Submitted by: kirkland on Sunday September 05th, 2004 at 04:12 AM EST

"ER" is taking a note from "24" by doing a real-time episode, and is bringing actor Ray Liotta along for the ride.

The episode, to air Nov. 11, will follow every moment of guest star Liotta's hospital visit. He plays an alcoholic ex-con with cirrhosis of the liver and a host of other problems.

The real-time narrative is a first for the NBC emergency room drama. "ER" has previously experimented with different structures, but the series' famous live broadcast in 1997 wasn't in real time.

The trademark "ER" style is one of crosscutting and story lines that intertwine with each passing gurney. The editing allows "ER" to sometimes skip over the uglier or more mundane aspects of emergency room treatment.

Zable, who wrote the Nov. 11 episode, says: "We really had to mine each moment for drama."

» Read full story @ ABCNews