“ER” co-creator Michael Crichton’s least favorite episode of the long-running hit medical drama was a Season 1 episode directed by Quentin Tarantino.
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episode → run → Tarantino
According to the new book, “ER: The Oral History” by Lynette Rice — which is out now — Crichton “got all bent out of shape about it.”
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Crichton → accord → it
“The only time I know we heard from Michael Crichton was when Quentin Tarantino directed the fantastic episode,” former writer Neal Baer recalls of the episode, which was titled “Motherhood.”
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which → know → episode
He claims that the late “Jurassic Park” author — who died from lymphoma at 66 in 2008 — didn’t like Tarantino’s directing on “ER” for “reasons I don’t know why.”
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I → claim → reasons
Baer, however, defends the episode, saying he thought it was “great.”
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it → defend → episode
Originally airing on May 11, 1995, “Motherhood” followed the medical team as they dealt with a mother’s death, and a birth.
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they → air → death
The episode drew a staggering 33.3 million viewers.
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episode → draw → viewers
Tarantino, meanwhile, was at the top of his career, having directed “Reservoir Dogs” in 1992 and “Pulp Fiction” in 1994.
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Tarantino → direct → 1994
Although the famed filmmaker is known for his work on the big screen, in addition to “ER,” he also once directed two episodes of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” in the show’s fifth season, airing in 2005.
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he → know → 2005
“ER” ran on NBC for 15 seasons and 331 episodes from 1994 to 2009, originally starring George Clooney, Noah Wyle, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle and Anthony Edwards.
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ER → run → Clooney
Tarantino was a “big fan” of “ER,” Margulies says, and he personally requested to direct an episode.
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he → say → episode
Then-NBC exec Warren Littlefield recalls that when he initially heard that the “Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood” director wanted to come on their show, he said, “You’re kidding me.
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You → recall → me
Former “ER” director/ producer Christopher Chulak says Tarantino was “like a kid, he just loved it.
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he → say → it
He showed up on the first or second day wearing scrubs.”
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He → show → scrubs
Lydia Woodward, who wrote the episode, adds that the “Inglourious Basterds” director was “quite possibly the easiest director to work with in my entire career.”
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director → write → career
She notes, “He literally only added one thing.”
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He → note → thing
Tarantino’s one requested change was a scene in which Susan (Sherry Stringfield) was rushing to drive her pregnant sister to the hospital.
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Susan → request → hospital
As Susan was rummaging around for her car keys, Tarantino wanted her to use a piece of technology called “the clapper,” a sound activation tool that helped someone locate their keys.
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someone → rummage → keys
“Quentin only wanted that funny little tidbit of a thing,” Woodward explains.
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Woodward → want → thing
Tarantino is just the latest “ER” figure to run afoul of Crichton, even after the late author’s death.
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Tarantino → run → death
Crichton’s estate has also been embroiled in a legal battle with Wyle over the actor’s current medical drama, “The Pitt.”
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estate → embroil → drama
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voice → matter → ?
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Discussions → moderate → civility
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"ER" co-creator Michael Crichton (pictured in 2005) wasn't a fan of Quentin Tarantino's "ER" episode, according to a new book.
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Crichton → read → book
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