This is the first episode of Season 4 we’re talking about here, a special episode for all ER fans. Aside from Dr. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) appearing for the first time, this is a mostly gutsy episode shot live. The original idea of Dr. Doug Ross and Mark Green, or rather their famous translators, George Clooney and Anthony Edwards. The two actors were really interested in this challenge which could only test their acting skills. A true theatrical performance that requires precise preparation and execution.
Written for the occasion, for the episode Ambush Features a camera crew entering an emergency room to film a documentary. So, to give a more gender-appropriate style, Ambush breaks the usual style of the series. Thus hand-held cameras were used – rather than steadicam, a hallmark of the show.
It is also the only episode in the entire series to be shot in 4:3, the others were shot in widescreen and then cropped to 4:3 for the television version before being re-released in their 16:9 aspect ratio. Complete series on DVD and reruns. For broadcast purposes, the special episode was then filmed twice: once live for prime-time viewers on the East Coast of the US, and second live for those on the West Coast.
As in any live performance, mistakes are a real possibility that cannot otherwise be eliminated. And one of them slipped into one of the “live” episodes. However, as they say in the industry, “the show must go on” and it did. According to Mental Floss, the first version of the episode went off without a hitch…unlike the second!
The script actually has an HIV-positive patient threatening hospital staff with a syringe. In the second program of the evening, the patient who played the role dropped the syringe before the threat. Although a special cast of actors was ready to improvise a scene in case of technical difficulties, this contingency was not used, because the original cast of the show knew how to remain professional and just carried on as if nothing had happened. So most viewers didn’t notice!
Other small details vary from one version to another, such as when the patient vomits on Dr. Carter. In the East Coast version, he wipes his hand on the curtain. West side, no. The East Coast version of the episode is shown in syndication. There is also a combined version that we can see in DVD box sets depending on the region. Although it has been 25 years since the experimental episode aired in the US on September 25, 1997, originality and similar successes have helpedReanimation Besides the series, a giant of the small screen that spanned more than one generation, as evidenced by “Ambush’s” 1998 Emmy win for Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video.
Source: allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
