ER: Into That Good Night

Air Date

Thursday October 13, 1994

Production Code

455603

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  9.5 Superb

  A heart moving story of man who needs heart.. hide show

  It was so beautiful episode - the way the story was so many layered, complex but still catching and able to sympathize. The way it affected Mark. It was just so beautiful. The beauty of this episode was the complex story and how we from time to time learn more about that man. How he first is just another patient but comes more and more close to the staff and us as a viewer when story develops. The last scenes - the good bye with his family and that little girl asking Mark why he cannot fix him. I cried. Oh, how long have I waited for something that would make me cry - move me so much. This episode really did it. It was just beautiful.. so beautiful..

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  Parricida Added Dec 28, 2007 All my reviews
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  9.5 Superb

  A man named Sam Gasner comes into the ER, in desperate need of a heart. hide show

  This episode is one of the saddest in all of ER.
  
  A man named Sam Gasner comes in, in need of a heart transplant immediately. He will not make it through the night without the transplant. Fearing the worst "Do I look like I'm stupid, doc? You versus God. We know who wins." he calls his wife and daughter in Cleveland, because he was in Chicago for a convention.
  
  The saddest part by far was when Sam talked to his daughter. His daughter then asked Dr. Greene "Why can't you fix him?" in what may be the saddest child-crying scene in the history of television.
  
  Ross helps a young girl with her asthma by buying her medications while the mom attempts to get on Medicaid. It was nice to see how devoted Dr. Ross was to his patients.
  
  Susan treats a college student who has drank too much. It was nice to see this case, and see Susan teach the kid a lesson!

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  ClumsyGuy Added May 8, 2006 All my reviews
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  8.5 Great

  Why Can't you Fix Him? hide show

  "Why can't you fix him?" A quote from patient Sam's daughter, to Mark. I think that sums it all up. If you like to cry during a drama, this is a good episode for you.
  
  The girl who played this part, delivered that line better than anybody possibly could. She says it with such sadness and anger. I'm sure Mark wanted to find a hole to crawl into at that point. Any story line that involves a person dying at a young age it a tough one. The reaction from the family, especially a child: All I can say is Wow.
  
  Doug spends his own money and his own time to buy asthma medicine for a girl, whose mom cannot afford it. We start to see who Doug really is. He cares for his patients a lot, and will give of himself to see them get better. Especially the children, which is why he probably became a pediatrician.
  
  This was a great overall episode for both Mark and Doug.

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  cwbybri Added Oct 16, 2005 All my reviews

• Guest Cast

  • Brenda Strong Sally Niemeyer (uncredited)
  • Helen Brown Mrs. Fadem
  • Rachael Bella Sarah Gasner
  • John LaMotta Ivan Gregor
  • Judney Smith Linder
  • Petra Porras Perez
  • Dawn Gardner Sandy Rochon
  • Oscar Jordan Cullen
  • Jan Savitar Daniel Quinn
  • Mark Leahy Orderly
  • Remy Auberjonois Elliot
  • Denise Hernandez Arabella Suarez
  • Thomas Milan Randy Niemeyer
  • Liz Vassey Liz
  • Cathy Lind Hayes Elaine Gasner
More Episode Cast and Crew »

• From a cryptic exchange between Doug and Susan we learn Doug's age. He mentions that it is the same as that of former Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg upon Sandberg's retirement, and Mozart's at the time of the composer's death; Doug is 35 years old. [edit]

• Emily Wagner makes her first appearance as Paramedic Doris Pickman in this episode. She would go on to be a mainstay of the recurring supporting cast for fifteen seasons, until the series ended in 2009. [edit]
• Alan Rosenberg (Sam Gasner) was nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Guest Actor category for his work in this episode. [edit]

• Doug: Seven inches taller, I would have been a contender. [edit]
• Sam Gasner: You feel crummy waiting around for a kid to smash up his car so you can get his heart. [edit]
• (Mark is on the phone with his wife; Susan, Doug and Carol are standing next to him)
  Mark: Jenn, I can't get out. I've got two residents on double shifts. I'll be home before Rachel goes to bed.
  Susan: (to Doug and Carol) Tell Mark to go see his wife.
  Doug: Go see your wife.
  Mark: (still on the phone) Why can't you tell me over the phone?
  Doug: Hey, hang on. (he takes the phone from Mark) Jenn? Hi, it's Doug. Can you hang on a second? (he puts the phone down and turns to Mark) We can survive without you. (he gives the phone back to him)
  Mark: (to Jenn) I'll meet you there, alright? Bye. Thank you. I know you can survive without me. [edit]

• Susan: At your age, Ryne Sandberg was retired.
  Doug: At my age, Mozart was dead.
  Ryne Sandberg, a former second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, retired from Major League Baseball in 1994 at the age of thirty-five. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a tremendously prolific and influential composer of the Classical era, died in 1791 at the age of thirty-five. [edit]
• Title: "Into That Good Night"
  The episode title comes from the Dylan Thomas poem "Do not go gentle into that good night." [edit]