| "Ambush" | |
|---|---|
| ER episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Thomas Schlamme |
| Written by | Carol Flint |
| Featured music | Martin Davich |
| Cinematography by | Richard Thorpe |
| Editing by | Jim Gross |
| Production code | 456623 |
| Original air date | September 25, 1997 |
| Running time | 47 minutes |
"Ambush" is the premiere episode of the fourth season of the American medical drama ER. The 70th episode overall, it was written by executive producer Carol Flint and directed by Thomas Schlamme and it was first broadcast on NBC on September 25, 1997, as a live episode, filmed twice for the East and West Coast. The episode was also pre-filmed in the event a technical issue happened.
Shown through the perspective of a PBS documentary film crew, the emergency room is filmed as a day in the life of the doctors. The episode introduced British actress Alex Kingston as Elizabeth Corday to the cast. Inspiration for the episode came from production staffers having worked in documentaries, with Anthony Edwards and George Clooney suggesting to do it live.
In its initial airing, "Ambush" received the highest rating of the week. Seen by a total of 42.71 million viewers, it became the most-watched season premiere episode for a drama series. Reception to the episode was mixed from critics. Praise was given to the live performances but the story and script writing was criticized being lackluster. "Ambush" received four nominations at the 50th Primetime Emmy Awards, winning one.