Setting the Tone: An ER Retrospective
282 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 97 ratingsJoin 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.
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Episodes
S11E11 - "Only Connect"
July 18, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBThis 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.
S11E10 - "Skin"
July 11, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 73.8 MBThis 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.
S11E9 - "Twas the Night"
July 04, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 68.3 MBThis 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.
S11E8 - "A Shot in the Dark"
June 27, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 67.9 MBThis 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.
S11E7 - "White Guy, Dark Hair"
June 20, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBContent 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.
S11E6 - "Time of Death"
June 13, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 78.1 MBThis 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.
S11E5 - "An Intern's Guide to the Galaxy"
June 06, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 59.1 MBThis 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.
S11E4 - "Fear"
May 30, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 73.8 MBThis 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.
S11E3 - "Try Carter"
May 23, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 75 MBThis 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.
S11E2 - "Damaged"
May 16, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 69.9 MBThis 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.
S11E1 - "One for the Road"
May 09, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 83.5 MBOn this week’s season premiere: Pratt, Chen, and Elgin continue to fight for their lives after their car ends up in the Chicago River, Neela makes a surprise return to Chicago, Abby has her last nursing shift ever, a new group of interns have their first day, with a bit of help from Alex, Luka finds Sam, and Kerry’s legal troubles come to a sudden end.
Patreon Preview: Season 10 Wrap-up
April 04, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 79.4 MBIt’s that time again! Join the STT hosts and special guest Jake from The Popular Court as we recap all the good and bad that was season 10. Hear our opinions on the season as a whole, what we loved and what we hated the most, as well as some thoughts from your fellow listeners. Want to hear the full episode, including the semi-annual “Tone-y” awards? Support us at the $5 level over at patreon.com/settingthetonepodcast to enjoy that plus over 75 additional hours of bonus audio a...
S10E22 - "Drive"
March 28, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 78 MBThis week: Luka is a good samaritan, Neela has second thoughts about her career path, Abby finds out if she gets to be a doctor or not, Sam leaves Chicago in a hurry, a mom and son are critically injured thanks to a high driver, Carter has issues after returning to work too soon, Kerry fights for custody of Henry, and a simple case of road rage turns into a fight for Pratt, Chen, and Elgin’s lives.
S10E21 - "Midnight"
March 21, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 67.3 MBContent Warning: Unborn Child Death This week: The med students have their graduation, Neela says Daniel's favorite line of the series, Steve confronts Luka about Sam, Frank makes his grand return to County, Rachel needs Corday’s help, Pratt screws up big time, Abby and Kerry have a tense encounter, and Carter and Kem face every pregnant couple's worst nightmare.
S10E20 - "Abby Normal”
March 14, 2024 04:00 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MBThis week: Neela’s lab buddies do some off the books experimentation, Kerry has second thoughts about Henry’s custody arrangement, Pratt is a huge jerk, Abby works with a mom with a troubled past, Carter and Kem prep for the baby’s arrival, and Luka and Sam try to figure out what Steve being in town means for them.
S10E19 - "Just a Touch"
March 07, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 139 MBThis week: Pratt defends himself after a female patient lodges a complaint, Archie gets hit in the nuts, Jerry gets his nipples rubbed, Neela starts a new elective, Sam’s ex may be hanging around for a while, Abby leads a group therapy session, Carter does rich people things, and Kerry lawyers up.
S10E18 - Where There's Smoke
February 29, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 70 MBThis week: Abby fails her board exam, Corday gets a job offer, Gallant treats a vet who is not as drug seeking as he appears, Susan helps legal investigate Luis’ death, and an accident during a warehouse fire leaves Kerry in a haze as Sandy fights for her life.
S10E17 - "The Student"
February 22, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 59.4 MBThis week: At Carter’s urging, Neela takes on a bigger role in patient care (with mixed results), Chuck gets into a fight with a creep who won't leave Susan alone, Chen can’t catch a break, Gallant reveals his feelings for a colleague, a recovering Frank pops in to say hi to everyone, a group of tennis players beat up a flasher, and Luka takes over planning for Alex’s birthday.
S10E16 - "Forgive and Forget"
February 15, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 90 MBThis week: Sam shows her petty side, Jessica Chastain makes her on-screen debut, Chen returns to work, Corday takes a leap with one of her boyfriends, Luka treats a young kid who has an STI, a disgruntled patient heads back to County in a stolen tank, and the ER races to save the life of one of its own.
S10E15 - "Blood Relations"
February 08, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 60 MBThis week: an entire family with various level of carbon dioxide poisoning are rushed to the ER, Chuck finally meets Susan's dad, Chen returns to County with her sick father, Alex finds out Sam and Luka are together, and a claustrophobic Neela is forced to stay with a baby in the hyperbaric chamber.
S10E14 - "Impulse Control"
February 01, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 65.5 MBThis week: Abby gets yelled at by multiple other docs, Carter and Kem go on a weird tour of Chicago, JK Simmons runs into an entire family, Sam treats a young woman with a strange relationship dynamic, and Luka and Sam finally hook up.
