TV Review: ER Episode 12.02

Thursday, September 29, 2005

This week's episode of ER titled "Nobody's Baby" had a complete focus on the ER. We had two larger cases and one minor one. There were also two outside sub plots, but most of the attention this week was focused on medical occurrences. The first case dealt with a woman in labor. There is difficulties early on, and we learn it is a breach birth. We also learn a surprising twist. This is a surrogate birth. The young woman is carrying a child for her best friend and her husband. They have a signed contract and all. When the breach is detected the ER doctor working on her case, Ray, tries to get her to consent for a C-section.

However, the woman is totally against this. She wants to have the baby naturally. The man set to be the father of the child wants her to consent as well, but she is still against it. Something happens, and they have to take the woman to surgery immediately. They do proceed with a natural childbirth, but something does happen and the baby suffers a lack of oxygen. They are able to revive him, but it looks like he will suffer brain damage. When his parents find out this, they walk away from the baby. The surrogate mother doesn't see the child as hers, so the baby is left alone.

The second case is Abby's and it is a young boy that is brought in from the mall. He is in severe condition, but it is not known what caused his condition. Abby ends up interviewing the boy's friends, and they tell her of his vegetarian diet, but he ate two cheeseburgers that day. After thinking it over, she figures out he had broken his diet, and that had caused him to go into some sort of shock. The boy is treated and is fine.

Abby and Neela also have to deal with a woman they had met on the L train earlier that day. While walking off the train, she falls and twists her ankle. Neela and Abby both offer to look at it, but the lady isn't having it. When she demands for a second opinion, Neela turns to Abby, and Abby offers her one, "Your ankle may be broken, and I think you're a bitch." Best line all night. The woman ends up in County General's ER, and she is forced to wait six hours before Abby and Neela look in on her.

One of the subplots on this episode surrounded Pratt and his father. The man shows up at the ER, and Pratt ends up making him wait. The man, played by Danny Glover in a guest appearance, tells Pratt he has a half sister and brother, and he would like Greg to know them. Pratt doesn't seem too keen on this, but by the end of the episode he ventures off to the half brother's swim meet where he meets the family. The scene is awkward at best, and Pratt walks away.

This week we also continued the story line of Sam and Luka. Although it looks like their relationship is now over. Sam finds a place of her own, and by the end of the episode, he is all by himself. He tells Abby of the break-up, and she tries to make a joke based on their relationship. Luka does seem on edge here, and the previews for next week show he is a man about to explode.

In my opinion, this episode was better than last week's premiere for me. This is the ER I know and love, and it is great to see this show back. Abby was really great in this episode with her smart alec one-liners. I also really loved Ray in this episode. I think his character really has grown in this episode, and he fought hard for that baby. The scene at the end where he tells the O.B. doctor that the baby had a rough day, so he didn't want to leave it alone brought a tear to my eye. The whole story line was sad, but Ray just touched me here.

The story line with Pratt seemed to be a bit filler to me. Last week, they had hyped up the appearance of Danny Glover on this week's episode, but it seemed more of a cameo than a full on guest appearance. I think I might expected more here. Next week, we see Luka lose it, and the addition of Kirsten Johnston to the cast. Should be an interesting week!