Quentin Tarantino’s directorial effort on a Season 1 episode of the hit medical drama “ER” was reportedly the least favorite of series co-creator Michael Crichton. This detail emerges from the new book “ER: The Oral History” by Lynette Rice.
According to former writer Neal Baer, Crichton, who died in 2008, “got all bent out of shape about it” for reasons Baer could not specify. Baer, however, defended the episode, titled “Motherhood,” stating that he thought it was “great.”
The episode, which aired on May 11, 1995, focused on the medical team dealing with a mother’s death and a birth. It garnered a significant viewership of 33.3 million.
At the time of the episode's airing, “ER” was a burgeoning success, while Tarantino was already an established director, having released “Reservoir Dogs” in 1992 and “Pulp Fiction” in 1994. Tarantino later directed two episodes of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” in 2005.
“ER” aired on NBC for 15 seasons, from 1994 to 2009, featuring a cast that included George Clooney, Noah Wyle, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle, and Anthony Edwards.
According to actress Julianna Margulies, Tarantino was a substantial fan of “ER” and personally requested the opportunity to direct an episode. Warren Littlefield, a former NBC executive, recalled his surprise and enthusiasm upon hearing Tarantino’s interest.
“ER” director and producer Christopher Chulak described Tarantino as being “like a kid” on set, noting that he wore scrubs on his first day. Writer Lydia Woodward also praised Tarantino, calling him “quite possibly the easiest director to work with in my entire career,” and recalled that he made only one significant directorial suggestion.
Tarantino's singular note was for a scene where character Susan is rushing to take her pregnant sister to the hospital. He suggested using a "clapper," a sound-activated device used to help locate keys, as Susan searched for hers.
This revelation about Crichton’s displeasure follows other reported disputes involving the late author’s estate, including a legal conflict with Noah Wyle concerning his current medical drama, “The Pitt.”
“ER: The Oral History” is currently available for purchase.