Anthony Edwards: ‘ER’ star back on TV after a decade

“My career has never been based on the fact that I was an action hero or a specific kind of comedian,” Mr. Edwards said. “What’s fun about it is it appears a little bit boring, but for me the subtleties of what is going on is what makes it fun.”

In many ways, Mark Greene was designed to be a person that viewers can relate to. Same thing with Galliston. The show needs a character to steady the boat, Mr. Estrin said.

“That’s what Anthony is,” he said. “He’s somebody who’s solid and dependable, somebody the audience can trust. On a show where you don’t know who you can trust and who you can believe, it’s important to have somebody at the center you know you can.”

Keep your eyes open for an inside joke. In one episode in which Galliston is depicted escaping from pursuers, he puts on a lab coat and walks through a medical facility. Mark Greene lives.

The young actor who once learned by example from Hal Holbrook and Sean Penn is now leading the same way himself, demonstrating to younger cast members the importance of showing up on time and knowing your lines. Mr. Edwards enjoys the comfort of being back on a television set.

“I understand how a day on a set is supposed to go, and it makes perfect sense,” he said. “It’s my playground. A question from a 12-year-old? That’s when it gets tough. Raising kids is hard.”

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