Airing for roughly fifteen years, ER saw the death and abrupt exits of many beloved characters, most notably Dr. Mark Greene in ER season 8–but why was he killed off? Created by physician and sci-fi novelist Michael Crichton (creator of Jurassic Park and Westworld), ER made its debut on NBC in 1994, achieving overwhelming success with a total of 331 episodes over the course of 15 seasons before ending in 2009, making it the second-longest-running medical drama behind Grey’s Anatomy. Like Grey’s Anatomy, many cast members came and went over the course of the long-running series, but Dr. Mark Greene was there for more than half of the show’s run.
Played by Anthony Edwards, the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning star of Top Gun and Revenge of the Nerds, Dr. Greene was one of ER‘s most inherently likable leading men, as well as, arguably, the main protagonist through ER season 8. From ER‘s pilot episode, which started with Dr. Greene tending to his drunk friend Dr. Doug Ross (George Clooney) while also overseeing a dozen critically injured patients, to his final moments in ER season 8, Dr. Greene consistently remained both a good friend and an authority figure to his fellow medical team. Although Dr. Mark Greene’s ER death came as a massive blow for the other characters and for audiences, it was planned that way.
What Happened To Dr. Greene In ER
In a fittingly tragic death, Dr. Mark Greene died from a brain tumor in ER season 8, episode 21, “On The Beach.” After an extended battle with brain cancer that includes several ups and downs, Dr. Greene decided to spend his last few months rebuilding relationships with his family and visited Hawaii with his daughter, Rachel (Halle Hirsch). While there, the two shared a touching moment over Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” and Greene passed in his sleep, marking the official Anthony Edwards ER departure.
Why ER Killed Off Dr. Greene
A year prior to Dr. Greene’s departure from ER in 2002, Edwards expressed to the Associated Press his desire to step away from the role. “It’s been eight years of my family working around my schedule,” Edwards explained in 2001. “It’s been a long time playing Dr. Greene.” Essentially, married with three daughters and one son, Edwards wanted to spend more time being there for his family while leaving open the possibility for other career opportunities. To honor his wishes, the ER show writers at NBC gave Dr. Greene the dramatically tragic exit his character deserved.
Following his leave from ER, Edwards mostly spent time with his family. However, he also took on a few one-offs and minor roles in various TV series, including the quickly canceled conspiracy drama Zero Hour, playing Judge Stanley Weisberg in the miniseries Law & Order True Crime, and Mars Harper in Designated Survivor. He even directed the 2016 comedy My Dead Boyfriend, starring Heather Graham, Katherine Moennig, and Scott Michael Foster.
How ER Brought Back Mark Greene In Season 15
Since the Anthony Edwards ER exit, people wondered if the character would pop back up in the series either via flashback or Grey’s Anatomy’s Meredith Grey hallucination-type scenario. The ER faithful finally had their wishes granted when the good doctor made a short appearance during ER‘s 15th season. In season 15, episode 7, “Heal Thyself,” Dr. Catherine Banfield (Angela Bassett) faced difficulties when a grievously ill child is brought into the E.R.
When all seemed lost, a flashback helped her to not only diagnose the child but also confront her problems. The flashback included a moment with Dr. Greene, so Anthony Edwards graced the hospital with his presence one final time after Mark Green’s ER death. The episode marked the final appearance of Dr. Mark Greene in the series, as well as that of Dr. Robert Romano (Paul McCrane) who was killed off in ER season 10.
It’s better that Anthony Edwards’ character was brought back in flashback form for ER‘s final season rather than finding a contrived reason for him to still be alive. As the only original cast member to die in the series, Dr. Greene certainly remains one of ER‘s most cherished characters. He may now be lower-key in the world of acting, but with him playing both Dr. Greene in ER and Goose in Top Gun, Anthony Edwards has had two of the most impactful and heartbreaking on-screen deaths ever on both the small and big screen. Though many ER fans are still reeling from Dr. Greene’s death years later, it’s nice to know that the character’s sad ending was a fresh new beginning for Edwards.
