I suppose it's destiny that I had to find out this news, this way. I know something was going on. It just wasn't meant for me to see that episode of ER.

I have a terrible time trying to stay awake long enough to watch ER. Last night the two women went to the Bingo. It was just myself and Jenny (dog-person)alone at home as usual. I had this plan. I would get some sleep BEFORE ER came on and that way I would be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when the helicopter crash episode aired.

You see, I NEVER sleep much longer than two hours at a stretch. One should never say NEVER. [I just did it three times] Just to make sure, I piled up on the most uncomfortable couch in existence at seven-thirty. Jenny got as comfortable as she could down at my feet. Five minutes till eleven, the women returned home with a snack for me in hand. I was too upset to eat. That lasted for all of five minutes.

I've been waiting to see that sorry excuse of a man get his just reward from the day he first appeared on the show. And now this! Good Grief!

Hey, Clarence...don't jump to any conclusions just yet. If you taped the show, you'd better watch it, instead of making assumptions based on my post. ;-)

If Romano's truly gone, I'm going to miss him. Shows like that need a hardass. Of course, I was also a fan of Dr. Mark Craig on St. Elsewhere. :)

So what's your take on this season? I have to admit, the past couple of seasons, I had lost interest in the show, but I'm enjoying it again this season.

Kevin, it's interesting how much our perceptions of ER parallel each other. I watched very few episodes the past couple of seasons, but it's back to "must see" status this year. I'll admit to getting hooked by the episodes set in Africa, just as I was completely indifferent to some of the past storylines (like Luka's sexual exploits and Kerry's lesbian relationship, etc.).

I think the show is so much stronger when it sticks to the fast-paced medical storytelling approach and minimizes the intra-staff affairs and relationships. I also think that adding new cast members like Parminder Nagra and giving new life to old ones (Abby back in med school) are keeping the show from getting old.

As for losing Romano's character...well, he'd grown into a caricature, just too over-the-top to continue. I'm sure we'll get a replacement to capably fill the gap.

I was a huge fan of ER. I remember when ER premiered Chicago Hope (hospital drama set in a hospital) also came out. The critics like CH I knew I would like ER mostly because of Michael Critchon. I was right, I loved it...

Until about two years ago I realized I hated all the characters on the show and the few I did like wasn't enough for me to keep watching. For the past two years I have seen two episodes, the one where Romano lost his arm and then last Thursday's. I admit, I liked the episode, at least the parts dealing with the copter crash, but, I think that the good doctor's death was, well in a word, stupid. The irony was way too think for my taste. I will probably watch the next ep but after that it will probably be soon relegated to Must Miss TV again.

WHAT HAPPENED TO DR.ROMANO??!!??
I haven't been watching ER for 7 years now, and I just got caught up (thanks TNT) and now somebody told me Dr Romano died... I miised the last episode.. A helicopter fell on him? Can somebody fill int he gaps, PLEASE!??

Mauvais, while the episode ended without explicit confirmation, it appears that the good doc was, indeed, in the wrong place at the wrong time, in a bit of irony (perhaps too much so, as a previous commentor observed). A careflight helo lifted off the roof of the hospital and caught a wicked crosswind or downdraft and crashed back down to the roof, then slid over the side just as Romano was walking out into the parking lot below. He looked up and froze...flashing back to his last close encounter with a helicopter, then...boom!

He had been even jerkier than usual in this episode, almost as if they were setting the audience up to participate in some big time payback.

Sorry you had to find this out here...maybe they'll shed some light tonight.

Hi I watched the episode last night with the lovely doctor romano's death
and i am totally shocked and upset i love that man Hes lovely he will be sadley missed
A romano sad fan!

Damn Romano didn't have much luck with the old helicopter's eh!