Law And Order’s ER Reunion Falls Flat

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Heads up! The events in Episode 10 of Law & Order Season 24 titled “Greater Good” may reveal plot twists. You can watch it now if you have a Peacock subscription. Enjoy your streaming!

In Season 24, Maura Tierney may be making her debut as part of the Law & Order cast, however, her scheduled appearances in 2025 indicate a comeback to NBC’s prime-time schedule for the actress. Previously, she played Abby Lockhart in almost 200 episodes of ER over a decade, which is one of the reasons I was thrilled when she was chosen to replace Camryn Manheim. The recent episode, touted as an ER reunion, saw Mekhi Phifer and Tierney on screen together, with Eriq La Salle directing. Unfortunately, the episode didn’t meet my expectations, but I enjoy seeing the behind-the-scenes photos of the ex-castmates reunited.

To put it frankly, I mistakenly set my hopes high for the ER reunion in “Greater Good.” The enticing promo cleverly utilized the “-er” in each of the ex-medical drama actors’ names and hinted at a scene between Tierney and Phifer, leading me to believe there would be numerous interactions between their characters. However, Lt. Jessica Brady, played by Tierney, mostly delegated the handling of Lyman Ross, portrayed by Phifer, to Shaw and Riley. As the “Law” part of Law & Order took control of the week’s case, Price and Maroun also joined in.

Was it still enjoyable to watch the two ER vets together in the same episode, given that Eriq La Salle was also directing? Absolutely, and it even sparked my interest in subscribing to Hulu again so I could revisit their days as Abby Lockhart (Tierney), Greg Pratt (Phifer), and Peter Benton (La Salle). Moreover, without their long-standing connection, we might not have some photos of them grinning on the set of Law & Order! Here’s one example:

On January 23rd, Maura Tierney and Mekhi Phifer appeared much more joyful behind the scenes compared to their characters in “Greater Good”. Given that Phifer’s character didn’t have many reasons to smile, it’s heartening to see him enjoying himself on set.

Eriq La Salle has been a significant figure in the Dick Wolf TV universe for many years, working behind the scenes on various shows such as early episodes of “Law & Order”, spinoffs like “SVU” and “Organized Crime”, CBS’ “FBI”, and other series under NBC’s One Chicago umbrella. If you too found yourself reminiscing about “ER”, his Instagram account has been sharing nostalgic moments, even revisiting their times in medical attire.

In an unexpected turn not hinted at in the previews, “Law & Order” revival “Greater Good” surprised viewers by reprising Michael Beach as defense attorney Brian Harris. Notably, Beach has previously worked with La Salle as a director on several earlier episodes of “Law & Order” and some installments of “Chicago P.D.”. Furthermore, Beach recurred on “ER” for three seasons from 1995-1997, playing Al Boulet, a character who had no friendly history with Peter Benton during their time together on the show. Here’s a snapshot of the actors looking quite pleased:

Eriq La Salle shared several photos on his Instagram page that included Mekhi Phifer and Michael Beach, former stars of ER, as well as Mehcad Brooks, who currently stars on Law & Order, among others. Have a look at the second picture in the series he posted below:

In “Greater Good,” Mekhi Phifer’s character ended up behind bars despite a fellow officer’s efforts to keep him out due to the man he killed being universally disliked. Therefore, it seems unlikely that we’ll see his character reunited with Maura Tierney again. However, given Eriq La Salle’s extensive work in network TV Dick Wolf shows, as well as acting, producing, and directing “On Call” on Prime Video, a return to the director’s chair is definitely possible.

For those who enjoy “Law & Order”, don’t forget to catch new episodes every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, regardless if Maura Tierney is the only “ER” star making appearances. Additionally, you can stream earlier episodes on Peacock, along with “Law & Order: SVU” and “Law & Order: Organized Crime”.

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2025-01-24 16:07