ERshowrunner John Wells has revealed the most frustrating notes that were made from the medical drama’s run about two particular storylines. Wells was a major executive producer for the medical drama, serving as showrunner from season 1 to season 6. Under his watch, manyepisodes ofERincluded some controversial yet topical subjects across the varied storylines it tackled.
Speaking withThe Hollywood Reporter, Wells revealed that, early on, there were some very frustrating notes about different storylines inER. This included questioning whether a Black character could kiss a White character in the show, alongsidehow they wanted to portray Gloria Reuben’s Jeanie Boulet being HIV positive. Check out what Wells had to say below:
I had huge discussions during the ER days about racial storylines. “Could this Black character actually kiss this white character?” This in 1998! I was like, “Guys, what are we even talking about?” A big storyline we did in the third season of ER was Gloria Reuben’s character being HIV positive. There were real conversations where they said, “So, she’s going to survive? Should she survive?” It’s HIV. It’s terrifying. But there were already many, many people in the world dealing with it. And to suggest that anybody who becomes infected dies, that’s not the message that we wanted moving through the world.
What John Wells' Statement Says About ER’s Early Production
The discussions being held aroundER’s storylinesin its early years signifies how, even in the late 1990s, there was still trepidation surrounding storylines that, in the 2020s, would be mundane. The idea of two characters of different skin colors kissing isn’t controversial anymore, but seemingly was relatively recently. It emphasizesjust how much TV and society have changed since.
As for the show’s HIV storyline, it began in season 3 when Reuben’s Jeanie was diagnosed after contracting it from her husband. However, it didn’t end in her death, instead showing how she continued to live her life while having the condition. It was considered a groundbreaking move at the time, since she didn’t die of the virus.
The fact such debates were happening, though, shows how differentseasons ofERhad to debate various subjects that could be shown, alongside how they were going to be portrayed. Earlier seasons, however, had to deal with subjects that have since become less controversial. The thought process behind the series was much different from what modern productions consider.
Our Take On ER’s Frustrating Production Notes
The notes Wells was reading duringER’s early seasons shows just how much media has progressed since then, with the kissing between characters of different races and the HIV storyline being expectant of more modern TV shows. While the notes themselves are somewhat frustrating, they also emphasize how the medical drama was ahead of its time in certain aspects.
If anything,ERhelped pave the way for inclusive stories in TV, with a deeper focus on would-be controversial stories that helped tackle important issues. By following through with certain ideas, with its HIV story being its biggest one, the show managed to emphasize its strengths in portraying meaningful storylines. It opened the door for more in a positive way.
