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ER
NBC (Ended 2009)

Episode Score

 
8.6 Great
64 votes

Your Score

Air Date

Thursday October 3, 1996

Production Code

465402

Episode Summary

Jeanie begins to realize the burden of living an HIV-positive life when bills start mounting up and Benton throws her out of a trauma. The staff nervously awaits news on the hospital's future when it's rumored to be closing. As it turns out, Southside is closed instead, and County takes on a new chief of staff, Dr. Anspaugh. Mark and Susan endure disastrous blind dates. Benton sends Carter to the ER for the day after he arrives late. Carter then talks a patient into a local anesthetic and encourages him to ask Benton questions during the operation.

  •  
    8.7 Great

    Jeanie strugle with illness that can take over her life. hide show

    Why I loved this series? because it has such a magnificent way of making us sympathize with the problems we maybe never would think. I, in environment I live, would never start to wonder what kind life the HIV positive might live. It just has no connection with me. But I do not think this is a thing I should not have to think. And I enjoyed this episode because it made me think, it made me wonder how the people who oneday found themselves in that kind of situations would handle it. And I can say, it not only made me wonder but also think how I could make it better...

    great episode with some great news - they did not close the hospital. Susan and Greene were getting along very well, I think Kerry is getting settled in, but poor Carol - still struggling with painful memories and with her house. I am sorry for her.

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    8.9 Great

    A lot of energy in this episode. hide show

    A great episode, with a lot of fun. I just love those ER parties, it has to be said! It was relieving to know that County itself wasn't being shut, even if Southside suffered it seems that County gained in the increase of some great new doctors. And hey, the resulting party made the episode!

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Episode Cast and Crew

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  • Goof: In the lounge, Greene and Ross struggle to uncap glass bottles of soda, which in 1996 would have been unlikely, as by then most glass pop bottles had twist-off caps. []
  • John Aylward and Brian Lester both make their first appearances as Dr. Donald Anspaugh and Paramedic Brian Dumar. They would go on to be mainstays of the recurring supporting cast for thirteen seasons, until the series ended in 2009. []
  • Music: Gene Chandler, "Duke of Earl"; Steppenwolf, "Born to be Wild" []
  • William H. Macy received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for portraying Dr. David Morgenstern throughout Season 3, beginning with this episode. []
  • Susan: Do you even know how to drive a motorcycle?
    Carol: It's just like a big moped, right?
    Susan: I guess... []
  • Benton: Where's Carter?
    Haleh: Do I look like his mother? []

Allusions

  • Near the start of the episode, Carter is woken up by a neighbor knocking at the door. When Carter asks her what time it is, she replies that Live with Regis and Kathie Lee had just ended, sending Carter into a panic because he realizes he over-slept. The time must have been at or near 10:00am, as that is when Live ends. []
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