ER (season 12)

The twelfth season of the American fictional drama television series ER first aired on September 22, 2005 and concluded on May 18, 2006. It consists of 22 episodes.

ER
Season 12
DVD cover
Starring
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 22, 2005 –
May 18, 2006
Season chronology

Plot

Kovač and Abby become the main central characters and their relationship slowly starts to get back on track as they deal with her unexpected pregnancy. A new nurse manager causes friction among the staff, following a successful operation Weaver no longer needs her cane, Pratt journeys to Africa where he joins Carter on a relief mission while a face from Sam's past leaves the lives of Abby and Kovač hanging in the balance. In addition to Darfur, geopolitics of the day get a strong spotlight due to the Iraq War.

Cast

Changes

Following Sherry Stringfield's departure in the season premiere, this season becomes the first to not feature any of the original cast members in a regular capacity (Noah Wyle is featured for 4 episodes in a guest capacity throughout the season).

Main cast

Supporting

Guest stars

Episodes
See also: List of ER episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		US viewers
(millions)
2461"Cañon City"Christopher ChulackLisa Zwerling, John Wells & Joe SachsSeptember 22, 2005 (2005-09-22)2T605114.37[4]

Kovač and Sam report Alex missing to the police and suspect that he is trying to find his father. They are especially worried because Alex is diabetic and he has forgotten his insulin. Meanwhile, Lewis and Pratt guide the new R2s on managing their new interns while the irresponsible Morris takes a nap; Ray and Neela back up the board due to poor communication, while Abby shines at managing but fails to properly teach.

NOTE: This is the final regular appearance of Dr. Susan Lewis.
2472"Nobody's Baby"Laura InnesR. Scott GemmillSeptember 29, 2005 (2005-09-29)2T605214.44[5]
Ray attends to a surrogate mother who goes into labor prematurely after being involved in a car accident. A difficult decision must be made as the baby's life hangs in the balance. Pratt gets a visit from his estranged father Charlie (Danny Glover). A depressed Kovač copes with another failed relationship when Sam announces she's moving out, but he gets emotional support from Abby, who joins forces with Neela to put a spoiled, rude patient in her place.
2483"Man With No Name"Christopher ChulackDavid ZabelOctober 6, 2005 (2005-10-06)2T605314.15[6]
It is a bad day for Kovač as he and Sam can not be civil after their disruptive break up, and a new nurse manager, Eve Peyton, enforces her strict and efficient new procedures. Abby treats a rollerblading single patient with an increased risk for breast cancer due to mutations in her BRCA1 gene, who is struggling with the need for a mastectomy, and Abby makes a discovery about Dubenko's own health while visiting oncology. Also, Neela prepares a care package for Gallant. After Luka and Sam reach a tentative peace, he gets drunk at a bar and Abby gives him a ride home.
2494"Blame It On The Rain"Paul McCraneR. Scott GemmillOctober 13, 2005 (2005-10-13)2T605413.61[7]
In the wake of heavy rains, the ER is flooded with diverse patients, including a baby involved in a suspicious car crash with her mother and a heart-attack victim visited by his sex therapist. Sam confronts Eve about her strict ways. Abby learns the details of Dubenko's condition and tactfully refuses his advances. Kovač protests when nursing home workers drop off Blaire Collins (Stana Katic), who has been comatose for six years, for routine care, but later in the day, she unexpectedly regains consciousness.
2505"Wake Up"Arthur AlbertJanine Sherman BarroisOctober 20, 2005 (2005-10-20)2T605514.70[8]
Kovač bonds with Blaire, who has no memory of the carjacking and rape-murder incident that caused her coma, while her drug therapy becomes an issue. In the wake of Lewis' abrupt departure, new attending physician Victor Clemente arrives to help make the ER more efficient, but the residents are not too fond of him, despite his wide-ranging knowledge. Abby's breast cancer patient convinces her to take a long-delayed exam. Ray begins a sexual relationship with a young woman named Zoe Butler (Kat Dennings).
2516"Dream House"Stephen CraggDavid ZabelNovember 3, 2005 (2005-11-03)2T605614.29[9]
Clemente, Abby, and Neela secretly care for an infant chimpanzee. Eve promotes Sam and assigns her a dreadful task: she must fire a beloved and long-time nurse, Haleh. Pratt reaches a decision about his relationship with his estranged father and learns the truth about his father's abandonment of him. Ray discovers Zoe has chlamydia and that she's underage.
2527"The Human Shield"Laura InnesR. Scott GemmillNovember 10, 2005 (2005-11-10)2T605715.44[10]

The treatment options for a 10-year-old victim of a shooting- who has already been abducted and sexually abused for months- sparks a furious argument between Kovač and Clemente, which Abby becomes stuck in the middle of. Paramedic Gates flirts with Neela, who is awaiting Gallant's arrival, which is unexpectedly delayed. When the little girl dies, Abby takes out her grief and frustration on Kovač and they kiss. Ray is confronted and beaten by Zoe's father.

