ER's Most Hated Character Still Ruins The Show For Some Fans

"ER" may be one of the most famous medical dramas of all time, but there's one character who's proven to be quite controversial among fans. And no, it's not Dr. Ross, played by George Clooney, who ditched the show to pursue his film star dreams. It was actually Robert Romano, a skilled surgeon with a short fuse, and even shorter list of admirers — including fans. And although "ER" aired its series finale in 2009, fans remain divided on Romano's prickly nature, and whether or not it negatively impacted the show to this day. Especially on Reddit!

In 2024, a fan who'd recently discovered the show delighted in bashing Romano in a lengthy post. "When they introduced Romano as a guest character just coming to the hospital in season 2 I believe, I hated him from the start," they wrote of their first impression of the surgeon. "He has no redeemable qualities, is one of the most arrogant characters I've ever seen and he honestly doesn't have any reason or motivation to be the way he is." The OP also wasn't impressed with the writers' attempt to humanize him with a sad storyline. "They tried to make us feel bad for him when his dog was dying, but I felt zero empathy." The straw that broke the camel's back, however, was Romano firing fan favorite character, Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle).

Unsurprisingly, the post sparked a spirited discussion in the comment section, where fans detailed the reasons that Romano was a rather acquired taste. There were also several thinly veiled jokes referencing the gruesome fate he suffers in a later season, so you can imagine that the hatred runs deep for many fans. That said, McCrane has a rather interesting perspective about being the face of such a complicated character.

"ER" fans may hate Robert Romano, but Paul McCrane appreciated the outlandish things the writers allowed the character to say. "I love that he makes these wildly inappropriate remarks — just wildly inappropriate!" he told The Seattle Times in 1999. He also shared a bit of the character study he'd done on Romano. "If you want to psychoanalyze him, Romano could have grown up being told he was brilliant, thinking he was the top dog all the time — but then he got out in the real world," he continued, adding, "Obviously, he's very angry. That's what a drama needs — conflict. He's there to create tension. He's very power-hungry and likes to mess with people's minds."

McCrane had a similar attitude about the character's infuriating nature during an interview with People the following year. "Somebody came up to me and said, 'I hope you treat your family better than you treat the people on ER,' " he shared with the publication. "But it was all in fun. People get a kick out of what a b*****d this Romano is. ... When people recognize me, they say, 'Oh, you're soooo loathsome,' and I just smile." 

Yeah, it definitely sounds like he was the perfect person to bring Romano to life.