TV Review: ER Episode 12.03

Friday, October 07, 2005

This week's episode of ER titled "Man with no name" started with a bang. We were quickly thrown into the thick of things with a new cast member being introduced - nurse manager Eve played by Kristen Johnston. She comes in and takes over quite quickly, pulling no punches with Morris, Luka or Sam right from the start. She's tough, and she actually reminds me a bit of Weaver. Tough and hard as nails but efficient. Perhaps too efficient? Like we need two Kerry's running around. She will definitely shake things up.

This episode starts with a man running up to the ER with severe burns to his body. Kerry is back and already confronting Luka on why he is late for his shift. She doesn't get the chance to say much because this man runs up to the them with the police close behind. He is taken into the ER where Kerry, Sam and Luka begin to work on him. However, Eve walks in and starts to question Sam and what she is doing, interrupting the work being done. Kerry finally drags Eve away, but we can already see problems developing between Sam and Luka since their break-up last episode. Luka does try to talk to Sam, but she isn't having it. It looks like these two are done.

The next case is a young boy that has an accident while on his scooter. Luka and Sam also begin to work together on this case, but Luka ends up working with Abby on another woman that is brought in . Something goes wrong with the young boy, and Eve takes over the case just as Luka returns to the room for an update on the boys condition. He had put off doing so for quite some time. Following this, Eve asks Sam about the situation between her and Luka, but Sam keeps quiet on it. Once Eve leaves, the rest of the nurses chime in on their new manager - she's a bitch.

After the boy's condition deteriorates further, Eve goes to Luka. He's had about enough her that day, but she also questions him on what is happening with him and Sam. He blurts out they were a couple, and Eve quickly ends the conversation by saying she will handle the nurses as she sees fit. When the boy's father comes to the hospital, he is quite angry, and he blames his wife for the accident. When he goes to attack her, Luka goes to stop him. This causes a physical altercation between Luka and the father until security arrives to take the man down.

Another part of the case with the boy involves the women he ran into. This is the case Luka left the boy for to work on. He felt she was the worse case of the two. She has her own problems before being brought into the ER. Apparently, she has a genetic disorder that makes it highly more probable that she can develop breast or ovarian cancer. Abby is also involved in this case. Throughout the episode, she tries to talk to the woman about her options in regard to her illness, but the woman isn't listening.

A side story on tonight's episode involves Neela and her preparing a care package for Galant, who is still in Iraq. The ER staff is all chiming in with gifts. Pratt wants to see him a pizza, but this is impractical. Neela is also unsure of what to send. Her first choice is a mix CD, then a poem, but then Abby has a suggestion. Send her boyfriend naughty pictures of herself. Abby plays photographer for Neela in one of the family rooms. Morris overhears them, but he is unable to see anything. In fact he falls himself when the wheel chair he used in order to catch a glimpse comes out from under him.

By the end of the day, everyone is ready to go home. Luka ends up at the bar with one too many beers when Abby arrives to keep him company and take him home. On her way out, Eve confronts Sam once again. This time Eve changes Sam's shift in order to stop the awkwardness between Luka and Sam.

I enjoyed this episode, but I'm not sure I like Eve. I can see her being tough, but she is going overboard and being downright brutal in this episode here. I also don't know if this actress fits in with ER's set of current actors. That opinion might change as she continues on, but right now I'm just not sure.

I'm also seeing something interesting here - are the writers trying to get Luka and Abby back together? The last couple of weeks we've had the looks, and the times catching each other here and there. I liked this couple before, but I'm not sure if they should be brought back together. If anyone would have been reunited on this show my vote would have been for Carter and Abby. However, we know that won't be happening. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens as the season continues to progress.