NOTE: First Appearance of Paramedic (later Dr.) Tony Gates.
2538"Two Ships"Christopher ChulackJoe Sachs & Virgil WilliamsNovember 17, 2005 (2005-11-17)2T605815.30[11]
Kovač and Abby wake up together, but decide to remain friends. The ER prepares to take in victims of a plane crash into an apartment building, while Neela (still doing her mandatory paramedic stint) and Pratt head out to the crash site because Pratt doesn't trust Ray in the field. Neela distinguishes herself with a field surgery and a rescue, impressing Dubenko. Sam re-hires Haleh when the ER runs short on nurses due to a training session. Neela gets a surprising visit.
2549"I Do"Gloria MuzioLydia WoodwardDecember 1, 2005 (2005-12-01)2T606015.44[12]
Back from Iraq, Gallant surprises Neela by impulsively asking her to marry him. Morris stands up to Weaver on a patient's course of treatment, and Weaver decides she needs to fix up her own life. An HIV+ mother, who does not believe in the virus, is putting her infected son at risk and enraging Clemente, but it is Sam who is able to help the situation. Kovač and Clemente continue their ongoing rivalry as they vie for the same job, which Kovač eventually gets. Neela and Gallant marry, and Kovač and Abby realize they want more than just friendship.
25510"All About Christmas Eve"Lesli Linka GlatterJanine Sherman BarroisDecember 8, 2005 (2005-12-08)2T605915.34[13]
Kovač arrives for his first day as Chief of Emergency Medicine wearing a Santa hat, with presents for everyone. Pratt and Weaver try to make a Christmas miracle happen for a girl who was mistakenly shot. Haleh holds her annual choir tryouts, Eve crosses the line with a disruptive patient and pays for it, Clemente gets a visit from Jodie, a past lover. Abby has a surprise for Kovač- she's pregnant.
25611"If Not Now"John GallagherDavid ZabelJanuary 5, 2006 (2006-01-05)2T606113.97[14]
Abby and Kovač agonize over what to do about her unexpected pregnancy, with Abby eventually deciding to keep the baby despite her fears that it might be bipolar like her mother and brother. Neela and Kovač help a religious teenager weigh all her pregnancy options, but differ on what course she should take. Clemente's past is starting to catch up with him as police visit to investigate a missing person report on Jodie. Weaver falls on the ice and realizes she needs surgery.
25712"Split Decisions"Richard ThorpeR. Scott GemmillJanuary 12, 2006 (2006-01-12)2T606215.40[15]
With Abby now expecting, she and Kovač venture out for some baby shopping. Ray helps Zoe escape from her abusive father, and Dubenko volunteers to take on the dayshift but is overwhelmed. Pratt falsifies a blood test to help a friend avoid a drunk-driving arrest, and Neela gets unexpected and unwelcome news from Gallant.
25813"Body and Soul"Paul McCraneJoe SachsFebruary 2, 2006 (2006-02-02)2T606413.76[16]
Dr. Nate Lennox (James Woods), a former professor and mentor of Abby's, is brought into the ER in the last stages of ALS disease. In a series of flashbacks at County, the progression of his illness over the last six years is shown. He wants to give up, but Abby is determined to give him the strength to keep fighting.
25914"Quintessence of Dust"Joanna KernsLisa Zwerling & David ZabelFebruary 9, 2006 (2006-02-09)2T606514.16[17]
An unexpected visitor -- Jodie's violent policeman husband Bobby, from whom she has filed for divorce -- puts Clemente in the middle of a domestic dispute that ends in Bobby shooting Jodie and Clemente. Kovač and Abby await important test results regarding their baby. Neela struggles with her surgical elective, and Ray tries to convince a homeless musician to accept help from his family. Jodie survives life-threatening surgery but is comatose, and her out-of-context remarks lead to Clemente being suspected in her shooting.
26015"Darfur"Richard ThorpeJanine Sherman BarroisMarch 2, 2006 (2006-03-02)2T606312.90[18]
Carter works in the Sudanese desert, helping treat hundreds of diseased people including a woman raped by a militant group. Back in the ER, the police accuse Clemente of shooting Jodie. Pratt and Neela work to save a 14-year-old involved in a hit-and-run accident, but Pratt is infuriated when he discovers who hit the young teen. Kovač refuses to let Clemente return to work until he is reviewed by the Impaired Physician Committee. Jodie awakens from her coma and tells the police about her shooting, and Bobby threatens Clemente's life.
