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ER Season 10 Episode 2

The Lost

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 10/2/03

Believing Luka is dead, Carter returns to the Congo. There, he learns about Luka's fate from Charles and Gillian, and begins his search for Luka's body. In flashbacks, we see Luka from the time Carter left 22 days earlier. Still at the Matenda clinic and under threat, Luka contracts malaria as he cares for his remaining patients. He, Patrique, Chance, and her mother are soon captured by the Mai Mai. With the help of Debbie, a Red Cross worker, Carter and Gillian find their way to where the bodies from Matenda are kept, but Luka's is not among them. They learn one man, a priest, is still alive, and discover it's Luka. As the flashbacks continue, we see that a cross given to Luka by Chance's mother along with Luka's prayers lead the Mai-Mai to believe he is a priest, which saves his life. Carter, Debbie and Gillian find Luka in a compound nearby, close to death. Gillian accompanies Luka on a plane home to Chicago. Carter decides to remain, giving Luka a letter to take to Abby.moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (5)

Amazing... carter is just...amazing! great acting, writing and directing!!! UNIQUE!

10

By macrosol, Sep 12, 2010

great ep!! but i want carter to make up with abby not to stay in congo! their lifes are so troubled but he really loves her...john carter is the very best character on er! i love him! this ep was amazing and it clearly shows you the kind of person he is, life and personality...everything you've seen before about carter is somehow developed in this ep...well directed, well written! great performances (noah wyle is such a great actor and goran vinsjic did really really well) just a little something i didn't understand...question- the flashbacks: from the time carter left 22 DAYS EARLIER?? i mean, didn't carter go back to the congo the same day he arrived to chicago? i know it takes some days to travel but 22 days? i feel stupid but really didnt understand it!moreless
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Back in Congo...

9.3

By Parricida, Feb 22, 2008

Another of those Congo episodes and I love them. I really think they are somehow very special part of ER. My favorite part in the latest season.

The way the story is told in this episode, it is really special and catches me - the way Carter follows Luka footsteps and on the same time we will see what happened previously. And I specially loved the way Luka was saved - I did not believed when I started to realize - is it so simple? But it was so beautifully done and it was so emotional.

One of those really brilliant episodes but somehow, for me, it was not as good as "Kisangani".moreless
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One of the most touching episodes ever!

10

By scorpio19th, Mar 08, 2007

This episode was nominated for an Emmy, and should have won. But Luka should also have been nominated, and definitely should have won, for his acting.

His recitation of the prayers in Croatian brought tears to my eyes. But so did such subtle points as his shivering and facial tics as his time for execution came closer.

The flashback technique helped maintain the suspense throughout the episode. The photography was outstanding, and the music was a perfect match to the story. Even the dress and make-up, with sweat stains, and bandanas at the morgue, was great.

Finally, as a culmination (for now) to the Congo storyline, this episode was outstanding, a fitting tribute to the medical profession.moreless
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Carter goes to the Congo to get Luka's body after finding out about his death.

10

By stuckeysokc, Oct 31, 2006

This is an "edge of your seat" episode. After learning of Luka's death, Carter returns to the Congo to bring his body home. He runs into red tape and finally enlists the help of an American Red Cross worker. Throughout the episode, the scenes alternate between Carter's search and Luka's ordeal. In an odd twist of fate, Chance's mother gives Luka a cross on a chain for everything he has done for her daughter. In the end, it is that very cross that saves Luka's life. Wow, goosebumps! His actions save her daughter; her actions save Luka. An amazing episode from start to finish - be sure to record it. You will want to fast forward through the commercials because the suspense is so great...and you WILL want to watch it again and again.moreless
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Best Episode. Of. ER. EVER.

10

By mstsuji, Feb 10, 2006

Great soundtrack, stunning images. Luka's redemption and the reaffirmation of his faith. This is why I watch this series.

