The ER staff finds itself under the lights when a camera crew films them for a PBS documentary. Most are self-conscious with cameras following them around and some are unaware or forget that there are fixed cameras and that they are miked leading to interesting exchanges. The documentary focuses primarily on Mark Greene, who is still recovering from the beating he suffered in the hospital washroom, but he doesn't want to be depicted as a poor soul deserving of public sympathy. An accident victim's family causes a near riot in the ER. Dr. David Morgenstern has a heart attack. Elizabeth Corday arrives for her first shift at County General. Written by garykmcd

While recovering from his heart attack and under the influence of morphine, Dr. Morgenstern asks Kerry Weaver to take over some of his administrative duties. Doug Ross and Carol Hathaway keep their renewed romance a secret from everyone. Mark Greene and Carol interview candidates for the new desk clerk position. Greene learns that he is being sued for malpractice by the family of a patient who recently died. Dr. Benton and Carla Reece's baby boy is well enough to be taken off the respirator. John Carter's new student, George Henry, is more of a researcher than a doctor and has never really treated patients. Ross wants Dr. Del Amico to treat more adults and fewer children. Elizabeth Corday, a visiting surgeon from the UK, joins the hospital staff. Written by garykmcd

Kerry Weaver is named acting head of emergency medicine and immediately sets about changing procedures, which alienates everyone. John Carter finds himself doing a lot of scut work since his student never seems to be in the ER. Al Boulet is involved in a work site accident but doesn't want anyone to know he is HIV positive. It's Cynthia Hooper's first day as an ER desk clerk. Having finally agreed on a name for their child, Carla Reece and Dr. Benton disagree on whether he should be circumcised. They are told he can now go home. Fiddling with a gun left at reception by a patient, Jerry Marcovic blows up a car in the parking lot and the ER entrance. Written by garykmcd

Mark Greene's ex-wife Jen takes him to task for his mixed-up life and tells him he can't see their daughter until he gets some help. Kerry Weaver tries to get Doug Ross to complete his fellowship research proposal. She also tells him he has to find research grants to cover his salary or he's out of a job. Baby Reece Benton finally gets to go home. Now that his HIV status is known, Al Boulet finds himself out of a job and unable to find work. The ER has to deal with a mass casualty alert when a school bus is involved in a highway accident. A crack addict gives birth while waiting for a doctor to treat her. Written by garykmcd

Carol Hathaway would like to start a clinic within the ER that would specialize in women's and children's health issues, but Kerry Weaver tells her she'll have to find funding for the project. Carter may have a solution for her however. Peter Benton is getting used to fatherhood, but is falling behind in his work. Mark Greene has to give a deposition in the malpractice suit against him and is stressed. He also takes inappropriate action to quiet an unruly patient. Dr. Robert Rocket Romano returns to County General. Written by garykmcd

Al Boulet wants to move to Atlanta when an old friend offers him a job, but Jeanie isn't keen on relocating. Carol Hathaway applies to the Carter family foundation for a grant to finance her clinic. Anna Del Amico is furious when she learns how rich Carter's family is and feels that he has just been slumming. Jeanie is reluctant to treat a patient who has a prominent Ku Klux Klan tattoo on his chest. Although the hospital settles the malpractice suit against Mark Greene, he finds that the family in question is now suing him personally. At Dr. Anspaugh's insistence, Kerry Weaver attends a presentation from a private company that specializes in running ERs. She decides to fire Jeanie Boulet to meet budget cuts. Elizabeth Corday gets into trouble when Peter Benton fails to warn her she is about to break hospital policy. Doug Ross gets bad news and he and Mark set off for California. Written by garykmcd

Accompanied by Mark Greene, Doug Ross travels to California after being informed that his father has died. He learns that his drunken father ran a stop sign killing not only himself but the female occupant of his own vehicle as well the man in the other vehicle, a hard working family man who leaves behind a widow and several children. All of Doug's unhappy childhood memories come flooding back as he learns of his father's last days. A surprise visitor lifts his spirits, however. When he learns that Mark's parents live only a few hours away in San Diego he insists that they visit. Mark's relationship with his own father, a retired US Navy Captain, is strained and distant. Written by garykmcd

