The Stories:

Romano continues his rampage of the ER, while dealing with his own inner demons. Susan and Chuck look to be getting closer instead of farther. Abby leaves Carter to find her brother, While Carter goes though the roughest time of his life. Luka brings in a foreign friend in about a Croatian boy.

Abby

Abby ends up with her main focus being a headcase, with SERIOUS problems going on in his head. Without his meds, he becomes extremely paranoid, thinking that people are out to use probes on him and find him (I personally found his delusions to be very creepy). During the first treatment of this patient, Abby is interrupted by Jerry because she has a call from none other than....ERIC! The stupid bastard decided to call her and yup, as you probably guessed, she missed the first call. She goes off and treats a few more patients for the time being, and then comes back to the mental guy. She's calming him down, really showing how much of a darling she can be. As she is giving him more IV meds, Jerry tells her again that her brother is on the phone again and now comes nostalgia. The patient started having visions again, and gets up silently while she is on the phone and this is where I almost choked on my food....I really thought it was going to be a whole Lucy Knight again. Thankfully, he only choked her, with her being able to reach the fire siren. The guy runs off, and Abby chases him down (Really, if he tried to hurt you, would you want him back?). With that all settled, Abby has to go to Iowa to get Eric, but leaves Carter, Just when he needs her the most. Transcending the space-time barrier, she gets to Des Moines, and shacks up in a motel with Eric for the night, him agreeing to come back and go on a plan to stay stable (HA!)

Carter

I really have a feeling that Carter is beginning to hate his Chief Resident position. Romano starts off by giving him new Med Students to show around, and the two of them get into a little spat. About the Med students, I really think that Carter hates all Med students these days, if they aren't Gallant, or someone bright like that, he seems not to have the time for them. He starts off by having them watch him pull in a drama, asking questions as they go down the hall. Carter really wasn't that active until Gallant presented him a case with a man who had a sore throat, which Romano clearly thought was just that but Carter wanted to admit him. Bullheaded Romano didn't tell him but ORDERED him to discharge him, which proved to be a mistake. An old man was brought in shortly after and this is when the shit hit the fan. Jerry gets a call from Carters mansion, personal, but Carter cant take it, so Kerry does. While Carter is in the Trauma, Kerry shows up in the walkway....telling him the news that Gamma has died. With staying true to the John Carter outlook....He gives it 120% percentage to save the crashing old man, with the Med students looking on, telling him that its impossible to bring the man back, which he does.  So now Carter gets sympathy from everyone....and tells Romano he needs the night off....he gets it. Carter goes and finds Abby, who he is hoping will help him with the funeral plans, but nope, she needs to go and get her crazy brother. This is not good, because now the cracks in the relationship are starting to show, BIG TIME. How can you leave while your boyfriend is in the worst state of his life? Carter is still around, but before he leaves, he catches Romano and the Med students operating on the brain dead man Carter saved before. Carter gets furious, throws (literally) Romano and the students out. John makes it home....pulls up a chair to Gamma's bed....and lets his tears do the work.

Romano

The last episodes of Season 9 are treating Paul McCrane nicely....Its good to have Romano around a lot more.  Romano and Carter don't get along at all in this episode, well now that I think of it, the only one Romano gets along with is Corday, which who he has issue with again this time. One of the patients has a bad stomach pain, but Corday isn't going to admit her, so Romano decides to be the hero and perform surgery in the ER, using Luka's Croatian surgeon friend as backup. It turns out to be okay, but wasn't the best choice. After that was done, you didn't see Romano much until the sore throat guy discharge, along with Romano's spat with Pratt (Haha, Rhyme!) about how Patients need to be out in 30 minutes. Romano is becoming a ghost in my opinion, the man isn't losing his talent he starting to lose himself. I mean, he still is an asshole to most people, but before his arm, he used to have such confidence, and now he is just like an empty soul. His talk with Elizabeth in the closing scenes was easily one of the most moving thought this season.

Susan

Im getting sick and very quickly too, with the whole Susan-Chuck marriage. Chuck and his unit brought in a man the choppered over, who they intubated wrong, with leaves Susan defending her husband. This is where I break the whole "Write a book about each character" for the time being. SO much more could be done with Sherry Stringfield and Susan....I mean really, get her more deep into cases and less of the marring of every guy I see persona. Other than the Helicopter patient, she was just seen checking up on patients.

Luka

Luka....Who seems to have become human once again, has met up with his friend from Croatia, (I never could understand her name) but she is a surgeon from her homeland. Now, a quick update on what's going on. Luka has heard about  this little boy in his homeland, that has a very bad condition, and only the equipment in America will give this boy a chance. I really want to say this will be good.....But knowing Luka....at least half of the rules in medicine will be broken.

Pratt, Gallant, Chen, Weaver, and Corday

Believe it or not, these four, didn't really do too much in this episode. Kerry policed around the ER a bit, reminded Robert that he still has a life in medicine (Oh who is she trying to fool, we know she wants him out). Pratt and Gallant both opened letters and I hate to be vague....But I couldn't understand what they were about. Gallant got County, Pratt got northwestern....I'm guessing this is their next rotation?  Chen....Had maybe three screens, and that would be it. Elizabeth made one mistake, and then her talk with Romano, but not enough for a good story.
 

Post Op

Biggest Question- Carter's future, ER wise and with Abby

Flashback-Abby getting choked by the mental guy, almost had to bust out the Kleenex about Lucy all over again.

My Opinion

- ER has been one of my favorite shows for a long time now, but the main cast is sadly just getting a little too big. Id rather have it smaller, than have it this big and only see Corday, Chen and Weaver for three screens.

- Jerry and Frank in the same episode, woo hoo!

- ::Claps:: Paul McCrane and Noah Wyle.....Two amazing actors.

- ER is losing what I call, "Its balance".

The Doors Never Close...

Next week....Eric will be back with Abby and is slated to leave his program and rain havoc in the ER, while Carter helps out a gang banger. Luka goes on with playing the Libertine, and brings in the boy for the surgery. Susan is still having trouble ending the relationship and Romano makes a big choice about his arm.

Reviewed by Jared Uncles on February 26, 2003