S10E13 - "Get Carter"
January 25, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 77.4 MBThis week: Kem is a bit too inquisitive, Corday makes friends with a fellow single parent, Susan is knocked up, Luka tries his hand at teaching, the nurses are horny for Pratt, and Gallant nearly gets shot during a paramedic ride-along. Buy our merch and support LGBT healthcare! https://www.bonfire.com/store/setting-the-tone-store/?fbclid=IwAR0NUrCgiz9TK8XzheoV9t2zCMw1nJueGFX15jkmGnjE5ZaLD2aDRUkrrBQ
S10E12 - "NICU"
January 18, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBThis week: Abby and Neela start their neonatal intensive care unit rotations, and experience the high highs and low lows that come with caring for newborn babies who are often very sick. Oh, and Sandy returns from the Shadow Realm to give birth to her and Kerry’s baby boy.
S10E11 - "Touch and Go"
January 11, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 61.7 MBThis week: Kem gets adjusted to life in the USA, Gallant finds an interesting surprise when he gets home early, Abby is burning the candle at both ends, Pratt makes a massive mistake, Alex keeps getting into trouble, and Carter has a rather eventful first day back at County.
S10E10 - "Makemba"
January 04, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 61.9 MBThis week: The story of Carter and Kem begins in earnest through a series of months-long flashbacks. As the two become closer, Kem gets Carter to fund part of her AIDS drug program, the doctors in Africa debate global politics, Carter treats an entire HIV positive family, and somewhere in there Carter gets Kem pregnant.
S10E9 - "Missing"
December 28, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 64 MBThis week: Alex steals a human finger, Lizzy hosts a memorial service for Romano, Neela works with a couple of Amish teenagers, Abby fails her practice boards, Gallant’s disabled sister comes to town, and Pratt is back to his kinda sleazy bachelor ways.
S10E8 - Freefall
December 21, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 77.7 MBThis week: Abby kills the practice dummy, Morris gets caught smoking a joint, Frank is very proud of his turducken, Abby cares for a woman going through a miscarrage, Pratt pisses off Romano, and the hospital descends into chaos as a helicopter explosion severely damages the ICU and ambulance bay.
S10E7- "Death & Taxes"
December 14, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBTW: discussion of sexual assault and graphic depictions of suicide Bob Newhart breaks all our hearts, Elf is out this week, writing episode descriptions is hard
S10E6- "The Greater Good"
December 07, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 62.1 MBSome stuff happens, Bob Newhart is nice. You get the idea.
S10E5 - "Out of Africa"
November 30, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 78.6 MBThis week: a new nurse makes a hell of an entrance, Romano shows off his fancy new prosthetic arm, Kovac returns to the ER and immediately starts making changes, Corday’s fling ends rather abruptly, Abby is back in med school, and Susan treats an elderly man who may have intentionally overdosed on some of his medications.
S10E4 - "Shifts Happen"
November 23, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 68.6 MBThis week: Pratt gets put through the ER wringer and he and an understaffed night shift crew barely keep their heads above water. Also, Morris is incompetent, Kerry is incredibly grumpy, Romano gets a new prosthesis, Abby catches up with Luka, and Randi gets Bob’d.
S10E3 - "Dear Abby"
November 16, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 82 MBThis week: a new group of residents shows up at County, Romano is having insurance issues, Abby keeps getting sidetracked when she tries to visit a recovering Luka, Zac Efron gets shot, Susan tries to honor an awful family request, Corday gets laid, Pratt gets blindsided by Chen’s parents, and Carter’s letter to Abby quickly gets passed around the ER.
S10E2 - "The Lost"
November 09, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 64.8 MBThis week: Carter heads back to the Congo to recover Luka’s body, and to try and unravel the mystery surrounding Luka’s apparent murder.
S10E1 - "Now What?"
November 02, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 78.4 MBThis week: A certain British/Indian med student arrives for her ER rotation, Carter returns to Chicago, a major construction project leaves the ER a mess, Chen shows her jealous side, Pratt flirts too much, a major car crash happens right outside of County, and the staff is rocked by the news that one of their own has apparently been killed.
Patreon Preview: Season 9 Wrap-up
October 26, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBIt’s that time again! Join the STT hosts and special guest Jake from The Popular Court as we recap all the good and bad that was season 9. Hear our opinions on the season as a whole, what we loved and what we hated the most, as well as some thoughts from your fellow listeners. Want to hear the full episode, including the semi-annual “Tone-y” awards? Support us at the $5 level over at patreon.com/settingthetonepodcast to enjoy that plus over 75 additional hours of bonus audio an...
S9E22 - "Kisangani"
October 19, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 83.1 MBThis week: Carter gets his first taste of what medical care is really like in the Congo. He joins up with Kovac to try and provide the best care possible for hundreds of impoverished residents of the war-torn country.
