The eighth season of the American fictional drama television series ER first aired on NBC on September 27, 2001, and concluded on May 16, 2002. The eighth season consists of 22 episodes.

Plot After being gone for five years, Susan Lewis returns to the show providing continuity of the earlier years and some closure with Greene. Greene begins to experience health problems and deals with Rachel after she starts causing problems. In addition, Weaver also has a revelation and confronts and accepts her sexuality. The season's long story line of Greene's illness and death and how it affects many characters marks the season as a major turning point in the series. This season also saw a major change in the cast, with four characters leaving, including original characters Greene and Benton as well as Cleo and Dave. Abby tries to help a neighbor with an abusive boyfriend but faces repercussions, and Kovac retaliates against the man who assaulted her. In turn, two new main characters with very different personalities – Michael Gallant and Greg Pratt – are introduced. In this season, several staff members face personal and professional pressures, including Greene and Corday who face the most difficult issue of all when their baby overdoses on ecstasy pills. The two argue over Rachel's presence in their home after their baby nearly dies. Weaver becomes more aggressive and she accepts that she is a lesbian. Greene's final episode as a regular character is the 21st episode. Benton and Finch also leave to make new changes in their lives. After Greene's death, many of the characters become affected, especially Carter who reads two letters to the staff. A plague hits the ER as the season ends. Several members attend Mark's funeral. Following Mark's death, John Carter is centered as the main character of the show for the first time.

Cast This season saw the final appearance on ER of series regulars Michael Michele and Erik Palladino, and the final appearances as series regulars for Anthony Edwards and Eriq La Salle.

Main cast Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene – Attending Emergency Physician Noah Wyle as Dr. John Carter – Chief Resident (Fifth-year ER Resident) Laura Innes as Dr. Kerry Weaver – Chief of Emergency Medicine Alex Kingston as Dr. Elizabeth Corday – Associate Chief of Surgery Paul McCrane as Dr. Robert Romano – Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery Goran Visnjic as Dr. Luka Kovač – Attending Emergency Physician Maura Tierney as Nurse Abby Lockhart – ER Registered Nurse (RN) Sherry Stringfield as Dr. Susan Lewis – Attending Emergency Physician (episodes 4–22) Michael Michele as Dr. Cleo Finch – Fourth-year Pediatric and ER Senior Resident (episodes 1–10 & 21) Erik Palladino as Dr. Dave Malucci – Fourth-year Senior Resident (episodes 1–4) Ming-Na as Dr. Jing-Mei Chen – Chief Resident, later Attending Emergency Physician Eriq La Salle as Dr. Peter Benton – Attending Surgeon and Director of Diversity (episodes 1–10, 15 & 21) Sharif Atkins as Lt. Michael Gallant – Third-year Rotating Medical Student (main: episodes 15–22; recurring: episodes 7−9, 11−13)

Supporting cast

Doctors and medical students John Aylward as Dr. Donald Anspaugh – Surgical Attending Physician and Hospital Board Member Mekhi Phifer as Dr. Greg Pratt – ER Intern David Brisbin as Dr. Alexander Babcock – Anesthesiologist Iqbal Theba as Dr. Zagerby – Ophthalmologist Matthew Glave as Dr. Dale EdsonEpisodes 2, 6. Perry Anzilotti as Dr. Ed – Anesthesiologist Megan Cole as Dr. Alice Upton – Pathologist Eddie Shin as Stanley Mao – Medical Student Dee Freeman as Dr. Lutz

Nurses Ellen Crawford as Nurse Lydia Wright Conni Marie Brazelton as Nurse Conni Oligario Deezer D as Nurse Malik McGrath Laura Cerón as Nurse Chuny Marquez Yvette Freeman as Nurse Manager Haleh Adams Lily Mariye as Nurse Lily Jarvik Gedde Watanabe as Nurse Yosh Takata Dinah Lenney as Nurse Shirley Bellina Logan as Nurse Kit Kyle Richards as Nurse DoriEpisodes 3, 19. Nadia Shazana as Nurse Jacy Lucy Rodriguez as Nurse Bjerke Elizabeth Rodriguez as Nurse Sandra Linda Shing as ICU Nurse Corazon

