Ray Barnett

Dr. Ray Barnett is a fictional doctor portrayed by actor Shane West on the television show ER. The character first appeared in fall 2004 at the start of the 11th season. He is a talented doctor but has struggled with conflicting commitments to the medical profession and his life as a rock musician.

Hospital and Personal Life

In his first year at County General Hospital, Barnett's cowboy personality got him into trouble with his superiors, especially his Attending, Dr. John Carter. In season 11, he showed a crude, laidback, and manipulative personality. Barnett had almost compromised patient care by not cooperating with the other doctors. At times he gave advice to med students that was irrelevant, impairing them from being effective doctors. He often made open comments about other colleagues. Because of his manipulative tendencies, Barnett was often called upon to help those who needed to work around the system. He often lied to his patients to get them to do what he wanted. In season 12, his character became romantically involved with roommate and colleague Neela Rasgotra. His feelings for her created tension between the two, because Neela at the time was married to Dr. Michael Gallant, who was serving in the Army Medical Corps in Iraq. In the episode "If Not Now," Ray's band received an offer to go on tour. Ray's request for time off was denied, and he was given an ultimatum by Doctor Weaver—the hospital or the band. Ray picked the band, but his band members rejected him because they felt he was too committed to his job at the hospital. Ray returned to County General lying to Dr. Weaver stating that she did not fire him and that she was on drugs while they were talking. Ray and Neela remained friends and after Gallant's death, he attempted to become closer to her. The attempt at cultivating a relationship proved unsuccessful and was affected by the arrival of new character Tony Gates, played by John Stamos.

Ray did not keep his feelings for Neela a secret. Still he remained bitter and hung up over her. Late one night, Ray was hit by a truck when walking home drunk from a bar following a fight with Tony Gates at Luka Kovač and Abby Lockhart's wedding. As the newly renovated ER reopened, the staff was unaware of his accident.

However, it was later revealed Ray was alive and had been transported to another hospital across town. When Neela visited him, she discovered that both of his legs had been amputated. Ray expressed his disappointment and resentment toward Neela for leading him on. Shortly after, Ray left Chicago to return home to Baton Rouge with his mother. Barnett's final appearance as a series regular was in the season 13 finale "The Honeymoon is Over".

After County

After Ray's departure, we learn that Ray has been writing to Neela. Katey and Neela have another altercation and Neela tells her that she will not take the blame for what happened to Ray. She also reveals that Ray himself doesn't blame her for the accident.

During the 15th and final season of ER, at the end of the episode The Book of Abby, long-serving nurse Haleh Adams shows the departing Abby Lockhart a closet wall where all the past doctors and employees have put their locker name tags. Amongst them, the tag "Barnett" can be seen.

Ray Barnett returns to the ER in the Season 15 episode "Haunted", surprising Neela in a Frankenstein outfit during Halloween. He is in much better spirits and revealed to the staff that he left emergency medicine and now works in the disability and physical rehabilitation field, helping amputees and handicapped patients in a clinic in Baton Rouge. He shows off his cutting edge prosthetic legs to everyone, walking on his own and appearing in no way disabled. He briefly met Dr. Simon Brenner and but the two found themselves at odds after Brenner came on to Neela right in front of him. Barnett later raced Neela when they went jogging the shoreline of the Chicago River. The two spent the evening at Neela's apartment and appeared to express the same strong feelings for each other. However, Dr. Simon Brenner, after having a bad day at work, steps in on the two but Neela shuts him away immediately. Ray Barnett has a girlfriend he met at the gym, which was announced in season 15's 8th episode "Age of Innocence", which made Neela extremely jealous. In season 15, episode 20, "Shifting Equilibrium", Neela leaves County and, though many thought she was headed immediately to a position at Duke University's Hospital, she flies to the rehab clinic where Barnett is working. In the final moments of the episode, Neela and Ray are finally reunited.

He makes a cameo along with Neela in episode 21, where he is seen on Neela's webcam moving her things into her office, and he says hello to everyone at County.

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