26116"Out on a Limb"Lesli Linka GlatterKaren MaserMarch 16, 2006 (2006-03-16)2T606613.98[19]
Weaver must make a difficult choice about having hip replacement surgery when the pain interferes with her work, ultimately deciding to go forward with it, and asks Abby to take care of Henry if something goes wrong. When Abby discovers that one of her patients has contracted meningococcemia, the E.R. is briefly quarantined. Sam treats a man who collapsed, Richard Elliott (Armand Assante), who offers her an intriguing job she might not be able to refuse. Meanwhile, Neela decides to attend a support group for military spouses but when she offers her skeptical view of the war, the meeting turns into a debate. Pratt confesses to Kovač that he falsified a blood test; an infuriated Kovač suspends him for five days while deciding his fate.
26217"Lost In America"Stephen CraggLisa ZwerlingMarch 23, 2006 (2006-03-23)2T606713.53[20]
Kovač, with Abby's help, works feverishly to save a young Turkish woman with multiple stab wounds- potentially from her pro-Islamist brother. Kovač and the woman's mother connect as she shares her experiences from her former life in Turkey, causing him to remember the tragedy in his own life in Croatia. As the girls' condition worsens, Clemente steps in and decides to try a risky procedure; surprisingly, he and Kovač work together effectively for the first time, but unfortunately the patient goes beyond saving. Sam accepts a part-time job working for Richard Elliott. Neela pulls an all-nighter in preparation for a speech at a surgeon's convention but is disappointed when her speech goes awry, later reflecting on how close she and Ray have become.
26318"Strange Bedfellows"Laura InnesVirgil WilliamsMarch 30, 2006 (2006-03-30)2T606812.78[21]
A case involving two teens injured in a car accident proves baffling as the doctors try to determine why the girl is unconscious and why her male companion is so hostile toward the police, before Ray discovers the problem: he's deaf, and the cops (not understanding his sign language) jumped him. Neela copes with a visit from Gallant's bickering parents and Morris gets a tempting job offer from a pharmaceutical company. Olivia learns of Pratt's philandering. Kovač tells Abby that he is going to Darfur to help Carter, but when he realizes Abby is worried, he tells Pratt to go and responds to Pratt's protests by saying it's not a request but a do this work-or-you're fired order. Sam enjoys the perks of working for Elliott. Ray struggles with some unresolved feelings for Neela as she decides to move back to Abby's apartment.
26419"No Place to Hide"Skipp SudduthLydia WoodwardApril 27, 2006 (2006-04-27)2T606912.34[22]
Steve (Sam's ex-husband) arrives at the ER complaining of a stomach pain. Clemente wants to release him but Neela thinks he needs to remain in the ER and is proven correct when Steve displays appendicitis. Morris and Dr. Albright argue about a patient, and after Morris is proven correct, they make out. After hip replacement surgery, Weaver no longer needs a cane to walk. Pratt arrives in Darfur; after he is greeted by Carter, he quickly notices the scope of the horror there.
26520"There Are No Angels Here"Christopher ChulackR. Scott Gemmill & David ZabelMay 4, 2006 (2006-05-04)2T607011.78[23]
Pratt's work in Darfur brings him into contact with an injured Sheik and his pregnant wife. The Sudanese police hound the couple because of their political importance and prevent Pratt and Carter from caring for the Sheik. His wife delivers the baby while he is imprisoned and suffers post partum complication that necessitates transporting her to a surgical center. On the way Pratt and Dakarai (Eamonn Walker) are attacked by Janjaweed soldiers and Pratt must continue the journey alone. Ultimately, Pratt, Debbie and Carter are able to save the new family, and Dakarai returns to the encampment later.
26621"The Gallant Hero and The Tragic Victor"Steve ShillR. Scott GemmillMay 11, 2006 (2006-05-11)2T607113.25[24]

