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ER Season 15 Episode 12

Dream Runner

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8.5

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 1/15/09

Neela has recurring dreams about trying to save a girl with sickle cell anemia. In them she also goes to an attending interview and sees an old colleague, has conversations with Ray, welcomes Brenner back from Australia, and assists Gates and Banfield in trying to save a "dream runner" who jumped out of a window during his sleep.moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (5)

A filler episode, but one that will make you think for a long time afterwards about the message it delivers - and delivers very well.

7.5

By AnoukvdZee, May 19, 2010

I for one liked this episode. It shows three different possible outcomes based on choices Neela makes during the day. The first time she goes through her day she has a horrible day - she loses both patients and never gets to her job interview with Duke (a great reprising role for Elizabeth Corday!). The second time she wonders in voiceover what would happen if she decided to be assertive. During this run, she is, but overly so and the outcome is also bad. Losing again both of the patients and botching the interview. Third time she finds a balance between the two, not trying to much nor backing down to much. Both of the patients are saved and she does great on her interview, and sleeps with Simon Brenner.

What I loved about this episode is a critique for some fans; that nothing of it did ever happen. Neela usually is one or the other, something she learns very early on in her career when she still works in the ER. All of the three was indeed possible for her, but knowing Neela, the happy third (especially the sleeping with Simon) is the most unlikely. The fact that she woke up a second time makes us wonder the eternal question - the way it should - are my actions really influential on the world around me? And most importantly: what course of action willmoreless
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Neela-centric episode

9.5

By vicky24c, Jan 27, 2009

In this episode of ER, the following happens. This episode basically focuses upon Neela, and follows her. Neela performs surgery on the girl from the previous episode. During the surgery Sam comes in to take over doing the anathematise, and the girl wakes up. A patient dies and Morris believes that it may be Dr Banfield's fault. They have an argument, and she walks out. Then, for some strange reason, Neela starts the day all over again. Things change and this time round, Neela goes for her interviews. When she gets there, we see that the person interviewing her is in fact, Dr Elizabeth Corday, who was married to Mark Greene. We soon learn that she didn't stay in the UK, after Mark's death. She moved back to the States and stated working for Duke. Then the same 2 deaths happen again, and so Neela re-starts the day again. Yet again Neela re-lives the same day, only this time, she and Simon sleep together. Also this time, both of the patients survive.moreless
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bill murray called he wants his plot back

2.0

By pantera_rosso, Jan 18, 2009

The good news is that is is a neela centric episode, eventhough she has been a core cast member of the show she does kinda get snowed under. The bad part is that they use a trick that has been used by every scifi show, a alternative ending The episode shows how a a number of small changes end up changing the whole day ie frustrated and alone, or happy and in bed with her favorite australian...

Nothing wrong with something like that but ER is a serious show and not sci fi, so it ends up as a filler and a way to get an old castmember back (but without realy using her in a meaningfull way) al in al nothing happens, nothing changes and if you missed this one, you have missed nothingmoreless
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All possible outcomes...

8.5

By Parricida, Jan 16, 2009

I most say it was a nice episode - I loved the way it started and that had it meaning in it.

We have three possible outcome of the same events and the thought what goes it - every decision we make will affect things around us and all those three scenarios showed that to us - the had different developments but the main focus was still the same.

I most say it was very great to see Cordey again and I hope we will get some more old faces in the last season. And that music.. that really was a beautiful part of this episode.

A good one.moreless
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An exciting episode that keeps you engaged and makes you think!

10

By Nikaratrenal, Jan 16, 2009

I really was surprised by how much I liked this episode. I haven't watched much of this season, but this episode managed to grab my attention and keep it for the entire hour. The dream structure of the episode kept me questioning what would happen next, and the surprise appearance of an old character made me gasp in surprise. I loved the questions that the episode asked about fate and how actions affect our world. This didn't feel too contrived for this format, and managed to actually make me think about my own life while watching the lives of others. This show is just as good now as it ever was!moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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John Stamos	Dr. Tony Gates
Linda Cardellini	Nurse Sam Taggart
Scott Grimes	Dr. Archie Morris
Parminder Nagra	Dr. Neela Rasgotra
David Lyons	Dr. Simon Brenner
Angela Bassett	Dr. Cate Banfield

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Keiko Agena	Mrs. Vasquez	Guest Star
Max Arciniega	Nick Vasquez	Guest Star
Imani Hakim	Anastasia Johnson (as Imani A. Hakim)	Guest Star
Abraham Benrubi	Jerry Markovic	Recurring Role
Leland Orser	Dr. Lucien Dubenko	Recurring Role
Perry Anzilotti	Perry	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (5)
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- Goof: The street musician behind Simon Brenner in the second section, singing "Mad World" as Brenner watches Neela leave, is actually Scott Grimes, who plays Archie Morris.
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- Music: "Mad World," Tears For Fears (Neela's ringtone)
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- In each version of Neela's day she drops her mobile phone and Dr. Brenner picks it up.
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- Title: "Dream Runner"
  Gates and Morris treat a patient who is a "dream runner," defined as someone who is sometimes unable to go into a paralytic state during sleep, causing them to physically act out their dreams.
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- Goof: In the first scene, Neela's phone indicates 6:23 a.m., but in the same shot the clock indicates 5:04 a.m.
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QUOTES (2)
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- Neela: (voice-over) The toughest thing about being a doctor isn't the terrible hours. It isn't the loneliness, the isolation, or the knowledge that, one day, we all lose out to the relentless decay of the human body. No. It's something else.
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- Brenner: (to Neela) You don't have to know exactly where you're going, you just have to keep moving forward. That is the key to happiness, really.
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NOTES (0)
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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