Season 8

Season 8
No. of episodes	22
Original network	NBC
Original run	September 27, 2001 – May 16, 2002
DVD release	January 22, 2008
Season chronology
Previous Season 7	Next Season 9

The eighth season of the medical drama series ER which originally aired from NBC on September 27, 2001 and concluded on May 16, 2002. The season consists of 22 episodes. It was released on Region 1 DVD on January 22, 2008. Anthony Edwards and Eriq La Salle both left the show permanently after this season. Sherry Stringfield came back to the show in this season.

Production

Crew

Main article: Season eight crew

• Michael Crichton - Executive Producer
• John Wells - Executive Producer, Writer
• Lydia Woodward - Co-executive Producer, Writer

Cast and characters

Main article: Season eight characters

See also: Season eight cast

Actor/actress	Character	Role
Anthony Edwards	Dr. Mark Greene	Emergency Medicine Attending
Noah Wyle	Dr. John Carter	Emergency Medicine Resident (Year 4)/Later Chief Resident
Laura Innes	Dr. Kerry Weaver	Chief of Emergency Medicine
Alex Kingston	Dr. Elizabeth Corday	Associate Chief of Surgery
Paul McCrane	Robert Romano	Chief of Staff/Chief of Surgery
Goran Višnjić	Dr. Luka Kovac	Emergency Medicine Attending
Maura Tierney	Abby Lockhart	ER Nurse
Sherry Stringfield	Dr. Susan Lewis	Emergency Medicine Attending
Michael Michele	Dr. Cleo Finch	Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Resident (Year 4)
Erik Palladino	Dr. Dave Malucci	Emergency Medicine Resident (Year 3)
Ming-Na	Dr. Jing-Mei Chen	Chief Resident/Later Emergency Medicine Attending
Sharif Atkins	Michael Gallant	Medical Student (Year 3)
Eriq La Salle	Dr. Peter Benton	Surgical Emergency Trauma Fellow

Plot synopsis

Susan Lewis returns to the show providing continuity of the earlier years and some closure with Greene. Weaver also has a revelation and confronts and accepts her sexuality.

The season's long storyline of Greene's illness and death and how it affects many characters marked season eight as the first major turning point in the series.

This season would also mark a major change in the cast with four characters leaving which included original characters Greene and Peter Benton.

Also this season, two new main characters with very different personalities: Michael Gallant and later Greg Pratt were introduced.

For the first time, Carter is centered as the main character of the show at the end of the season and took over as the central character in Season 9 midway through the series, which was a big move in the direction of the show.

Episodes

Main article: Episodes

Season #	Series #	Title	Writer	Director	Original airdate
1	158	Four Corners	Jack Orman and David Zabel	Christopher Misiano	September 27, 2001
2	159	The Longer You Stay	Jack Orman	Jonathan Kaplan	October 4, 2001
3	160	Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic	R Scott Gemmill and Elizabeth Hunter	Richard Thorpe	October 11, 2001
4	161	Never Say Never	Dee Johnson	Felix Enriquez Alcala	October 18, 2001
5	162	Start All Over Again	Joe Sachs	Vondie Curtis-Hall	October 25, 2001
6	163	Supplies and Demands	Meredith Stiehm	Jonathan Kaplan	November 1, 2001
7	164	If I Should Fall from Grace	R Scott Gemmill	Laura Innes	November 8, 2001
8	165	Partly Cloudy, Chance of Rain	Jack Orman	David Nutter	November 15, 2001
9	166	Quo Vadis?	Joe Sachs and David Zabel	Richard Thorpe	November 22, 2001
10	167	I'll Be Home For Christmas	Dee Johnson and Meredith Stiehm	Jonathan Kaplan	December 13, 2001
11	168	Beyond Repair	Jack Orman and R Scott Gemmill	Alan J Levi	January 10, 2002
12	169	A River in Egypt	David Zabel	Jesus Salvador Trevino	January 17, 2002
13	170	Damage Is Done	Dee Johnson	Nelson McCormick	January 31, 2002
14	171	A Simple Twist of Fate	Jack Orman	Christopher Chulack	February 7, 2002
15	172	It's All In Your Head	R Scott Gemmill	Vondie Curtis-Hall	February 28, 2002
16	173	Secrets and Lies	John Wells	Richard Thorpe	March 7, 2002
17	174	Bygones	Elizabeth Hunter and Meredith Stiehm	Jessica Yu	March 28, 2002
18	175	Orion in the Sky	David Zabel	Jonathan Kaplan	April 4, 2002
19	176	Brothers and Sisters	R Scott Gemmill	Nelson McCormick	April 25, 2002
20	177	The Letter	Jack Orman	Jack Orman	May 2, 2002
21	178	On the Beach	John Wells	John Wells	May 9, 2002
22	179	Lockdown	Dee Johnson and Joe Sachs	Jonathan Kaplan	May 16, 2002