This David E. Kelley Medical Drama Was A '90s Hit (After ER Chased It To A New Night)

If you were a fan of '90s medical dramas, 1994 was your year. Within 24 hours of each other, two heavyweights in the category launched their pilot episodes, giving audiences two ensemble casts full of talent and hospital emergencies. On Sunday, September 18, "Chicago Hope" debuted on CBS, with Mandy Patinkin and Adam Arkin leading a team of doctors in a hospital with the same name. On Monday, "ER" would premiere on NBC, led by Anthony Edwards and George Clooney. Three days after that, the two shows were matched against each other on Thursday night, kicking off a rivalry like we hadn't seen before.

"Chicago Hope" was the brainchild of legendary creator David E. Kelley, who was approached by CBS about producing a medical drama. "The idea was intriguing to me," Kelley told the Television Academy. "It was something different, something new for me. One of the shows that I did watch before I entered into the world of television was 'St. Elsewhere,' and I loved that show. So I started meeting with some doctors, started touring some ORs, and thought, 'Okay, we'll give this a try.'"

While the show did get off to a strong start, it was quickly overshadowed by "ER," which would own the Thursday night landscape, becoming NBC's best show ever in the 10 p.m. time slot. It wasn't long before it became obvious that in order for "Chicago Hope" to survive, it was going to have to find a new place to live.

The war for the Thursday 10 p.m. time slot lasted two months. By November, it was obvious that "ER" was a ratings smash, and continuing to go head to head against it would be unwise. "Chicago Hope" was moved to 9 p.m. "ER" would go on to finish second overall that year and become one of the best NBC shows of all time. "Chicago Hope," meanwhile, was moved again in January to Monday night and finished as a top-30 show. Monday would remain its home for two more seasons while the show maintained its position in the ratings.

In Season 4, "Chicago Hope" was moved again, this time to Wednesday night, where it started a slow slide down the ratings ladder but did enough to keep itself around for two more seasons. Finally, in Season 6, the show was moved one last time, back to Thursday at 9 p.m., an hour before the time slot where its original nemesis, "ER," was still dominating the television landscape. CBS hoped this would breathe life into the show. The gambit didn't pay off, unfortunately, and at the end of the season, the show was canceled. But considering its competition was one of the most successful shows ever, a six-season run is enough for "Chicago Hope" to take its place on the list of top medical dramas of all time.