TV Hot Spot: News

'ER' May Stay Open a While

Post by: Sal

The 14th season of "ER" may not be its last.

NBC's long-running medical drama, which will air its 300th episode in a few weeks, was believed to be on its last legs. Executive producer John Wells, however, says the show may still have life in it.

Wells, who's been with the show from its beginnings in 1994 and is directing the 300th episode, tells Variety that he'll start talking with the network soon about a possible 15th year for the show. "ER" is currently the second longest-running drama on television, trailing only its NBC brethren "Law & Order."

Though the series is nowhere near the ratings juggernaut it once was, it still draws OK numbers for NBC. So far this season, it's averaging 9.9 million viewers per week and a respectable 4.1 rating in the advertisers' preferred demographic of adults 18-49. The latter mark is good enough to win its timeslot over CBS' "Without a Trace," which has a sizable advantage in total viewers.

As for the immediate future, "ER" is in the same boat as most other scripted series: The writers' strike will cause production to go idle in the near future. Wells was one of dozens of writer-producers who signed an ad in Tuesday's trade papers pledging not to work on their shows until writers reach an agreement with the media companies that employ them.


Sal