ER (season 6)

The sixth season of the American fictional drama television series ER first aired on September 30, 1999 and concluded on May 18, 2000. The sixth season consists of 22 episodes.

ER
Season 6
DVD cover
Starring	Anthony Edwards Noah Wyle Julianna Margulies Gloria Reuben Laura Innes Alex Kingston Kellie Martin Paul McCrane Goran Visnjic Maura Tierney Michael Michele Erik Palladino Ming-Na Eriq La Salle
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	22
Release
Original network	NBC
Original release	September 30, 1999 – May 18, 2000
Season chronology

Plot

In the first major cast change in ER, the sixth season sees the addition of four new characters: Dr. Luka Kovač; nurse, later third-year medical student, Abby Lockhart; Dr. Cleo Finch; and Dr. Dave Malucci. Paul McCrane's Robert Romano is now billed as a series regular and we also see the return of Deb Chen from season 1, now preferring to be called Dr. Jing-Mei Chen. Physician Assistant Jeanie Boulet leaves to care for her HIV-positive child. Lucy Knight and John Carter are attacked and stabbed by a psychotic patient. The ER staff work to save Carter and Lucy. Despite everyone's best efforts, They are unable to save Lucy who succumbs to her wounds and dies.

In addition Croatian doctor Luka Kovač joins the team and struggles to gain the respect and trust from his new colleagues in the ER. Hathaway struggles to begin parenting on her own, then decides to leave Chicago to begin a new life with Doug Ross. Greene and Corday begin their relationship and he deals with the death of his father. Abby Lockhart begins her third-year-med-student rotation. While still recovering from the violent attack that left him near death and killed Lucy, Carter develops an addiction to pain medication, forcing Greene, Chen, and Weaver along with Benton and the other doctors into an intervention to get Carter to realize that he's an addict. Carter then accepts that he's an addict and checks into a rehab in the season finale with Benton accompanying him.

Cast

Main cast

• Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene – Attending Physician
• Noah Wyle as Dr. John Carter – Resident PGY-4
• Julianna Margulies as Carol Hathaway – Nurse Manager
• Gloria Reuben as Jeanie Boulet – Physician Assistant
• Laura Innes as Dr. Kerry Weaver – Chief of Emergency Medicine
• Alex Kingston as Dr. Elizabeth Corday – Associate Chief of Surgery
• Kellie Martin as Lucy Knight – Fourth-year Medical Student
• Paul McCrane as Dr. Robert Romano – Chief of Staff and Surgery
• Goran Visnjic as Dr. Luka Kovač – Attending Physician
• Maura Tierney as Abby Lockhart – Third-year Medical Student
• Michael Michele as Dr. Cleo Finch – Pediatric Fellow
• Erik Palladino as Dr. Dave Malucci – Resident PGY-2
• Ming-Na as Dr. Jing-Mei Chen – Resident PGY-3
• Eriq La Salle as Dr. Peter Benton – Surgical Trauma Fellow

Supporting cast

Doctors and Medical Students Alan Alda as Dr. Gabriel Lawrence – Attending Physician Sam Anderson as Dr. Jack Kayson – Chief of Cardiology Amy Aquino as Dr. Janet Coburn – Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology John Aylward as Dr. Donald Anspaugh – Surgical Attending Physician, Hospital Board Member John Doman as Dr. Carl DeRaad – Chief of Psychiatry Michael Buchman Silver as Dr. Paul Meyers – Psychiatrist Scott Jaeck as Dr. Steven Flint – Chief of Radiology David Brisbin as Dr. Alexander Babcock – Anesthesiologist Tom Gallop as Dr. Roger Julian – Chief of Genetics Perry Anzilotti as Dr. Ed – Anesthesiologist Megan Cole as Dr. Alice Upton – Pathologist Stephanie Dunnam as Dr. McLucas Randy Lowell as Dr. Dan Shine Nurses Ellen Crawford as Nurse Lydia Wright Conni Marie Brazelton as Nurse Conni Oligario Deezer D as Nurse Malik McGrath Laura Cerón as Nurse Chuny Marquez Yvette Freeman as Nurse Haleh Adams Lily Mariye as Nurse Lily Jarvik Gedde Watanabe as Nurse Yosh Takata Dinah Lenney as Nurse Shirley Bellina Logan as Nurse Kit Kyle Richards as Nurse Dori Kerns[1] Suzanne Carney as OR Nurse Janet Lucy Rodriguez as Nurse Bjerke Morris Chestnut as ICU Nurse Frank "Rambo" Bacon Jeannie Lee as Nurse Vivian Elizabeth Rodriguez as Nurse Sandra Mary Heiss as Nurse Mary

Staff, Paramedics and Officers Erica Gimpel as Social Worker Adele Newman Kristin Minter as Desk Clerk Miranda "Randi" Fronczak Troy Evans as Desk Clerk Frank Martin[2] Andrew Bowen as Desk Clerk Andrew Pamela Sinha as Desk Clerk Amira Jeff Cahill as Transport Dispatcher Tony Fig Emily Wagner as Paramedic Doris Pickman Montae Russell as Paramedic Dwight Zadro Lyn Alicia Henderson as Paramedic Pamela Olbes Demetrius Navarro as Paramedic Morales Brian Lester as Paramedic Brian Dumar Michelle Bonilla as Paramedic Christine Harms Meg Thalken as Chopper EMT Dee McManus Mike Genovese as Officer Al Grabarsky Cress Williams as Officer Reggie Moore Chad McKnight as Officer Wilson David Roberson as Officer Durcy Joe Basile as Officer Tom Bennini Family Khandi Alexander as Jackie Robbins Lisa Nicole Carson as Carla Simmons Matthew Watkins as Reese Benton John Cullum as David Greene[3] Yvonne Zima as Rachel Greene Judy Parfitt as Isabelle Corday Frances Sternhagen as Millicent Carter

Guest stars

• Rebecca De Mornay as Elaine Nichols[4]
• Emile Hirsch as Chad Kottmeier
• David Krumholtz as Paul Sobriki[5]
• Liza Weil as Samantha Sobriki[5]
• Shia LaBeouf as Darnel Smith
• Anton Yelchin as Robbie Edelstein
• George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross (uncredited)[6]
• Randolph Mantooth as Policeman at school[7]
• Vincent Kartheiser as Jesse Keehan[8]
• Martha Plimpton as Meg Corwin[9]
• Mitch Pileggi as Terry Waters
• Gabrielle Union as Tamara Davis

Production

Original executive producers John Wells and Michael Crichton reprised their roles. Lydia Woodward also returned as an executive producer but left the crew with the close of the season. Long-time crew member and fifth season executive producer Christopher Chulack moved on to executive produce Wells' new series Third Watch but remained a consulting producer for ER. Fifth season supervising producers Jack Orman and Neal Baer were promoted to co-executive producers for the sixth season. R. Scott Gemmill joined the crew as a supervising producer and writer. Fifth season producers Penny Adams and Wendy Spence Rosato returned for the sixth season. Fifth season co-producers Richard Thorpe and Jonathan Kaplan were promoted to producers for the sixth season. They were joined by new producers Doug Palau and Patrick Harbinson. Palau left the crew mid-season and Adams and Harbinson left at the end of the season. Michael Salmunovich returned as a co-producer and Teresa Salamunovich joined the crew, initially as a production co-ordinator but was promoted to associate producer mid-season. She was joined by new associate producer Vicki Voltarel who was on staff for the second half of the season only.

Wells and Woodward continued to write episodes and Wells contributed two episodes while Woodward wrote three. Orman wrote four episodes and Baer, Harbinson, and Gemmill each wrote three. Series medical expert and fifth season story editor Joe Sachs was promoted to executive story editor for the sixth season and he wrote a further two episodes. Regular writer Linda Gase replaced him as story editor and contributed a further episode. New writer Sandy Kroopf wrote a single episode.

Producers Kaplan and Thorpe served as the seasons regular directors; Kaplan directed five episodes and Thorpe helmed three. Cast members Laura Innes and Anthony Edwards each directed a further episode. Returning directors were Lesli Linka Glatter, Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Christopher Misiano, David Nutter, and Steve De Jarnatt. New directors include Ken Kwapis, Marita Grabiak, medical consultant Fred Einesman, Kevin Hooks, and Peter Markle.

Episodes

See also: List of ER episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Prod. code	US viewers (millions)
114	1	"Leave It to Weaver"	Jonathan Kaplan	Lydia Woodward	September 30, 1999 (1999-09-30)	225451	31.53[10]
Greene and Weaver agree to go out on a limb to oppose Romano's appointment as chief of staff. However, soon Greene finds he is out there alone, while Weaver reaps immediate benefits for her treachery. Plus: Luka Kovač, an able, yet untrusted, physician from Croatia, arrives at the ER for his first day of work; Carter's interested in a romance with his cousin's ex-wife; Hathaway adjusts to being pregnant alone. NOTE: First Appearances of Dr. Luka Kovač and Dr. Cleo Finch.
115	2	"Last Rites"	Félix Enríquez Alcalá	Jack Orman	October 7, 1999 (1999-10-07)	225452	28.20[10]
Who's the boss? Weaver may be head of the ER, but Greene has his own ideas about how to handle situations and after his mother's death the two of them have their worst conflict on the job yet. Boulet says "yes" to Reggie, and Corday accepts Romano's surprise job offer. A brash new resident arrives and manages to annoy just about everyone. Carla confronts Benton about not allowing her to leave the country with their son. Carter and Elaine's relationship continues. NOTE: First Appearance of Dr. Dave Malucci.
116	3	"Greene with Envy"	Peter Markle	Patrick Harbinson	October 14, 1999 (1999-10-14)	225453	30.45[10]
The Newly appointed attending physician (guest Alan Alda) is savvy, personable and, in Greene's jealous opinion, unsuitable for County. Jeanie and Reggie marry, but not under the circumstances they expected. Romano makes Corday show a rude reporter around the ER, where she witnesses a shootout. Carter tries to be supportive as Elaine undergoes her mastectomy. Corday and Romano are staggered by the front-page hatchet job the rude reporter publishes---she's offended by the reporter's misinterpretation but Romano is offended because it didn't trumpet him. Greene and Corday spend their first night together. NOTE: First Appearance of New Attending Physician, Dr. Gabriel Lawrence.
117	4	"Sins of the Fathers"	Ken Kwapis	Doug Palau	October 21, 1999 (1999-10-21)	225454	N/A
Greene deals with the fallout from his dad's car accident. Lawrence suspects a teen's suicide attempt is the fallout from father-son strife, but he is wrong. Finch misdiagnoses a little girl's behavior before an iron overdose has the staff battling to save the little girl although they are unsuccessful. Hathaway tries to help a pregnant woman get a job at the hospital, and Dr. Dave Malucci is a jerk again. Carter makes plans to meet with Elaine.
118	5	"Truth & Consequences"	Steve De Jarnatt	R. Scott Gemmill	November 4, 1999 (1999-11-04)	225455	N/A
A high school science experiment/prank gone-wrong lands students and teachers in the ER - and the stress of multiple emergencies pushes Lawrence over the edge. Greene defends a patient from a violent parent and ends up being castigated for it. Lucy helps counsel one of the injured students. Hathaway learns the pregnant woman she wanted to help is using drugs. Elaine tells Carter that she intends to go to Europe for a couple of months asking him not to contact her.
119	6	"The Peace of Wild Things"	Richard Thorpe	John Wells	November 11, 1999 (1999-11-11)	225456	N/A
Boulet resigns to be a full-time mother. An elderly woman bids farewell to her dying husband, and Lawrence admits he is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, and that his distinguished career is over. Hathaway takes action regarding the pregnant drug-addict case. An explosion rocks the ER, and Benton tells Carla why he is fighting to stay in his son's life. NOTE: Final Regular Appearance of Physician Assistant Jeanie Boulet.
120	7	"Humpty Dumpty"	Jonathan Kaplan	Neal Baer	November 18, 1999 (1999-11-18)	225457	28.77[11]
Lawrence departs (but not before saving a life), and Kovač comes aboard full time after earning Weaver's respect. Corday discovers her new trauma patient is a rapist and takes extreme measures to find his latest victim. Hathaway and the formerly pregnant drug-using woman have a confrontation. Carter angles for more responsibility inside the ER. Greene's father was due to fly into Chicago but shows up hours after his scheduled arrival time. And the Bright Star Gospel Choir is rushed to the ER.
121	8	"Great Expectations"	Christopher Misiano	Jack Orman	November 25, 1999 (1999-11-25)	225458	30.80[12]
It is Thanksgiving, and Hathaway has two more reasons to give thanks after overcoming complications and delivering twins Tess and Kate. Greene's family celebration comes with its own complications. Malucci stuns the staff by actually having a valid idea to treat a patient that works. NOTE: First Appearance of Nurse Abby Lockhart.
122	9	"How the Finch Stole Christmas"	Fred Einesman	Linda Gase	December 16, 1999 (1999-12-16)	225459	29.10[10]
Lucy risks Romano's wrath (and her career) to arrange a heart operation for a patient. Carter gives gifts to inner city kids in exchange for their guns. Finch uses her authority to put a teen binge drinker into rehab. Benton and Carla's custody battle comes to an abrupt end that works out in his favor. Weaver befriends a group of Santas and works on County's Y2K preparation.
123	10	"Family Matters"	Anthony Edwards	Patrick Harbinson	January 6, 2000 (2000-01-06)	225460	28.69[13]
Deb Chen returns to the ER as Jing-Mei Chen and immediately shows off her great photographic memory to Carter's annoyance. Kovač's strong sense of family involves him in the fate of brothers facing separation. Greene invites his dad to reside with him in Chicago. Malucci fixes Weaver's car and learns a young patient has a fatal disease. Goofball students arrive in the ER to do a scavenger hunt. Benton does not agree with Cleo's approach to an overstressed young high school athlete. NOTE: Dr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen returns to the show after having been a recurring guest star in Season 1.
124	11	"The Domino Heart"	Lesli Linka Glatter	Joe Sachs	January 13, 2000 (2000-01-13)	225461	N/A
A precious donor heart becomes available when a patient who recently received it dies, devastating Lucy. Malucci gathers evidence to shut down a backroom clinic. Carter and Chen disagree on when to follow rules and when to break them. Greene learns a man is being abused by his boyfriend.
125	12	"Abby Road"	Richard Thorpe	R. Scott Gemmill	February 3, 2000 (2000-02-03)	225462	N/A
Abby Lockhart, the part-time OB nurse who cared for Hathaway during "Great Expectations", reports to the ER for her third-year med-student rotation. Hathaway has a hunch that a young patient's health problems come from his mother. Carter and Cleo try to help a sick boy and the unpopular student he fought with. Weaver leaves the ER due to the flu, while Malucci works in spite of it and Benton angles Romano's illness into some help for a young girl who was mauled by a dog.
126	13	"Be Still My Heart"	Laura Innes	Lydia Woodward	February 10, 2000 (2000-02-10)	225463	31.33[10]
It's a tense Valentine's Day in the ER with the case including an operation on Romano's dog and a car crash that leaves two children orphaned while a patient, Paul Sobriki (David Krumholtz) complaining of headaches arrives in to be treated and his symptoms has Lucy suspecting that the patient has schizophrenia but her warnings to Carter go ignored which later results in disastrous consequences for the entire ER. The episode then ends in a cliffhanger as both Carter and Lucy lie on the ground, bleeding heavily, Sobriki having attacked and stabbed both of them while suffering a psychotic episode.
127	14	"All in the Family"	Jonathan Kaplan	Jack Orman	February 17, 2000 (2000-02-17)	225464	39.38[10]
The ER's Valentine Day party ends abruptly when Dr. Weaver discovers Carter and Lucy on the floor of patient Paul Sobriki's room, both doctors unconscious and bleeding heavily. The staff jump into action and find themselves battling against the clock and ever-decreasing odds to save their colleagues. Kovač tries with little success to convince Sobriki's wife, Samantha, that her husband is gravely ill. In the OR, it's chaos as Benton and Anspaugh fight to save Carter while in another operating room, Corday and Romano battle to save Lucy. Meanwhile Cleo finds herself being forced into a surgical role when it becomes obvious that Benton will not leave Carter. NOTE: Final Appearance of Medical Student Lucy Knight.
128	15	"Be Patient"	Ken Kwapis	Sandy Kroopf	February 24, 2000 (2000-02-24)	225465	31.31[10]
Carter struggles with rehab and knowledge of Lucy's fate, a child is injured in a hit and run in front of Kovač (and the driver later turns up in the ER), and a teen has cervical cancer after becoming infected with HPV. Lucy's mother comes to retrieve her property---and surprises a still-struggling Carter with her late daughter's gratitude and praises for his guidance with her. Even a happy event, a romance between Corday's mother Isabelle and David Greene, turns sad when Greene learns his dad is terminally ill.
129	16	"Under Control"	Christopher Misiano	Neal Baer & Joe Sachs	March 23, 2000 (2000-03-23)	225466	27.19[14]
"We can handle this." This, it turns out, involves a Gila monster, toxic breast milk, a deadly error and much more as Greene oversees a particularly hectic shift. Carter, despite his pain, returns to work. Chen is attracted to a very handsome male nurse.
130	17	"Viable Options"	Marita Grabiak	Patrick Harbinson	April 6, 2000 (2000-04-06)	225467	27.50[10]
Kovač and Corday must select a recipient while a donor kidney is still viable. Weaver defies Romano on treating a poorly-insured patient and is suspended. Benton's careless penmanship results in a patient taking the wrong drug, and he blames Finch when the patient ends up in the ER and later in the operating room having suffered a heart attack. Chen wants to tell the daughter of a patient about her father's diagnosis of Huntington's disease but Greene puts the brakes on that. Greene has his own conflict with both his father and Corday over David's desire to check into a hospice care center.
131	18	"Match Made in Heaven"	Jonathan Kaplan	R. Scott Gemmill	April 13, 2000 (2000-04-13)	225468	26.01[10]
A notice of Lucy's acceptance into psych residency deepens Carter's remorse. Greene cares for his dad. Hathaway has news from Ross. An overwhelmed mother tries to induce a miscarriage before getting abortion help from Abby.
132	19	"The Fastest Year"	Richard Thorpe	Lydia Woodward	April 27, 2000 (2000-04-27)	225469	27.38[10]
Memories. After his father reminisces about his Navy days, Greene takes him on a final boat ride on Lake Michigan. Meanwhile, Carter is haunted by terrifying thoughts of the attack that almost killed him. Kovač helps Hathaway buy a used car, before describing what happened to his family in Vukovar. Abby goes too far when trying to arrange for a bone marrow transplant.
133	20	"Loose Ends"	Kevin Hooks	Neal Baer	May 4, 2000 (2000-05-04)	225470	26.65[15]
Malucci treats a little girl who was molested by her father. David surprises Greene and Corday by giving Corday a pearl necklace that once belonged to Greene's late mother. Hathaway's birthday is anything but happy. Benton and Kovač clash over follow-up care. Carter seems reinvigorated but also ignores the orders of his supervisors. Greene and his dad manage to express their love just before David passes away.
134	21	"Such Sweet Sorrow"	John Wells	John Wells	May 11, 2000 (2000-05-11)	225471	32.67[10]
Do open arms still await her in Seattle? Touched by a family tragedy at the ER---a dying DNR cancer patient whom she hopes to keep alive just long enough for her young children to say their goodbyes---Hathaway realizes she must see Ross. Chen notices Carter's increasing unreliability and mood swings. Hathaway admits to Kovač that Ross is the love her life but she urges Kovač not to stop looking for love. Abby is supervised by Malucci on a case that leads Corday to tell him that no one at County thinks he is any good at his job. Greene urges Carter to therapy. Corday returns the necklace to Greene, who then gives it to his daughter Rachel while showing her her late grandfather's favourite Chicago lakeside spot. Hathaway flies to Seattle and reunites joyously with Ross. NOTE 1: Final Regular Appearance of Nurse Manager Carol Hathaway. NOTE 2: George Clooney makes an unexpected uncredited cameo as Dr. Doug Ross in this episode.
135	22	"May Day"	Jonathan Kaplan	Jack Orman	May 18, 2000 (2000-05-18)	225472	34.59[10]
Kovač and Benton rush to the scene of a school shooting, leading to a confrontation over who is the most critical patient: the shooter or one of his victims. The team plans an intervention when Carter's addiction becomes a concern, not only to them, but also their patients. Kovač's sense of right and wrong influences his care for his patients.

References

1. Episode 16.
2. Episode 21. Also, Season 1, Episode 1 (Pilot).
3. Episodes 2, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20.
4. Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
5. Episodes ?. Also, Season 8.
6. Episode 21, uncredited.
7. Episode 22, uncredited.
8. Episode 5.
9. Episodes 4-7.
10. "SpotVault - ER (NBC) - 1999-2000 Ratings". Spotted Ratings. December 4, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
11. "Dateline: Week Of November 22, 1999 In News, Pop, Celebrity, Entertainment, Music, Tech & Fascinating Facts". Mr. Pop Culture. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
12. Pucci, Douglas (December 18, 2008). "Top 20 Television Programs November 22-28, 1999". Mediaweek. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
13. "Dateline: Week Of January 8, 2000 In News, Pop Culture, Tech, Celebrity, Entertainment & Fascinating Facts". Mr. Pop Culture. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
14. "Dateline: Week Of March 22, 2000 In News, Pop, Celebrity, Entertainment, Music, Tech & Fascinating Facts". Mr. Pop Culture. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
15. "Dateline: Week Of May 8, 2000 In News, Pop, Celebrity, Entertainment, Music, Tech & Fascinating Facts". Mr. Pop Culture. Retrieved July 15, 2015.

External links

• Event data as RDF