S9E21 - "When Night Meets Day"
October 12, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 87.6 MBOn this week’s 200th episode: Stories intertwine as we follow the day shift of Carter, and Pratt’s last night shift at the same time. Carter gets the brunt of the patients from a raging gang war and a mass suicide that leaves the whole hospital stretched to the breaking point. Pratt deals with the trail end of the gang war patients as well as an unsettling stabbing victim, and a firefighter caught in an explosion as Doc Magoo’s burns to the ground. Also, Lizzy tries her best to be there for ...
S9E20 - "Foreign Affairs"
October 05, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 56.4 MBThis week: Luka is sent into desperation mode after the sick child he’s trying to help makes a surprise early arrival, Eric crashes Gamma’s funeral, Romano’s arm gets set on fire, after a young man’s entire family is injured in a drive-by shooting, Carter tries to stop him from igniting a brewing gang war, Chuck and Susan make a decision about their future, and Daniel’s long nightmare is over as Carter and Abby call it quits.
S9E19 - "Things Change"
September 28, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 77.3 MBThis week: Abby finally gets a lead on Eric’s whereabouts, Susan defends Chuck after he messes up an intubation on the air rescue chopper, Luka’s surgeon friend from Croatia gets caught up in the ER vortex, Romano is clamping down on ER wait times, Pratt gets to live out every disgruntled worker’s fantasy, and Carter is devastated after the sudden passing of his grandmother.
S9E18 - "Finders Keepers"
September 21, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 66.5 MBThis week: A depressed Romano begins his reign of terror as the new ER Chief, Susan husband shows up (much to the confusion of everyone else), Luka tries to organize a pro bono surgery for a little Croatian boy, Corday does everything in her power to try and disregard a patient’s wishes, Carter sticks up for the ER staff, and Pratt mistakenly buys stolen goods from a patient.
S9E17 - "The Advocate"
September 14, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 72.8 MBThis week: Kerry is distraught after one of Alderman Bright’s aides dies due to a drug allergy, Luka does a therapy (though maybe not in the traditional way), Romano’s arm troubles keep worsening, Corday tries to get through to a troubled teenager and her mother, and Carter winds up screaming at Abby.
S9E16 - "A Thousand Cranes"
September 07, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 74 MBThis week: Carter considers proposing to Abby the proper way, Chen and Luka happen upon a grisly scene at Doc Magoo’s, a series of odd coincidences leads to Pratt and Gallant being arrested, Corday’s white privilege is showing, and Susan says goodbye to Sean.
S9E15 - "A Boy Falling Out of the Sky"
August 31, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 70.2 MBThis week: Kerry’s purse gets stolen, Maggie comes to the ER to talk about Eric, Susan has some tough news for Sean, Pratt accidentally pronounces someone dead, Luka finally decides to show up for work, and Carter is trying his best to keep Abby from completely falling apart.
S9E14- "No Strings Attached"
August 24, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 68.4 MBThis week: Lizzie forgets to write an episode description before leaving for vacation so Daniel has to wing it.
S9E13 - "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished"
August 17, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 87.9 MBThis week: a little boy flings poop at Susan, Pratt has to get Leon out of town after Leon unwittingly takes part in a robbery, Romano attempts to assist and teach during an emergency surgery, Carter gets conned, Corday gets asked out, and and Kerry gets word that the alderman has gotten County a nice bonus to the hospital budget.
S9E12 - "A Saint in the City"
August 10, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 69.4 MBThis week: the ER fends off the media as a controversial member of the city council is brought in, Carter makes a house call, Pratt tries to convince Jesse Pinkman to care for his younger siblings, Luka skirts the lines of good medicine to try and get a man up to surgery, Susan’s generous spirit backfires on her, and Adele vanishes into the shadow realm.
S9E11 - "A Little Help From My Friends"
August 03, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 63.4 MBTRIGGER WARNING: PEDOPHILIA DISCUSSION This week: Susan tries everything to get a potential sexual predator admitted to psych, Luka and Abby get chewed out at an M&M, Pratt brings a gun to the ER, Gallant does his best to navigate a unique family situation, Chen treats a mathlete, and Kerry is left devastated after having a miscarriage.
S9E10 - "Hindsight"
July 27, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 60.4 MBThis week: Luka hits rock bottom, but in reverse chronological order. Also, Frank and Jerry make their case for being the ER Santa, a young man is way sicker than he seems, Abby’s warnings fall on deaf ears, and we say goodbye to our most beloved radiologist.
S9E9 - "Next of Kin"
July 20, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 82 MBCONTENT WARNING FOR ALL ENCOMPASSING AWFULNESS RE: A TRANS CHILD This week: A young trans girl’s life is complicated by her father dying, Abby, Eric, and Maggie deliberate about how best to help Eric, Pratt goes to bat for Leon, Chen cares for an abandoned baby, Luka gets a surprise gift from a patient, and Susan treats an abused nurse.
S9E8 - "First Snowfall"
July 13, 2023 04:00 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBThis week: a freak blizzard dumps 3 feet of snow overnight in Chicago. The ER is a ghost town until a mom and her two sons are brought after being hit by a drunk driver. Also, Abby brings Gallant to Nebraska as she searches for answers about Eric’s whereabouts and wellbeing.