ER has also focused on relationships in the past between the various doctors or between a doctor and nurse, but it caters to a wider age group than DMG. So it tries to do both, relationships and medical stuff. As for realistic elements, most hospitals do not encounter the violence they feature on ER- it's inflated for the benefit of ratings. DMG is also in a daily half-hour format whereas ER is a weekly show, so their scope is different. Some people may find one more entertaining than the other.
I feel there is a basis for comparison in the common element that, these shows all provide doctors that care about their patients, ones we wish we had in real life but do not. So the shows work to fill a void, but in different ways. They serve to illustrate compassion, love, conflict, grace under pressure. They have been doing this since the time of St. Elsewhere.
Edited by trina1 - 18 years ago