(Damn Big Spoiler Alert)
Lately, when I write about a TV show, most likely it’s a formal or formal-ish review. But I figure whoever reads this already knows who plays who, and if I don’t and you don’t – well we both have IMdB don’t we.
So, here’s the thing. Greg died. The hype told us that we might lose Abby, Pratt, or Sam in that ambulance explosion that ended last season. (Are we really going into the 15th season? Un-frickin’-real) See that’s my point, I’m not going to go fact check. I’m not Googling. I’m not choosing words that carefully. Greg died and I have to figure this out.
I need a minute.
So, Gates and Sam hop an ambulance to the scene on Michigan where the trauma is happening. Pratt is not bad, coughing, injured jaw, and what looks like a compound fracture in his leg. It was actually someone else’s bone sticking into him. The ambulance driver had a metal pipe sticking out of his belly. Nasty.
But Pratt died.
I don’t know what happened; I left the TV for 15 minutes or so, and he was doing a lot worse. Morris does some tricky technique and it seems to help him. I leave again and he’s surrounded by his friends and they’re offering up desperate ideas, plans, trying to stay calm and rational, but the veneers are cracking. Even grumpy and brusque Frank is a few degrees below stunned, and like the rest, he can’t wrap his head around Pratt’s mortality.
There’s some side stuff about Neela sniping at her fellow doctor and that afternoon’s bed-mate, Dr. What’s-his-name with the accent and curly hair. He’s being quite polite and helpful with his attractive intern, and Neela seems to be jealous. Whatever.
But hey, a dear friend of hers is losing his life in Trauma 2; I’d be fucking sniping too. Staff members are going in and out of his room, and his brother…oh, his brother. Man, I forgot about his brother. Chaz. Is that it?
I haven’t watched ER religiously in years. But I catch at least half an hour a month, and I read up. Anyway, I had some clue that Pratt had a new step/half/adopted family floating around. So, he’s got this brother who is at his side right this minute, refusing to leave, taking a long dip in the River DeNial. The rest of the crew also want’s badly to deny that Greg has basically a blown heart and an empty brain. But they can’t. This is what they live to do, to heal, and to accept when someone is past that. They also know that others can still be healed.
Article comments
1 - Tom Bro-KAW
Great synopsis of what happened too. I can't believe this has been going on for 15 seasons, either. My wife and I have a bet going to see if we loose a character every week until the finally when the hospital is hit with an atomic weapon.
2 - M. Evans
Great recap on tonights episode. You captured exactly how I felt about Pratt being the first casuality of this last season of ER.
And you are right about the actor who plays Frank (Troy Evans). When Frank touched Greg before they took him up in the elevator to harvest his organs that really got to me. To see this gruff character stripped bare down to his real emotions was heart wrenching.
I will miss ER.
3 - Mary K. Williams
Tom - Thank you. I think I can safely say that we won't loose a character a week, unless you count perhaps any patients. : )
I don't think little emotional self could handle it!
And M. Evans - thank you too. My approach to covering this episode was entirely different from my usual work here on BC, but this is the way I needed to handle it.
Troy Evans (Frank) was great. I did not mention some of the other secondary characters, mostly the unsung support staff. I think their reactions were handled with grace as well.
4 - El Bicho
very nice job conveying your "loss" in words.
5 - Mark Saleski
dang, i haven't watched this show in several years, proof being that the only name that made sense to me was 'abby'.
nice writeup tho...not your fault that i can't handle medical drama anymore.
6 - NancyGail
Accent Guy sounds like David Lyons, who Aussie. He plays Dr. Simon Brenner? Bremer? who is nephew of Anspaugh. Easy to guess it would be Pratt if you saw finale last season. It WOULD be Buscemi blown up inside a 'bus'.