An Exercise In Nonsense

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

This show sucks!I like many of the older shows that my parents grew up on, and they still translate nicely today.This is NOT one of them!How does this show have such great ratings? Must be from people who never saw another classic show or had absolutely NOTHING to watch during the years it actually aired.This show is the epitome of watching paint dry.The film quality looks like bad high school films of the 70s that they rehash every once in a while, like, "My body, my teeth, and myself"= or something equally cheesy that sounds obsolete. The actors do nothing for me at all. They look like C-string losers from the start. The humor is in small doses, but these doses are empty. The drama is really, really lame. = Sirens going off for a long time, annoying people, and then they pull up on a scene where some kid with an afro is laying under a smashed ice cream truck or something. They go in and help him, like paramedics and firemen typically do, and there is some ridiculously boring side story, and resolution. =BOOM. That's literally it= the same damn thing for 500 episodes. Not one episode stands out as different or memorable-- they all look and sound the same, with the same premise, and a script that I could have written myself while drunk at McDonald's, eating cheeseburgers.I cannot believe the appeal and ratings listed for this show. The only eye candy was Julie London, or some guest star, and none of these actors from the main cast have ever been seen in anything famous again-- for good reason. I used to roll my eyes and start making jokes/insults every time this comes on in reruns that my parents still watch. They would be like, "it's OK, there's nothing else on." = That sums it up, and even with NOTHING else on TV, I would rather pick lint out of my butt crack than watch this show for more than 10 mins.There is nothing groundbreaking, except that this was one of the first shows to feature the daily routines of city cops, firemen, and rescue workers-- which has now been done to death ad nauseam by 2017. Dragnet(so stiff it is actually comical), Adam-12, Cannon, Hawaii 5- 0, Columbo= are all WAY BETTER THAN THIS SHOW, if you are looking through classic TV show stations to watch.

This is one show I got to watch at night as a kid, the other was The Rockford Files. I loved Emergency and still do today, a great show that the whole family can watch together. A lot has changed for E.M.T.'s and Paramedics since that show aired back in the day. Emergency was one of the first medical dramas I remember; and it seemed like everyone watched it during it's syndication. I remember when I was young my friends and I would pretend we were Gage and De Soto. Gage was my favorite, but both meshed together, and that's part of the reason why the show was successful. That and the reality of the situations; because not every rescue was successful.The show follows Station 51, a fictional company; but a real fire station in Los Angeles, CA.. It mainly follows station 51's Paramedic's John Gage( Randolph Mantooth) and Roy De Soto (Kevin Tighe). It also brings in station 51's firefighting crew, and one of them is a real firefighter. Mike Stoker who was lucky enough to be involved with the series. This show inspired me to want to become an E.M.T., eventually I went into Criminal Justice/Safety.I learned a lot watching Emergency, medical wise at a young age. I couldn't wait until it came on each week because it was so exciting, and action packed. Emergency led the way to other shows such as E.R., Trauma, Chicago F.D., to name a few. An Excellent show that has stood the test of time.THX, Kris L. CocKayne

Emergency! is a rather quirky show, it seems almost devoid of lame, syrupy soap opera style plots you see on modern hospital and rescue shows. People aren't sleeping with each others wives and husbands, there is no quiet introspection by characters, and it is free from the general emotional malaise you see on shows now.Just the facts, you see the process of a rescue, the interactions, the diagnosis, the risk taking and everybody acts professional. I guess back in those days they cared about you and didn't ask for a $100 co-payment while you are on the stretcher! It is quite an intriguing show and it is glued together with just enough human interaction to form elegant and watchable episodes. The situations sometimes are humorous and sometimes head scratching, but isn't that life? You would think the process of alarm-driving-rescue-hospital-ending would get monotonous, but each episode is unique, and you gotta admit the fire rescue stuff looks fun. Sure its dangerous but you get a lot of toys to play with, you help people, and people respected you in return.The show falls somewhere in between a drama and reality TV.

One of my best-remembered shows as a kid. What set this show apart from its predecessors was in drawing respect from the audience for the firefighters it portrays; for the first time the paramedics, doctors and firefighters didn't arrive to wave a magic wand putting the fire out and saving the patient. The range of (at the time) operating medical and CB radio procedures and terminology, the open identification with real-time Los Angeles and the range of rescue situations faced by Station 51 and their paramedics showed how thorough Jack Webb's research and commitment to authenticity was, pushing the benefits of the paramedic program in the face of a skeptical California state government; as a concerned West Coast citizen with an eye on the Big One he probably knew this was an important step forward in public health that would save many, many lives when that day inevitably arrived. Rescue 911, ER, Law & Order, Third Watch, Cops; the entire medical and police reality television genre can trace their origins to Emergency! and once a compatible DVD box set for Australian players arrives I'll have it to reminisce with too.