Carol Hathaway returns to work to find that due to a mix-up, there are dozens of people waiting in her yet to open free clinic. John Carter and Anna Del Amico start to mend their relationship. Rocket Romano offers Benton a place on his surgical team provided he demonstrates that he can get along with Dr. Corday. Benton comes across a unique case of a young boy whose internal organs are reversed. ER receptionist Cynthia intercepts a note intended for Carol Hathaway, believing it's from Mark Greene. Dr. Weaver receives a bouquet of flowers from Dr. Ellis West after his company, Synergix, gets the contract to supply supplementary attending physicians for the ER. Carter's student, George Henry re-appears when he learns he hasn't completed all of the requirements of his ER rotation. Written by garykmcd

Jeanie Boulet decides to fight her dismissal, believing she has been let go because of her HIV status and not for the budget reasons she has been told. Her husband Al gets a job in Atlanta but Jeanie is no longer sure she's ready to move. John Carter is arrested in the ER after he refuses to follow a policeman's order to provide blood evidence on a drunken patient. Doug returns to work and has a patient who claims to have sickle-cell anemia but may be a junkie looking for a fix. Mark Greene has made a deal with a top-notch attorney who agrees to handle his lawsuit in exchange for a day of playing doctor in the ER. Benton and Corday try to save an accident victim's leg. Dr. Ellis West from Synergix shows up for work in the ER. Written by garykmcd

It's Christmas time and the ER staffers are in a festive mood. Dr. Benton is looking forward to having his first Christmas with newborn son Reece. He also gains a bit of notoriety when a blind man he is treating can suddenly see. Dr. Corday is looking forward to going home for the holidays but one of her patients comes out of a coma just as she is about to leave and decides to spend the holidays in Chicago. Kerry Weaver starts a relationship with Dr. Ellis West. Mark Greene treats an elderly woman who is savagely beaten and raped. Now that his lawsuit is out of the way, he tries to make amends to the family that was suing him. He also learns that girlfriend Cynthia has a shocking secret. John Carter's grandmother visits Carol Hathaway's clinic with her other grandson, Chase. John is none too pleased when he catches Chase shooting up in the family limo. Carol decides that the time has come for her relationship with Doug Ross to be made public but he has a surprise for her. Written by garykmcd

John Carter finds himself at the medical school counseling students on emergency medicine. He doesn't find much interest. Elizabeth Corday convinces a specialist from another hospital to perform an operation on Allison Beaumont, sending Rocket Romano into a rage. Dr. Anspaugh's 13 year-old son Scott, a recovering cancer patient, is brought into the ER. Jeanie Boulet manages to develop a rapport with the difficult young man. Another elderly rape victim is brought into the hospital. Ellis West and Kerry Weaver are still seeing each other and he proposes that Synergix takes over the running of the ER. Dr. William Wild Willy Swift shows up as a Synergix attending physician. Written by garykmcd

Scott Anspaugh's cancer has returned and he requires another operation. The results show that he will need another round of chemotherapy. Dr. Anspaugh asks Jeanie Boulet if she would work with his son as a part-time caregiver. Kerry Weaver begins to have doubts about the wisdom of Synergix taking over the ER. John Carter's cousin Chase shows up at the hospital suffering from withdrawal. John decides to help him, but not the way Chase wants. Anna Del Amico decides to give him a hand. Carol Hathaway goes on a paramedic ride along and they attend to another elderly rape victim. She also finds herself attracted to paramedic Greg Powell. Her fiancé Doug Ross is planning a romantic evening. Allison Beaumont has an operation to restore her voice and Benton and Corday go out for a drink afterward. Written by garykmcd

The police bring in another elderly rape victim but this time they also get the rapist. The ER staff is in no mood to treat him and Anna Del Amico takes John Carter to task for not giving the man the best care and letting his emotions take over his duties as a physician. Realizing she has made a major mistake, Dr. Weaver lines up support to oppose the take over of the ER by Synergix and accuses Ellis West of using her to win the contract. Carol Hathaway is having doubts about her commitment to Doug Ross while he resents her hesitation. Cynthia Hooper suggests to Mark that with her lease coming due, she should perhaps move in with him but he is obviously reluctant. Benton and Corday go out on another date. Written by garykmcd

Mark rushes out to San Diego when his mother has a serious fall and is hospitalized. When he gets there, he finds her suffering from mild dementia and questions the care she is receiving. To his surprise, Cynthia Hooper follows him unannounced and uninvited, leading for them to come a conclusion about their relationship. Mark also learns a lot about his parents' relationship and while he continues to struggle with his difficult relationship with his father, he also learns of some of the sacrifices the man made for his family. Written by garykmcd

