Going live was Clooney’s idea, inspired by the scenes they call ““one-ers,’’ long single-shot stretches of action and rapid-fire dialogue. Shot on ordinary videotape instead of sharper film stock, the episode careered along at the usual ““stat’’ pace. Next door, inside Stage 10, nervous network and studio suits watched on monitors. During the second broadcast somebody shouted ““Commercial!’’ on air before the first break. ““Oohhh,’’ groaned Stage 10. Sound problems blurred some dialogue; other glitches were covered by the smart narrative gimmick: a camera crew making a documentary about Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) and his ER staff.
Security was tight as a rock concert, complete with VIP laminates and metal detectors. For psychic security, the actors carried tiny scripts in their hands and pockets. The closest call came when one of the 11 cameras went dead. Executive producer Carol Flint, who wrote the live episode, was in the control booth: ““They said, “Camera 6 is locked. We can’t get it to work.’ With a minute and a half to the scene, that was scary.’’ They fixed it. Just. But by the wrap party at midnight, Flint and her exhausted colleagues seemed ready to forget the line she wrote for Dr. Greene: ““I’m hoping for a sequel.''
