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Netflix Revives ER — The Incredibly Thrilling 90s Medical Drama That Launched George Clooney and Redefined Hospital TV

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January 22, 2026

Looking for your next TV binge to get you through the cold winter months? Netflix is bringing some serious 90s nostalgia to our screens with the arrival of the iconic medical drama, ER.

The NBC series, which ran from 1995 to 2009, is the second-longest-running primetime medical drama in American TV history, behind Shonda Rhimes’ Grey’s Anatomy. It was a huge star-making machine, with the likes of Hollywood actor George Clooney, Line of Duty‘s Thandiwe Newton and Baywatch‘s Zac Efron finding fame after appearing on the series.

ER revolutionised the medical drama genre with its immersive filming style and authentic depiction of the messy realities of life in an emergency room. The show became a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s, drawing in huge audiences and establishing a wide fan base, who will no doubt be thrilled at the news of its pending arrival on Netflix.

The series, which follows the lives of doctors and nurses working in Cook County General Hospital’s overwhelmed emergency room, comes to Netflix on 9 February – so mark your calendars now!

Ahead of the show’s arrival on the streaming platform, find out all you need to know below…

"When I was doing ER, it was 12 pages of medical dialogue. You look at it in the morning and you say, 'OK, let's go!'" © Warner Bros Tv/Amblin Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

The series follows the lives of medical staff at Cook County General Hospital in Chicago

What is ER about?

The series follows the chaotic lives of medical staff working in the emergency room at the busy Cook County General Hospital in Chicago as they face the ups and downs of their professional and personal lives.

The drama was created by author and filmmaker Michael Crichton, who received an MD from Harvard Medical School in 1969 before deciding to pursue a career in writing. He wrote the 1990 novel Jurassic Park, upon which Steven Spielberg’s hit franchise is based.

What have viewers and critics said about the series? © Moviestore/Shutterstock

The series has a dedicate fan base

What have viewers and critics said about the series?

The series has a legion of dedicated fans, who have described it as “incredibly thrilling” and “the best medical drama”.

One viewer penned in an online review: “This show is without a doubt, the best one on television,” while another added: “Definitely worth a watch if you haven’t seen it. I think I’ve watched it at least five times from start to finish by now and it still hasn’t gotten old and me being a nurse hasn’t ruined it like it has a few other shows.”

The series has also been met with rave reviews from critics and is often referred to as one of the best medical dramas. It also boasts a 91 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Over the course of its run, ER received a whopping 128 industry awards from 442 nominations, including 23 Primetime Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe.

Parminder Nagra as Doctor Neela Rasgotra in ER © Mike Ansell/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images

Parminder Nagra starred in the medical drama as Dr. Neela Rasgotra

Who stars in ER?

A wide cast of characters have walked through the doors of Cook County General Hospital over the years. The series helped boost the careers of George Clooney (Jay Kelly), Noah Wyle (The Pitt), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) and Alex Kingston (Doctor Who), while the likes of Jessica Chastain, Zac Efron, Dakota Fanning, Lucy Liu, Ewan McGregor, Eva Mendes and Nick Offerman appeared in episodes.

Other notable stars on the show include Anthony Edwards (Inventing Anna), Sherry Stringfield (NYPD Blue), Eriq La Salle (A Gifted Man) and Parminder Nagra (Bend it Like Beckham).