While on a paramedic ride along, Elizabeth Corday puts her life at risk to rescue a man trapped in a building collapse. When hazardous materials are brought into the ER, the unit has to be closed down. With Dr. Weaver rendered unconscious, John Carter takes charge of the situation and performs brilliantly. With the ER evacuated, Doug Ross and Carol Hathaway find themselves trapped in an elevator while transferring a young patient with renal failure. Written by garykmcd

Mark Greene returns from San Diego to find that Cynthia Hooper has not only quit her job in the ER but has moved to a new apartment. Thinking he may have made a mistake, he manages to track her down. John Carter's cousin Chase is brought into the ER unconscious from an overdose of heroin. They manage to revive him but he likely has severe brain damage. Carter has to admit to his grandparents that he knew of Chase's habit and tried to help him. Doug Ross and Kerry Weaver have a major blow up when she finds a flaw in his study and seemingly goes out of her way to make the fact known to everyone on staff. Ross and Carol Hathaway get their relationship back on track. Written by garykmcd

Dr. David Morgenstern returns after a six-month absence recovering from his heart attack. His new outlook on life however has Kerry Weaver questioning his abilities. Elizabeth Corday decides to start a study on the use of artificial blood in the ER, but the only problem is that she fails to discuss it first with Rocket Romano. Doug Ross decides to apply for an ER attending position. Scott Anspaugh suffers a major relapse. Anna Del Amico is confronted by an irate husband who wants his ill wife to terminate her pregnancy. At the free clinic, Carol Hathaway has to deal with the case of an underage high school student who is sleeping with her 40-year-old teacher. Peter Benton hits a pedestrian with a car but Carter helps him out with an important piece of information. Written by garykmcd

When a compatible bone marrow donor cannot be located, Scott Anspaugh agrees to undergo a new round of chemotherapy, even though there appears to be little point. Doug Ross suggests to Jeanie Boulet that Scott may have agreed to the therapy because of her. Mark Greene has taken on the task of organizing the annual ER banquet only to find that Jerry, on whom he had been relying for much of the preparation, hasn't quite delivered. John Carter confronts his grandmother when he learns that she has cut off funding for Carol Hathaway's free clinic. In the OR, Peter Benton has a major confrontation with Dr. Morgenstern, pushing him aside and taking over an operation. Greene and Weaver criticize Doug Ross over his handling of a sick child and her mother. Written by garykmcd

Following the incident in the OR, Dr. Morgenstern and Dr. Benton present the case to their colleagues. As a result, Peter Benton finds himself suspended for insubordination pending a full inquiry. Jeanie attends Scott Anspaugh's funeral and has some information to share with the boy's father. Anna Del Amico finds herself ethically unable to perform an abortion and is taken to task by Dr. Weaver. John Carter gets the hospital to take legal guardianship of a patient he feels has been subjected to elder abuse, but subsequently doubts that he made the right decision. Written by garykmcd

Benton and Elizabeth Corday spend the night together. Corday is shocked when Rocket Romano suggests that they go out on a date. John Carter and his grandmother clash over the future of Chase Carter; she wants him cared for at home while John feels he should remain institutionalized where he can continue to receive therapy. Carol Hathaway finally gets around to inviting her mother to a Sunday brunch with her and Doug but is a bit surprised when she shows up with her boyfriend. In the ER, Hathaway comforts a man is going to die from chemical burns. Written by garykmcd

Assisted by Carol Hathaway, Doug Ross decides to detoxify a drug-addicted infant in the ER without telling anyone. Jeanie Boulet is feeling rundown and fears that her health may be deteriorating. John Carter is less than pleased when Anna Del Amico's former boyfriend shows up in the ER conducting a study on the need for a pediatric attending physician. Del Amico also has to treat a televangelist who is using her health issues to raise money. Elizabeth Corday is worried that Rocket Romano may be aware of her affair with Peter Benton and that it will affect her fellowship. Written by garykmcd

At the hospital daycare, one of the child-care workers suggests to Peter Benton that he may want to have baby Reece's hearing checked. Doug Ross dodges a bullet by admitting upfront his error in detoxifying a baby without permission. Having been acting Chief for over 6 months, Kerry Weaver puts her name forward to replace David Morgenstern as Chief of Emergency Medicine only to be told she will have to compete for the job. The doctors treat a couple of Elvis impersonators who sky dive into Lake Superior. When drugs go missing from the ER, John Carter suspects Anna Del Amico's ex-boyfriend. Written by garykmcd