10 Worst Characters On ER

Speaking of that unfortunate wedding scuffle...

Tony Gates was the last (and least successful) crack the show made at having a male heart throb doctor on the loose. Arguably the leading male for the final, weakest seasons, Tony was considerably more interesting during his initial phase as a recurring paramedic character. His earlier episodes hold a fair few tense, dangerous moments that provide some interest.

Once he takes the lead in season 13 however, Gates becomes an unlikable, disinteresting figure. For one thing, the series had grown stale and Gates lacked anything viewers hadn't already seen before with earlier, more engaging characters. His romance with Neela paints both characters in an unlikable shade thanks to Tony initially cheating on his then girlfriend, Meg. Meg was a widow funding Tony's medical school education making his unfaithful behaviour all the more unseemly. There's also a late in the game relationship with Sam that comes lacking on the entertainment front.

Actor John Stamos didn't earn the same acclaim here as he did for his previous medical performance on General Hospital. It's not hard to see why he turned down a proposed spin-off of the Gates character.