The fifteenth and final season of the American fictional drama television series ER premiered on NBC on September 25, 2008, and concluded on April 2, 2009, in a two-hour episode preceded by a one-hour retrospective special. It consists of 22 episodes. Because actors Mekhi Phifer, Goran Visnjic, and Maura Tierney had been told the 14th season would be the last one, they had no plans or interest in returning for Season 15. The producers agreed to film two Season 15 episodes at the very end of the Season 14 production cycle so that all three actors could finish their time on the show and move on to other projects. Tierney made a one-scene guest appearance in an episode near the end of Season 15.

Plot

The final season opens with the revelation that Gregory Pratt is the victim of the ambulance explosion in the prior season's finale. Despite Pratt's colleagues' efforts, he dies from his injuries. Cate Banfield is introduced as the new ER chief, who has a seemingly mysterious past with County General. Luka Kovač and Abby Lockhart move to Boston. Brenner must deal with issues surrounding his childhood, and comes to a crossroads in his relationship with Neela Rasgotra, who must make difficult personal and professional decisions. Samantha Taggart's relationship with Tony Gates suffers a setback after an accident involving Taggart's son, Alex.

To mark the end of the series after 15 years, several former cast members return to the show. Mark Greene, Robert Romano, and Kerry Weaver appear in a flashback episode that explores Banfield's history with County General. John Carter returns to work at County, although, unbeknown to his colleagues, he urgently needs a kidney transplant. Peter Benton, Doug Ross, Carol Hathaway, Susan Lewis, Elizabeth Corday, and Ray Barnett return in various episodes. The series ends with a final multiple casualty incident, showing that life goes on at County General.

Cast

Main cast Maura Tierney as Dr. Abby Lockhart, Attending PhysicianMain Cast in Episodes 1 and 3, Special Appearance in Episode 20 Mekhi Phifer as Dr. Greg Pratt, Attending PhysicianEpisode 1 Goran Visnjic as Dr. Luka Kovač Parminder Nagra as Dr. Neela Rasgotra, Third-year Surgical Resident John Stamos as Dr. Tony Gates, Third-year Resident Linda Cardellini as Nurse Samantha Taggart Scott Grimes as Dr. Archie Morris, Attending Physician David Lyons as Dr. Simon Brenner, Attending Physician Angela Bassett as Dr. Catherine Banfield, Chief of Emergency Medicineepisodes 2−22

Special appearances The final season included special appearances by departed main and recurring cast members; in the episodes in which they appeared, they were credited along with the main cast members. Returning main characters Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark GreeneEpisode 7 (in flashback only) Noah Wyle as Dr. John CarterEpisodes 16–19, 22 George Clooney as Dr. Doug RossEpisode 19 Julianna Margulies as Nurse Carol HathawayEpisode 19 Eriq La Salle as Dr. Peter BentonEpisodes 19, 22 Laura Innes as Dr. Kerry WeaverSpecial Appearance in Episode 7, Main Cast in Episode 22 Sherry Stringfield as Dr. Susan LewisEpisode 22 Alex Kingston as Dr. Elizabeth CordaySpecial Appearance in Episode 12, Main Cast in Episode 22 Shane West as Dr. Ray BarnettEpisodes 5, 20, 21 Paul McCrane as Dr. Robert RomanoEpisode 7 (in flashback only)

Returning recurring characters William H. Macy as Dr. David Morgenstern Ellen Crawford as Nurse Lydia WrightEpisode 22 Hallee Hirsh as Rachel GreeneEpisode 22 Thandiwe Newton as Makemba "Kem" LikasuEpisode 22 Matthew Watkins as Reese BentonEpisode 22

