Forget Grey’s Anatomy, This 30-Year-Old Show Did Medical Drama First & Better

To say that Shonda Rhimes' Grey's Anatomy is now at the pinnacle of American television would be an understatement. The show that many thought would go down the second its titular character took a step back has survived and passed the test of time with flying colors.

Renewed by ABC for season 21, Grey's deserves nothing but respect for the team's constant efforts to keep diehard fans happy with how the storylines are going and newer fans excited about what comes next.

However, if you think the show has lost its spark and are looking for a replacement, take a trip down memory lane to the 90s.

Where to Stream ER TV Show?

There have been many great medical shows in the history of television, but ER may have been the one that paved the way for Grey's Anatomy to even exist.

The show began on NBC in 1994 and ran for 15 seasons until 2009, and throughout its 331 episodes, viewers had the chance to grow up with some of the original characters, celebrate their successes, and cry over some of the most dramatic deaths.

ER follows Grey's Anatomy on the list of longest-running American primetime medical dramas, but it has one big advantage: the end of its 15th season ensured that some storylines didn't drag on too long. ER won 116 awards and received 124 Emmy nominations during its run.

The medical procedural, which focused on the inner workings of the emergency room at Chicago's Cook County General Hospital, introduced actors such as George Clooney and Julianna Margulies to a wider audience and helped launch their careers. The penultimate episode of season 1 was directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Though both Grey’s Anatomy and ER stand with similar Rotten Tomatoes ratings, the critics give slightly more recognition to Shonda Rhimes’ hit, while audiences prefer its 30-years-old predecessor. Grey’s has the viewers’ approval score of 73%, while ER stands at 85%.

Either way, both shows perfectly portray the tension of the toughest medical cases and the drama between the staff, and both are great for the late night binging session.

If you have grown weary from Grey’s Anatomy over the past few years and feel like even the 20th anniversary season failed to get your mood up, give ER a chance. The show is available to stream on Max and Hulu.