TMC
06-22-2022, 08:00 PM
From November 2000 (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.newsday.com/coverage/current/fanfare/thursday/nd8508.htm):
The Oscar-winning actress tonight begins a six-episode arc playing the mother of Nurse Abby Lockhart. "'ER' has bounced back from last season's lethargy to become TV's most breathtaking drama," says Newsday's Diane Werts. "You start watching relaxed on the sofa, then get sucked into the hospital maelstrom, leaning ever closer to the set till you've been pulled to the edge of your seat by the show's gravity."
"It still induces levels of involvement (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/style/television/A29301-2000Nov15.html) that are beyond anything that 'The West Wing' or 'The Practice' can manage," says Tom Shales.
"It's a great performance that fits seamlessly into the show (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.nj.com/columns/tv/index.ssf?/columns/tv/117a775.html); Field comes off like a real, albeit disturbed, person, and not a movie star trying to show off on TV," says Alan Sepinwall.
"It's an exhilarating and heartbreaking performance (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.suntimes.com/output/television/phil15.html) in an hour that reminds us how powerful TV's top-rated drama can be when it flexes its muscle," says Phil Rosenthal. "This is one of those shows where the flawed humanity of the characters is all too visible."
"'ER' is one of those shows where being a relative (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.pioneerplanet.com/columnists/docs/LAMBERT/docs/012554.htm) of any cast member is more dangerous than being a Serbian cop dropped back on the streets of Kosovo," says Brian Lambert, who isn't a fan of the "soapy" series.
"One point that drives me nuts about 'ER.' Erik Palladino (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/16132.htm), who is a great little actor, plays Dr. Dave Malucci," says Linda Stasi. "Everything this character says is incredibly, horribly ignorant and unfeeling. In the words of my Sicilian ancestors, he's a big cafone. Why is the Italian person always the dumb one?"
The "letterbox" format (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.mostnewyork.com/2000-11-15/New_York_Now/Television/a-88517.asp) featured in tonight's episode "is not at all jarring or attention-demanding," says David Bianculli.
ALSO: Producer John Wells approached Field about the part a year ago (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.cleveland.com/tv/index.ssf?/tv/columns/television/111600.html)
Field says she found her role "deeply frightening" (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.starnews.com/entertainment/articles/tvcol1116.html)
The Oscar-winning actress tonight begins a six-episode arc playing the mother of Nurse Abby Lockhart. "'ER' has bounced back from last season's lethargy to become TV's most breathtaking drama," says Newsday's Diane Werts. "You start watching relaxed on the sofa, then get sucked into the hospital maelstrom, leaning ever closer to the set till you've been pulled to the edge of your seat by the show's gravity."
"It still induces levels of involvement (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/style/television/A29301-2000Nov15.html) that are beyond anything that 'The West Wing' or 'The Practice' can manage," says Tom Shales.
"It's a great performance that fits seamlessly into the show (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.nj.com/columns/tv/index.ssf?/columns/tv/117a775.html); Field comes off like a real, albeit disturbed, person, and not a movie star trying to show off on TV," says Alan Sepinwall.
"It's an exhilarating and heartbreaking performance (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.suntimes.com/output/television/phil15.html) in an hour that reminds us how powerful TV's top-rated drama can be when it flexes its muscle," says Phil Rosenthal. "This is one of those shows where the flawed humanity of the characters is all too visible."
"'ER' is one of those shows where being a relative (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.pioneerplanet.com/columnists/docs/LAMBERT/docs/012554.htm) of any cast member is more dangerous than being a Serbian cop dropped back on the streets of Kosovo," says Brian Lambert, who isn't a fan of the "soapy" series.
"One point that drives me nuts about 'ER.' Erik Palladino (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/16132.htm), who is a great little actor, plays Dr. Dave Malucci," says Linda Stasi. "Everything this character says is incredibly, horribly ignorant and unfeeling. In the words of my Sicilian ancestors, he's a big cafone. Why is the Italian person always the dumb one?"
The "letterbox" format (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.mostnewyork.com/2000-11-15/New_York_Now/Television/a-88517.asp) featured in tonight's episode "is not at all jarring or attention-demanding," says David Bianculli.
ALSO: Producer John Wells approached Field about the part a year ago (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.cleveland.com/tv/index.ssf?/tv/columns/television/111600.html)
Field says she found her role "deeply frightening" (https://web.archive.org/web/20001120191600/http://www.starnews.com/entertainment/articles/tvcol1116.html)