In September 1994, I watched a show that was this new weird medical drama. It was full of long continuous shots going from room to room as people got help, and there were ALL these doctors and nurses to keep track of. I enjoy a good drama, and hey, it was Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg, two people who know a thing or two about drama, so I thought I should check it out. I was nineteen years old.
I was really impressed, actually, and I went on to watch that show as my whole life changed. I got into a not so good relationship, quit college, moved away from virtually everyone I knew, had a baby I gave up for adoption, discovered the Internet, moved again to a place where I knew even less people, met someone, cut my hair short, got married, bought a house, grew my hair out, carved out a life for myself in my new hometown, and so many other things that aren’t on this list. And every Thursday night (give or take) I would watch this doctor show. I watched at home: When I lived with my dad in a double wide, when I lived in Corvallis, when I lived with roommates in Portland, when I lived with my boyfriend, when I lived alone, when I lived with my husband, when we moved into a house. I watched with my aunt and cousin, and with friends, and alone, and call people after and talk to them about what we just watched.
I saw characters I really liked come and go, I watched when they died and cried my eyes out. I watched when new people appeared, and old favorites came back. I saw characters get together and break up. I saw actors I loved go on to be all kinds of things: a geek, a thief, a crime lab tech, a lawyer, a federal agent, even a time traveler with a sonic screwdriver. I even saw one in person.
Tonight as I am typing this I am watching the last episode ever, and as I see old and new characters from all different times in the series I think about where I was and when I was watching them before, and how much of my own time has been marked with this show. I keep thinking of random pieces of my life.
Watching each week with my aunt and cousin, a tiny bit of civility each Thursday where I didn’t have to put up with the drama at home. Sitting in a tiny apartment, 8 months pregnant, crying as I watched babies on tv being born. Moving to Portland where I knew almost no one, had no sense of direction, but I had a familiar Thursday evening. Sitting in my own apartment, living alone for the first time, watching the same program. Sitting in MY living room in MY house each week and checking in with some old friends and some new ones.
I realize it sounds like i am some sort of super mega die hard fan, but that isn’t true. I enjoyed watching ER but I didn’t hang out on message boards or write fanfiction or preach the Gospel Of County General to anyone who’d listen. I just see now as I look back that I have marked SO much time with this show, and how much I’ve done in that amount of time. While it’s sad to see it go, it’s only because it’s a habit that goes way back. I’m going to continue down memory lane for awhile still. If I come up with anything else noteworthy I’ll let you know.