Staff, paramedics and officers Abraham Benrubi as Desk Clerk Jerry MarkovicEpisodes 14, 15, 17, 19, 21 (uncredited), 22. Troy Evans as Desk Clerk Frank MartinEpisodes 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21 (uncredited). Kristin Minter as Desk Clerk Miranda "Randi" Fronczak Pamela Sinha as Desk Clerk Amira Julie Delpy as ER Aide NicoleEpisodes 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Erica Gimpel as Social Worker Adele NewmanEpisodes 1, 12, 15, 17. Skip Stellrecht as Chaplain Miller Emily Wagner as Paramedic Doris Pickman Montae Russell as Paramedic Dwight Zadro Lynn Alicia Henderson as Paramedic Pamela Olbes Demetrius Navarro as Paramedic Morales Brian Lester as Paramedic Brian Dumar Michelle Bonilla as Paramedic Christine Harms Ed Lauter as Fire Captain Dannaker Julie Ann Emery as Paramedic Niki Lumley Chad McKnight as Officer Wilson David Roberson as Officer Durcy

Family Frances Sternhagen as Grandma Millicent "Gamma" CarterEpisodes 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11. Michael Gross as Mr. John "Jack" Carter IIEpisodes 1, 10, 12. Mary McDonnell as Mrs. Eleanor CarterEpisodes 1, 11, 12, 13, 14. Christine Harnos as Jennifer SimonEpisodes 3, 18, 21. Hallee Hirsh as Rachel GreeneEpisodes 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 21. Lisa Vidal as Sandy LopezEpisodes 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 20. Khandi Alexander as Jackie Robbins Tamala Jones as Joanie Robbins Vondie Curtis Hall as Roger McGrathEpisodes 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. Matthew Watkins as Reese BentonEpisodes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Kathleen Wilhoite as Chloe LewisEpisode 19. Sally Field as Maggie Wyczenski (uncredited voice)Episode 11. Mark Valley as Richard Lockhart

Notable guest stars

Kal Penn as NarajanEpisode 2. David Hewlett as Mr. SchudyEpisode 4. Vernée Watson Johnson as April WilsonEpisodes 5 and 6. Roma Maffia as Ms. Janice PragerEpisodes 8, 9, 10. David Krumholtz as Paul SobrikiEpisode 11. Also, Season 6. Liza Weil as Samantha Sobriki Christina Hendricks as Joyce WestlakeEpisodes 11, 12, 13, 14. Matthew Settle as Brian WestlakeEpisodes 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Chris Sarandon as Dr. Burke (NYC)Episode 15. Michael Ironside as Dr. William "Wild Willy" SwiftMourner. Episode 21 (uncredited). Also, Seasons 1 and 4. Paul Hipp as Craig TurnerEpisode 22. Also, Season 9. Amy Carlson as FDNY Paramedic Alex TaylorEpisode 19.These performers are playing their characters from Third Watch. Molly Price as NYPD Officer Faith Yokas Kim Raver as FDNY Paramedic Kim Zambrano Jason Wiles as NYPD Officer Bosco Boscorelli Joe Lisi as NYPD Lieutenant Bob SwerskyEpisode 19. Also, Season 3. Dana Elcar as Manny, a blind patientEpisode 13 Bellamy Young as Grace Keegan-Michael Key as Witowski Lori Petty as Shane Chris Burke as George Julie Delpy as NicoleEpisode 2. Ken Lerner as Mr. SidellEpisode18 Mackenzie Phillips as Leslie Miller

Production Original executive producers John Wells and Michael Crichton reprised their roles. Seventh season executive producer Jack Orman returned as executive producer and show runner. Previous executive producer Christopher Chulack remained a consulting producer while working on Wells' Third Watch. Seventh season co-executive producer Meredith Stiehm also served as a consulting producer for the eighth season but left the crew with the close of the season. Seventh season supervising producers R. Scott Gemmill and Dee Johnson were promoted to co-executive producers for the eighth season. Seventh season producers Richard Thorpe, Joe Sachs, Jonathan Kaplan, and Wendy Spence Rosato all returned for the eighth season. Sachs was promoted to supervising producer mid-season. Michael Salamunovich returned as co-producer but left the crew with the close of the season.

Wells wrote a further two episodes for the season. Orman was the seasons prolific writer with six episodes. Gemmill wrote five episodes. Sachs wrote three episodes. Johnson wrote four episodes. Stiehm wrote three episodes. David Zabel joined the crew as executive story editor and contributed to four episodes as a writer. Writer Elizabeth Hunter became a story editor for the second half of the season only and wrote two further episodes.

Producers Kaplan and Thorpe served as the season's regular directors. Kaplan helmed five episodes while Thorpe directed four. New directors Nelson McCormick and actor Vondie Curtis-Hall each directed two episodes. Cast member and regular director Laura Innes helmed a further episode. Series veterans Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Christopher Misiano, David Nutter, and Tom Moore all returned to direct further episodes. Show runner Orman made his television directing debut with an episode. The season's other new directors were Alan J. Levi, Jessica Yu, and Jesús S. Treviño.

Episodes

Notes

References

External links