If it’s Sweeps Month, then “ER” must be killing off an older actor

As much as I love Bob Newhart, I must admit I’m getting tired of ER‘s habit of bringing in “elder statesmen” actor and actresses to play older people with long-term health problems. In addition to Bob Newhart going blind, we’ve had Alan Alda with Alzheimer’s, James Cromwell dying of something (cancer, I think it was), Sally Field with bipolar disorder, William H. Macy losing his mojo, et cetera. But then, I think it would be funny if ER lasted, say, another twenty years; that way when the Med School class of 2023 is working County Hospital, George Clooney can come back and play Doug Ross on death’s door.