Breaking Up Really Isn’t Hard to Do . . .

When Dr. Doug Ross walks out of County General Memorial Hospital on Thursday night’s much-publicized episode of “ER,” marking the official end of George Clooney’s duties at the Chicago medical center, it will no doubt be, as NBC has promised for weeks, an emotional moment.

It will not, however, be the end of the No. 1-rated show on television. If anything, more people are likely to tune in--at least for a few weeks--to witness the aftermath.

Even in the face of Clooney’s popularity, and the singular role he has created--a complex ecology of compassionate doctor willing to bend any hospital rule to save a child and resident hunk who has left a series of broken relationships in his wake--”ER” will move on. And so will its audience.

American television viewers, it seems, are finally learning to cope with change.

“By now, most people understand that with a really popular long-running show like ‘ER’ or ‘NYPD Blue’ or ‘Law & Order,’ which has made a career of cast changes, the sum is greater than the parts, no matter how great the parts are,” said veteran producer Steven Bochco.

The anger--which used to hit TV producers who were writing out a favorite character--is being replaced with understanding, and acceptance. Few blame “ER’s” producers and few blame Clooney, who said more than a year ago he would leave this season to concentrate on his film career.

“Audiences get it now so much more than before,” continued Bochco, creator and producer of several large-ensemble dramas including “NYPD Blue,” “L.A. Law” and “Hill Street Blues.” “They are so plugged into the process of the world of entertainment. All the behind-the-camera goings-on are considered newsworthy. So the audience understands much more, and can handle it much more easily when someone leaves.”

Co-star Julianna Margulies joined the “ER” exodus recently, saying she would be leaving at the end of next season. Sherry Stringfield, who was central to “ER” in its early years, is among those who have left already.

Exactly why “ER” is far from being in need of a major operation not only is tied to a growing sophistication among viewers but also reflects the very nature of ensemble drama. Constructed with multiple major story lines to match a large core cast, the genre has made absorbing additions and subtractions much easier, with people in this fictional world, much like people in real life, coming and going. In many cases, the turnover has provided more creative opportunities for writers and producers who often find they like shaking up the status quo.

“ ‘ER’ is a terrific show, George is terrific and he is tremendously popular, but his leaving will not affect the series,” maintained producer Dick Wolf, whose “Law & Order” has undergone virtually a complete cast turnover during the show’s near-decade-long run on NBC.

“Sure, the fans will be upset not to see him, but there will be no large-scale fallout,” Wolf continued.

Lydia Woodward, an executive producer of “ER,” agreed: “We have not had any negative response. Our audience was aware that this was happening and they are invested greatly with the other characters. Yes, we miss anyone who leaves. But there is an incredible audience base for the rest of the show.”

There has been almost a push-and-pull nature to the publicity and promotion surrounding Clooney’s leaving. NBC for weeks has been hyping how the “destiny” of Dr. Ross would soon be determined, and the story arc revolving around Ross’ leaving is scheduled during the all-important February sweeps, a ratings period that networks use to adjust advertising rates.

However, Clooney has declined to do any interviews about his departure, and magazine cover stories have had to progress without his cooperation. Those associated with the series prefer to focus on the ensemble nature of the show rather than the impact of Clooney or any other cast member.

“‘We’ve got a totally great ensemble,” said Woodward, who points out that in recent years the show has been nominated by the Screen Actors Guild in the best ensemble category. “That represents what ‘ER’ really tries to do.”

Said Gloria Reuben, who plays nurse assistant Jeanie Boulet: “So much is being made of this before anything happens.”

An Early Plan, an Occasional Return

Anthony Edwards, who plays Dr. Mark Greene, doesn’t expect Clooney’s leaving to significantly alter the dynamics of the series. “We will miss George personally,” he said, “but so much of watching ‘ER’ is having a history with it. So it’s just part of the mosaic of being entertained for an hour.”

Making the departure a bit easier for audiences and the production is the fact that Clooney announced his intentions last March, giving the production more than a year to prepare for his absence. But film commitments had already reduced the actor’s screen time on the show, and on some episodes Clooney was only on for a few minutes. Also, unlike Jimmy Smits, whose character of Det. Bobby Simone was killed off this season on “NYPD Blue,” Clooney has promised to return to “ER” occasionally.

The recent exit of Smits and the addition of Rick Schroder to the “NYPD Blue” roster is a prime example of how viewers adjust. “With our transition, the audience just picked it up and ran with it,” Bochco said. “We’re getting an amazing amount of positive response from people who didn’t think they would like him.”

Sandy Grushow, president of 20th Century Fox Television, which produces “NYPD Blue,” said the comings and goings in ensemble dramas is a microcosm of what goes on in viewers’ lives.

“They love these shows because for many, it mirrors their real-life experience,” Grushow said.

In addition, Edwards agreed with executive producer John Wells that Dr. Mark Greene is really the drama’s center. That center will be there through the show’s next two seasons--all that NBC has currently ordered--with Edwards set for the duration. “Greene has always been the spinal center of the show,” said Edwards, whose character represents the human metaphor for the emergency room--steady, ethical to a fault and always there. “It doesn’t mean that all the women want to sleep with Greene. But that is not necessarily how you tell stories. There are a lot of different kind of characters who make up the whole.”

Tom Fontana, executive producer of NBC’s “Homicide: Life on the Street,” believes that cast changes can only help a show. He has had to deal with his share of departures, most notably Andre Braugher, whose character was the core of numerous episodes.

“Everyone misses Andre, but the audience hasn’t stopped watching,” Fontana said. “It’s very healthy. . . . For the ones who stay, it means that they’re not playing the same scene with the same people over and over.”

Despite the ease in which audiences are adapting to cast changes, there are still those occasions where breaking up is hard to do.

Said Bochco: “Even after we made it clear that it was Jimmy’s decision to leave the show, and that we were all friends about it, we got some really outraged mail, almost to the point of being abusive.

“There were those people who were so frightened of change, and they were so angry that they lashed out,” Bochco added. “It is a kind of grieving. . . . I would sure love to sneak a look at ‘ER’s’ mailbag.”

*

* “ER” airs at 10 p.m. on Thursdays on NBC. The network has rated this week’s episode TV-PG.

Staff writer Susan King contributed to this story.