The riveting medical drama that redefined the genre for the 1990s and into the 21st century. Created by author Michael Crichton and set in a Chicago ER, the series chronicles the lives of its harried staff in staccato, realistic scenes of lives saved and lost. The all-time champ for Emmy nominations among dramas (108),`ER' topped the ratings charts shortly after its premiere, and has remained a top-rated show (and an anchor of NBC's vaunted Thursday Must-See TV lineup) ever since.