Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1955 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-02-23
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Formats: Box set, Collector's Edition, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 1112 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Set in a Chicago County General Hospital, the multi-Emmy winning ER is very much in the tradition established by the earlier Hill Street Blues. Like that series, ER also features a range of strong characters whose personal lives often reflect the turmoil of their working environment. It also similarly features a deft, fast-moving mix of comedy, intrigue and tragedy. It could also be seen as a precursor to The West Wing, in that we regard with some awe the ability of these characters to keep on top of the mounting chaos in their day-to-day lives and the myriad problems thrown at them. In ER, this chaos may mean crack addicts, violent patients tumbling through plate glass screens, vindictive colleagues or a chief of staff who insists that fellow surgeons operate on his sick dog.

The first series is best known for introducing George Clooney to the world as the likable but maverick Dr Ross; the show has often featured star guests such as Sally Field and Ewan McGregor, among others, while several seasons have seen the coming and going of various personnel. However, if one character embodies the strength of ER it's Dr Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), whose dedication to his job has seen him turn down lucrative and cosier offers in the private sector, and who is an exemplar of decency, selflessness and emotional stability. The episodes dealing with his father's death were among the most moving in the series, touching as they did on a theme never far from ER's surface, that of reconciliation with mortality. --David Stubbs

DVD Description
Contains all 24 episodes from Series 1 of E.R., plus two bonus episodes:

• 1. 24 Hours (Part 1)
  
• 2. 24 Hours (Part 2)
  
• 3. Day One
  
• 4. Going Home
  
• 5. Hit And Run
  
• 6. Into That Good Night
  
• 7. Chicago Heat
  
• 8. Another Perfect Day
  
• 9. 9 1/2 Hours
  
• 10. E.R. Confidential
  
• 11. Blizzard
  
• 12. The Gift
  
• 13. Happy New Year
  
• 14. Luck Of The Draw
  
• 15. Long Day's Journey
  
• 16. Feb. 5, 1995
  
• 17. Make Of Two Hearts
  
• 18. The Birthday Party
  
• 19. Sleepless In Chicago
  
• 20. Love's Labor Lost
  
• 21. Full Moon, Saturday Night
  
• 22. House of Cards
  
• 23. Men Plan, God Laughs
  
• 24. Love Among The Ruins
  
• 25. Motherhood
  
• 26. Everything Old Is New Again

Special Features

• Prescription For Success: The Birth Of "E.R"
  
• First Year In Rotation: Caring For "E.R."
  
• On The Cutting Edge: Medical Realism In "E.R."
  
• Post-Operative Procedures: Post-Production In "E.R."
  
• Audio commentary on three key episodes by series producers and crew
  
• First Year Intern handbook
  
• Additional scenes and outtakes
  
• Scene selection
  
• Interactive menus

DVD Technical Information:

• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  
• Languages: French, Italian, English
  
• Subtitles: Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Romanian, Spanish
  
• Audio: Dolby Digital Surround
  
• Total Running Time: 25 hours approx.
  
• Region Code: 2

Customer Reviews

A TV drama benchmark
Prior to buying this DVD I had seen perhaps 2 episodes of ER, from the current series on E4. That series is OK, but not outstanding.
Anyway, after reading many exceptional reviews of the first series I decided to buy the DVD, and from the Pilot onwards I found myself watching four episodes a day, more if I got the chance.
What can I say? This show is unbelievably compelling, and the characters are so well written and played that you get to know them so well in the space of the first couple of episodes. The medical scenarios are interesting too but it all boils down to these characters and how daily events, both at the hospital and away from it, affect their lives.

The show has won so many awards, and rightly so.

If you've seen this already I'm sure you like it enough to buy this. If not, then I strongly suggest you do, because it is one of the best things ever to have been shown on TV.

thrilling to watch, a must to buy!
It's hard to think of a television drama series as long running, well acclaimed and absolutely essential to have in your dvd collection as ER.
This fantastic 4 disc box set takes you right back to the very beginning, how it all started. Whether you have been watching all 10 series or you are a new viewer this is great viewing.
Set in Chicago's County General hospital, the fast paced action of the busy emergency room shows the trials and tribulations of doctors, nurses and other staff. The realism is amazing and is testimony to the series creator, Michael Crichton's own medical background.
For me buying ER dvds is now a compulsion. Whether you have no interest in medicine or you want to see how it is practised across the pond, after watching all 24 episodes (including the pilot) it will be a compulsion for you too. And if that isn't enough, the special features discs will keep you happy with behind the scenes specials and lots of extra goodies!

ER - ought to stand for 'Energy Room'!
I bought this box set because, like many, I got into ER at the start of season 4 and totally missed the first 3 seasons. I am glad I did, this is brilliant.

It only takes about 2 episodes for this first season to get up to speed, and I mean speed. Most people have seen at least one episode of ER and most marvel at the pace of the program. It is constant. I guess we have started to get used to it now after 10 seasons but going back to the start really brings home the pioneering aspects of this first season.

Pioneering why? ER is one of the first TV programmes to not bother to explain everything in minute detail. Who cares if the audience do no know what a 'thoracotomy' or 'blood gas' actually are. They are doctors, they all know it so why waste plot time explaining stuff! Also, the large use of tracking shots (where the camera follows the actors between many scenes without a cut or break) really makes you think that you are in the hospital with them. It turns out after watching the special features that this was to save money, but it is fab!

Each episode is very good blend of serious drama and humour. Who can forget the brilliant comedy characters such as the University 'Behaviour Analyst' who is studying the length of time it takes to annoy someone. There is some brilliant, blink and you will miss them, comedy skits too: the man with the arrow who was waiting for 20 minutes, the sun burn victim, the kid with his head stuck in a stuffed tiger. I could go on! A special mention must go to Noah Wyle who is an excellent comedy actor that seems to have been under used in later seasons as he has become more 'senior'.

Drama wise, there are plenty of on-going threads through the episodes, Greene's relationship with his wife, Lewis's relationship with her sister, Benton's general rubbishness at being nice to people. And of course, Dr Ross's love life. Each episode is well written, never boring and a good balance of drama, action and comedy. A standout episode is the Emmy winning 'Love's Labor Lost'. I am not just saying that because it's the one that won the awards. It is genuinely, in my opinion, the best episode of the season.

The extras are ok. A couple of episode voiceovers and around 5 short featurettes about the making of and behind the scenes. The episode voiceovers were very informative and the featurettes the usual 'I just loved working with so-and-so, he/she was just soooo great' gush-fest. Not bad, but you really ought to be buying this DVD for the programmes!

After a slow, moody and poor (by comparison) season 10 I think the current writers should "go back to the roots" and investigate what made the programme great in the first place. Come on ER writers buy this box set and remember what it was like!

This is must watch TV.

Program: 5 stars
DVD Extras: 3 stars