TVSquad

(S13E04) Could we have finally turned the corner here? After so many mediocre seasons of ER with rotating doctors, uncompleted storylines, and the constant moping of Abby and Sam, is the series back on track? Well, after watching this week's episode, which I thought was the best of this season so far, I would say yes.

Okay, NBC says yes as well, because they decided not to interrupt the show's run for three months in order to air The Black Donnellys. Sure, you can contribute the show's resurgence to weaker competition (Shark on CBS and Six Degrees on ABC), but I also think it's due to the gelling of the cast after last season's adjustment period. Oh, and of course the addition of John Stamos as the new Dr. Ross probably didn't hurt either. I just hope they stay on track this season and not veer too far off into personal stories. The name of the show is ER and it should take place in the ER.

Okay, my rant is done. Let's get going with this week's review.

I've got to say that I haven't seen a 'doctor all alone' story on ER for quite some time. I remember Dr. Lewis had one way back in the first season, and Dr. Greene had one in the second. Carter may have had a few during his years on the show, but I can't remember any. For the uninitiated, these are the stories where a doctor is left alone in the ER as the cases pile up. All right, technically they're not left alone; they're just left with the interns and medical students.

It was Greg Pratt's turn to be left alone this time around. I like Pratt, he's tough like Benton was, but he also knows all of his stuff like Greene and Carter did. However, after five years at County General he still can't teach himself out of a paper bag. He just doesn't have the inherent patience like Doctors Greene and Carter did. And this is a problem because, as we see in this episode, he can't keep rein on his interns and residents. Because he can't control and rely on them, he ends up handling multiple traumas by himself. Luckily, as the episode ends, we see Pratt realize that he needs to really begin to teach in order to get some of these interns up to speed.

There were two subplots this week. One involving Abby's attempt at finding a connection with other mothers at a 'Baby and Me' class and some nannies at the park, and the other involving Archie Morris and his son (By sperm donation. Apologies, I didn't see the episode when all of that was introduced). I could have done without the Morris subplot. Rather than using him as some kind of comic foil I wish the producers of ER would start showing him being an actual doctor. As I mentioned last week, we saw some of that in the season premiere when he was working to save Jerry. But, since then, he's been portrayed as somewhat of a buffoon. As for Abby's plotline, well, needless to say I won't be hiring a nanny anytime soon (and apologies to nannies, because I know many of you are not like what was portrayed this episode).

One final thought this week, and it involves John Stamos' role as Doctor Tony Gates. The character is beginning to grow on me. As I said at the beginning of the review, he's the new Doctor Ross: a rule-breaker who takes matters into his own hands, damn the consequences. What I'd like to know is his relationship with the mother and daughter he is currently living with. Is he married, or a boyfriend? I'm not too sure. Anyhoo, one of the final scenes of this week's episode was a conversation between Gates and the daughter. I swear, for just a moment I thought I was watching Uncle Jesse talking to Michelle Tanner. When he kissed her good-night I thought he would say 'Good night, Munchkin.' That would have been very funny if he did.

Right. Next week Forrest Whitaker takes a break from The Shield to visit the emergency room, and it looks like Abby returns.