| Season 4 | |
 | |
| No. of episodes | 22 |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original run | September 25, 1997 – May 14, 1998 |
| DVD release | December 20, 2005 |
| Season chronology | |
| Previous Season 3 |
Next Season 5 |
The fourth season of the medical drama series ER which originally aired from NBC on September 25, 1997 and concluded on May 14, 1998. The season consists of 22 episodes. It was released on Region 1 DVD on December 20, 2005. The title cover depict Mark Greene directing a patient care team.
Production[]
Crew[]
- Main article: Season 4 crew
- Michael Crichton - Executive Producer
- John Wells - Executive Producer, Writer
- Lydia Woodward - Co-executive Producer, Writer
Cast and characters[]
- Main article: Season 4 characters
- See also: Season 4 cast
| Actor/actress | Character | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Edwards | Dr. Mark Greene | Emergency Medicine Attending Physician |
| George Clooney | Dr. Doug Ross | Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow |
| Noah Wyle | Dr. John Carter | Emergency Medicine Intern PGY-1 |
| Julianna Margulies | Nurse Carol Hathaway | ER Charge Nurse |
| Gloria Reuben | Jeanie Boulet | Physician Assistant (Certified - EM) |
| Laura Innes | Dr. Kerry Weaver | Acting Chief of Emergency Medicine |
| Maria Bello | Dr. Anna Del Amico | Pediatric Emergency Medicine Resident |
| Alex Kingston | Dr. Elizabeth Corday | Trauma Surgery Fellow, Lecturer in Trauma and Orthopaedics |
| Eriq La Salle | Dr. Peter Benton | General Surgery Chief Resident (Year 5) |
Plot synopsis[]
Season four opens with the live episode "Ambush", performed twice (once for the East coast, once for the West coast). Dr. Morgenstern, head of the ER, has a heart attack, threatening his life. Weaver agrees to temporarily step in until he recovers. Unfortunately, when Morgenstern does come back, he cannot perform surgery like he used to do because he now knows what it is like to be a patient. After a surgical accident takes a man's life, Morgenstern decides to permanently step down as head of the ER and he leaves the hospital.
Two new physicians join the ER: Dr. Anna Del Amico, played by Maria Bello and a new British surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Corday, played by Alex Kingston. Corday came to America under the fellowship of Dr. Robert "Rocket" Romano (played by Paul McCrane), but their relationship sours towards the end of the season. After she rejects Romano when he asks her out, he decides not to renew her fellowship. She is forced to choose whether she moves back to England or stays in America as an intern.
Meanwhile, as Greene copes with his beating, he and Ross travel to California to bury Ross' dad. While there, Greene visits his own parents, where he finds out that his mother is sick, and his relationship with his dad is estranged, at best. Back in Chicago, he begins to date new ER desk clerk Cynthia Hooper (portrayed by Mariska Hargitay from Law & Order: SVU). The relationship is purely physical, and when Greene has to visit his parents again later in the season, she comes along uninvited, only to realize that Greene does not love her. After the awkward breakup, Cynthia leaves, but Greene stays to take care of his ailing mother and begin to mend his relationship with his father.
Ross and Hathaway get more serious when Ross surprises Hathaway and proposes to her in front of the ER staff, which she accepts. She later has commitment issues when she kisses a vulnerable paramedic. She tells Ross, and he reacts angrily. After a short time, Ross forgives her and tells her he will wait until she is ready to marry. In addition, Hathaway is able to open a free clinic in the ER with the help of Carter's grandmother. Ross vies for a pediatric attending position in the ER.
A lonely Corday starts a relationship with Benton, which causes friction with Benton's family because she is white.
Weaver attends a Synergix seminar to see how to better manage the ER. She begins to date a Synergix representative, Ellis West, who advises her to fire a physician's assistant, which happens to be Jeanie Boulet. Jeanie fights for her job, claiming that she was fired because of her HIV status. Facing a lawsuit, Chief of Staff Donald Anspaugh decides to hire her back. Weaver begins to see Synergix's dark side, and breaks up with West because she feels he is using her, effectively cutting off all ties with Synergix. During all of this, Jeanie's ex-husband, Al, is forced to reveal his HIV status. This gets him fired and forces him to look for a job in Atlanta, and he asks Jeanie to join him. Jeanie refuses, and Al leaves her. Later in the season, Jeanie cares for Anspaugh's cancer stricken son, because she is the only person able to get through to him. After he dies, Anspaugh feels much gratitude and remorse towards Jeanie, given her prior termination.
Carter pretends to be of humble origins in order to impress Anna, which fails when she finds out he actually comes from a wealthy family. Despite this, the two still become good friends, and she helps Carter help his cousin Chase detoxify from a heroin addiction. She had experience in the subject, considering her ex-boyfriend went through a similar experience. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain, because Chase started using again, eventually crippling him for life. At the end of the season, Anna's ex-boyfriend comes to the hospital to see if the ER is in need of a pediatrics attending. Anna is still in love with him, and faces a decision about her future in the ER. While Mark is away, a large explosion sends multiple patients to the ER. Weaver briefly has a seizure after being exposed to the toxic fumes. Mark returns and has fully recovered from his beating.
Episodes[]
- Main article: Episodes
| Season # | Series # | Title | Writer | Director | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70 | Ambush | Carol Flint | Thomas Schlamme | September 25, 1997 |
| 2 | 71 | Something New | Lydia Woodward | Christopher Chulack | October 2, 1997 |
| 3 | 72 | Friendly Fire | Walon Green | Felix Enriquez Alcala | October 9, 1997 |
| 4 | 73 | When The Bough Breaks | Jack Orman | Richard Thorpe | October 16, 1997 |
| 5 | 74 | Good Touch, Bad Touch | David Mills | Jonathan Kaplan | October 30, 1997 |
| 6 | 75 | Ground Zero | Samantha Howard Corbin | Darnell Martin | November 6, 1997 |
| 7 | 76 | Fathers and Sons | John Wells | Christopher Chulack | November 13, 1997 |
| 8 | 77 | Freak Show | Neal Baer | Dean Parisot | November 20, 1997 |
| 9 | 78 | Obstruction of Justice | Lance Gentile | Richard Thorpe | December 11, 1997 |
| 10 | 79 | Do You See What I See? | Linda Gase | Sarah Pia Anderson | December 18, 1997 |
| 11 | 80 | Think Warm Thoughts | David Mills | Charles Haid | January 8, 1998 |
| 12 | 81 | Sharp Relief | Samantha Howard Corbin | Christopher Chulack | January 15, 1998 |
| 13 | 82 | Carter's Choice | John Wells | John Wells | January 29, 1998 |
| 14 | 83 | Family Practice | Carol Flint | Charles Haid | February 5, 1998 |
| 15 | 84 | Exodus | Walon Green and Joe Sachs | Christopher Chulack | February 26, 1998 |
| 16 | 85 | My Brother's Keeper | Jack Orman | Jacque Toberan | March 5, 1998 |
| 17 | 86 | A Bloody Mess | Linda Gase | Richard Thorpe | April 9, 1998 |
| 18 | 87 | Gut Reaction | Neal Baer | TR Babu Subramaniam | April 16, 1998 |
| 19 | 88 | Shades of Grey | Samantha Howard Corbin | Lance Gentile | April 23, 1998 |
| 20 | 89 | Of Past Regret and Future Fear | Jack Orman | Anthony Edwards | April 30, 1998 |
| 21 | 90 | Suffer the Little Children | Walon Green | Christopher Misiano | May 7, 1998 |
| 22 | 91 | A Hole in the Heart | Lydia Woodward | Lesli Linka Glatter | May 14, 1998 |