Setting the Tone: An ER Retrospective

Setting The Tone

Join Elizabeth, Lauren, and Daniel as we recap our favorite medical drama! We're taking a weekly look back at each episode of the hit TV series "ER". We'll break down every episode, as well as look at how each episode impacts the overall story of the iconic 15 season show. Theme music provided by Andrew Edwards of Blue Police Box Music.

Subscribe Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

369 episodes
Updated Thursday
Explicit

Episodes369

Newest first

Sep 26, 2024 · 1 hr 31 min
S11E21 - "Carter Est Amoureux"
This week: Sam and Luka start couples therapy, the ER has a new volunteer, Ray accidentally kills a stabbing victim, Birdie and Rebecca are back after a home incident, Morris is drunk with power, Jake ponders his future, Pratt is REALLY pissed at Neela, and Carter flies to Paris after Kem's mom becomes ill. Special thanks to Marge of In A Snit: A Mad Men Retrospective for joining us!
Sep 19, 2024 · 1 hr 41 min
S11E20 - "You Are Here"
This week: Ray has to decide whether to prioritize a gig or a patient, Carter gets an early tenure position, Sam and Luka continue to be toxic, Jake introduces Abby to his entire family, Morris gets a promotion, Susan has some choice words for Kerry, Pratt visits his old neighborhood, and the ER is flooded with patients from an explosion at an apartment building.
Sep 12, 2024 · 1 hr 39 min
S11E19 "Ruby Redux"
This week: Lizzie wrote 7 episode descriptions in less than two weeks but forgot this one for some reason. Also, Diana Goodman of the Laser Time network is joining us again. She's rad.
Sep 5, 2024 · 1 hr 17 min
S11E18 - "Refusal of Care"
This week: A woman on a hunger strike is brought in but refuses treatment, Morris keeps screwing up an article him and Susan are publishing, Carter reveals just how big of a donation he's going to make, Jake and Abby continue to try and be "a thing", and Ray and Pratt try to help a woman with breast cancer who is scared of of the treatment options. Special thanks to Francis of In A Snit: A Mad Men Retrospective for joining us!
Aug 29, 2024 · 1 hr 16 min
S11E17 - "Back In The World"
This week: Gallant makes his grand (but short) return to County General, Neela is super confused by her feelings, Pratt continues to smooth talk every pretty woman he sees, Carter is planning a major addition to the hospital, Steve 2.0 debuts and Sam gives him money, Alex gets pissed at Luka, and Ray helps a young kid who accidentally shot himself.
Aug 22, 2024 · 1 hr 8 min
S11E16 - "Here and There"
This week: we get a parallel day in the life of Neela and Gallant as they connect with each other through letters. Neela helps a woman who had both arms amputated and Gallant treats his fellow soldiers and a young girl caught in an explosion near his base.
Aug 15, 2024 · 1 hr 3 min
S11E15 - "Alone in a Crowd"
This week: Cynthia Nixon guest stars as a woman who suffered a stroke but is still fully conscious and aware of her surroundings, Sam and Luka consider more children, Morris is a huge racist POS, Neela helps a young boy with a suspicious home life, Pratt looks more like a leader, Dubenko tries to get a date with Abby, Carter and Wendell finally break up, and Susan considers her options for Chief Resident.
Aug 8, 2024 · 1 hr 21 min
S11E14 - "Just As I Am"
This week: Pratt takes a turn at teaching Jane, Susan thinks she has a relief day from her chief duties, Abby and Jake's "romance" is apparently heating up, Carter, Neela, and Ray have a brawl with a drug addict and her husband, Dubenko and Kerry disagree on patient care, and a strange woman with vague symptoms holds a secret that will change Kerry's world.
Aug 1, 2024 · 1 hr 3 min
S11E13 - "Middleman"
This week: Pratt is caught in the middle as Dubenko and Luka square off over how best to care for a man who was shot by his boss, Wendell is shaken after a boy she tried to help comes back severely beaten, Susan is on a grant application blitz, and Jake, who is definitely not not a serial killer, clears the way so he can finally get together with Abby.
Jul 25, 2024 · 1 hr 11 min
S11E12 - "The Providers"
