ER's Most Shocking Death: Dr. Romano's Helicopter Demise

Although Dr. Robert Romano’s (Paul McCrane) death was the most over-the-top one on ER, a season 9 storyline lessened its impact. He appears on the show from seasons 4 to 10, and in contrast to the more caring doctors, he’s conceited and harsh. ‘

Still, when compared to other deaths on ER, Romano’s passing is the worst one. It’s challenging to kill off a major character in a way that fits into the overall arc of the season and doesn’t feel like it comes out of nowhere, but this wasn’t the way to do it.

ER Had Many Surprising Deaths, But Dr. Romano’s Is Still The Wildest One

Many of us consider Dr. Robert Romano’s death the most over-the-top one on ER. In season 10, episode 8, “Freefall,” a helicopter kills him when it comes crashing down from the roof of the hospital.

While, of course, you expect tragedy to strike at various moments on any high-stakes and fast-paced TV drama, it’s hard to wrap your mind around a helicopter falling off a building. Yes, mistakes happen, and pilots can lose control, but it all felt too convenient.

The entire scene feels both melodramatic and more violent than it should be. Sure, ER has some cheesy moments, and that’s partly because it aired from 1994 to 2009. Some scenes definitely feel dated now. But, even so, most of the storylines are raw and full of emotion, which is why ER is still so appreciated.

You always care about the characters, and you’re along for the ride, no matter what they go through. Even though Romano is full of himself, you don’t want to see a helicopter fall on him. The silly moment seems unnecessary, and if the writers wanted him to go, he could have moved away instead.

This moment in “Freefall” seems particularly terrible when you consider the bleakness of many episodes of ER. For instance, a pregnant woman passes away after she arrives at the hospital for treatment. How can that storyline and Romano’s death exist on the same show?

Dr. Romano’s Death Is Hurt By His Helicopter Injury A Season Earlier

Dr. Romano (Paul McCrane) on ER — Dr. Romano (Paul McCrane) looking up at the sky on ER

The biggest problem with Dr. Romano’s death is the fact that the rotor of a helicopter takes off his arm in season 9, episode 1, “Chaos Theory.” It’s even harder to take his helicopter-related death seriously after this previous plotline, and both are two of the worst storylines out of every season of ER.

The season 10 episode even features a flashback to this season 9 moment. When Romano sees the helicopter, he remembers when his arm came off, and he looks scared and nervous. That would be goofy enough, but if the episode had moved on from there and he hadn’t died in such a strange way, it would have made more sense.

If the season 9 scene hadn’t happened, Romano’s death would still be absurd, but it wouldn’t be as bad. It feels like the helicopter is taunting him. Even Romano losing his arm is a bit too much, especially compared to how delicately Grey’s Anatomy handled the raw emotion of Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw) losing her leg after the plane crash.

We’re also supposed to suspend our disbelief and think that the same character could be harmed by a helicopter twice, but that’s challenging. It feels like ER is poking fun at tragedy, which isn’t something fans would typically say.

The medical drama is so good because it delves into the universal experience of being diagnosed with a scary illness or losing a loved one. If you watch a show that frequently features out-there plotlines, you might expect something like the end of Romano’s arc, and it wouldn’t stand out so much.

Even ER’s Most Unlikable Character Deserved A Better Death Than He Got

Robert Romano (Paul McCrane) looking surprised on ER — Robert Romano (Paul McCrane) looking surprised at the hospital on ER

When you compare Dr. Romano’s death to some of the others on the show, it’s even more upsetting. Take Dr. Mark Greene’s (Anthony Edwards), for example. His final storyline is beautiful and emotional as it’s all about him connecting with Rachel (Hallee Hirsch), his daughter. Since he has a long illness, his character arc emphasizes the unfairness of life.

The conclusion of Romano’s arc could have been so much more meaningful. Although you don’t love Dr. Romano, it seems strange to kill off a main character in such an intense but silly way. Any other storylines would have made sense, whether he passed away as a result of injuries from a car accident or was diagnosed with a disease.

While it would have been too cheesy to watch the character learn a lesson and become a nicer person before his death, it’s disappointing that he doesn’t have that much growth by the time the helicopter falls on him.

Another problem with Romano’s death is how quick and random it feels. Since he appears in several seasons of the medical drama, he becomes part of the fabric of the hospital, and he’s gone so fast it’s hard to feel like there’s any closure.

Even Derek Shepherd’s (Patrick Dempsey) divisive Grey’s Anatomy death makes more sense than Romano’s. While fans could say the doctors were responsible for his passing because they didn’t order a CT scan, it’s also believable that mistakes happen, and he couldn’t be saved.

Still, Derek’s death is as emotional as it should be, and Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) has a proper arc where she experiences the stages of grief. It’s hard for her to lose her soulmate, but even after his death, Derek and Meredith’s love story remains important and beautiful.

In contrast, Romano’s death is distracting, and after watching this scene, you’re likely going to ask yourself, “Wait, did that just happen?” Since you’ve watched Romano for so long, you should feel devastated by his death rather than confused. He needed a powerful and moving scene.

Whether you come across this moment on a rewatch or it’s your first time going through the series, you might wonder if you’re watching a dream sequence, and it’ll be revealed that Romano had a nightmare. Instead, his death is one of the least believable moments on ER, and it’s impossible not to wish it had been avoided altogether.