ER

Darfur

Season 12, Episode 15, Aired 3/2/06

Episode Summary

ER revisits Dr. John Carter and reveals what he's been doing since his departure from County. Now in Darfur, Carter and colleague Dr. Dakarai work alongside relief workers to treat famine victims. Back in Chicago, Luka and Kerry differ over Clemente's next step, and Pratt and Neela treat a hit-and-run victim.moreless

8.2

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Cast & Crew

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Parminder Nagra

Dr. Neela Rasgotra
Maura Tierney

Dr. Abby Lockhart
Goran Visnjic

Dr. Luka Kovac

Fan Episode Reviews (13)

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What if a former favorite character came back and no one cared? We find out in this mostly stand-alone episode that wastes Noah Wyle's return.

4.8

"Poor"

By jekyll, Nov 26, 2011 Report Abuse

The handful of "all-Africa" episodes, while "very special," have had the weakness of no Chicago-set action. This episode, featuring the return of Dr. Carter, actually made it worse by having about a third of the episode take place in Chicago. The end result is that having action set in Chicago only serves to highlight all the more how little we care what Carter's up to in Africa. We're not seeing him act and react with the rest of the cast, just dealing with things like intense poverty, civil unrest, and drought in Africa that most people have read about on CNN.com, and have already been touched upon in the other Africa-set episodes, to the point that it feels like most of the episode is a rerun.
The end result is a waste of one of Noah Wyle's handful of appearances this year in a stand-alone storyline that advances no plot, or even reveals what is going on with his marriage. Even the expected good performance by Oz's Eamonn Walker does little to save the episode. Hopefully, we'll see Dr. Carter back in Chicago at some point this season, because otherwise it's just a waste of money, and the viewers' time, to bring him back.moreless

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7 5
Noah Wyle is back and we see Carter in Africa.

9.0

"Superb"

By firecracker666, Dec 30, 2010 Report Abuse

Unlike everyone else whos written a review, I really liked this episode. Carter came back which was good enough and being back in Africa made the episode more than just the usual hospital stuff. The episodes in Africa (including the ones from previous seasons) i think are amazing. They really disturb me becasue of all the awful things which are going on. The way reactions to these things are acted and the fact that these things really do happen make it all the more powerful.
I like Carter and i like the way hes acted by Noah Wyle. Ok so hes a bit of a gung-ho, act now,think later kinda guy but i love the way hes willing to risk his own life to save someone else and after his ridiculous departure im glad hes back(not the fact he left but the way he left. Walking round a corner? What is that?)moreless

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Out of place in a season of perfection.

6.5

"Fair"

By Mousemat, Dec 30, 2010 Report Abuse

Carter in Africa: This is what really dragged the episode down. I wouldn't have minded if this episode had aired, let's say, in Season 9. However, this season has been consistent with fantastic episodes and this one felt quite out of place.

I also find it very hard to believe that Carter didn't know what the sign of shaming is. The cheek of him asking "how was I supposed to know?" was quite alarming. He's been around Africa since last May, and seems to know all about the Jan Ja Wee yet can't seem to pick up on the sign of rape? I also thought he was incredibly stupid to go out of the camp and find the rape victim's husband, and also think it's stupid that he married Kem.

I also thought the Darfur doctors were vaguely selfish. There goes Debbie complaining about how people are drinking sand while she shoves a bottle of Coke in a nurse's face.

Clemente: I was quite glad that Jodie woke up in order to prevent Clemente's personal dilemna from dragging on, and also felt sorry for him amid everyone's suspicions of him. And Bobby really is a vile, creepy and nasty piece of work. It's easy to see that, amid all the naughty stuff of their relationship, Clemente and Jodie are two people who are hopelessly in love with each other and I think it's quite sweet.

Neela/Pratt/Albright/Darnell: I hope this is the last we see of Darnell, this plotline has dragged in a bit. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but I think the plotline has highlighted what black people think of the way they are treated, particularly those who are similar to Darnell. I also liked the way Pratt and KJ's "friendship" ended, and liked that KJ acknowledged the part that Pratt has tried to play in his life and help his father out, even if it has resulted in him doing the wrong thing.

I think Neela's advice was well given, even after Pratt's behaviour in the trauma. And also: is it wrong to love Albright? Sure, she may be a bit of a cow but I'm all for some more surgery scenes and her rapport with Morris is hilarious and "out for herself" attitude is quite interesting.

No Sam though, which is always a shamemoreless

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0 2
Important things...

8.3

"Great"

By Parricida, Mar 22, 2008 Report Abuse

We have somehow split episode.. We have one major storyline concentrating on Carter and his doings on Darfur - the things are not good there and looks even more dangerous than Kongo and ofcourse.. Carter has to take things too seriously, again... and gets him and one other person there almost killed. But that's he.. and it is great to see him again...

So.. on Chicago.. Pratt and his friend.. this time he hits a kid and Pratt makes him to turn himself in and has some doubts later... And Jodie wakes up.. and she can say that Clemente was right.. looking little brighter on that side...moreless

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0 0
I hope that we continue to see epsiodes with Carter in it.

9.3

"Superb"

By Pinkmyst, Jun 19, 2006 Report Abuse

I am so glad to see Carter again, ER has not been the same since he left. I hope that ER continue to have special guest episodes with him in them.

I would have liked to see Kem with him but I am glad that they did make reference to her and the fact that they had gotten married.

A good storyline that was easy to follow and that showed Carters passion for saving lives.

It was a different ER but one I would like to see more often and maybe move into with some other cast members going over. I can see a spinoff happening.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
ADD TRIVIA
- Goof: In the scene where Carter and Dakarai are in the Jeep looking for the rape victim's husband and the police stop them, two camera angles are used, and a continuity error is revealed; all the shots from the camera filming behind Carter show him holding up his ID badge, but the shots from the camera shooting Carter's front show the same hand resting on the door of the Jeep. Edit
Notes
ADD NOTES
- Along with the Season 12 episodes "No Place to Hide" and "There Are No Angels Here," the South African Kalahari doubled as a location shot for this Darfur-based episode. Edit
- Music: "Knocking on Heaven's Door," written by Bob Dylan, performed by Scoob Serious Edit
- Although in the opening credits, Linda Cardellini and Shane West do not appear in this episode. Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- (Kerry comes by and congratulates Abby on her pregnancy) Abby: Thank you. It was supposed to be a secret. (she glares at Morris) Morris: What?! Everybody was saying you were getting puffy. I had to defend you! Abby: (turning to Luka) Am I getting puffy?! Luka: You're not getting puffy! Edit
- (there's a gift basket on the Admit desk) Abby: Hey, what's this? Frank: Ah! That's for you and the little bastard. Abby: (with eyebrows raised) Thanks, Frank. Edit
- Carter: The Janjaweed have turned this place into the wild wild west. Edit
Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS
- Luka: How about Celine? Or Jewel? Abby: Have you been going through your CD collection again? Luka's ideas for baby names are inspired by singers Celine Dion and Jewel Kilcher. Edit
- Dakarai: It does not matter whether it is Somalia, Rwanda, Darfur or New Orleans. When the faces are black, the world moves slow. The New Orleans part of this quote is a reference to the U.S. government's slow and disastrous response to the people of that city following Hurricane Katrina's devastating damage in 2005. Edit
- Carter: What happens in Darfur stays in Darfur. This is a twist on the catchy "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" phrase commonly associated with the phenomenally successful 2003 Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority ad slogan of "What happens here stays here." Edit