CW: discussion of a suicide and audio of a character right before they do it This week: Neela has the hots for Luka, Abby may have the hots for Jake, Susan and Kerry have to put their management pants on, Carter does a heckin' slander on the internet AND tv, and an old, familiar face returns to the ER after one of his patients' transplanted kidney fails due to a brand new anti-seizure medication.
Jul 18, 2024 · 1 hr 5 min
S11E11 - "Only Connect"
This week: Pratt does his best to prove he's an asshole, Abby has a rocky return to work after her kidnapping, Luka and Sam give us a clear example of a toxic relationship, the staff deals with a case of mistaken identity, Neela makes some missteps when dealing with an injured girl in foster care, Kerry keeps bringing up patient satisfaction scores, and everyone's favorite sleazy lawyer makes his presence known both inside and outside the ER.
Jul 11, 2024 · 1 hr 20 min
S11E10 - "Skin"
This week: Susan keeps going on about survey results, Luka tries to teach Neela a lesson in patient connection, Ray completely messes up the treatment of a transgender patient, and Abby desperately tries to save the life of a young man after she's kidnapped by gang members.
Jul 4, 2024 · 1 hr 14 min
S11E9 - "Twas the Night"
This week: Pratt helps Chen technically murder her father, Ray continues to be a human dumpster fire, Abby has to work extra hard to help a man in need of dialysis, a new semi-notable med student appears, Carter and Wendell continue to be one of the most awkward couples on the show, and Neela helps a homeless family after a young boy gets hit by a car.
Jun 27, 2024 · 1 hr 14 min
S11E8 - "A Shot in the Dark"
This week: a cop who was accidentally shot by another cop fights for his life, Abby works to get the best care for a little girl whose parents want her transferred, Luka tries to play dad again as Alex gets suspended from school, Chen is looking very exhausted, Carter tries rock climbing, and Neela lays into Ray after he lets down a teenage boy who needed his help.
Jun 20, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min
S11E7 - "White Guy, Dark Hair"
Content warning: discussion of sexual assault This week: Abby helps a teenage girl who denies she just gave birth, Sam and Luka disagree on how best to care for a woman who was beaten and raped, Carter and Wendell get a little closer, and the ER descends into more chaos than normal as the staff is surprised with a mass casualty response drill.
Jun 13, 2024 · 1 hr 25 min
S11E6 - "Time of Death"
This week: Ray Liotta guest stars as a dying alcoholic. The show follows his final hours while Sam, Luka, and Pratt try to find some way to save him, make him comfortable, and help him reconnect with his estranged son.
Jun 6, 2024 · 1 hr 4 min
S11E5 - "An Intern's Guide to the Galaxy"
This week: An anxious Neela makes her return to County, Ray sucks at dealing with grieving family members, Carter claims he's ok (but is he though?), Abby isn't being assertive enough, Dubenko tries to teach some physics in the middle of a trauma, and Pratt "encourages" the interns with a contest.
May 30, 2024 · 1 hr 20 min
S11E4 - "Fear"
This week: Susan gets promoted, Howard has a complete meltdown, Neela gets a job offer, Sam and Alex ponder moving in with Luka, Abby ditches a paramedic ride-along, Kerry gives a great example of constructive dismissal, Corday has a completely unsatisfying goodbye, and the whole ER tries their best to care for two young girls after their mom all but throws them out a window.
May 23, 2024 · 1 hr 21 min
S11E3 - "Try Carter"
This week: Neela goes on a job hunt, Abby goes behind Ray's back and drug tests a patient, Carter is very much not ok, Chuck breastfeeds his kid, a nerdy new surgeon makes his debut, Corday breaks the law to save an HIV+ patient's life, Howard shows some troubling signs of a mental illness, and a tired Luka tries his best to be a dad.
May 16, 2024 · 1 hr 16 min
S11E2 - "Damaged"
This week: Carter falls off the wagon after treating an Iraq War veteran, Luka make an offer to Sam, Neela's parents make a surprise visit, Ray brings out the rocker look we all know and love, Abby does does her best to help a young woman who is a victim of human trafficking, and a gay couple is brought in after being attacked in Grant Park.