Batgirl’s Weblog

This week marks the end of two of my favorite shows currently on TV.  One has been a part of my life for a number of years while the other has only been here for less than a year.  Life on Mars has its series finale on Wednesday while ER has its series finale on Thursday.  ER has lasted 15 seasons and multiple cast changes while Life on Mars was only given one season and two casts.  

First, ER.  I know that I am going to sob through the three hour finale on Thursday.  I began watching it religiously during Season 10 after my parents had stopped watching it a few years before (Season 10 being Parminda’s first season).  With the constant reruns on TNT, I was able to make my way through the previous seasons and enjoy my buddy, George Clooney, on a daily basis.  I think the reason I love ER so much is because I am extremely invested in the characters and their stories whether it be the Chief of Medicine or the patient who comes in for 5 minutes of an episode.  Each has a different story and all are well-developed.  I am so glad that a good amount of the previous actors and actresses have stopped by the ER this past season to remind us of how much has changed over the 15 years as well as how much has stayed the same.  From Dr. Doug Ross to Dr. Benton to Dr. Greene, we’ve seen them all appear again and interact with the new cast members.  Even my favorite ER doctor of all time, Dr. Carter, is back as a full-time cast member to say his goodbyes.  I am so glad that the little intern that could is back as the amazing doctor he has grown into.  Thank god, the writers have decided that he is going to survive his kidney failure.  I don’t think I could handle Dr. Carter dying in the end.  Some other highlights this season for me have been Neela and Ray finally getting the ending us Roomies fans have waited for for 4 years (now go get married and have babies!) and watching Archie Morris grow into a respected man and doctor.  Dr. Morris started as an annoying, slightly funny, kinda stupid doctor, but he has become one of my favorite characters.  Watching him deal with Dr. Pratt’s death earlier this season was tough, but we all knew how he felt since we had grown to love Dr. Pratt as a friend too.  Thank you, ER for a great 15 seasons.

Life on Mars ends its first and only season on Wednesday, and the producers have promised that all will be answered in the finale.  We will finally know why Sam has been sent back to 1973 and whether he’ll stay.  Is it a dream?  Is it an experiment?  Is he dead?  All I know is that it will be very well-written and acted.  This was the only new show I watched this season, and ABC of course decided to squash it.  They already cancelled two of my other favorite shows in the same year, Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies, so of course, they had to cancel this one before it established a permanent fan base.  ABC needs to learn to give its quirky and different shows a chance.  They all can’t be formulaic like Grey’s Anatomy and Desperate Housewives.  Another part of me is happy that LoM is ending after one season.  That way it can’t get all muddled in its own mythology (cough, Heroes, cough) and can end the way the producers want it to, the way fans will enjoy.  So thanks, Life on Mars for making my Wednesday and Thursday nights more interesting. (And thanks, Jason O’Mara, for taking a picture and talking with me in NYC in October!)

One more thing.  I urge you all to watch Kings, Sundays at 8PM on NBC.  This is another well-written, thought provoking drama that is not being fully embraced by the mass audiences.  I’m worried that NBC will cancel it before its 13 filmed episodes air or right after they do.  Please, give it a chance and give it a second season.  NBC doesn’t need another night of Leno; it needs more good dramas like Kings.  So please watch it and email NBC to let them know how much you like it.