St. Elsewhere vs Hill Street Blues vs ER

[JanetRose]

Would like to start watching one of the above....any suggestions?

I love George Clooney and Denzel Washington.

 

[PollyannaMom]

The only one I actually remember watching was ER. I know of the others from a TV theme songs CD.

 

[CynBeth]

The only one I actually remember watching was ER. I know of the others from a TV theme songs CD.

Same here.

 

[slo]

I’ve watched all 3 and definitely ER - it’s my second most favorite TV series ever. It used to be my first until Downton Abbey came into my life. There‘s a lot of actors that come and go in ER that you’ll recognize - awesome show.

 

[mrs. magoo]

I watched all three series and by far my favorite was ER - especially the early years. Like any long running show the later seasons were not nearly as good as the early years. I also enjoyed the other 2 shows though as well. Hill Street Blues I would not put in this same category though since it is a police show versus a hospital show. If you put in Chicago Hope I would say that is more comparable.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Would like to start watching one of the above....any suggestions?

I love George Clooney and Denzel Washington.

ER was the best of the three, I think. It's the only one I can rewatch.

I couldn't get into Hill Street Blues (more my dad's type of show)...too many 'antiquated' ideals. St Elsewhere is ok, I suppose.

 

[HopperFan]

I watched St Elsewhere and ER. Def two different timeframes which change the background stories. Enjoyed both of them very much. Hill Street Blues was never big for me, I prefer more the detective style police shows like L&O.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I watched Hill St. Blues occasionally, but never really got into it. I liked both of the hospital shows. Watched the entire series of St. Elsewhere, didn’t care for how it ended, but was a great show overall with great ensemble cast including Denzel, Mark Harmon, Howie Mandel, Ed Begley, Alfre Woodard, and William Daniels. Watched ER more in the early years, then dropped off and stopped following it at some point. Like many shows of this ilk, both had characters coming and going, some of which were more interesting than others.

If you’re going to binge watch, I would say start with St. Elsewhere, since it is only 6 seasons, while ER is 13 seasons. Of course both (actually all three) are good and won many awards for writing and acting.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Loved all three but as much as I loved ER I would go with St. Elsewhere. It really was a different kind of a show.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

None of the above for the win!!!

 

[tvguy]

Never seen ER.
We were loyal viewers of Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere, two of the shows that helped save NBC.

 

[Adelle Dazeem]

I love ER! POP shows 6 episodes every weekday and I re-watched the whole series when we were sent home because of the pandemic. When I am working at home even now, I will turn on the tv and just put ER on for background noise. I'll watch through season 8 and then I stop. It just went off the rails when a certain character left - don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen the series. All I will say is that character's final episode leaves me in tears every time. I think it's been at least 10 times now since 2020.

 

[Meriweather]

ER

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I loved St Elsewhere! It really hit home for me because I was 1) in nursing school at the time, 2) working in a city ER then, and 3) did one of my clinicals in the actual hospital that St Elsewhere the story was based on (which was a bit of a dump). So that is one of my all time favorite shows (and also where I grew to love Denzel Washington as an actor). I’d love to watch the series again - winding down my career now and with 40 yrs passed. Technology and collaboration has changed so much.

I watched some episodes of Emergency! recently and it was fun to compare then to now.

I also LOVED Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue. I see them on occasion. The music of HSB brings back good memories even though it was sort of blues-y.

I have never really watched ER or any other medical shows. I’d get too mad at how the nurses were portrayed - so far from reality. I do think a lot of those shows swayed people to go into the field and some of them were surprised that it was a lot harder than it appeared on TV in both training and working conditions.

Seems like the ERs have it here! It might be more modern. But if you want to see some actors early in their careers (Denzel, Howie Mandel and lots of others) some of the older shows are fun, too.

DD (also a nurse) and I bought the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman series and it was interesting for her to watch from a medical perspective (I had watched the original series). Dr Quinn had her own crap to deal with being a woman doctor during those times (described as the 19th century Wild West). Jane Seymour (whose father was a surgeon and mother a nurse in real life) did a really great job in that role and I would recommend it if anyone‘s looking for something older to watch.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

ER mostly due to the early shows, toward the end I didn't like it that much

St. Elsewhere is a pretty close second, though.

 

[tvguy]

I loved St Elsewhere! It really hit home for me because I was 1) in nursing school at the time, 2) working in a city ER then, and 3) did one of my clinicals in the actual hospital that St Elsewhere the story was based on (which was a bit of a dump). So that is one of my all time favorite shows (and also where I grew to love Denzel Washington as an actor). I’d love to watch the series again - winding down my career now and with 40 yrs passed. Technology and collaboration has changed so much.

As much as I loved St. Elsewhere the Finale showed that the writers clearly were under the influence of SOMETHING.

 

[Micca]

They are all worth a look. St. Elsewhere is probably the most ground-breaking of the three, and it has one the all-time best series finales. Like, your jaw may drop. But no losers here, enjoy them all if you can.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

As much as I loved St. Elsewhere the Finale showed that the writers clearly were under the influence of SOMETHING.

Mrs Hoffnagle? DH and I still talk about that. And I will say, I‘ve thought about it a few times at work over the years, too, lol.

 

[tvguy]

Mrs Hoffnagle? DH and I still talk about that. And I will say, I‘ve thought about it a few times at work over the years, too, lol.

My mom was a surgical RN. She retired in 1985, so right in the middle of the St. Elsewhere run. My mom told some pretty wild stories about what happened at the hospital, especially during the 9 years she worked graveyard shift in the OR, which often including covering in the ER in quiet times. Some of the practical jokes they played were great.
St. Elsewhere launched a lot of careers. Loved Denzel Washington, but have to admit I have not seen a single one of his movies, to me he is still Dr. Chandler. Howie Mandel has done well. Doris Roberts and James Coco were great guest stars.

 

[pweyl36]

I binged watch ER last yr, love it.