Medical dramas are more popular than ever, especially with The Pitt receiving critical acclaim, Brilliant Minds and Watson introducing some mystery to the genre, and Grey’s Anatomy still keeping people tuned in on Thursday nights. Over 30 years ago, one of the best shows in general and, in our opinion, the best medical drama, began airing. Over ER‘s 15 seasons, quite a few actors appeared as doctors, nurses, patients, and loved ones. And so when Sharif Atkins, who starred as Dr. Michael Gallant from Season 8 to 12, guest starred on Chicago Med this past season, we had to ask him about his time on that NBC drama.
Two things immediately came to mind, he told TV Insider: “One is I had this really great scene, one of the first episodes I did — I did a guest star arc in the beginning before it became a series regular [role] — and it was just this sort of magnificent set where I’m trying to jump over a live wire over a puddle of water into an ambulance to help Laura Innes [Dr. Kerry Weaver] with a patient. It’s that kind of spectacular stuff,” he shared.
He also recalled struggling with a script and not knowing what choice to make. “Maura Tierney [Dr. Abby Lockhart] said, ‘Sharif, just make a choice. Make a choice,’” he recalled. “And it’s interesting because one of the things that I keep with me, and anytime anyone, if I’m talking to an acting class or what have you, sometimes I just say, ‘You know what? Sometimes you just have to simply make a choice. You got to make a choice and go with your gut.’ Those are some good memories. Good memories.”
ER remains as popular as ever today, thanks to streaming. Sharif Atkins attributes that to “the writing, the acting, the set, the whole shebang.”
“It was one of those shows that for the longest of times was the show to watch, the show to try to be on, you know what I mean? And for me personally, for that to be my proverbial coming out party here in Hollywood and just with my career, I couldn’t have dreamt up a better start,” he said.
ER, Complete Series, Streaming Now, HBO Max & Hulu
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