Gallant is killed in a roadside bombing in Iraq. Clemente's behavior spirals out of control along with his paranoia about Bobby, and Kovač is forced to take serious action when Clemente smashes a passing taxi outside the hospital and is diagnosed with PTSD. Dubenko offers Neela a surgical residency, but she and the rest of the staff then learn about Gallant's fate. Pratt readjusts to American medicine while treating a seriously injured family of two sons and their father and learning the cause of their injuries. Morris is offered a job with a major pharmaceutical company. Neela watches Gallant's "farewell" tape.

NOTE: This is the final appearance of Dr. Michael Gallant.
26722"Twenty-One Guns"Nelson McCormickDavid ZabelMay 18, 2006 (2006-05-18)2T607216.56[25]

Anspaugh has a meeting with Weaver in the wake of Clemente's dismissal to document County's potential liability. Pratt and Neela attend Gallant's funeral, which is private. Morris films his last day after accepting the pharmaceutical job. A new EMT trainee works with Sam for the day. Kovač proposes to Abby and becomes annoyed when she doesn't say yes. Steve and another inmate are brought into the ER after a prison fight. The EMT trainee turns out to be the other inmate's girlfriend and overpowers a police officer to free them. Walking into the room, Kovač inadvertently discovers their plan and is drugged with Vecuronium by the "trainee". Sam convinces Steve to let her intubate Kovač before they leave. The two men, with Sam forced to assist, finally make their way to the exit doors, but a major shootout with police ensues. Jerry, shielding a child, is shot and severely wounded. The two men grab Sam and make it to their getaway van, revealing that Steve has already kidnapped their son Alex, who is tied up in the van. Back in the ER, the staff try to save Jerry, and Abby collapses just outside a trauma room where Kovač is tied to a gurney; he helplessly watches her place a bloody handprint on the door window just before she slumps over and falls to the floor.

NOTE: This is the last episode (until the series finale) in which the opening theme (along with opening titles) by James Newton Howard was used.
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gollark: You can wire the speakers to tape drives via audio cables.
gollark: bLaMe LuA¡!!!

References
  1. Episode 1
  2. Episodes 14, 15, 19, 20
  3. Episodes 8, 9, 12, 21
  4. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 9/19/05 - 9/25/05". Zap2it. Archived from the original on October 1, 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  5. Fitzgerald, Toni (October 4, 2005). "CBS fumbles in strategy to win 18-49s". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  6. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 10/03/05 - 10/09/05". Zap2it. Archived from the original on October 13, 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  7. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 10/10/05 - 10/16/05". Zap2it. Archived from the original on October 23, 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  8. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 10/17/05 - 10/23/05". Zap2it. Archived from the original on October 28, 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  9. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 10/31/05 - 11/06/05". Zap2it. Archived from the original on November 11, 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  10. Azote, Abigail (November 15, 2005). "For 'Close to Home,' a likely reprieve". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  11. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 11/14/05 - 11/20/05". Zap2it. Archived from the original on November 24, 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  12. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 11/28/05 - 12/04/05". Zap2it. Archived from the original on December 8, 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  13. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 12/05/05 - 12/11/05". Zap2it. Archived from the original on December 15, 2005. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  14. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 1/02/06 - 1/08/06". Zap2it. Archived from the original on January 13, 2006. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  15. Azote, Abigail (January 18, 2006). "A shrinking mandate for 'Commander'". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  16. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 1/30/06 - 2/05/06". Zap2it. Archived from the original on February 9, 2006. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  17. Azote, Abigail (February 14, 2006). "A major ratings tumble for ABC's 'Jim'". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  18. "SpotVault - ER (NBC) - 2005-06 Ratings". Spotted Ratings. December 4, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  19. Azote, Abigail (March 21, 2006). "A so-long to 'Invasion,' likely for good". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  20. Azote, Abigail (March 28, 2006). "For 'Scrubs,' sixth season looks likely". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  21. "Network Primetime Averages by Total Households: Week of 3/27/06 - 4/02/06". Zap2it. Archived from the original on April 11, 2006. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  22. Azote, Abigail (May 2, 2006). "Surprising pull of Fox's 'War at Home'". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  23. Azote, Abigail (May 9, 2006). "CBS puzzle: Whither 'Close To Home'". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  24. Fitzgerald, Toni (May 16, 2006). "Big ABC puzzler: 'What About Brian?'". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  25. Azote, Abigail (May 23, 2006). "For Fox, a season win with heft to it". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
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