I doubt that any show that will be drafted will be one which sat on the back-burner for as long as this one did. Originally conceived as a feature movie all the way back in 1974 (by Michael Crichton, of all people), it debuted in September 1994 on NBC and immediately hit the ground running, finishing #2 in the ratings in its first season. It would finish in the top ten ten seasons in a row, and was the #1 show in the US three times. All with a constantly rotating cast and a 10pm time-slot that doesn't produce a lot of #1 shows (even on Thursday night).

More importantly, ER was the ne plus ultra of hospital dramas, nominated for 124 Emmys, winning 22 of them, and held down a Thursday night which left NBC head and shoulders above all other networks in the late 1990s. Nowadays any regularly scheduled show which draws 10 million viewers is a big success (shows like Bones and Grey's Anatomy get around that). Anything with 15 million would be a juggernaut (like CSI or Criminal Minds). Anything with 25 million would stomp all competition (like American Idol). However, ER drew up to 40 million viewers -- on episodes that weren't season finales! Season 6, episode 14 got 39 million viewers in what may be the last time a non-finale, non-landmark, non-reality show episode legitimately gets everyone (really, everyone) talking. Idol may be the Death Star of contemporary US television, but it's never drawn 39 million. Nowadays only the Super Bowl and the AFC/NFC conference championships draw that consistently, and that's only three "episodes" a year.

Obviously that didn't last forever, and the aired its final episode last April. Nonetheless, between its length of run, its quality, and its ability to draw viewers, I don't think ZSN could do any better with its opening pick.

with the #4 selection sixfour and I snap pick




Since its creation American Idol has become a smash hit. This show is still popular 8 years later, and we see no reason why it wouldnt become as popular now as it was then.