Since I was on a retro TV kick I picked a random ep of the old Emergency! series and boy it was awesome! A two-part ep from S7 that was like a mini disaster flick where they have to rescue office workers from a raging inferno high rise. Really impressive for a TV show from the 70’s. Hundreds of extras, tons of physical burning sets, and high drama.

The S7 ep also had a very familiar, very YOUNG John DeLancie, better known to us as Q from #StarTrek TNG. Impressive, Mon capitan!

Watched a few ep of Emergency! now and I have to say it’s kinda TV comfort food. Parts are hokey but other parts are super sincere and the leads are just well acted. Gage and DeSoto both are professionals w/ awesome bedside manners. They take pride in their job and their squad, it’s refreshing. 🚨

More fun things:
- Always checking the map before a run (No GPS!)
- Writing *everything* down (no tablets!)
- Have each other’s backs
- Rampart staff is a little stiff compared
- Animal rescues YAY!

So I asked ChatGPT what was the episode of #Emergency where Fireman John Gage was hit by a car. It gave me a long, dramatic answer citing S3 ep 19 called “The Hard Hours”. Went and read the description on Peacock and it said nothing about Gage being hit.

Then I googled the question and found it was actually S5 E22 ‘The Nuisance’.

I’m starting to think AI is a complicated plot by Google to make web searching relevant again.

My wife and I were taking bets if Gage and DeSoto would have to defibrillate one of the victims in this tiny plane that crashed atop a tree deep in the forest 100 feet up. #Emergency

Yes/No?

When #Emergency is good it’s *really* good. I’m starting to understand why it became the smash hit it did with S2 E1 ‘Problem’.

DeSoto considers quitting being a paramedic after a quick decision in the field and the victim is lost. The ep culminates with a thrilling house fire where Roy goes in to find a boy and his dog and rescues both.

This is a *real* structure fire on a real street in LA. No CGI no back lot at universal. How they did it I dunno but it’s damned fine TV.

Another #StarTrek alum makes an appearance on #Emergency S2 E5, this time it’s William Campbell from Trek TOS, better known as Trelayne from The Squire of Gothos. 🖖

Campbell plays a drunk driver who plows into a little seven year old girl and puts her in critical condition for most of the episode. Despicable doesn’t do his performance justice. Of course this is #RetroTV and she finally recovers in the end thank goodness. 🙏

Just crazy the stars you run into when watching old TV shows like #Emergency.

She’s only on screen for like a minute and her appearance in S2 E10 ‘Dinner Date’ is uncredited but this is a very very young Melissa Gilbert.

It might be her very first TV appearance, I’m not sure. This was in 1972, two years before the premiere of Little House on the Prairie in ‘74. I almost missed her completely! #RetroTV