George Clooney's ER Return (WATCH VIDEO)

**SCROLL DOWN FOR ALL CLOONEY CLIPS**

NEW YORK - George Clooney led a parade of old favorites back to "ER" on Thursday as the medical drama nears the end of its 15-year run.

Clooney, who left the show in 1999 to pursue movie stardom, reprised his character Dr. Doug Ross. Now in Seattle, Ross works with wife Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) to persuade a grandmother played by Susan Sarandon to donate the organs of her grandson.

One of those organs, the kidney, went to "some doctor in Chicago," Hathaway said. Neither she nor Ross knew the transplant patient was their old colleague John Carter, played by fellow "ER" original Noah Wyle.

The finale of the NBC drama is scheduled for April 2. Once television's most popular show, "ER" anchors a diminished NBC lineup with about one-quarter the audience it had during its peak. Next season, NBC will replace it with Jay Leno.

Thursday's episode, written and produced by "ER" executive producer John Wells, was a reminder of the show's glory days and perhaps an era of network television that is gone for good.

"Let's hope we didn't bring all of these people out here for nothing," Clooney's character said to a group of people waiting to transport donated organs. He may as well have been speaking to audience members tuning in to "ER" for the first time in years.

The show even poked fun at its revolving door of actors since the original cast left. When Ross learned that two of the people waiting for organs were from his old County General Hospital in Chicago, they questioned each other on colleagues each might have worked with. There were few matches.

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As he waited for a transplant, Wyle's character was visited by Dr. Peter Benton, played by Eriq La Salle. Benton tormented Carter back in the day, but this time stood by him and watched his surgery, saving Carter from trouble caused by an impatient surgeon.

"You stayed here," Carter said upon waking from the surgery.

"I didn't want to miss all the fun," Benton said.

During its peak, in the 1995-96 season, "ER" was the most popular show on television and averaged 32 million viewers a week. To put that in perspective, only one entertainment program _ ABC's broadcast of the Academy Awards _ has gathered more than 32 million viewers this entire season.

"ER" was TV's No. 1 show for three seasons and, as late as 2000-01, was the top-rated scripted series after fare like "Survivor" and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."

This season, "ER" is limping along in 49th place, averaging 8.2 million viewers an episode, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Besides Clooney and Marguiles, other old favorites from the show's heyday have paid respects with returns this season.

Anthony Edwards, who played Dr. Mark Greene, returned even though his character had been killed off: He appeared in a flashback scene. Laura Innes, who played Dr. Kerry Weaver from the second season through 2006-07, made a guest appearance, as did Sherry Stringfield, Alex Kingston and Paul McCrane.

Clooney had led the parade of series originals out the door. Margulies left in 2000, Edwards and La Salle in 2002 and Wyle in 2005.

WATCH THE VIDEOS:
Carol Hathaway & Dr. Ross RETURN

Dr. Ross' Explanation

Past meets Present

Putting it to Bed

Dr. Ross' heart to heart

BONUS NON-CLOONEY SCENE:
Benton surprises Carter

Comments

[mallah]

I just watched the show on dvr, but I could have sworn that I saw Eriq La Salle on that episode. I believe he played a character named Peter Benton. I am amazed that black characters in successful shows still get the short end of the stick in terms of character recognition.

I caught a couple of things that seems to be overlooked. One, is that the show started as a memoir of sorts about Michael Crichton's adventures as a Medical student turned doctor. That John Carter was based on him. Two, is that Benton was John's resident and it was his job to begin his training as a surgeon. That seemed to come full circle Thursday with Benton teaching the surgical team implanting Carter's kidney, how to actually look out for the patient's care, where the team came to the point of completely disrespecting that arrogant p***k's self important image of himself (" how do I find a copy of those rules?").

One responder here said that Mark Greene and Doug Ross were the heart of the show, I disagree. I think that Mark Greene was the heart, Susan Lewis was the cool aunt, Peter Benton was the passion, Carol Hathaway was the moody,spoiled teenage girl who had to have her way, Doug Ross, the smart alec jock who use his looks and charm to bend and break the rules, and John Carter the green med student looking to define his way in the medical world.

[TinyThumbelina]

Now that Clooney is a real man. I would gladly dance the pole for him at my Vegas show for free.

[aero56]

I loved ER. It's impressive that it has lasted 15 years. While I don't particularly like George, I love him and and "Carol" together. Did she become a physician?

[JRsNana]

No, a transplant coordinator.

[zbig]

My cousin in Hong Kong said she always gets a "Sorry this clip...is not available from your location" message on these NBC web video. My cousin's reaction: he'll just download the torrent of the show. NBC, Hulu and others are just shooting themselves in the foot with these stupid web drive-by-shootings.

[Lovelydaze]

So?

[MelodyCA]

I'm not a Not a BIG George Clooney fan but I do think he has a lot of class and integrity for agreeing to do this episode.

[inthedesert]

This is another actor who just needs to "fade away" along with Aniston, Pitt, Jolie, et al. They should take their millions and millions of dollars and just move to Tibet. I am so tired of hearing about these people.
Poor George...reduced to returning to "ER".

[KaraMiaa]

To me the best episodes were when Lucy and Carter get stabbed. And Dr. Green goes to Hawaii with his daughter and dies. I still watch those episodes and cry. Even though my favorite, not best acting are when Ross and Carol meet at his house in Seattle. That song by the Eagles I will never forget. Ok, now Im sounding like I've had too much wine!!!

[Tina Geiger]

Yes indeed.

[springsm]

This is the last season for ER and seeing the main players make a showing as the weeks go on shows alot of class and respect for the fans that have so loyally watched. Dr. Ross is still bigger than Life and I have always like Dr. Carter and Carol. Yes Neeley has been the focus for quite awhile. But that is okay...she is good too. But watching these characters of the past years march through has been a hit I think. And the segments have been good. Last night was exceptional with the dilemma of giving over the organs of the grandson. My niece had to do that two years ago with her 13 year old son (another instant death) and however it goes, it is a brave and generous decision to give over the organs which do save lives. Love and letting go.

[KaraMiaa]

I loved the show!! It was a warm fuzzy girls moment. I have been watching this show since it started as a pilot movie. It was a risk back then, and it hels on. When Dr. Green died my heart sank. But I got that episode with Clooney and Margulies when she goes to Seattle looking for him. In that show she said, "I have loved him forever." I just loved this show. Hubby even watched too......that says alot!!!

[mrpuddles]

Yeah I really liked it when Margulies (in character) referred to Spokane (pronounced Spo Can) as Spo Cane. Geography of Washington state is really not that hard; unless you're in LA I guess. I thought the episode was stilted.

[panurse]

April 2 is on the calendar.....George & Julianna had chemistry & look like they still do~ Want to see Anthony Edwards- he was a normal doc

[sf girl]

It was good to see the old characters back on the show, even for one episode.

[BabsfromKansas]

ER was my addiction before HP.

[lauriemann]

I think Neela was the heart of the show over the last couple of years.

I agree that the last few years haven't been good. However, there were some excellent episodes this year, particularly the Green episode and the Morgenstern episode. The Jerry episode was funny (I never watched Men in Trees, so I failed to make the connection).

One of the critical problems with the show over the years was the number of doctors/med students killed/injured/severely sickened/threatened with death. It was more dangerous to work in the ER than to be a friend of Jessica Fletcher! ;->

Speaking of the first few episodes, Frank Martin shows up in the FIRST episode, still Frank, but when he was still a cop who's been shot. It was interesting that he showed up that early (though not as a regular for several years after that).