The Show Must Go On (ER)

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“The Show Must Go On”

ER episode

Episode no.

Season 11
Episode 22

Written by

David Zabel

Directed by

John Wells

Original airdate

May 19, 2005 (NBC)

Episode chronology
← Previous	Next →
"Carter est Amoureux"	"Cañon City"

List of ER episodes

The Show Must Go On is the 245th episode of the NBC television series, ER.

1 Plot synopsis
2 Inspirations
3 Guest starring
4 Music
5 Trivia
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Plot synopsis

Dr. John Carter is back in the States to wrap up his affairs. He purchases half a dozen pizzas for the ER staff, as well some refreshments. He also treats a patient who has injured her wrist.

Dr. Archie Morris and Dr. Ray Barnett leave for another party. This party is held on several floors in the back of an apartment building on the balconies at each level. Morris promptly becomes intoxicated, and begins vomiting. Barnett goes to help him. Suddenly the porches collapse, one on top of each other.

Meanwhile Carter is surprised to learn that he delivered the young girl with the broken wrist eleven years previously. Carter then leaves with Dr. Kovač for his "surprise" farewell party, where most of the attending doctors and his friends are waiting for him. County General then stops accepting trauma patients after further problems with the sewer pipes in the hospital leaves them with only one operating room, coupled with the fact that the majority of the ER staff is at Carter's party.

Several people are killed in the porch collapse. Five more are critically injured in the accident. Barnett surprises his friends with his handling of the situation. The paramedics on the scene tell Barnett that they are going to take the injured to Mercy Hospital because County is closed. County is the only Chicago hospital that has Level I Trauma Status in the show, making it the first choice for such situations. Barnett uses the radio to call County and demands that Abby reopen the ER, otherwise the five critical patients would probably not make it to the hospital. Dr. Lockhart initially refuses, as there are no attending physicians and only one OR, but when one of the critical patients dies, she relents.

Unable to reach Dr. Kovač by pager, they send a student over to fetch him. The party immediately evaporates, as everyone runs back to the ER to help the victims of the porch collapse. A surprised Carter returns from the restroom to empty tables, except for an orderly he doesn't know. They spend some time watching a slideshow of his time at County. The presentation features past ER doctors, including Dr. Doug Ross (George Clooney), Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), and Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle). Eventually Dr. Lewis brings Carter back to the ER.

Life comes full circle for Carter when he treats one last patient before leaving County General. His patient turns out to be the baby he apparently delivered 11 years ago in the pilot episode.

As Carter is leaving the hospital for the last time, Dr. Greene and Dr. Benton (his primary mentors) and Nurse Carol Hathaway are heard in voice-overs. Outside, he finds a fatigued and partially sober Morris crouching outside. Carter repeats the advice that given to Dr. Greene by Dr. Morgenstern to the new chief resident: "You set the tone." However, Morris, being who he is, barely registers the advice and Carter, with a chuckle, goes to catch his train.

[edit] Inspirations

The porch collapse featured in this episode is based on the true story of the 2003 Chicago balcony collapse.^[1]

[edit] Guest starring

[edit] Music

"Collide" by Howie Day
"Freebird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
You can also hear "Into the fire" by the Thirteen Senses in the bar early on, when Kovac thanks Carter

[edit] Trivia

This is the final episode with Noah Wyle (who plays Dr. John Carter) as a regular cast member, although he has several guest appearances in later episodes.