After 15 seasons, NBC’s groundbreaking medical drama “ER” checked out for the last time Thursday – and fans turned out in droves to say goodbye.

According to Nielsen estimates, the two-hour series finale was seen by 16.2 million viewers, the show’s largest audience in nearly three years.

It was also the most-watched drama series finale since CBS’ “Murder She Wrote” bowed out in 1996 with 16.5 million viewers.

A one-hour “ER” retrospective at 8 p.m. also did well, attracting 10.6 million viewers to place a close second to CBS’ “Survivor” (11.2 million).

“ER” was NBC’s top-rated drama for 12 seasons, routinely drawing more than 30 million viewers in the mid-1990s and as many as 47.8 million during its peak in 1998.

Many of the show’s original cast members returned in recent weeks for guest appearances, including George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Eriq La Salle and Noah Wyle.

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