Christopher Chulack Movies

Executive-produced by ER and West Wing veteran John Wells, the weekly serialized drama series Smith focused on a group of highly skilled professional thieves, who covered their tracks by living normal, above-suspicion lives between heists. There was actually no character named "Smith"; this was the designation given by the Feds to the mysterious leader of the criminals, whom the audience knew to be Bobby Stevens (Ray Liotta), who maintained a respectable veneer as a sales representative for a paper-cup company. Ever so often, Bobby would make up an alibi for his dental-assistant wife Hope (Virginia Madsen) and his family, travel to another city, don new clothes and a new identity, and mastermind a high-profile theft with his accomplices, all of whom resided in different, far-flung cities. Bobby's "team" included womanizing hit man Jeff (Simon Baker), Vegas showgirl Annie (Amy Smart), parolee Tom (Johnny Lee Miller), and versatile utility man Joe (Franky G.). Dogging the thieves' trail with Javert-like diligence was the ruthless and sometimes unscrupulous federal agent Dodd (Chris Bauer). Debuting September 19, 2006 on CBS, Smith was among the first casualties of the 2006-2007 season, lasting only three episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title of the CBS doctor drama referred to the fictional Presidio Medical Group of San Francisco. Distinguishing this effort from all other forcep-and-scalpel weeklies was the fact that the staff of Presidio Med was virtually all-female, save for a brace of "token" handsome hunks. Still, in standard TV fashion, the doctors became emotionally (and sometimes intimately) involved in the welfare of their patients. The main characters included OB-GYN specialist Harriet Lanning (Blythe Danner), oncologist Rae Brennan (Dana Delany), cardiologist Letty Jordan (Anna Deavere Smith), plastic surgeon Jackie Collette (Sasha Alexander), pediatrician Jules Keating (Julianne Nicholson), and, from the male contingent, internist Matt Slingerland (Paul Blackthorne) and Greek-born surgeon Nicholas Kokoris (Oded Fehr). Created by former ER producers Lydia Woodward and John Wells, Presidio Med debuted Tuesday, September 24, 2002, before settling into its usual Wednesday-night time slot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