After being captured by a congolese militia and about to be executed, Luka kneels down and starts praying in Croatian, with a cross in his hand (given to him by a congolese kid patient's mother). That scene alone makes this episode the greatest ever on ER. A must see.
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Goran Visnjic	Dr. Luka Kovac
Noah Wyle	Dr. John Carter
Mekhi Phifer	Dr. Greg Pratt
Ming-Na	Dr. Jing-Mei
Paul McCrane	Dr. Robert "Rocket" Romano
Laura Innes	Dr. Kerry Weaver

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Jarreth Merz	Charles	Guest Star
Abdul Ayoola	Patrique	Guest Star
Frank Bruynbroek	Andre Ney	Guest Star
Mary McCormack	Debbie	Recurring Role
Simone-Elise Girard	Gillian Ronin	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- The prayers Luka recites in Croatian in the scene where he is about to be executed are the "Lord's Prayer" followed by the "Hail Mary." The lyrics to Barber's Adagio for Strings is the prayer "Agnus Dei" (Lamb of God). All of these are traditional Catholic prayers Luka would have known from childhood.
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- Luka's badge picture is a photo of Goran Visnjic taken at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah as part of a promotional shoot for the 2001 film The Deep End.
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QUOTES (6)
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- Debbie: What are you doing here? You don't seem the type.
  Carter: What's the type?
  Debbie: Macho adreanaline junkies and save-the-world peacenik freaks.
  Carter: (laughs) Which are you?
  Debbie: Which do you think?
  Carter: I...don't know what I'm doing out here. I've been seeing this woman. She's great...but it ain't good, for her or for me. It's simpler here. People need help, I can help them.
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- (to Mai Mai soldiers)
  Carter: You guys burned the clinic to the ground?! You guys... You guys keep burning down hospitals, where are you gonna go when you get shot, huh? Where are you gonna go when your mothers get shot?!
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- Carter: Still working banker's hours, I see.
  Angelique: Hello, Doctor. I'm so sorry about Luka.
  Carter: Doing what we can.
  Carter: I brought you some things. Sterile gloves, needles, catheters, syringes, IV Ceftriaxone and Cipro.
  (Angelique chuckles)
  Carter: DPL sets, suture kits, old pulse ox...Oooh, look at this. Microscope. Tried to get a portable X ray but it wouldn't fit in my carry-on.
  Angelique: Where did you get all of that?
  Carter: My hospital in Chicago donated it.
  Angelique: Do they know they donated it?
  Carter: Yeah, more or less.
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- Chase: The Mai Mai believe that foreigners are looting the Congo's natural resources. They see us as the enemy. It is very dangerous for Westerners.
  Carter: Um, can some sort of exchange be set up for the dead? I mean, aren't those things normally done?
  Chase: These guys don't know about the Geneva Convention, Doctor. Most of them don't know about shoes.
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- Debbie: You really don't like the Dixie Chicks? Everybody likes the Dixie Chicks.
  Carter: Everybody?
  Debbie: Everybody with taste.
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- Luka: I was raised in the church. Catholic. I used to go twice a week with my mother. It was beautiful. I liked the music, the singing.
  Patrique: Do you still go?
  Luka: No, I stopped when my children and wife were murdered. I couldn't believe in a God would allow such a terrible thing to happen. (pauses, ironically) It's really hard to feel the Holy Spirit's presence on a day like today.
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NOTES (4)
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- According to a March 31, 2005 article in People, at the time this episode was filmed Noah Wyle was allowed to miss the next six episodes in order to spend more time with his family.
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- Along with the Season 9 finale "Kisangani" and the Season 10 "Makemba," Hawaii doubled as a location shoot for this Congo-based episode. Many of the captive scenes were filmed at Kualoa Ranch on the north end of Oahu. The American Embassy that Carter visits is actually the Supreme Court building in Honolulu, with pictures and other set dressings added to create the atmosphere of an American embassy. In addition, due to the lack of available extras, many of the soldiers depicted were flown to Hawaii from elsewhere.
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- This episode received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Christopher Chulack).
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- Although in the opening credits, Laura Innes, Mekhi Phifer, Alex Kingston, Maura Tierney, Sherry Stringfield, Ming-Na, Sharif Atkins, and Paul McCrane do not appear in this episode.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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