Way to wind down

I love the television series ER. I may have missed an episode here or there, but for the most part I watch it every week.

After 15 years, the series is winding down, and, I don't know about other people, I have a major pet peeve with television shows just dropping off at the end. They create a following, get the viewers interested in the characters then just leave us hanging. Not fair at all.

There were several storylines that I felt needed to be concluded. One was with Dr. Benton (Eric La Salle), the other was with Nurse Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) and Dr. Ross (George Clooney). When they appeared on the screen, my hand went to my heart automatically. I got the warm, fuzzy feeling one gets when you need comfort food (mashed potatoes and gravy, pot roast, turkey and dressing, hot chocolate with marshmallows...). It was great to see them there, and the writing was good. Some lines I could anticipate, such as when Benton asked Carter about his wife, and Carter pulls out a picture ("You married a sistah?"), but the overall story line was well done and brought the viewer up to date in the lives of the previously departed doctors without creating a storybook moment.

I will be sad to see ER leave the scene, it has been a big part of my life. But, fans are fickle, and I already have a new love...Grey's Anatomy.