James Cromwell starred on this weekly, hour-long drama series as veteran politician Elliott Baines. After three successful terms as senator, Baines is cast adrift when a fourth-term bid comes a cropper. Knowing no other life but politics, the widowed Baines returns home to Seattle, there to contend with the exigencies of being a private citizen -- and to reestablish family ties with his three grown, estranged daughters. Yes, the whole thing sounded a lot like King Lear, which of course was the producers' intention. Also in the cast were Embeth Davidtz as Baines' lawyer daughter, Ellen; Jane Adams as Baines' unhappily married "middle child" Reeva; and Jacinda Barrett as youngest daughter Dori, the obligatory iconoclastic "bohemian." Originally titled The Second Act, Citizen Baines was to have made its CBS debut on September 22, 2001, but was moved to September 29 due to TV coverage of the World Trade Center bombing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Facing serious consequences for illegally prescribing pain medication for ALD patient Ricky Abbott (Kyle Chambers), Ross (George Clooney) is given an ultimatum by Greene (Anthony Edwards). The situation becomes more problematic when Ross forges papers allowing Ricky to be home-treated by his mother, Joi (Valerie Mahaffey). In other developments, Weaver (Laura Innes) thinks she has a line on her biological parents. Nigerian-born janitor Mobalage (Djimon Hounsou) reacts violently when Greene tries to treat the man's back pains. And Romano (Paul McCrane) is promoted despite the sexual-harassment investigation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This ER episode eschews the usual "multiple-subplot" format to focus on a single plot line involving little Corinna (Nicolette Little), a seven-year-old victim of a car accident. Inasmuch as the girl has an extremely rare blood type, it is necessary to locate her missing father -- a task that falls to Carter (Noah Wyle) and Lucy (Kellie Martin), who embark upon an odyssey through Chicago that takes them from Wrigley Field to a forbidding back alley. As time runs out for Corinna, Benton (Eriq La Salle) is forced into an unorthodox surgical procedure. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A toxic benzine spill in the ER waiting room forces the evacuation of all the patients. With Weaver (Laura Innes) suffering the ill effects of the spill, Carter is placed in charge of the "exodus." Meanwhile, Corday (Alex Kingston) goes on an EMT ridealong, ultimately risking her life to treat Leo Lepziger (Joey Perillo), whose arm is trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building. This episode won an Emmy award for Best Sound Editing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As their premature baby son struggles for his life in the ICU, Benton (Eriq La Salle) and Carla (Lisa Nicole Carson) mull over their future. Increasingly paranoid after being beaten by an unknown assailant, Greene (Anthony Edwards) purchases a gun. Anspaugh (John Aylward) is upset that Carter (Noah Wyle) wants to abandon surgery in favor of emergency medicine. Romance re-enters the lives of Ross (George Clooney) and Carol (Julianna Margulies). And troubled teenager Charlie (Kirsten Dunst) is back. This was the final episode of ER's third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Still on suspension from the ER, Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) stops off at a local convenience store, and ends up smack dab in the middle of a robbery. Shots rings out, the store's owner and one of the robbers are wounded, and the incident turns into a dangerous hostage situation. Hoping to save the lives of the other people in the store, Carol simultaneously tries to defuse the situation and tend to the wounded. Neatly sidestepping the usual TV cliché, the hostage crisis is resolved some 20 minutes before the end of the episode -- but Carol's troubles are far from over. "The Long Way Around" earned an Emmy award for Best Editing. Ewan McGregor guest starred as one of the robbers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Benton (Eriq La Salle) gives British surgeon Corday (Alex Kingston) a crash course in American ER procedures and later helps Carla (Lisa Nicole Carson) choose a name for their baby. Carter (Noah Wyle) and Del Amico (Maria Bello) are assigned to train two new med students, with Carter drawing the "short straw." Greene (Anthony Edwards) is handed a subpoena in the wrongful-death suit filed by the Law family. And Weaver's (Laura Innes) authority -- and imperiousness -- increases while Morganstern (William H. Macy) recovers from his heart attack. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having completed medical school, Carter (Noah Wyle) invites Benton (Eriq La Salle) to his graduation -- only to miss the festivities himself because he's too busy comforting his patient TC (Gabrielle Boni). Meanwhile, Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies), fed up with the bureaucracy and backstabbing of hospital politics, quits her job; and Greene (Anthony Edwards) is forced to back Weaver (Laura Innes) for the job of attending physician if he wants to appoint Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) as chief resident. This final episode of ER's second season includes an unresolved plot strand involving Benton, his erstwhile lover, Jeanie (Gloria Reuben), and an HIV examination. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Already doubting his abilities after the messy Lori O'Brien lawsuit, Greene (Anthony Edwards) suffers another blow to his self-confidence when the wife of a dead patient accuses him of killing the man. As if this wasn't trouble enough for Greene, his soon-to-be-ex-wife, Jenn, wants full custody of their daughter Rachel. Meanwhile, Carol (Julianna Margulies) is put in charge of a patient's prize collection of worms, which she promptly loses; Benton (Eriq La Salle) uncovers several factual holes in Vucelich's (Ron Rifkin) study; and Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) is a candidate for the position of chief resident. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

During a torrential downpour, Ross (George Clooney) struggles to rescue 12-year-old Ben Larkin (Erik Von Detten), who is trapped in a flooded culvert. Realizing that the youngster is already suffering from hypothermia and may not survive his ordeal even if rescued, Ross orders on-the-spot intensive care treatment -- an action that will either make or break his career. Elsewhere, Harper Tracy (Christine Elise) experiences her own crisis involving the bickering parents of ten-year-old hit-and-run victim Molly Phillips (J. Madison Wright). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide