E.R. : 2nd Year.

Well after a bit of a blitz recently progress through the entirety of ER has accelerated and I’m now nearing the end of the second season and it’s probably time for a quick look at some of the notable events.

In terms of the plotlines; Mark is getting divorced, Doug is having father issues after nearly losing his job, Susan is struggling to look after Susie alone, Peter has experienced the higher end of surgical medicine and isn’t sure he likes it, John continues to struggle to impress Peter and Carol has bought a house and is happily coupled up with Shep the paramedic.

Elsewhere we have the introduction of Laura Innes as the abrasive Kerry Weaver coming in as Mark’s second in command and Gloria Reuben joining the main cast full time as Jeannie begins a placement in the ER.

Stand out episode of the year and one of ER’s touchstones is ‘Hell and High Water’. Doug on the verge of losing his job after increasingly butting heads with all around him is sat in his car contemplating smoking a joint after a very bad day when a kid frantically knocks at his window in the pouring rain.

The kid’s brother has become trapped in a storm drain and the water levels are rising with his leg trapped. We follow Doug as he struggles to free the boy and then as he frantically fights to keep the boy alive after exposure as he is freed. Meanwhile a news chopper as got word of the events and begins to follow events culminating in Doug commandeering the chopper to take the boy to County, and it all gets reported live.

At the end of the day Doug’s gamble pays off and he is the hero of the moment but it’s the return of his own self belief that is critical. Dramatically paced from the opening minutes as we cut between Doug’s struggle and day to day life in the ER, ‘Hell and High Water’ is one of ER’s event episodes and as such is a breathless forty minutes of television.

We’re starting to see the softening of Peter Benton throughout the year in odd flashes as he sits with a patient, gently encourages John (albeit in his own style!) and shows concern over the conduct of those around him in fiddling results in a surgical study, eventually disappointed in himself that he wasn’t brave enough to pursue the issue.

But the emotional gut punch of the year is the death of Raul, Shep’s paramedic partner. Having grown to know and like the pair throughout the year it’s a real shaker to see Raul lying covered in 3rd degree burns after a brave rescue attempt instigated by Shep. More crushing is the exchange between Mark and Carol about breaking the news to Raul of the unlikelihood of his survival.

Mark :“Who’s going to tell Raul”
Carol : “He’s a fireman. He already knows”

As so often is the case in the series it’s the simple unshowy delivery of the exchange that really drives it home. If there is one thing the series does well it’s when established characters end up in the firing line and fighting for life.