fried me.) And, truth be told, it probably should have ended its run shortly after Mark Greene's death.

But in the last year or so, it picked up. I found I cared about what happened to these people - Abby and Morris especially. Their characters grew and changed and weren't perfect, but they became my favorites and it was nice to see them each get a happy ending.

And now, it's over. Thursday night, 10pm, is going to be weird at first (especially since I have absolutely no interest in watching NBC's replacement show, Southland.) I also think that ER is the only NBC show I watched regularly. I like some of the others, but they are in competition with shows I never miss, so they lose.

Anyway, I will miss ER and my Thursday nights will never be quite the same.