Former ER executive producer John Wells opened up about battling with network executives over some of the medical drama’s hard-hitting story lines.
“I really appreciate not dealing with Standards and Practices on a daily basis anymore,” Wells, 69, admitted to The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Thursday, August 7. “It’s fear-based and doesn’t respect the audience’s intelligence and sophistication.”
NBC’s Peabody Award-winning medical drama earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries of what could be shown on prime time TV in the 1990s. Memorable episodes dealt with sensitive subjects like sexual harassment and abortion, as well traumatic medical complications during pregnancy. (ER aired for 15 seasons between September 1994 and April 2009.)
However, Wells has now revealed that some of his toughest battles with network censors revolved around showing interracial relationships on ER. (Networks employ censors, known as Standards and Practices within the industry, to determine what content could trigger viewers complaints or violate FCC broadcasting standards.)
“I had huge discussions during the ER days about racial story lines. ‘Could this Black character actually kiss this white character?’” he recalled. “This [was] in 1998! I was like, ‘Guys, what are we even talking about?’”
The producer remembered another fight with NBC brass over a season 3 story line in which Gloria Reuben’s character, Jeanie Boulet, tested positive for HIV.
“There were real conversations where they said, ‘So, she’s going to survive? Should she survive?’ It’s HIV. It’s terrifying,” Wells alleged. “But there were already many, many people in the world dealing with it. And to suggest that anybody who becomes infected dies, that’s not the message that we wanted moving through the world.”
After leaving ER, Wells went on to produce The West Wing and Shameless, before reuniting with ER star Noah Wyle on HBO Max’s medical drama The Pitt. The gripping series revolves around the emergency room crew at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center as they face down severe medical cases amid staff shortages, budget cuts and a lack of resources.
Despite his tremendous success, the six-time Emmy Award-winning producer admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that he still has to deal with executive notes on The Pitt.
“I want to dissuade anyone from thinking that having had success means that the job itself changes substantially,” he insisted. “It gives you more credibility in responding to notes, but it does not change the amount coming in.”
Still, The Pitt has been a breakout hit for HBO Max, having received 13 Emmy nominations for its first season. The streamer officially renewed The Pitt in February 2025, with the second season expected to debut in January 2026.
“We’re excited and delighted with the audience response for our first season of The Pitt and can’t be more appreciative of our partners at Max and Warner Bros. Television for all of their extraordinary support throughout our first season,” Wells said in a statement.
The Pitt has also received public support from former ER cast member George Clooney, who lavished his former costar Wyle, 54, with praise during a June 2025 appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers.
“I have to say, we’ve been really dear friends since [ER] — since we did the pilot of the show,” Clooney, 64, mentioned. “He is just the most honorable, talented young man, [which] I get to say because I’m an old man. I cannot be happier for his success on the show. The show is just a beautiful show, and he does just a great job with it.”
The Pitt is available to stream now via HBO Max.
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