Supporting

Doctors and medical students Amy Aquino as Dr. Janet Coburn, Chief of Obstetrics John Aylward as Dr. Donald Anspaugh, Chief of Staff Leland Orser as Dr. Lucien Dubenko, Chief of Surgery J. P. Manoux as Dr. Dustin Crenshaw, Surgical Attending Physician Gina Ravera as Dr. Bettina DeJesús, Radiologist Michael Buchman Silver as Dr. Paul Meyers, Psychiatrist Shiri Appleby as Dr. Daria Wade, ER Intern Julian Morris as Dr. Andrew Wade, Surgical Intern Victor Rasuk as Dr. Ryan Sánchez, ER Intern Emily Rose as Dr. Tracy Martin, ER Intern Sam Jones III as Chaz Pratt, First Year Medical Student/Part Time EMT Alexis Bledel as Dr. Julia Wise, ER Intern Gil McKinney as Dr. Paul Grady, Second Year ER Resident Bresha Webb as Dr. Laverne St. John, ER Intern Julia Jones as Dr. Kaya Montoya, ER Intern Perry Anzilotti as Dr. Ed, Anesthesiologist

Nurses Deezer D as Nurse Malik McGrath Laura Cerón as Nurse Chuny Marquez Yvette Freeman as Nurse Haleh Adams Lily Mariye as Nurse Lily Jarvik Dinah Lenney as Nurse Shirley Nasim Pedrad as Nurse Suri Angel Laketa Moore as Nurse Dawn Archer Mary Heiss as Nurse Mary Mónica Guzmán as Nurse Marisol

Staff, paramedics and officers Abraham Benrubi as Desk Clerk Jerry Markovic Troy Evans as Desk Clerk Frank Martin Tara Karsian as Social Worker Liz Dade Emily Wagner as Paramedic Doris Pickman Montae Russell as Paramedic Dwight Zadro Lyn Alicia Henderson as Paramedic Pamela Olbes Brian Lester as Paramedic Brian Dumar Demetrius Navarro as Paramedic Morales Louie Liberti as Paramedic Bardelli Brendan Patrick Connor as Paramedic Reidy Justina Machado as Officer Claudia Diaz Christopher Amitrano as Officer Hollis Demetrius Grosse as Officer Newkirk Eddie Smith as Officer Jones

Family Hallee Hirsh as Rachel Greene Chloe Greenfield as Sarah Riley Courtney B. Vance as Russell Banfield Ellaraino as Marie Banfield Daylon Adkison as Daryl Banfield (in flashback only) Sam Jones III as Chaz Pratt Dominic Janes as Alex Taggart Amy Madigan as Mary Taggart Shannon Woodward as Kelly Taggart Andrew Gonzales and Aidan Gonzales as Joe Kovač Kasey Mahaffy as Johnny Morris

Notable guest stars

Christa B. Allen as Jody NugentEpisode 13 Tom Arnold as The Big KahunaEpisode 21 Ernest Borgnine as Paul ManningEpisodes 19, 22 Chadwick Boseman as Derek TaylorEpisode 6 Louis Gossett Jr. as Leo MalcolmEpisode 15 Judy Greer as Tildie MulliganEpisode 17 Tony Hale as NormanEpisodes 1, 17 Marilu Henner as Linda Brent and Shane Kinsman as Curly and Larry WeddingtonEpisode 3 Rooney Mara as MeganEpisodes 19, 21 Garry Marshall as Harry FeingoldEpisode 13 Debra Mooney as Barbara FeingoldEpisode 13 Justina Machado as Claudia DiazEpisodes 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21 Noah Munck as Logan Charlotte Rae as RoxanneEpisodes 1, 3, 10 Leonard Roberts as Police OfficerEpisode 14 Susan Sarandon as Nora Wallace Shawn as Teddy LempellEpisode 16 Ariel Winter as Lucy MooreEpisodes 15, 16, 17, 19, 21

Production

Crew

Christopher Chulack – Executive producer Michael Crichton – Creator/Executive producer John Wells – Executive producer David Zabel – Executive producer Joe Sachs – Executive producer Janine Sherman Barrois – Executive producer Lisa Zwerling – Co-executive producer Tommy Burns – Producer Wendy Spence Rosato – Producer Charles M. Lagola – Production designer Arthur Albert – Director of photography Martin Davich – Music Randy Jon Morgan, A.C.E. – Editor Mimi Leder, a frequent director during ER first two seasons, returned as a director for the episode "A Long, Strange Trip" Rod Holcomb, the director of the 1994 pilot episode as well as several other early episodes, returned to direct two episodes in this season, among them the series finale Paul McCrane, recurring cast member seasons 4 and 5, and series regular seasons 6–10, continues his affiliation with the show as director of two episodes this season

Episodes

References

External links