5/5 er rocks
  by Debra Dailey (ENGADINE , MI)
Er is one of the best shows ever. I started watching right from the first episode. I'm so happy you can buy the seasons. Now I can watch anytime, and I do. I just can't get enough. I must have for anyone who loved ER.

2/5 ER Season Nine
  by Hombre Divertido (www.maskedmoviesnobs.com)
ER: The Complete Ninth Season (2001)

On June seventeenth 2008 Warner Brothers released the ninth season of ER in a six DVD set.

It's rare that the jumping of the shark in a television series can be spotted so easily, but there it is in all its gory glory in the first episode (Chaos Theory) of season nine of ER.

The proverbial shark in this case turned out to be the rotor blade of a helicopter that famed surgeon Dr. Robert "Rocket" Romano (Paul McCrane) manages to walk into resulting in the amputation of his arm. This shockingly graphic plot twist would eventually lead to the ruining of one of the greatest antagonists on television.

Though attempts would be made in future years to introduce similar characters, none have been as well acted or appreciated.

Season nine also marks the first full season without the stabilizing force of the now deceased Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards). That absence is felt throughout the season, as other leaders such as Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle) and Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) attempt to be a calming force in the ER. No help is given by other characters such as Luka Kovac who spends most of the season going from one bed and problem to another, or Abby Lockhart RN (Maura Tierney) who spends a substantial amount of time dealing with her family and her relationships.

The family issues of Abby do allow for all-star guest appearances by Sally Fields as her mother and Tom Everett Scott as her brother. Unfortunately the characters are one-dimensional, and the writing allows for little range by these talented actors.

The success of ER was built on the stories revolving around the patients coming into the hospital. After a trend that began years earlier, the ER storylines really hit a low point in season nine, as the focus is solely on the lives of the doctors, and little screen time is spent on the stories of the patients.

Along with the set-up for the departure of the Rocket, we see the slow departure of Dr. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) and the second departure of Dr. Susan Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) as the writers struggle with writing for women in a season dominated by male characters.

This season is not without good episodes. The opening episode of the season is certainly shocking, and the last (Kisangani) would lead to many great episodes in season 10. The writing is fine, but the focus could certainly have been more diverse. Season nine also includes appearances by Academy Nominated Actor Don Cheadle as the Parkinson disease stricken medical student Paul Nathan. Though the performance is solid, the character appears to only serve the purpose of giving Dr. Corday something to do.

Not a lot of extras here. The deleted scenes are interesting in a few cases, but for the most part it is clear why they were deleted. The gag reel is fun.

Recommendation: This is only for the true fans. Generally the writing and bringing in of guest stars seems desperate. Better episodes in season eight and ten.


5/5 Great Product
  by Kelsy (Kansas)
ER the 9th season came to me in great, new condition as I was expecting. Great value!

4/5 A Fresh Start....
  by R. Matt Ehrig (Correctionville Iowa)
In the 9th season you find characters that once were the students are now the teachers, new relationships started and old ones finished. While I found that it was odd not having many of the original cast on the show anymore they definitely had some good additions this season to help fill the void.
And a shake up at County General moves the management of the staff around. I liked this season because it dealt with change as a rule in life. Nothing stays the same forever change is the only constant. While this was not my favorite season by far, it was still good and a definite buy for any fan.


5/5 The season in which the real ER ends
  by Elizabeth L. Toma (São Paulo, Brazil)
I really think that this season is the last season of ER that has that so famous quality. The ninth season was really an important divisor between the "old ER" and the "new ER". Characters was so brilliant, with so many impressive plots and the trauma scenes was really intense. To the tenth season until today, all of that mind breaking caos dissapeared.