Clooney Returns To ER To Say Goodbye

After nine years, the show that propelled George Clooney to stardom lured him back in for one last goodbye run– and I do mean last. Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross reappeared three episodes away from ER’s 15th and final season. The long-running hit NBC drama, set in the emergency ward of a Chicago hospital, hasn’t seen Clooney’s character for almost ten years.

As the storyline goes, he was transferred to the Washington State hospital in Seattle alongside his girlfriend-turned-wife, Carol Hathaway. We first met her when she was working at Chicago General as head nurse and was brought into the ER to be treated following a suicide attempt. Since his transfer to Washington, Dr. Ross has worked as an attending physician at the Seattle hospital. In order to write him back into the show, along with three other original cast members, the writers had to rely on a certain amount of coincidence.

During the last three episodes, Noah Wyle returns to play his character, Dr. John Carter, who is at Chicago County General hospital as a patient. He is awaiting a kidney that will prove to be a transplant match for him. Dr. Peter Benton, reprieved by Eriq La Salle, works in the hospital and goes to visit Dr. Carter during his wait.

A matching kidney does in fact become available at at the very Seattle hospital where Dr. Ross and Hathaway work. This leads to all four of these original cast members being reunited for a final farewell to the fifteen year old series.

If that’s not enough to peak your interest in the conclusion of this record-breaking, award-winning series, maybe I should mention the partial Clooney nudity that is thrown in for free at the end of the last episode.

Although it may seem like the end of an era, and, in fact, it is, but the fun won’t stop once you’ve seen the dramatic ending. It will just serve as an opportunity to watch all three hundred and some episodes from all over again from start to finish… or at least your choice favorites; sometimes shows are just better in syndication.

For the maximum in viewing pleasure, check out what DirecTV has to offer if you haven’t already. They will be able to provide more HD channels than you could get from other satellite provider and way more than cable providers. With DirecTV there is also the added benefit that their monthly bill is less than cable with better choices in packages to suit the whole family.

Troubleshooting Digital TV Reception Issues

Although not mandatory until June 12^th, most television stations are already broadcasting a digital signal and some have been doing so for quite a while now. The change will free up the analog airwaves for emergency messages and government business. Not many people are complaining about the change over, but that doesn’t mean that the switch hasn’t cause some issues. One of these change over affects is that some people have begun to complain about the quality of reception they are getting on their new digital sets.

If poor reception is a problem that you are facing, read through these troubleshooting tips to see if there isn’t a simple solution to your on-screen snow storm.

Your first step should be to ensure that your television antenna can support a digital signal. Most of them are but there is a simple question you can ask yourself in order to make sure– before the switch, was your antenna capable of picking up analog channels 14 and up? These channels are broadcast using UHF signals, any antenna that can turn them into picture and sound can also handle a digital broadcast.

If you find that your technology is sound but your digital TV reception is still not up to par, try adjusting the positioning of your antenna. If that doesn’t do the trick, run through the rest of the troubleshooting before you try uprooting it and moving changing its location altogether.

Most viewers will be able to clarify their signal simply by changing the antenna positioning slightly. If you find that your antenna needs to be adjusted differently when you change from one channel to another in order to optimally display them, you might want to look into purchasing a remote-control antenna rotor that will make your television experience a lot less annoying if you have to frequently shift the antenna for better reception.

The connecting cables that bring the signal into your home and to your television (and your other cables as well) can contribute to less than perfect reception if they are old or of poor quality. Cables without sufficient insulation can lose signal during transfer and even pick up electronic signal interference. By selecting RG-6, UL-approved, 75-ohm cables, you can feel confident that the signal your antenna is picking up makes it all the way to your television without being diluted or interrupted.

For the clearest picture possible, consider an HD capable television with broadcasting by DirecTV.  This will allow you to have more HD channels than you could get from other satellite provider and way more than cable providers.   With DirecTV there is also the added benefit that their monthly bill is less than cable with better choices in packages to suit the whole family.